How to turn shaving from a routine into a pleasure, and how to avoid cuts while shaving?
Let’s discuss this.
We have collected shaving tips men from barbers. Their recommendations will save you from the imperfections on your face, cuts after shaving, as well as from the fear of this procedure.
Table of Contents
Experimenting with a standard shaver
This recommendation is in every men’s shaving guide.
The razor blade is a traditional tool of choice for both older and younger generations.
There are options with one, two and three blades. It has a T-shape, and its use raises a whole range of questions.
The barbers have developed a universal instruction for using the T-shaped shaver:
- skin preparation for shaving: it needs to be warmed up and moisturised. You can use a hot shower for 5-10 minutes, or a waffle towel dipped in hot water. It needs to be applied to the face for just a few minutes to steam out the pores;
- foam preparation: you can use a plastic container. You will need a shaving brush, soap or a special foam. If you have chosen soap, you need to slightly moisten it with water and “whip” with dynamic movements with a shaving brush until foam appears. If you prefer foam, then you need to place it in a container, add a little water and also “whip” for 3-4 minutes. When the foam is ready, smoothly apply it to the area to be treated with a brush;
- shaving with a razor blade: barbers recommend “feeling” for the optimal angle of the shaver, when the hairs are removed, not smoothed. Everyone is unique.
Some men use a 300-degree shaver, while others shave with an arm that points down.
But the key point is that you need to shave the hairs in the direction of hair growth, and not in the opposite direction, otherwise irritation and ingrown hairs will appear, provoking inflammation.
To shave the hair, you need to make short sliding movements. And some may need to do it twice. Before each entry into the hair growth area, it is necessary to apply shaving foam;
- finishing the shave: after removing the stubble, an aftershave cream or balm is put on the face to moisturise the skin, in order to make it softer and more pleasant to the touch.
Men like this method because they get a quick and good shave if they learn how to use the shaver correctly.
At the same time, the cost of shaving in this case is cheaper.
Shaving technique with a standard razor blade: Essential Secrets
To avoid cuts and skin irritation, barbers recommend to include in men’s face shaving directions some specific practice. Their goal is to help men find the optimal angle of the shaver during the morning or evening procedure.
How to do it?
In their opinion, there are two tricks to help you get a feel for the subtleties of shaving.
The first exercise is a 300 degree shave.
It must be done with a protection guard. It is better to put a cap or tip on it in order not to cut the skin.
The position of the guard should be at an obtuse angle, that is 300 degrees. Touch the skin, and try to run the “blade” along its surface with short movements from the top down.
Barbers say that this approach is quite aggressive, because after such a shave, cuts and irritations may appear on your skin.
But for some men, this way of shaving is suitable.
The second exercise is a razor blade parallel to the floor.
We work with a protection guard. The shaver is placed parallel to the floor. We make contact with the face with the “blade” and make short movements.
These two exercises are called “from one extreme to the other”, and the task of every man is to find the most comfortable angle for the position of the shaver while doing the procedure. It can be 270 degrees or 180.
Using an electric shaver
An electric shaver (trimmer) is a popular option among modern men.
It’s small, powerful and practical.
It can be used both at home and on business trips. But the main thing is that it is less dangerous than a standard shaver. The risk of leaving cuts on the skin is minimal.
However, it is worth considering several aspects of this device that will improve the quality of shaving:
- construction: the trimmer has two cutting components, sharp blades and a mesh that is fixed above them. The outer side of the mesh is smooth, while the inner side is sharp. It is used as an additional blade while shaving. Therefore, you do not need to apply any pressure or additional manipulations during hair removal;
- method: the electric shaver cuts hairs in two stages in one move, leaving a clean trace after it. After shaving, there are no cuts and irritations on the skin. Therefore, this tool is included in the lists of the best shaving techniques for sensitive skin or skin with some imperfections (acne, comedones). If you use a shaver over the surface of the problem area, nothing will happen to it;
- shaving technique choice: depends on the design of the trimmer. There are models that can be used at a certain angle of inclination (mentioned in the instructions). There are models that shave perfectly at any angle and in any direction. The key point is to choose a suitable nozzle for cutting the bristles, taking into account its density and length;
- shaving format: electric shavers are designed for dry shaving. But there are models that allow steaming the pores and applying foam to the bristles. This information is mentioned in the instructions for a particular model.
Shaving with a trimmer has a number of benefits that many men appreciate.
Those are speed, cleanliness of shaving, and high convenience of the procedure. Among the disadvantages are the need to connect to a power source and noise during the procedure.
Some models need to be cleaned after shaving, but usually it takes only 2-5 minutes. The cleaning procedure is quite easy.
The average life of a trimmer is 3-5 years with proper care.
Important recommendations for men
No matter what kind of shaving sets for him, it is important to observe additional safety shaving measures.
Usually such sets have a shaving brush and a shaver, so this shaving guide for men will be useful:
- shave in a room with good lighting to remove all hairs and detect lacking areas that need to be worked on promptly;
- if you notice that the blades of the machine are dull, or the mesh in the trimmer is clogged, you need to take action. Replace the blades and clean the trimmer. So, you will improve the speed and quality of shaving;
- allow enough time and attention to preparing the skin for the procedure, especially if you shave with a razor. If the skin is not steamed enough, then after shaving, redness, peeling, and dryness will appear, which lead to discomfort;
- choose a shaving foam or gel that matches your skin type. Then the skin after the procedure will become much better;
- shave hairs from top down in the direction of hair growth. If there are problematic areas on the face where the hairs cannot be removed in the direction of growth, make an exception to the rule and shave the hairs against their growth. But you need to remove them carefully and in a single motion;
- while shaving, you can stretch the skin a little so that the hairs are easier to shave. It is problematic to shave the area above the upper lip. To make it more supple, close your lips tightly and stretch the skin.
Now you know how you shave without getting bumps, and the skin remains free of cuts or injuries.
