By shaving i mean the face, and a wet shave not those horrible electric ones. Its not to do with love or sex but oh well. But what is the proper way, is it like: Apply shaving foam Shave where needed Wipe off remains of shaving foam Apply aftershave Apply moisturiser Is that the proper way, or do you apply moisturiser before aftershave? I just want to minimize the risk of those red spots you get sometimes the next day.
Copied from a website… HOW TO SHAVE BY MYRIAM ZAOUI AND ERIC MALKA On average, men shave about 21,000 shaves in a lifetime. Unfortunately, many have acquired bad shaving habits that can yield unpleasant results or injuries such as razor burn, ingrown hairs, and nicks and cuts. But once the right tools and products have been selected, the only thing that stands between you and an ultra-smooth, close, comfortable shave is learning the proper techniques. Traditional wet shaving will make the shave as smooth and comfortable as possible. Wet shaving involves shaving cream or soap, shaving brushes, water and a blade. The principles of wet shaving revolve around hot water, a rich warm lather and the techniques themselves. STEP 1. PREPARE • Always shave after or during a hot shower, never before. • Before shaving, apply a pre-shave oil treatment to protect the skin and to soften the beard. • Always use hot water. It softens the beard, opens pores and cleanses the skin. STEP 2. LATHER • Use a glycerine-based shaving cream or soap. Avoid products that contain numbing agents like benzocaine or menthol, which can close pores and act to stiffen the beard. • For best results, use a shaving brush made of badger hair. It softens and lifts the beard from the face. STEP 3. SHAVE • Select a clean, sharp blade and dip it in hot water. • Always shave with the grain - in the direction the hair grows. Shaving against the grain can cause ingrown hairs. • Check to see whether the hair on your neck grows in the same direction as the hair on your face. If it doesn't, make sure you adjust accordingly. • Use a razor with a weighted handle to provide proper balance for better control. • Avoid applying too much pressure on your razor since this is often the cause of razor burn and skin irritations. Glide the razor gently over your face. STEP 4. MOISTURISE • After shaving, apply an alcohol-free moisturising aftershave balm to nourish, soothe and moisten the skin. Avoid aftershaves that contain alcohol; these can irritate and dry the skin and cause ingrown hairs. • In the event of nicks or cuts, use an alum block or a styptic match to stop the bleeding. Myriam Zaoui and Eric Malka are the authors of The Art of Shaving Here are some other guides I found… Quick guides: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/agitor/ftm/shave.html http://www.moderngent.com/site/guide_to_shaving.php http://www.naturallyactive.co.uk/index_2.php?&userpage=shaveguide&S= http://www.beautycare.com/cgi-bin/trends/viewnews.cgi?newsid946511754,71889, http://health.howstuffworks.com/home-remedies-for-shaving-discomfort.htm Longer guides: http://www.talewins.com/personalimprovement/shaving.htm http://www.ftmguide.org/shaving.html
if your skin is getting irriatated i found that shaving in the shower reduced that. Buy one of those mirrors that sticks to the wall and shave right before you get out. The warm water makes the hairs softer and it's easier to wash your face before you shave.
Ingrown hair isn't really painful, but it causes a red bump which is tender to touch. You can get an ingrown hair by pulling the skin tight while you shave, then when you let go, the short hair returns back to its original position only embedded in the skin at an angle. So to avoid this, don't life your neck too high when you shave, and don't pull the skin too tightly. I always have the mirror below me, so I don't have to lift my neck up too high. If you get an ingrown hair, you probably won't notice it straight away but it will become obvious after a few days as it will be a red bump. The only way to get rid of it is to use tweezers and pull it back out. It's not painful. A magnifying mirror is good for this. That works very well for me, but I can never get one out just with my hands, you do need tweezers. I once had one I'd left for a while and it was quite long inside. After you've pulled an ingrown hair out, don't shave the area for a short while until it's got back to normal.
