How to Get a Close Shave
A Simple Secret to Getting a Close Shave
A close shave…that is what everyone is looking for, right? Can a good shaving cream do it? But what is the best way to get it? Well, one might say that a baby-soft face aside, comfort would be a key factor. I would have to agree with that, after all what good is a shave that leaves your skin dry and irritated? So the question then becomes, “how to get a close and comfortable shave?”, and the answer is two-fold:
How CLOSE your shave is depends completely on your HARDWARE.
How COMFORTABLE your shave is depends completely on the PRODUCTS you use.
Is is a good shaving cream? We don’t think so. Sounds crazy right? I mean, the mass marketing efforts focused on what good shaving cream products give you the best shave have been telling you the opposite for your entire shaving career, “…that we need this gel or that foam for the closest shave of our lives”. Here is all you need to know:
HARDWARE:
- Your blade has to be sharp. The sharper the better, that’s it.
- The fewer blades the better. Each blade built into your razor head is like an additional stroke. Three blades are fine, but more than that is counterproductive.I say go with a safety razor; it is a single blade shave, plus you can get a year’s worth of razors for $10
PRODUCT:
- Use a chemical free lubricant. Oil naturally makes a better lubricant than foam. But no matter which product you prefer, make sure and avoid alcohol, which is commonly found in many shaving creams and gels because it makes your skin feel ‘tingly’.
- Use a natural moisturizer. When you drag a razor across your skin, it removes three things; dead skin cells, hair follicles, and moisture! In addition to that, you have fresh skin that has never been exposed before that needs to be cared for and without proper moisturizing it can become irritated easily.
Pretty simple, eh? To make it even simpler, TICO* is an all-in-one, perfect lubricant and moisturizer. That is about as easy as it gets. Also remember that it is always good to wash your face before shaving, as a good exfoliate lifts whiskers and removes some of the dead skin cells so that your razor will get less clogged.
I hope this helps simplify things for everyone! Any other shaving tips or tricks to a comfortable and close shave?