This post is mainly for men, although girls could also take note and point their S.O. towards this page if he’s getting out of the bathroom red-faced and bleeding from a thousand small cuts. Trust me, I speak from experience.
You see, I’ve been on a quest for razor systems that don’t suck since my late teens, and it wasn’t easy. I have sensitive skin and tough stubbles, which pretty much guaranteed razor burn every bloody time. I’ve been through the whole Gillette range – and some Wilkinson on the side. I’ve tried electric, but to my horror I discovered that it only replaces razor burn with dried-out skin patches, that look (and feel) even more horrid.
Until a friend of mine recommended an old-fashion safety razor. He had sort of the same problems, and he swears by it, so I said I’ll give it a try. Turns out it’s not only the razor; it’s the whole shaving process. I was doing it VERY wrong.
After two years of great shaving, here’s what I learned so far:
- Moisture is really important. Always shave after a shower – barring that, get and use a hot towel to soften the stubbles. This is the most important step to a pain-free shave; I can’t stress this enough. If there’s no hot towel available and you don’t have time for a shower (!), splash your face for at least one minute with hot water – as hot as you can stand.
- The shaving cream or soap or whatever you’re going to use should be on the oily side, so that the razor slides on the skin. Slide. Not scrape. A shaving brush helps, but it’s not necessary for every products. There are some lather-free creams out there which are better applied by hand.
- The shaving itself. Regardless of the razor you use, you should always shave in the direction that your hair grows (with the grain, as it’s called). Don’t shave against the grain, even if you think the result is not smooth enough. That’s going to lead to ingrown hairs, which are a major pain. Shave in small increments and rinse your razor often. Don’t forget that it’s trimming, not scrapping: don’t push the razor against your face. It’s better to trim incrementally (say, 4-5 times on the same spot) than to scrape it all in one go. By the way, if you have a safety razor, you should NEVER EVER scrape; you’ll end up looking like you got shaved by Freddy Krueger.
- IMPORTANT: use sharp blades. No kidding. On a safety razor, a blade should be used for only two shaves, three tops. Fortunately they’re quite cheap, compared to the modern contraptions. A sharp blade slides; a dull blade pulls the skin and gives cuts and burns.
- Putting on some manly aftershave lotion is important. What is even more important is putting on some rather less manly moisturising face cream afterwards. Or go for a alcohol-free aftershave balm.
- Oh, and one more thing. Whenever you have the chance – like weekends in the woods, or fantasy conventions or whatever – give your face a rest. One or two days without shaving every now and then is good for the skin.
And that’s about it. I shave mainly with a safety razor nowadays – it’s something of a guilty pleasure for me, and I understand if people don’t want to invest the time in learning how to use one. It’s well worth it, in my opinion, but your mileage may vary.
I also own a Gillette Fusion (the one with the battery in the handle), which I use as travel razor, or if I’m really in a hurry. I find that microvibrations in the razor blade are the most important invention in the field of shaving in the last 30 years. If you don’t want a safety razor, this is in my opinion the way to go.
If you’re fortunate enough to have one of those old-fashioned barber shops in the neighbourhood, do yourself a favour and get a shave there. You’ll experience first-hand what I’ve told you above, and then you can make up your own mind about shaving techniques. And if you have problems like razor burn and ingrown hairs, you can ask the barber for advice; he’s a professional after all.