How to Shave Your Face: A Quick Men’s Guide

How to shave your face is a question most men will encounter at some point in their lives.  For my best friend, it was a question he was faced with at 13.  For me, it took until senior year of college.

Regardless of your age, how to shave your face properly will prevent ingrown hairs, itchy bumps, irritation, and can form into a routine you actually look forward to.

This quick men’s guide will help you reach that goal.

How to Shave Your Face: A Quick Men’s Guide

1. Knock it Down (if applicable)

If it’s been awhile since you’ve shaved, it’s likely that your facial hair is long, wiry, and coarse.

It’s difficult to get a nice shave if your facial hair is too long.  It will clog the blades, require frequent and frustrating cleaning, and cause you to make several passes in one spot to get everything.

Even then, you may be stuck with a hair or two that “didn’t make the cut”.

Like running a mower over tall grass with its highest setting first, it’s best to prevent a frustrating, irritating shave by using a beard trimmer to knock everything down initially.

2. “Hydrate”

“Hydrating” helps to soften hair, open pores, remove unwanted oil, dirt, dead skin cells, and prepares the skin for an optimum shave.

This is usually best achieved while taking a warm shower.

Use a wash rag for no more than 30 seconds in light, gentle, circular motions. Salicylic acid in certain facial cleansers helps to dig deep into pores, chemically exfoliating by breaking molecular skin cell bonds.  These both help to slough away dead skin cells and soften facial hair to prepare for a quality shave.

3. Go the Extra Mile with Pre-Shave Oil

If you suffer from extra sensitive skin and always seem to get razor burn or irritation no matter the technique, give pre shave oil a shot.

After hydrating, apply a couple drops of pre-shave oil to your hands and apply to face.

The oil helps to fill the microscopic voids within the skin.  It creates a slick, protective barrier between the skin and razor, allowing for an effortless glide to mitigate bumps, nicks and burn.

Be careful not to rub it in too much, it should feel “greasy” to provide the necessary, slick barrier.

4. Lather

Opt for a quality shave butter, cream, or gel and apply to whiskers. Applying a shave cream against the grain will help lift hairs, allowing for a smoother, more precise finish.

A good shaving product will be calming, cooling, protective, and won’t dry out skin.

Shave butter, a new form of transparent shave cream, allows you to see what you’re doing while shaving and should contain quality ingredients to help nourish and protect the skin.

With the ultimate goal of helping men feel confident, successful and look good, Strictly Man Supply Co.’s Arctic Shave Butter contains soothing aloe, calming sage, refreshing witch hazel, and cooling peppermint to deliver a smooth glide, close shave and enjoyable experience every time.

Tip: The propellant found in aerosol shave creams and gels can irritate and dry out skin.  If this is a concern, try something in a jar or squeezable tube instead.

5. The Shave

Before you start shaving, know which direction your hair grows.  Keep in mind that hair may grow in different directions depending on the different areas of the face and neck.

For example, hair may grow downward on the cheek, but as soon as you hit the underside of the jaw, it may start to grow sideways and even upward on the neck.

Run the pads of your fingers along your facial hair.  If it gives resistance, chances are this is the opposite way the hair is growing.

To prevent irritation and razor burn, use a clean, sharp razor and shave with the grain of the hair.

Remember to use short, light strokes with the razor, and rinse often to prevent hair build up between the blades.

6. Rinse

After shaving is complete, use cold water to rinse away any hair and leftover shave butter.

Cold water helps to close pores, soothe skin, and mitigate razor burn by contracting blood vessels.

Make sure to pat dry, instead of rub, to prevent driving any leftover dirt back into pores and inflaming skin.

7. After Shave Lotion or Balm

From hydrating to razor, the process of shaving from start to finish is a lot for skin to handle.

Between warm water, exfoliating, and the shave itself, oils and skin cells are stripped away, leaving skin raw and exposed.

A good after shave lotion or balm will help reduce irritation, soothe skin, and disinfect, helping skin restore its moisture barrier and heal.

Look for ingredients like witch hazel, aloe, and vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate), which help hydrate and calm.

Apply a nickel sized amount evenly to the face, making sure to hit all the areas that were shaven.

That’s it and good luck!  Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be on your way to looking and feeling great with a proper shave!

Thanks for reading How to Shave Your Face: A Quick Men’s Guide!

For more on skincare, check out: The Complete Men’s Skincare Guide