Allow Your Skin To Settle

Skin tends to be puffy first thing in the morning so if you want less nicks and cuts give it at 
least ten minutes to settle before you start shaving and you’ll have a better surface to work 
with.

Cool Things Down A Little

To prepare skin before shaving cleanse skin thoroughly with a face wash and warm water – avoid 
using hot water as this can over-dry skin, leading to irritation. It can even cause tiny blood 
vessels near the skin’s surface to break.

Give Yourself A Break

Try taking at least one day off a week from shaving – it really helps skin if you give it a 
rest and when you shave next, you tend to get a super close and smoother finish.

Brush Up On Your Lathering

A shaving brush is a sound investment when it to comes to shaving. Not only are they the best 
way to create a rich, creamy lather, they also help lift hairs in readiness for shaving and 
exfoliate skin, ridding it of razor-blocking dead skin cells.

Make ‘Slow And Short’ Your Shaving Mantra

Men who suffer with razor burn tend to be the ones who shave at 100mph and who use long, 
sweeping strokes so slow things down and shave using short stokes, ideally around 2cm in 
length.

Go Around In Circles

When applying shaving gel or cream apply with your fingertips using a circular motion.Beard 
hair grows in several different directions and by spreading the lather in circles there’s less 
risk of missing an area. In addition, this encourages the beard to spring out from the skin in 
preparation for the shave.”

Press Don’t Push

Men tend to think that if they press harder, they’ll get a closer shave but that’s not so. 
Modern razors are designed to work with relatively little pressure so if you want to reduce 
irritation don’t push – instead apply just enough pressure to keep the blade in contact with 
the skin and let the blades do all the work for you.

Double Up

For a super-smooth, close, clean shave apply a little shaving oil under your shaving foam, 
cream or gel.

Leave The Lip Until Last

The hair on the top lip should be removed last; it’s thicker than the other parts of the beard 
and the longer time the shaving soap has to soften the hairs the better.

Give Your Face Some Flannel

If you want a more comfortable shave do it in a hot bath or shower – the steam will help open 
up the hair follicles and soften the hair. Alternatively, a hot flannel will have a similar 
effect.

Go With The Flow

Always shave with the grain. If your hair grows sideways in places, you should still shave 
‘with’ it by gliding the blade parallel. Never go against the grain with a razor, as this leads 
to irritation and can cause follicle damage.”

Switch To Oils If You’re Sensitive

If you suffer from easily irritated, sensitive skin it may be worth checking the shaving 
medium you use as many are strongly alkaline in PH, which in itself can cause sensitivity. To 
minimise problems try a shaving oil.

Try The Evening Shift

If you suffer from itchy, red skin after shaving why not shave before you go to bed, and give 
your face 8-10 hours of rest? Sure, you’ll have a bit of growth by the following afternoon, but 
repeat this for a few days and your face should have settled down. This is especially good for 
guys who wear stiff collared shirts to work as they can often irritate freshly-shaven skin.

Say ‘Aloe’

“Due to frequent shaving, most men have facial skin that is more sensitive and dry so an 
application of Aloe Vera gel helps to calm and hydrate the skin and reduces irritation.

Be Aware Of Your Blades

Always remember that the brand of the blade you use is far less important than the state it is 
in. Never use a blunt blade as it is distressing to the skin, causes redness and irritation and 
won’t shave skin evenly.The moment you feel your blade is not performing properly, replace it. 
As a rough guide, if you shave every day you should replace the blade once every one to two 
weeks, depending on the toughness of your stubble.

Skip The Aftershave

The high alcohol content of aftershaves dries out your skin, increases the risk of irritation 
after your shave and depletes the skin’s natural defensive barrier, accelerating the skin 
ageing process.

Put Things On Ice

Skin needs particular care and attention after shaving. The application of an anti-inflammatory 
balm is always advisable but if you have an area of intense irritation, try rubbing it gently 
with an ice cube.


Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise

Skin might look smooth but in reality it’s full of tiny ridges. These become especially 
pronounced if the skin is dry and can cause problems for the razor, leading to irritation. By 
moisturising twice daily you help reduce these ridges and improve razor glide.