An electric razor is easy but not nearly as thorough as the age-old technique of wet shaving. Wet shaving literally means shaving your face "wet," that is, with water. But it also requires a bit more knowledge. Knowledge we hope to give you on this day. Time for a roadmap, a quick course on 'how to shave', a great enrichment of your shaving routine and maybe your life. Okay, that may be going a bit far, but we are purebred 'wet shave' fanatics! Enjoy your step-by-step plan and ultimately enjoy your shave.
Why wet shave?
We'll sum it up briefly for you. There are a huge number of reasons to leave your electric razor in the closet. Read the main reasons below.
- Reduces inconveniences such as ingrown hairs and shaving irritation
- Is a lot cheaper in the long run
- Hairs are cut shorter so you need to shave less often
- A closer shave than with an electric shaver
One reason many men still stick with their shaver is that it is (or seems) easier than wet shaving. But trust us, once you know the steps, it's a piece of cake.
Step 1: Cleanse your face
Clean and relaxed skin is essential for good results from your shave. So first, for example, take a nice shower and let the steam from the shower do its work. Your pores will open and your skin will become nice and supple. Clean your face with a good cleanser, then all dead skin cells will be removed from your skin. That way you will reduce the chance of ingrown hairs.
Don't have time to shower? No problem. Use a washcloth or towel with warm water and place it on your face for about 2 to 3 minutes. The heat, like the steam from the shower, will do its job.
Step 2: Wet your beard or mustache
When you wet your beard or mustache, they will be easier to shave. So wash these hairy friends in the shower as well. Even nicer is to wash them with a good beard shampoo or beard conditioner. Then you will soften the hairs and therefore it will be easier to shave them. The blade will feel less resistance and therefore it will be easier for you to shave more precisely.
Step 3: Use a shaving product
Time for a good shaving product. Here the choice is up to you and your preferences. There are quite a few differences between a shaving soap, cream, oil, gel and foam. It takes some searching to find the product that suits you best.
Shaving soap
A fine shaving soap is always good. Whip it up in a shaving bowl with a shaving brush until you create a rich lather. Apply the lather to your beard or mustache with circular motions of the shaving brush. Let this soak in for a while so you give the beard hairs a chance to become even smoother and softer. A shaving soap often consists of tremendously fine and natural ingredients that will nourish and soften your skin.
Shaving Cream
A shaving cream applies in the same way as a shaving soap, but foams a little easier and will be easier to clean. So its use is somewhat simplified. A shaving cream often contains different kinds of ingredients as a shaving soap and slightly less natural formulas. Therefore, look mainly at your own preferences.
Shaving Cream
If you want to go for pure convenience, go for shaving cream. Straight from the spray can onto your skin and shave away! Of course, a shaving foam does not contain the nourishing ingredients that a shaving soap does, but it is nice and easy for a quick shave.
It is also helpful to use a pre shave before shaving in men. A pre shave will put a sort of layer over your skin that will protect your skin and make your beard hairs a little extra soft.
Step 4: Use a good razor
Perhaps the most important step if you are wondering how to shave. A good razor is the foundation! Even if you follow all the other steps so well, a blunt razor can throw a big spanner in the works. A blunt razor is the biggest culprit behind ingrown hairs, razor bumps, razor burn and irritation. So you don't want any of that. You know your razor is blunt when it no longer glides smoothly across your skin.
Which razor is best to use?
You need to figure out which razor is best for you. You have a choice of the safety razor, shavette and the cartridge razor. All have pros and cons so that's why you need to figure out which one suits you.
Advantages of a safety razor:
- Incredibly close shave
- Prevents inconveniences such as ingrown hairs and skin irritation
- Much more comfortable shave than with a cartridge razor
- Suitable for men with sensitive skin
- In the long run a lot cheaper than a cartridge razor
- Better for the environment
Advantages of a shavette:
- Mega smooth shave
- Blades are easy to change
- Cheaper than a cartridge razor in the long run
- Prevents inconveniences such as ingrown hairs and skin irritation
- It just looks really cool
Benefits of a cartridge razor:
- Comfortable grip due to rubberized lines
- Shaving is very easy
- Low maintenance
- You will not get shaving wounds easily
Step 5: Start shaving
Now that you've done all the preparation and got the right shaving products / razor, it's time for the real thing. Time to shave! You may ask yourself at this point "how should you shave with a razor?" To do this properly, we have listed some tips for you.
Tips & tricks
- Go with the hair direction. With a sharp razor you will still cut the hair very short. If you go against the hair direction, you increase the risk of skin irritation and ingrown hairs enormously. So don't! And with a sharp razor it is certainly not necessary.
- Pull your skin taut during shaving. This allows the hairs to be cut even shorter. Pull your skin taut with your free hand and let the razor follow your skin smoothly.
- Don't press too hard! This is not necessary at all if you have a sharp blade. You will only irritate your skin the harder you push. Let the blade do its job.
- Clean your razor with water during shaving. This way you will remove the sheared hairs from your blade and you will be working with a clean razor again with each stroke.
Step 6: Close your pores
When you are done shaving your face, you need to rinse your face again. This is how you rinse the hair and shaving product off your skin. Rinse your face with cold water or use a washcloth with cold water to close your pores again. This will prevent shaving irritation.
Step 7: Take care of your skin
Once you have cooled your skin with cold water, you can finish your shaving routine with a good aftershave or aftershave balm. This will provide additional cooling for your skin and it will give you a boost after your shave. Also, an aftershave has a disinfecting effect and thus will prevent irritation.
So, now that you have your entire step-by-step plan, you can go ahead and start your most comfortable shave! This is how most barbers do it too, so basically you give yourself a professional shave without spending a ton of money over and over again. If you still have questions, about products for example, please know that you can always contact us. That's what friends are for. You know where to find us!
Be your own barber!
Your friends, The Alpha Men