Wet Shaving 101: The Ultimate Guide

Shaving; the morning ritual many men partake in everyday. Some do it because of career requirements, others such as myself actually enjoy the time and labor of love that comes with a well executed shave. Shaving is a part of a man’s skincare routine, which encompasses the pre shaving skin care, the actual shave, and post shaving routine. As a man of color, there are many options people have created to get the best shave, due to the coarseness and density of hair, we must be conscious on how we shave, since due to our beard hair texture it can lead to ingrowns also known as pseudofolliculitis barbae. I will be discussing the three main steps and concepts to get the perfect shave. 

1. Pre-Shave Routine

The pre-shave routine is the most important aspect for shaving as a man of color or any man with very coarse, curly, and dense facial hair. Due to the nature of the hair, hair tends to curl back into the skin when growing out. I recently have discovered that the ingrown hairs I have gotten are not due to shaving to close, but due to the coarseness of my hair that grows back into my skin and causes irritation and that leads to bumps. Before shaving it is best to exfoliate with either a wash cloth, loofah, or any type of coarse cloth to help bring the hairs to the surface, and away from the skin, to not only take away dead skin, dirt and debris, but also make the hairs easier to cut due to them being more perpendicular to the skin. 

Other pre-shave products people use are pre-shave oils, which help with the razor gliding over the skin and can help protect the skin. Due to my skin being more on the oily side, this can make me break out. My biggest tip is to stick with exfoliating to make sure your hair and skin are prepped for the blade. 

2. Shaving

My father uses and my maternal grandpa used fancy multi blade razors, which wreaked havoc on my skin. With shaving with coarse hair, less is more. Opt for a single blade razor, companies such as Bevel have a great range of products and razors that are formulated for men that are prone to razor bumps. If you like vintage things and throwbacks, I suggest buying vintage safety razors. Not only is it relatively inexpensive, they make the entire ritual of shaving more enjoyable with the classic aesthetic of lathering and shaving. Another bonus with shaving with a single blade razor, is that the disposable blades are very inexpensive compared to cartridge razors. 

Another aspect of the shave is the shaving cream. Always use a shaving cream with high quality ingredients, not only do they smell amazing, they also protect and moisturize your skin during the shave. I always use a shaving brush that has stiff bristles to help exfoliate and lift the hairs even more, to help the razor cut, minimizing the blade actually getting in contact with the skin. For lathering, I soak my shave brush in water for about 10 minutes, and then  squeeze the excess water out, and take a fingernail size scoop of shaving cream and begin swirling your brush in circular motions as well as dabbing the shaving cream to help aerate the shaving cream to help make a thick and rich lather. As most people know, hot water is usually used when shaving. On the contrary, I use cool to cold water to shave. Why? Because it helps keep the hairs perpendicular, and I have found that hot or warm water makes my hairs lay flat, and when shaving, it makes my razor not cut but slide over the hairs, and dig them into my skin which causes ingrown. Also, cold water makes the skin less sensitive than warm and hot water, thus making the shave less irritating. 

3. Blade Work

The blade is the single most important equipment in shaving. The sharper the blade, the easier it will cut coarse hair, its that simple. I use either Feather blades or Kai blades, due to the sharpness and quality, thus limiting the number of times I have to re-lather and go over the same spots (also known as passes). Once you apply the cream to your face, you are read to shave. For finding the angle for shaving, but the head of the razor flat against your skin, and move the handle down until you start to feel the blade. Once you feel the blade, relax your hand and start go glide with it. Due to the coarseness of my hair, I have to do short choppy strokes so the blade cuts the hair and doesn’t push it. With your first pass go with the grain of hair, or if you are like me and your hair grows super flat the the skin, go across the grain, so it lifts the hairs and cuts without it pushing the hair into your skin. DO NOT try to get baby smooth skin with the first pass, you will get razor burn as well as bumps. Aim to do gradual beard hair reduction, and try not to go over any area more than once, or where this is no shaving cream. Also do not over stretch the skin, because when you release it, the cut hair will tuck under the skin, giving you razor bumps. 

Post Shaving Routine

So now the you are finished shaving, it is time to treat your skin. Since shaving literally scrapes micro layers of skin off, you should put aftershaves that disinfect as well as moisturize. Alcohol based aftershaves actually works best for me, because aftershave balms do not moisturize enough, and make my skin feel sticky which leads to breakouts. Because my skin is more on the oily side the alcohol not only disinfects, it helps dry out extra moisture. After applying aftershave, I suggest using a moisturizer with spf to help finish your shave. 

Conclusion:

Shaving is something that most men at one point have to do, whether it is for your career, or for aesthetics. Pampering  yourself with a luxurious shave can make the daily ritual more enjoyable. Collecting razors, creams, aftershaves can make shaving more of a hobby, and can help personalize your shave. Whatever your reason, using these steps and guidelines will help to elevate your shave.