Things You'll Need:
- Towel
- New Razors
- Warm and Cool Water
- Exfoliating Soap
- Shave Oil or Cream
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Step 1
The first step in getting a shave that doesn't leave razor burn, nicks, cuts and irritation is to find which shaving cream/gel works best for you. I have found that for most people, a shave gel WITHOUT SOAP is the best. These products containing soap often cause irritation because of the additional ingredients in the product that are used to make the soap adhere to the lather. When choosing a shaving product look for one that doesn't contain soap. I highly recommend shaving OIL instead of cream. Most oil based products provide an EXTREMELY close shave and they often soothe the skin much more efficiently than gels.
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Step 2
Along with the preparation of choosing a good shaving gel/cream, you need to make sure your face is prepared for the shave. This may take some experimenting. I suggest starting with warm water, get your face good and relaxed, warm and comfy. Then...splash cold water on your face. This will revitalize you and make the hair stand up straight for a clean fresh shave. By using warm water first your skin will become pliable and soothed. Apply the oil, cream or gel that you have chosen to your face and begin shaving immediately. Do not let your skin dry out before shaving.
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Step 3
Choose the right razor. A 4 bladed razor might sound like a nice clean shave, but it may just mean you're going to get 4 times the cuts on your face! And...when choosing a razor, find one with the widest gap between the individual blades that you can find. The residue in the blades from your shave will wash out easier giving you more uses and less build up will go BACK onto your skin! Women's razors and men's razors are completely different but you may have to cross the gender line at Wal-mart to find which one works the best for you. When shaving pull the razor in the same direction the hair is growing. This is called shaving with the grain. Going against the grain pulls hair out at the root causing major irritation. Remember to rinse your razor often as the residue you scrape from your skin can easily be ground back into your freshly open facial pores.
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Step 4
After shaving your face, rinse your face with cool to warm water. Do not use hot water or ice cold water as it changes the cellular structure of your skin which may cause the skin to lock in cut hair or dead skin tissue. If possible, shave before a shower and rinse your face repeatedly in the shower. You may also find it convenient to simply while in the shower instead of before hand. Also, at least every other day use a gentle exfoliating soap on your face to help remove oils, dirt and dead skin. These are the primary causes of razor burn and acne! When drying your face dab it with a towel, do not rub or wipe your skin. Some people put after shave lotion on their face after shaving, but I do not recommend doing this especially if you are using an oil based shave gel. After shave with an alcohol base is the only kind I suggest because it dries the skin, but make sure it has a low amount of fragrance as that often causes irritation. If you're wearing a collared shirt after shaving, make sure you allow 30 minutes to an hour for your face to recover from shaving before putting a collar against your skin.
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Step 5
While in the military and while working in law enforcement I shaved every single day. My skin suffered greatly for a long time until I found the perfect shave. Warm water rinse then splash with cold water. Apply shave gel without soap or oil based product. Shave going with the grain using a triple blade flex head razor like Mach 3. Rinse with cool-warm water and dab my face dry. Every other day I use an exfoliating soap. This has served me well.
