5 secrets to a good shave
You all think you’re doing it right and that you know the secrets to a good shave. But maybe after so many years of experience, you’ve picked up a few bad habits that could be better. Do you know if it’s good to shave against the grain, what causes razor burn, or how to handle a rebellious stray hair?
Short beards of two or three days' stubble are coming back into fashion. Bushy hipster beards are out, now it's the put-together, clean-shaven gentleman look that’s coming back in. Unfortunately for many men, shaving will continue to be an essential part of their grooming routine.
Beard hair grows an average of 0.3 mm a day, so it should be trimmed regularly. However, shaving is very harsh on men’s skin. That’s why we should moisturise our face with creams or gels adapted to our skin type, avoiding rough, dry skin after shaving. So let’s cut to the chase. In this post, we’re going to give you a step by step guide for the perfect shave.
5 steps for a good shave
- Shower first: wash your face with hot water before shaving. Heat softens the skin, making razor strokes easier. Those of you that like to plan ahead can also use one of our ALFA-PEELING ampoules the night before you shave to prepare your skin.
- Apply foam: spread the product over the whole area you’re going to shave. Leave the foam to take action for a few minutes. This will let the skin absorb the active ingredients in the product and create a protective layer for shaving.
- Shave: don’t go against the grain; always follow the direction of the hairs. This will prevent razor burn, cuts and ingrown hairs. Between strokes, moisten your face with hot water. If you have sensitive skin and suffer from folliculitis (infected hair follicles) or eczema, it is advisable to use dermatological products. For these situations, applying ALFA-PEELING ampoules will help regenerate the top layer of your skin.
- Stray hairs: when you come across a hair that doesn’t want to be cut, don’t press down on the area with the razor. The best thing to do is to apply hot water to the area, put on some more foam and calmly go over it again with the razor.
- Dab dry: once you finish shaving, take your towel and gently dab your face dry to avoid future irritation. Avoid using aftershaves with alcohol, which will burn your face; there are gentler, moisturising formulas available nowadays. We suggest starting with a serum, then ampoules with proteoglycans, which nourish your skin from within.
As you’ve seen, a good shave is no mystery, but you do need to take special care not to mistreat your skin. Ideally, you should be patient when shaving and dedicate at least 15 minutes to it. If you rush, all you’ll end up with is a red face full of little bits of paper.
