Shaving Tips for men to get the best shave

by **iulia** Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:38 am

* It's best to avoid shaving the very first thing in the morning. If possible, let your skin wake up a while. This allows the "puffiness" you encounter from fluids collecting in your skin during the night to recede, thus allowing you to get a closer shave when you do begin the task.
* Use an exfoliate such as a facial cleanser or scrub to eradicate dead skin cells and open up the pores of the skin to prepare it for a close shave.
* Stubble should be wetted with warm or hot water before shaving. This swells the hair shaft allowing the blade to cut the hair, not your skin.
* Thoroughly massage shave cream into stubble. A vitamin and Aloe Vera based shave cream will provide a close soothing shave and protect against razor rashes and burns.
* Use a sharp blade. A dull blade is responsible for many shaving cuts as it drags over your face and catches your skin along with the hairs of your beard.
* Rinse the blade often in hot water when shaving and use slow short strokes. Take your time.
* Shaving with grain means shaving in the direction of how the hair grows on your face. It is always best to shave this way. Shaving against the grain can cause redness, rashes, razor burn and ingrown hairs, which are all painful.

HINT: Pulling the skin taut with your free hand and shave over this tight area. This makes the whiskers pull away from your skin, making it easier for the razor to grasp them.
AFTER SHAVING TIPS

* Finish by rinsing off with cool water. It will close the skin pores.
* For cuts, use a moistened alum block to stop the bleeding.
* Apply a moisturizing aftershave lotion on the shaved areas. Avoid alcohol-based aftershaves lotions as they tend to dry the skin.