No matter how rugged a man may be, the one thing that is essential in his life is a great shave. There is no better way to make this possible than with a set of the proper tools, in addition to the proper shaving technique. Knowing when to shave is also important. You can shave everyday if you have a light beard, although you may find that every other day works best with a beard that is more coarse.
I was fortunate to learn great technique from my Dad as a young man making my way through the awkward stages of puberty. What I did not realize then was, despite the great technique taught to me, the tools were almost all wrong. I had a great razor, yet products that were sub-par.
I knew something was missing, but did not know what that was…until now. After much trial and error and various visits to barber shops, I achieve the Best Shave of my Life every time, and so can you!
Here’s the secret: Using the following technique will not only give you the closest and best shave of your life, it will also help to grow in that movie star stubble and even a full beard if you so wish.
The Tools:
Hand Towel
Razor – Straight, Single or Triple Blade (Gillette Mach 3 Turbo)
Pre-Shave Oil (optional)
Badger Brush
Shaving Cream or Soap
Rose Water (optional)
After Shave Balm
The Steps:
1. Preparation
Always shave in a hot shower or directly after one.
Grab your favorite hand towel and soak it in hot water, ring it out and apply to your face. Press it against your skin and hold until your face feels warm.
If desired, apply a generous amount of Pre-Shave Oil. Make sure to work it evenly across your stubble using a circular motion.
2. Shaving Cream
Wet your Badger Brush with hot water and apply a dollup of shaving cream in the center. If using shaving soap, work a nice lather onto the brush by massaging it over the soap using a circular motion.
Apply the shaving cream (also using a circular motion) away from your mouth toward your ear on either side to lift those hairs and make shaving easy.
After a nice layer of cream has been applied, you can follow up by re-applying a thin layer with an upward patting motion to really elevate the hairs and help prevent ingrown hairs from developing.
3. The Shave
Warm your razor under warm running water for approx :10 (ten seconds), especially when using a new blade.
3a. Always follow the direction of your growth, using the standard downward motion to start. The best place to begin is from your sideburns down to your cheek bone and so on.
3b. Use a consistent stroke without too much pressure – a well balanced blade will do all the work.
3c. Never go over the same line twice.
3d. Be sure to rinse your blade after every stroke.
Shave the easy parts first and then move on to more troublesome areas (ex. sides of lips, Adam’s apple and under cheekbones).
Don’t be afraid to lift an ear lobe or make funny faces; the key is to get rid of all the hair, besides you are the only one watching.
Don’t get too hung up if you miss a few hairs on this pass.
4. Repeat Steps 1-3
Only this time when you reach step three, you will be moving your blade across the grain instead of with it. DO NOT GO AGAINST THE GRAIN!
Start at your ear and end at your mouth, then continue working your way down your face using the same motion.
Make sure to get everything, although you want to stick to the general rule of not going over the same line twice.
If you miss a few hairs, make sure to re-apply some cream and then shave. Never shave on your skin alone, always use shaving cream. This will help prevent irritation.
5. Post Shave
You’re almost done!
Soak your towel in hot water and then apply directly to your face.
Remove and soak your towel in ice cold water, then apply to your face. This will close up your pores and tighten your skin. it will wake you up too!
Generously spray some rose water or hydrating spray directly onto your face. Be sure to close your mouth and your eyes before doing so… after all, it’s not banaka!
Finally, gently massage some After shave Balm onto your freshly shaved, cool face using circular, upward motions. This will help you to avoid razor burn and bumps.
Voila! You’re done! That’s all there is to achieving the Best Shave of your Life!
BestGentleman recommended shaving products are by The Art of Shaving, Gillette, Schick and Mario Badescu.
Nicholas Lucin