We discussed the nuances of men’s shaving and types of razors with experts, and also asked about care before and after
Content:
- How to steam your face
- How to shave with a T-shaped razor
- How to shave with an electric razor
- How to shave with a straight razor
- Aftershave care
How to steam your face before shaving
Steaming your face before shaving is an important step that is often overlooked. This simple procedure helps soften your beard and prepare your skin for contact with the razor.
- Wet a towel with hot water. Make sure the temperature is comfortable for your skin and does not cause a burn. Use a clean, soft towel made of natural material: cotton or bamboo.
- Squeeze out excess water. The towel should be damp, but not soaking wet that water does not run down your face.
- Place the towel on your face. It should cover the areas you will be shaving. Relax and hold the towel on your face for one to two minutes until it begins to cool. If your stubble is tough, you can repeat the procedure two or three times, soaking the towel in hot water again.
How to shave with a T-shaped razor
- Cleanse your skin. Wash your face and neck with warm water and a gentle cleanser – it will help remove dirt and excess sebum so that bacteria do not get into micro-cuts and cause inflammation.
- Apply shaving product. Choose a product: foam, cream or shaving gel. They will soften the stubble, reduce friction of the blade on the skin and protect against irritation. Foam is suitable for most skin types and provides excellent glide. Cream has a thicker texture – it is better to choose it for those with sensitive and dry skin. But transparent gel allows you to see the shaving area, and therefore is ideal for shaping the contours of the beard and moustache.
- Shave. It is important to properly prepare the skin and follow the shaving technique, first moving the razor in the direction of hair growth or across it. Shaving against the grain, although it gives smoothness, often only irritates the skin more. If the hairs have grown a lot, it is better to first shorten them with a trimmer, and then go over them with a razor that has maximum contact with the skin to achieve smoothness. With your free hand, stretch the skin to create an even surface. Shave in the direction of hair growth with short, smooth movements – this will remove the bulk of the stubble. If you need to achieve perfectly smooth skin, you can make a second pass across or against the grain. Do this carefully to avoid irritation.
- Do post-shave care. After the procedure, wash off the shaving cream with warm, but not hot water, so as not to provoke the production of sebum, especially if you are already prone to oily skin.
“Men’s skin is different from women’s: it is denser and rougher, more prone to oiliness and less susceptible to dehydration. Due to high testosterone levels, it ages more slowly and stays elastic longer. But there are also disadvantages: frequent shaving irritates the skin of the face, and microtraumas lead to inflammation and ingrown hairs. Therefore, it is important to use shaving products that soothe, relieve inflammation and help restore the skin’s protective barrier.”
How to shave properly with an electric razor
- Prepare your skin for shaving. Wash your face with warm water and a mild cleanser to remove dirt and oil. If you have long stubble, trim the long hairs first with a trimmer. Steam your face well – you can do this by taking a shower or applying a hot towel. Then apply pre-shave oil (if you are using a hot compress, you will need to apply oil first). After that, you can use shaving gel or foam.
- Shave. “Wetting the razor periodically in hot water, at an angle of 30 degrees, stretching the skin well, move the razor in the direction of hair growth,” explains Dmitry Buzdugan, an expert of the WAU brand. “If necessary, now wetting your face with warm water, move the razor against the hair growth diagonally to achieve smoothness.” This should be done carefully: do not press too hard on the razor, this can cause irritation.
- Do post-shave care. Apply a cold compress with a towel or wash with cold water. Apply an aftershave lotion, preferably alcohol-based, to “burn” the inflamed area of skin and protect it from bacteria. You can also use a moisturizer.
“If you don’t have moles, bumpy areas of skin or swirls of hair growth on your face, opt for foam. It lifts the hair better and retains the warmth of pre-steamed skin. If you have difficult areas on your face, use a gel to see all the areas and avoid cuts.”
How to shave with a straight razor
- Prepare for shaving. Steam your face in the shower or with a hot towel. Wash your face with warm water and a mild cleanser. Use shaving foam or cream to ensure good glide and skin protection. Whip up the foam with a brush – it will lift the hairs and make shaving easier – or apply the cream evenly to the shaving area.
- Shave. Use your free hand to pull the skin in the shaving area taut, creating an even surface. Shave with short, smooth, undercutting movements. Do not slide or press on the face. Shave in the direction of hair growth – this will remove the bulk of the stubble. For greater smoothness, you can make a second pass across or against the hair growth. It is important to be careful – this can injure the skin. Barber Vasily Nosov recommends going over it twice: first in the direction of hair growth, then diagonally.
- Do aftershave care. Rinse your face with cool water. Apply aftershave lotion or balm.
“Hold the shavette with two fingers – the index finger and the thumb. The tip of the shavette should be placed between the fingers. The angle to the skin should be approximately 35-45 degrees. The smaller it is, the less likely it is to cut.”
Aftershave care
- In salons, the skin is cooled after shaving. At home, this is not necessary – just wash off the gel or foam and apply an aftershave. Choose one that not only soothes, but also moisturizes, prevents ingrown hairs and inflammation, and reduces swelling. The product should be quickly absorbed and not leave a sticky feeling. Tatyana Shapranova advises paying attention to squalane and bisabolol in the composition – they soften and strengthen the protective barrier of the skin.
- If your skin is sensitive, try shaving in the evening to give it time to recover, then apply a soothing and restorative gel.
- For dry skin, choose a product with a thick creamy texture. For aging skin, use a fluid with rejuvenating components. And if you have problem skin, pay attention to products with azelaic acid, which fights hyperkeratosis, acne and ingrown hairs.
- Before and after shaving, you should wash the razor and spray it with any alcohol-containing antiseptic.