7 Steps To A Great Shave

     Hey guys, what's up?  Enjoying your summer?  Don't forget to read my previous post so you can make the most out of the hottest yet coolest time of the year.  Anyway, I'm back yet again for another article that's dedicated to all my awesome male readers.

     Shaving is a common ritual for many guys.  Let's face it, we shave our facial hair whenever we wanna look exceptionally nice.  Though I look wayyy better with my facial hair on, I still shave my face to start over with my scruffy look or if I wanted to look extra neat and fresh for some special occasion.

     With a trusted razor and a steady hand, most men definitely know how to shave like we know the back of our hand.  What I'm here for, however, is to give additional pointers so we can achieve that perfect shave every time.

Pointers For A Close Shave

Keep it Sharp  To lessen the risk of razor cuts, NEVER shave with a dull blade.  Choose a trusted brand for your blades too.  I've been using Gillette since I started shaving at the age of 16, and right now I'm using Gillette Mach3 Turbo.  Also remember that those plastic, disposable shavers are only good for one or two usage -- but if you clean their blades after using them, you can extend it for another 2 or 3 uses.  But still, they are disposables, so that's not really advisable.

Prepare Your Skin  Before you run the blade over your gorgeous face, wash with a facial scrub to get rid of dead skin cells, open your pores and soften the skin.  The key to an effective shave is prepping your skin before you do it.  It actually is advisable to shave after a (hot) shower.  By the way, if you're like me who don't really have a facial wash all the time, you can use your regular soap or shampoo.

Hot Towel  Lay a hot towel on your face for about a minute, this will soften the hair thus prevent cuts.

Moisturize and Shaving Cream  Gently massage moisturizer in circular motion into your skin then lather on your shaving cream with the moisturizer underneath.  Use high quality shaving cream (choose the ones which are glycerine based) and avoid those that contains menthol as they can cause your pores to close and stiffen your facial hair.

Shave  Using your free hand, taut the area of skin to be shaved and gently glide the razor over your face.  Avoid applying pressure, rinse your blade frequently, and shave with the grain.

Don't Go Against The Grain  Shaving against the direction of your hair growth may allow for a closer shave but that can definitely cause cuts, irritation, rashes and the worst -- ingrown hair.  I sometimes shave against the grain but I make sure that I apply moisturizer and shave lightly.  Otherwise, you can end up looking really red because of cuts and irritation.  

Repair and Protect  Rinse your face with cold water and apply moisturizer to relieve the skin of any sore.  Place hot towel for half a minute, then a cold towel afterwards to remove the itchy feeling and close the pores.  It's not really recommended to use products that contain alcohol like aftershave colognes as they can cause dry skin.  But if you're numb to this, go ahead.  Mentholated products can make you feel cool and fresh but be aware that they may cause irritation.  An effective alternative is to use a good aftershave balm to help you heal and moisturize. 

In case you cut yourself:

• Grab an ice cube -- the cold will cause the tiny blood vessels to constrict, slowing the blood and allowing a clot to form.
• Use your Chapstick or dab a thin coat Vaseline jelly -- this will seal the tiny nick and provide a surface for a blood clot to form.
• Use your deodorant -- most deodorants have aluminum chloride or a derivative of it (i.e aluminium chlorohydrate) which acts as a hemostatic agent, allowing a blood clot to form quickly.
• If you got none of the above (which is very unlikely), don't panic and just apply pressure.  All bleeding stops eventually.

     There you go, hope you learned something from this post.  Stay cool everybody! See more posts on this category: GUY STUFF

*Picture taken from Google Image search.
Tags: how to shave properly, shaving tips for men, how to get salon-quality shave, how to get a perfect shave, the best way to shave