Shaving appears to be an effortless task for men who want to get rid of beards or facial hairs. However, it can quickly turn into a harrowing experience, especially if you don’t follow the fundamentals of shaving that men of yore have been practising for centuries. In other words, if you shave the wrong way, your facial skin can suffer from scratches, ingrown hair, cuts, and even razor burns.

This is why you need soft shaving cream to achieve a comfortable, close shave via a highly efficient technique known as wet shaving. Sticking with some other shaving technique may make the facial hair shaving process quite challenging, and you may end up with burns or cuts that mar your features for life.

If you want to get good in the art of shaving, you need to follow some proven guidelines. This ensures you don’t have razor burns, cuts, scratches, ingrown hair, etc., common among inexperienced shavers.

Let’s get down to brass tacks, shall we?

The Guidelines of Shaving Every Man Should Follow

Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to do to ensure a smooth shaving experience.

1. Build a Trusty Shaving Kit

If you want to enjoy painless shaves at all times, invest in a decent shaving kit. Your shaving kit isn’t complete without shaving cream, razor, shaving brush, and aftershave.

But then, it’s not uncommon for some men to have a moisturizer and pre-shave oil. You should consider including these in your shaving kit if you have highly sensitive skin.

Don’t forget to swap the razor after a few shaving procedures. This is the ideal way to get the best shaving results you seek or desire. But if renewing your razor blades is a hassle, find a shop that allows customers to sign up for razor blade subscriptions every month.

Shaving kit

2. Spend a Few Minutes Prepping Your Facial Skin

A lot of men looking to shave forget or skip this crucial step. A large percentage of men just step into their bathrooms, grab a razor blade and start pulling it across their faces.

But alas! They end up with several skin injuries and, worse still, an uneven shave. If you’re so pressed for time, you shouldn’t shave in the first place. This is because a smooth shave takes time, as you’ll need to prep your facial skin before the real action starts.

Therefore, rinse your face with warm water and apply pre-shave face scrub or oil. This helps soften your facial skin and removes all dead skin cells clinging invisibly on your face.

The pre-shave face scrub or oil also gets rid of excess oil that may hinder a smooth shave by accumulating on the razor blade. This is why soft facial skin is far easier to shave than dry skin.

3. Use a High-Quality Shaving Cream

Avoid shaving gels or foam, as most are made with harsh chemicals that burn your face. Expectedly, many of these products won’t list such ingredients on their labels, and the actions of these chemicals aren’t immediate. They occur over time, meaning you may only get to notice them days after shaving when you look into the mirror.

Therefore, consider using only conventional shaving creams. These shaving creams provide an incredibly rich lather that lubricates your facial skin.

Shaving cream

Moreover, traditional shaving creams also lift those facial hairs away from your skin. Then, they act as a shield while you shave.

Allow the shaving cream to sit on your facial skin for a few minutes—2 to 3 minutes will be ideal—before reaching for your razor blade. This way, you’ll enjoy a close, friction-free shave that leaves your facial skin looking smooth and free of injuries.

4. Get an Excellent, Soft Brush for a Creamy Lather

It’s common for men to use their hands when working up a lather for a smooth shave. However, this action is time-consuming and requires lots of effort. On the flip side, getting a hold of and using a shaving brush makes the entire lather-up process quicker and easier.

Simply apply the shaving cream to your face and then moisten the shaving brush. Use the wet shaving brush to swirl the cream across your face.

If you’re not too comfortable using a shaving brush, you might want to consider the following benefits for a change of mind:

  • A shaving brush allows you to spread the cream evenly across your face. It also helps raise your facial hair, making it easier for you to shave off.
  • A shaving brush is a tool you need to create an incredibly rich, creamy layer on your face. It moisturizes your beard, mustache, and skin. This makes the entire shaving process smooth and easy.
  • Using a shaving brush helps eliminate dead skin cells clinging to your face. This can significantly minimize the risk of razor bumps which could cause scratches or cuts on your face.

As you can see, the benefits of using a shaving brush can’t be overemphasized.

5. Own and Use a Sharp Razor

A lack of a high-quality, sharp razor is enough to make or mar a shaving procedure.

The type of razor you have—disposable or safety razor—doesn’t matter. Instead, the #1 characteristic of a razor you intend to use for shaving is its sharpness and quality. Dull razors can chafe your facial skin, and the intense displeasure can be genuinely annoying.

In addition, ensure you change the blade or cartridge every 8 to 10 shaves. This ensures you have the best razors at all times for a clean and smooth shave.

Conclusion

The tips shared above are essential guidelines every man should follow to enjoy a clean, proper, and smooth shave. This will enhance your facial appearance and leave the skin highly refreshed at all times.

To reiterate, build a good shaving kit, prep your facial skin before shaving with a good pre-shave face scrub or oil, get a high-quality shaving cream and a soft shaving brush. Avoid shaving gels or foam so that the chemicals don’t mar your face. Lastly, use super-sharp razor blades to shave at all times.