We asked shaving expert Mark Herro, aka @Mantic59 and the man behind Sharpologist, to weigh in on some of the ways to ensure a great shave, every time. This is the first in a series featuring his advice.
Wet shaving has many benefits. But some may experience an uncomfortable shave because of some common mistakes.
One of the most important things that you can do when wet shaving is having a proper pre-shave ritual. You need to prep your face in order to get it ready for shaving.
A proper pre-shave consists of getting your face ready by using warm water on your face to clean the skin and soften your stubble. A nice long warm shower is best, but if you don’t have time for that, a warm soak on your face will suffice: often a thorough cleansing with a product specifically made for the face. Hairs will become softer and they will be a little easier to cut. This can help reduce drag on your razor, making the process much easier. This can also help minimize the risk for razor burn and ingrown hairs.
Another method to soften your facial hair is to leave your lather on your stubble for a brief amount of time. This will help to soften the hairs up, but make sure not to do it too long as the lather will dissipate and eventually break down.
Using too much pressure on a razor is a habit that shavers must unlearn. The pivot design of the OneBlade razor can help compensate for too much pressure, but there is a limit.
Speaking of the pivot, OneBlades unique pivot design requires users to use this razor in an entirely different way than any other razor on the market….its not difficult, but it is different! The key is to keep any shaving pressure that you do apply on the larger flat surface above where the sharp edge of the blade is exposed vs. the lower surface. Remember, unlike other razors, used correctly, the OneBlade razor does all of the work to keep the blade angle correct throughout your shave so that you dont have to.
Often the weight of the razor by itself is enough to cut the stubble. Hold the razor with a gentle but secure grip — as you would hold, say, a small bird: tight enough so that it doesn’t escape, gentle enough so that it is not injured. Hold the razor around the balance point on the handle to better control the pressure.
It’s important to know the direction of your beard’s growth, since the sequence of passes is first with the grain, then across the grain, and then (if stubble is sufficiently reduced and you don’t have to be concerned about razor bumps) against the grain. (If too much stubble remains for a comfortable against-the-grain pass, first shave across the grain the other way.)
To find the grain directions of your own beard, wait 12-24 hours after you’ve shaved, then rub your face and neck with the tip of a finger. At each point, the direction that’s roughest is against the grain at that point.
Not having a good post shave routine can make your wet shaving experience worse. If you think about the act of shaving, you are taking a very sharp metal blade across the skin on your face, and you are removing the outer layer of skin along with your facial hair.
Once your shave is over, you should rinse your face with warm water to help remove any dead skin, shaving cream residue, and hair left that is on your face. Pat your face dry with a towel and then apply a nice soothing aftershave balm. This will help calm your skin, and it will help restore moisture back into your skin that was stripped out while shaving.
Mark, AKA @Mantic59, and the man behind Sharpologist, is helping men around the globe with everything your father didn’t teach you about shaving. Want to learn more about the art of shaving? Read more from @Mantic59 over on Sharpologist.com!
