A Close Shave - For The Guys

At the risk of starting a battle of the sexes, shaving is one hassle that men have tolerate..not once a month or every four to six weeks but nearly every day. Some gents even have to shave more than once a day. The average man has more than 25,000 hairs as hard as copper wire coming out of his face and spends 3,000 hours in his lifetime shaving them off.

And why should we shave? Because it gives an impression that you have made an effort to groom yourself and that you have made an effort….maybe it’s the parallel to ladies wearing make-up. Ever wondered why we started shaving?

The Egyptians were the first to bathe several times a day and remove body hair, sometimes with a clam shell. At first, the Romans thought this was gross and the lack of body hair was a deformity; then they too began to scrape it off. The practice became so accepted, members of "unbarbered" societies became known as barbarians.

Let’s face it, shaving is an invasive activity. Grabbing a sharp metal blade and dragging it along your skin to cut of each facial hair is not the ideal thing for your skin. However there are various tips that can help you get the best shave.

1. Shave in the shower: Shaving should be your final step before leaving the shower. The warm moisture of a shower makes hairs soft and plump and opens your pores. Thus, it is better if the water is on the warmer side. You can purchase mirrors that go in the shower. If you can’t shave in the shower, do so as soon as possible after you let out.

2. Lubricate: A performance shaving formula should form a slick lubricating cushion to allow shaving blades to glide without scraping. Leave it on your face for a minute before shaving.

3. Use a face scrub: A gentle scrubbing massage will help open pores, prime follicles and raise stubs for a closer shave. This exfoliation removes dead cells and impurities that can cause acne, ingrown hairs and infection. It will also smooth and renew your complexion.

4. Use a sharp blade: Discard shaving blades after four or five uses. Unfortunately, they don’t stay sharp enough for more than that. Use gentle strokes; don’t put too much pressure on the blade.

5. After care: They can damage your skin and create microscopic swelling. Avoid anything that tingles, stings or numbs during or after shaving, when your skin is vulnerable. Stay away from alcohol or strong plant extracts such as menthol, peppermint or citrus. Some individuals don’t realise that cologne and after shave are different things. After shave, as it’s name suggests, sooths skin after shaving. Cologne is to make you smell good.

6. Direction: Shave in two steps. First, shave with the grain with very light pressure. Second, reapply a coat of shaving cream and shave against the grain for super-close and smooth results.

7. Environment: Think about where your bathroom light is in relation to your mirror. Many bathroom lights are in the centre of the ceiling, while the mirror is on the wall. Thus, the light is behind us. Not the best situation for making sure you cover every inch of your face. Consider placing a lamp next to the mirror that shines directly on your face.

Some of these tips may be blatantly obvious, but others you may not have considered. Follow them all and it will avoid you looking red faced after a bad shave.