Common Shaving Mistakes

The art of shaving has become a common grooming ritual practiced by most men on a weekly basis. Not much has changed in your routine since entering puberty. Still, somehow you’re still caught in the shaving snafu paradox, exercising the same missteps that have resulted in years of bump-filled, inflamed, and bloody facial trims. Admitting your transgressions is the first step of improvement. Taking notice of the other prevalent shaving blunders most men fall victim to is the next. Commercials certainly make the chore of eliminating body hair look seamless. But accomplishing a steady, sufficient shave has yet to become second nature for you. Ingrown hairs and several other skincare conditions continue to plague your moneymaker, putting a strain on your appearance and self-confidence. Time to learn the proper shaving etiquette and switch up the toxic-grooming habits that have caused more harm than charm. RELATED: Best Shaving Creams Whether the goal is to knock off every facial hair follicle, shape the beard or go full-on manscape mode, these are the crucial yet common shaving mistakes to avoid in order to get the most out of your daily shave — from trimming your beard to moisturizing with beard oil. The Most Common Shaving Mistakes Men Make Neglecting the Pre-Shave Ritual Your local hair stylist won’t share any barber grooming tips and might have you accustomed to dry shaves, causing serious damage to your facial. Shaving over unlubricated skin culminates in a number of issues from cuts to inflammation. Prepping your skin before a shave is essential. That’s why experts recommend massaging it with a pre-shave product. A facial scrub or pre-shave oil is a must, as both agents are formulated to moisturize the shaving surface. Rinsing the Blades Inconsistently Every stroke across the face fills the razor with dead skin, stubble, and shaving product crud. This build-up reduces the sharpness of the blades and makes it more difficult to navigate across your grill. Thoroughly rinse the blades after each pass by giving it a good shake underneath the sink faucet with the water running. You’ll clean the cutting tool and remove any guck that could prevent other hairs from being picked up with each pass-through. Shaving Too High or Not Low Enough It’s usually one or the either. Be it short sideburns or an unshaven lower neck — learn to tackle both areas properly. Don’t cut all the way to the top of the ear. Instead shave up to the middle of your ear or else there will be no bridge connecting your hair to your face. When working below the chin, clean up that area and continue down past the Adam’s apple to provide your collar a fresher, less grizzly look. Using the Wrong Shaving Cream The all-white shaving substance should never be an option. A foam-based cream quickly dehydrates the skin, features artificial lubricants, and fails to produce a great lather. Not to mention it makes shaping and styling facial hair more difficult since you can’t see where to shave. Anthony Sosnick, founder of Anthony Brands, also adds this: “I’ve been recommending this for over 15 years, a cream is much better than a foam…Many of the foams are filled with air and they don’t allow the blade to get as close to the skin.” So consider ditching that steel tube of foam sitting in your medicine cabinet for any of these potent shaving gels. Going Against the Grain It’s practically a grooming commandment to never shave against the grain. You want to brush the blades along the same direction of hair growth instead of flipping the razor upside down and sweeping it over the face. Doing the opposite will only provoke ingrown hairs, shaving bumps, redness, and other facial impurities. Cold Water Prep Any guy who’s experienced a professional shave is accustomed to getting the hot towel face treatment. The reason groomers use hot water instead of cold is because the later shrinks your pores and makes it hard for creams to penetrate the skin to stimulate hair follicles. You can either take a hot shower and shave immediately after or wash your face with warm water to open those pores. Shaving Cream Application Rest Time Patience is a virtue. And unless you’re giving a shaving cream time to sit on the face, you’re depriving the skin of taking in the moisturizing and nourishing ingredients of the formula. Doing this for a couple of minutes will soften hair stubs and the skin to deliver a better shave. Repeat Strokes You've just scraped off a layer of your skin with a sharp blade. What the hell makes you think passing a razor over the same spots will result in newborn-esque skin? Break free from this fixation, as over-shaving only leads to an unsettling case of razor burn. When dealing with lingering hairs or missing a spot, apply more lather and snatch whatever remains on the next pass. The Incorrect Blade Angle Most cartridge-based razors are designed and locked into a specific shaving angle. Depending on your facial structure, this can either be a benefit or obstruction to your mask. When using a basic model or something more flexible like a double-edged razor, avoid steep angles and learn to rest its top cap on your face, moving the handle so the blade’s edge grazes the skin. Using Soap as a Cream or Gel Substitute Lack of funds or pure laziness might encourage you to lather up with that brick of the Dove perched on the sink counter. Quit fooling yourself: soap is no alternative for a high-quality shaving cream or gel. The cleansing agent is known to clog up the blades, plus it fails to provide the necessary slip to produce a smooth, steady shave. If worst comes to worst, rely on a hair conditioner to get the job done. Press Too Hard on the Face Applying brute force isn’t necessary. Remember, the razor is supposed to do all the grunt work. Not you. So loosen up your approach, because the harder a guy bears down on his skin, the less balanced his skin surface will become throughout the shave. If you’re forced to apply pressure to snag any straggling hairs, then it’s obvious you’re working with a dull blade. Reusing the Same Blades Shopping for blades can get expensive. Still, the affordable options of grooming subscriptions services like the Dollar Shave Club make it ridiculously convenient to work with fresh shaving edges. Using the same razor without changing the blades only cheapens the quality in the long term due to the massive amounts of dirt and waste collected with each pass-through. It can tear down some of its unique features such as the moisture strip as well. Chasing After Missed Hairs No matter how clean-cut the shave turns out, you’re bound to miss a few strands. Which is why experts believe in executing a second pass-through using a see-through skincare product. This allows the groomer to skim over areas such as the chin, nose, and upper cheek, where missed hairs or prickliness might still reside. Shaving Too Fast Never treat your shaving experience like a race. Even if you’re running late to work, either adapt any of these office grooming hacks or commit the time to producing the best shave possible. Rushing only proceeds to inflammation, nicks, and an unflattering look. If time isn’t afforded, then we look to invest in any of these top-quality electric razors, as the motorized buzzers are designed to get the job done faster in an efficient manner. Neglecting a Post-Shave Routine Blotting down your mug to remove the lasting traces of shaving cream isn’t enough. There is the matter of nourishing your skin to prevent any bumps from developing. A moisturizer will keep your face dry, while a non-alcohol-based aftershave can cool things down and lock in moisture. You Might Also Dig: Best Electric ShaversHow to Use Beard BalmBest Beard Care Products for Men