These tips will focus on the traditional shaving style with cream and a razor.
1. Clean your face before you shave. Wash your face with a mild facial soap or cleanser. Facial soap differs from regular bath soap in that it is much milder and more moisturizing. This is better for your face. Also, make sure the water is hot. Hot water opens your pores and allows deeper cleaning. It also softens the skin and whiskers which makes your shaving experience more enjoyable.
2. Hot towel time. Most of you will try this step and then skip it out of your future shaving routine to save time. Don't. The hot towel treatment is vital to a clean and close shave. Soak a large wash cloth or small hand towel in hot water. I mean hot...as hot as you can stand it without it actually hurting. Ring out the excess water and place the hot cloth upon your whole face, leaving a space for your nose so you can breathe. Leave the cloth in place for no more than 30 seconds. Any longer and the temperature will cool down.
3. Lather up. You want to lather up while your face is still warm from the hot towel. Grab your favorite shaving cream or gel and place a generous dollop on your fingers. If you are in a pinch and you don't have any shaving cream or gel, you can lather up with regular facial soap. I don't recommend using soap regularly because it does not make for a good shaving medium. It tends to be harsher on your skin when used this way and can lead to irritation and burning…but it beats a dry shave any day.
Apply the lather evenly to your face where you wish to shave using upward circular motions. If you want to go "old school", you can apply your cream with a shaving brush loaded from a shaving mug. The shaving brush helps to lift the hairs so they stand up straighter and allow a cleaner cut. If you use a shaving brush, make sure to apply your cream in a circular motion.
4. Grab your steel. There are countless types of "wet" shaving implements available to the modern man today, but they all fall into one of two categories: safety razors and straight razors. Avoid the straight razor unless you are well experienced with it. Safety razors can be disposable or the kind in which you can replace the blades. Either is good, but I prefer the disposable kind because they come in designs with multiple cutting blades. Single blades can certainly do the job, but twin blades are the best, providing a much closer shave. You can even find triple and quadruple disposable blades, but they don't seem to cut much closer and the heads are usually wider than I prefer for "close in" work above the upper lip under the nose.
Starting at the top of your cheek use long downward strokes. You should only need to apply light pressure… just enough to see your razor denting your cheek. Shave to your chin and then the other side of your face so that you have all shaved above the jaw line. Rinse the razor in hot water after each one or two strokes, making sure to remove all of the cut hair and dirty shaving cream.
Next, shave under your jaw line. Again, use long downward strokes starting at the jaw line just under your ear. Work toward your chin and then shave the other half of your face starting at the jaw line just under your other ear.
The area around your chin may be a little more stubborn. Here, you may shave upward as necessary to make the area smooth. When shaving under your chin, you can pull the razor from your throat area toward your chin. Be very careful when shaving your Adam's apple.
Lastly, shave your mustache area. Always shave from top down paying close attention to the area just under the nostrils. This is where a single or twin blade razor with a narrow width head comes in handy. Curl your lip over your front teeth to tighten the skin and make the hairs stand up.
5. Rinse. Rinse your face with warm water and check to see that you didn't miss any hairs. Gently pat your face dry with a soft towel.
6. Moisturize. Now is the time to apply a good moisturizing face lotion. Do so while your face as still moist from the rinse. Use a lotion that is formulated specifically for after shave use. Avoid moisturizers that have a large percentage of alcohol as they can dry out your skin.
<< previous page
1. Clean your face before you shave. Wash your face with a mild facial soap or cleanser. Facial soap differs from regular bath soap in that it is much milder and more moisturizing. This is better for your face. Also, make sure the water is hot. Hot water opens your pores and allows deeper cleaning. It also softens the skin and whiskers which makes your shaving experience more enjoyable.
2. Hot towel time. Most of you will try this step and then skip it out of your future shaving routine to save time. Don't. The hot towel treatment is vital to a clean and close shave. Soak a large wash cloth or small hand towel in hot water. I mean hot...as hot as you can stand it without it actually hurting. Ring out the excess water and place the hot cloth upon your whole face, leaving a space for your nose so you can breathe. Leave the cloth in place for no more than 30 seconds. Any longer and the temperature will cool down.
3. Lather up. You want to lather up while your face is still warm from the hot towel. Grab your favorite shaving cream or gel and place a generous dollop on your fingers. If you are in a pinch and you don't have any shaving cream or gel, you can lather up with regular facial soap. I don't recommend using soap regularly because it does not make for a good shaving medium. It tends to be harsher on your skin when used this way and can lead to irritation and burning…but it beats a dry shave any day.
Apply the lather evenly to your face where you wish to shave using upward circular motions. If you want to go "old school", you can apply your cream with a shaving brush loaded from a shaving mug. The shaving brush helps to lift the hairs so they stand up straighter and allow a cleaner cut. If you use a shaving brush, make sure to apply your cream in a circular motion.
4. Grab your steel. There are countless types of "wet" shaving implements available to the modern man today, but they all fall into one of two categories: safety razors and straight razors. Avoid the straight razor unless you are well experienced with it. Safety razors can be disposable or the kind in which you can replace the blades. Either is good, but I prefer the disposable kind because they come in designs with multiple cutting blades. Single blades can certainly do the job, but twin blades are the best, providing a much closer shave. You can even find triple and quadruple disposable blades, but they don't seem to cut much closer and the heads are usually wider than I prefer for "close in" work above the upper lip under the nose.
Starting at the top of your cheek use long downward strokes. You should only need to apply light pressure… just enough to see your razor denting your cheek. Shave to your chin and then the other side of your face so that you have all shaved above the jaw line. Rinse the razor in hot water after each one or two strokes, making sure to remove all of the cut hair and dirty shaving cream.
Next, shave under your jaw line. Again, use long downward strokes starting at the jaw line just under your ear. Work toward your chin and then shave the other half of your face starting at the jaw line just under your other ear.
The area around your chin may be a little more stubborn. Here, you may shave upward as necessary to make the area smooth. When shaving under your chin, you can pull the razor from your throat area toward your chin. Be very careful when shaving your Adam's apple.
Lastly, shave your mustache area. Always shave from top down paying close attention to the area just under the nostrils. This is where a single or twin blade razor with a narrow width head comes in handy. Curl your lip over your front teeth to tighten the skin and make the hairs stand up.
5. Rinse. Rinse your face with warm water and check to see that you didn't miss any hairs. Gently pat your face dry with a soft towel.
6. Moisturize. Now is the time to apply a good moisturizing face lotion. Do so while your face as still moist from the rinse. Use a lotion that is formulated specifically for after shave use. Avoid moisturizers that have a large percentage of alcohol as they can dry out your skin.
<< previous page
Grab your steel and get in close!
Shaving Tips -- the Wet Shave
Featured Article Links:
u Facial Skin Care
u Eye Care
u Shaving Tips
u Mustache and Beard Care
u You've Got the Cutest Little...
u Facial Skin Care
u Eye Care
u Shaving Tips
u Mustache and Beard Care
u You've Got the Cutest Little...
