Back when you were starting to get some fluffy whiskers on your tender teenage face, your Dad probably gave you a few tips on shaving. Or, maybe you watched him shave his manly bristles and figured it out from there. Your Dad probably wishes he could have told you these 6 awesome tips, because now you’re going to be able to school him next time you talk about shaving.
1. Shave with the direction of your growth
Go with the growth! Don’t shave against the natural direction of your face growth. Shaving against the growth will result in razor burn, razor rash and ingrown hairs. A good way to figure out which way your facial hair grows is to run a finger along a day or two of growth in all directions. The direction in which you feel that rasp is directly against the direction of growth.
This can be a bit more difficult around the neck, where hair growth is generally a bit more random. For most men, simply shaving outwards from your Adam’s Apple will do the trick here.
2. Pre and post shave preparation matters
Starting and ending your shave right makes a world of difference. Try exfoliating before a shave to cleanse your skin before putting the blade to it. Always warm up your skin with a hot towel or hot water to expand your pores and make shaving easier. Alternatively, clean your face in the shower and shave right after, killing two birds with one stone.
When you’ve finished your shave, splash the shaved areas with some warm water and moisturise your skin. This reduces irritation and leaves you feeling fresh.
3. Don’t over shave
Even with the closest shave, you’ll probably never have that smooth baby skin again. Run your fingers against the grain soon after a fresh shave and it’s going to feel raspy. Constant stubble is a fact of life, and it’s particularly noticeable for guys with dark hair and light skin.
Go easy on your skin and don’t overdo it while shaving. That rough facial growth will always be there, no matter how often you shave. It’s better to give your skin a rest than end up with a rash from over shaving. With good technique and a set of OSCAR blades you should only need to shave once every 1 – 2 days, max.
4. Pull skin tight with your hand
Use a free hand to pull your skin tight, away from the direction your shaving. This pulls the bristles upright and makes it easier for your razor to get in close. It also smooths out any moles or scar tissue that would otherwise get nicked.
You’ll almost always get a better result from using your hand than pulling faces at the mirror.
5. Slow down, go easy
Shaving isn’t a race. When using a premium crafted blade like ours, pushing hard and going fast is just going to get you bloodied up. Go slow, hold your razor at a slight slant and use short, clean strokes.
6. Don’t shave with a blunt razor
Best till last. This one should be a no-brainer, but unfortunately with the huge costs of razor cartridges these days, a lot of guys will shave with blunt blades to save money. Razors will blunt even if you don’t use them very often, since after the first shave, the metal corrodes and blunts itself. If you’re not looking forward to dropping a bomb on replacing your blades, join our Shave Club to receive fresh razors to your doorstep for as low as $3.13 each.
A good indication that your razor needs to be changed is when you can feel the razor against your face. A blunt razor will be rough and scratchy. Make sure you switch out your razor blades often!
