Prepare To Shave
When you decide to shave, you must be prepared. A large percentage of men experience irritated skin after shaving because they don’t take care in ensuring it is done at the right time, the razor is clean, the facial hair is soft enough to be cut and what to do after shaving.
The Right Time
Most people will say the right time to shave is early in the morning. Why? Because that is normally the time when we groom ourselves to face the world. Dermatologist might say that the facial hair is more relaxed in the mornings than at nights. On the other cheek, it may be argued that the skin gets time to relax and heal in the night after shaving. The right time for me is anytime the hair is at least one eighth of an inch long, whether it is early in the morning or late at night. Hair that is more than an inch in length becomes thicker and harder to remove.
Choosing a Razor
When choosing a razor to shave, you must decide how much you want to spend. There are currently 5 types of razors on the market: single, double, triple, quadruple and quintet blades. Each blade comes with ergonomic features, which impact the cost of the product. Once you purchase the, you will get a cartridge with an additional blade or more. The purpose of the variation of blades is to ensure a precise cut which eventually reduce irritation to the skin during shaving.
You will also get a casing to replace these blades whenever they are worn. Some persons use their razors once, while others recycle them numerous times. Depending on how experienced you are, the trick is in your wrist and you might not have to go the expensive way to get that smart, smooth look.
Should you decide to go expensive, there is a new wave of razors that comes with batteries and which vibrates while you shave. This patented technology is also designed to give less irritated experience and more comfort during your shave. However, you can still get a smoother shave without going that expensive. Let’s get some water.
Warm Water Prep
Remember I said that facial hair must be soft before shaving. Well, warm water will do the trick and get the beard or mustache ready for shave. Prior to shave, your face must be washed thoroughly, preferably with warm water.
Some cleaners or soap have alpha hydroxide formula with micro beads that deep cleanse the skin. This cleansing is called exfoliation and it gets rid of the outer layers of dirt. The micro bead is the size of fine cornmeal and that is mainly for the opening up of the pores so that the exfoliation process can take place while the skin is cleansed..
If you have sensitive skin, the type of soap you use must be “oil and dye free”. It must also be able to cleanse the skin without leaving residue, which can disrupt the easy flow of the razor. Once all this is in place, you are ready for a smooth ride.
Applying Shaving Gel
Now you are ready for the ride of your life, but first you must apply some gel or cream to the area. This is to allow the razor to glide more comfortably along your face as well as to keep your hair warm and clustered for a clean cut.
For some who recycle their blades, you can place same in warm water. With a little alcohol in the solution, it will sterilize your blades. But you must be cautious when soaking your razor as the alcohol might destroy the gel strip on the cartridge when it is soaked. Some of the latest cartridges on the market come with gel strips while some cheaper brands do not have them. Once you place your cartridge in liquid, do remember to remove them before the strip is destroyed.
The face is washed with warm water, gel/shaving cream is placed on the skin, razor is in hand, now we are ready to go for a bump free ride..
Bump Free Ride
You will shave in the direction that the hair grows. The reason for this is that the shaft of the follicle that is closer to the skin normally falls in the direction it grows, when the hair is cut. If you cut the hair in the opposite direction, the shaft of the hair pushes up the skin. When the razor passes over the bump, it will cause abrasion.
That is why a lot of men get nicks and razor cuts during shave. However, scientists had foreseen the problem and introduced a patented contoured razor cartridge to battle these obstacles. If you insist on shaving in the opposite direction to which the hair grows, you must ensure the hair is completely low before attempting this. Some men use clippers, shaving gadgets and other machines to lower the facial hair prior to using the razor. In addition, you must allow the surface of your skin to remain warm and apply gel or shaving cream once you expect to achieve a smooth cut.
Now all the hair is gone but all is not over as we get ready for the “after shave” experience.
After Shave
This last step is a most important stage of your smooth shave. You would have gone too far to allow razor bumps to invade your skin. For those who have sensitive skin, it is advisable not to use chemicals that contain dye or alcohol. Yes, many of the after shave lotions on the market have alcoholic ingredients, but what these do is to open up the pores. It is recommended that you use products that have green tea extract. This herbal blend soothe your skin, act against the sun’s damaging effect (SPF ) and prevent the formation of wrinkles. It is also important to restore the (PH) balance in your skin after deep cleansing with hydroxide, which is acidic. You can also apply a toner; again, it should be alcohol free.
All of the above procedures are necessary as your regular skin regiment and you should invest in your health and beauty by treating yourself to a shaving kit if you intend to have bump free skin. For those who can’t afford it, there is a cheaper way to go razor free and instead use hair removal creams. Though this method still has some cost to it, it might prove less expensive. However, once you decide to use chemicals to remove hair, you must not use razor on your skin for at least a month before switching. Using both method concurrently, will definitely damage your skin.