Learning how to shave seems like a lost art these days. Plus, with beards or perma-stubble being mainstays for the rest of time, most of us would rather not risk things like ingrown hairs, shave cuts, or razor burn and bumps. But don’t mistake that as a downvote for shaving: Few things feel as refreshing as a freshly shorn mug. And even if you prefer stubble or scruff, there are going to be a few moments in life where you need to stick the landing with your razor. (And no, not just an electric razor—though those are great for stubble maintenence—like, an actual manual razor.)
If you need a refresher on how to shave, or if it’s your very first time (welcome), we put together a step-by-step guide. We’ll walk through the primary steps, call out some of the most essential items, and drop a few of our favorite picks in each field.
How to Shave, Step by Step
1. Trim it to a Stubble
Unless you’re shaving off just a few days’ worth of stubble, then you should start with a beard trim. While the best razors can probably mow through it, you’ll likely experience a lot of razor drag in the process, risking irritation and inconsistent smoothness. Shaving is meant to be a relaxing and slowed-down process, so make no haste.
Instead, pull out your handy beard trimmer and buzz your fuzz down to a “1” on your guard’s head setting. (Or even a guard-less shearing, which will result in a 0.2- 0.5mm-long stubble.) At most, you can trim on a “2”, if you need a little more of a visual aid while shaving.
2. Gently cleanse with warm water
Now that you’ve gotten the excess growth out of the way, your shave needs to start with the smoothest possible canvas. Washing your face at the start will rinse away any excess oil, sweat, and grime that may have accumulated, as well as any skin care products you’re currently sporting. Choose a gentle cleanser without any high concentrations of harsh active ingredients (namely, avoid exfoliating acids), so that you don’t agitate the skin before the shaving even begins.
The warm water also relaxes the skin and stubble, helping to prevent razor bumps and ingrown hairs, which will ready the skin for the entire process.
3. Scrub away dead skin
While we’re fans of chemical exfoliants as part of the baseline skincare regimen, the pre-shave routine will benefit from a gentle physical scrub to buff away dead skin cells. In general, exfoliation removes dead skin cells to give you clearer, smoother, brighter skin—and it’s that smoothness you want with a shave. (It prevents razor drag and clogged pores.) You’ll get a smoother, closer shave—plus, you’ll enjoy the skin-smoothing effects of exfoliation. Don’t go too rough with the rubbing, though, since you are about to drag a sharp razor over your skin. You could also do this step the morning or night before a shave, if you worry about it being too aggressive to pair directly next to a razor shave.
4. Apply pre-shave oil as a lubricating barrier
Don’t worry: Using oil on your face won’t clog your pores. A pre-shave oil creates a thin, virtually invisible protective layer over top the skin. It’s just present enough to help the razor glide smoothly over skin, and won’t compromise the proximity of the shave, either. This oil also helps further soften whiskers and nourish the skin to ensure fewer side effects moving ahead. Apply it to dried skin, after using a clean towel to pat away the water from cleansing and scrubbing. Be sure to let the product set on the skin for a minute or two before introducing a blade, so that it can provide the proper nourishment and soothing.
5. Apply your shaving agent (brush optional)
The type of shave cream or oil you use is a personal preference, but we do recommend something that doesn’t lather excessively—in other words, something that doesn’t totally cover up your whiskers. Maybe you’re a candidate for a translucent gel as opposed to a big foamy cream, or even a barely-there shave oil. If you’re not sure, check our best shave cream picks for top choices in every category.
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