The 3 most common shaving mistakes you must avoid

Shaving, an arduous daily task that can be the bane of your life. Shaving should be a moment of personal indulgence, not a one way route to ingrown hairs and a rash. Avoid the 3 mistakes below to develop into a master shaver.  

1. Not Preparing the Skin Properly

If you go straight to the skin with a razor, you’re likely to aggravate it as you’ll be shaving an uneven surface, which won’t achieve the cleanest shave. Best is to use a light exfoliator (a daily scrub) to remove all impurities and dead skin cells from your face first, and then rinse with warm water to soften the hairs on your face.

2. Shaving against the Grain

This is the main cause of irritation when shaving. People are used to shaving along with the grain because that’s how best to do it with electric trimmers. However, with a safety razor, the blades will work more effectively when following the direction of the hair; otherwise, it will pull at the bristles and rip them out at an unfriendly angle, causing aggravation to the follicles and blood spotting.

3. Using bad products

Try to avoid products with bad ingredients – like parabens, sulfates, alcohols and preservatives. These are usually chemically made, meaning that they’ve got nasties in them which aren’t ideal for putting on fresh and sensitive skin. Avoid alcohol based products, as they will dry skin out; instead, opt for natural products, with citric acids (to disinfect) and essential oils (to hydrate and nourish).