Tips to Achieve the Perfect Shave
Looking to brush up on your skills and achieve the perfect shave? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
Take a look at our tips and recommendations below to master the art of shaving.
How to Prep the Skin for the Perfect Shave
One of the best pieces of advice we can offer you is to adequately prep your skin for shaving. Preparing the skin can prevent a few undesirable side effects, including razor burn, shaving rash, dryness and irritation. It’s important to take care of your skin on a daily basis, following the steps below, to help achieve a perfect shave.
Cleansing
Skincare routines aren’t just important for women but men too! Pick up a cleansing product, suitable for your skin type and use it to wash your face morning and evening. Apply your cleanser with warm water to open the pores and rinse it off with cool water to close them. Facial cleansers will help to remove impurities from the skin, as well as any dead skin cells, allowing for a smoother shave.
Exfoliating
Using a skin exfoliator or scrub can greatly improve your complexion, as well as help to prevent things like ingrown hairs post-shave. We recommend exfoliating a couple of times a week, after you have cleansed your skin. Exfoliating will encourage skin cell renewal and a brighter complexion. Be sure to pay close attention to oilier areas of the face, such as the forehead, nose and chin.
Moisturising
Moisturising daily will hydrate your skin, prevent dryness and result in a better shave. It’s important to choose a moisturiser that is suitable for your skin type and use it morning and evening, after cleansing. Apply the moisturiser in gentle circles, moving outwards to penetrate the skin effectively. You may also want to consider using a beard oil to maintain its softness.
Shower before you shave
Showering ten or so minutes before you plan on having a shave can help to open up the pores. You could even take it a step further and douse a towel in hot water, before applying it to the face (a little like they do in a barber shop) to soften your beard hair. Using a good quality shaving brush to lather up your shaving soap can make such a difference to those wanting to achieve the perfect wet shave.
Trim longer beards
If you have a longer beard, going straight in with a razor could be a little painful! Instead we recommend using a beard trimmer. Panasonic have several models to choose from, with something to suit everyone. The ER-GB96 beard trimmer will trim hair length between 0.5mm and 30mm and has an attachment for sculpting. Whereas something like the ER-SB40-K811 offers the convenience of both wet and dry trimming, with wider tip blades for a more comfortable shave.
Select the Right Shaving Product
There are various types of razors on the market, differing in what they can do, the results they can provide and price. We can’t stress enough how important it is to invest in a high-quality razor. Disposable razors are cheap but may compromise the quality of your shave.
If you prefer to use a manual razor, make sure you keep it clean and change your blades every 4-5 uses. Alternatively, you could opt for a more traditional, straight edge safety razor, like they do at the barbers. They’re perhaps a little tricky to use but as the saying goes, practice makes perfect!
An easier and quicker way to achieve the perfect shave is to use a men’s electric shaver. We have a number of men’s shavers to choose from; including the new ES-LL21 with its pop-up trimmer and wet/dry models like the cordless ES-LV65.
The benefits of using an electric razor are undeniable; not only offering a quicker shave but a smoother shave, with blades designed to glide over the contours of your face. With an electric shaver you also get precise control over the length of your stubble. There will be no chance of you shaving too close, and you’re far less likely to accidentally nick or cut the skin.
Don’t forget to tame it
Regularly trimming your beard will help to keep its style. If it’s a little longer, however, you need to remember to give it the once over with a beard brush or comb on a daily basis to keep it tame.
Shaving Style Tips
Beards come in all shapes and sizes, with some being more high maintenance than others. Here we’ll take a look at some of the most popular styles and share a few shaving style tips to get you started:
Full beard
The full beard came back into fashion a couple of years ago and by the looks of things, is here to stay. It can take a little while to grow a full beard, so you have to be committed to the cause, as you’ll be looking for it to reach at least 15cm in length. If you find it starts looking a little bushy, trim the hair on the cheeks for a more streamlined finish.
Goatee
If a full beard is too much but a moustache is not enough, you can always compromise with a goatee! Of course, it helps if your moustache and chin hair already connect. The hair length will need to be around 10mm and regular trimming is essential. To emphasise your goatee, use your electric shaver to perform a close shave on your neck, jaw and cheeks.
Stubble
Often referred to as the ‘3-day beard,’ stubble is the perfect option for those wanting a stylish, yet low maintenance look. And even better, it suits all face shapes! Get to know the grades of your electric trimmer to help you get the length right. Remember, it’s better to start off on a longer setting and trim your beard down gradually than throw yourself in at the deep end and make mistakes.
For smart stubble (or ‘designer stubble’ if you like) you’ll need the hair to be between 1mm and 3mm in length. Consistency is key, so make sure you check that each side looks even and there are no obvious patches. You’ll also need to carefully shape your stubble, making sure the hairline ends around the bottom of your Adam’s apple.