You know the satisfying feeling of dragging a clean, sharp razor across a forest of hair that you’ve perhaps left to flourish for a little too long this time. It’s almost like a shedding of who you used to be and a birthing of a new, smoother and let’s face it, ‘better’ you. You’ve been shaving your body for decades now and you’re pretty sure you’ve got it down pat. When you wash the shaving lather away, you notice a few streams of blood in various places in the recently deforested area and now that you’re aware of it, your skin feels a bit itchy too. You wonder - do you really know how to shave?
What does shaving do to my skin?
Every time you pull a razor blade across your skin, you remove the epidermis or top layer of the skin. The epidermis is responsible for maintaining the skin’s moisture levels, which is why skin that has been freshly shaved can very easily become dry and irritated.
Shaving body hair often results in a sharp edge being left behind in the follicles. Hair grows back in the follicles underneath the skin, resulting in irritation and this is why the skin can feel itchy right after shaving. This can also lead to:
- Razor burn
- Razor bumps
- Ingrown hairs
- Acne
While these are all highly frustrating and can even be painful, razor burn and other shaving related skin conditions can be avoided with safe, clean, body grooming. Our Shaving body bar was created specially for sensitive skin and contains active ingredients which work to soothe and hydrate clean shaven skin.
How NOT to shave your body
It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been shaving your body; none of us are immune to making mistakes that can be detrimental to our skin’s health. You probably didn’t read a book on how to do it, so how on Earth would you know about every component of a perfect shave? Some common shaving mistakes are:
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Shaving at the start of a bath or shower
It’s best to wait until your skin is free of excess oil and dead skin cells, as these can clog up your razor. After a bath or shower, your skin is sufficiently moist and soft enough to handle a full shave. -
Not bothering with a shaving soap or bar
It doesn’t matter how little time you have -your skin won’t thank you for not using shaving soaps or bars. Shaving wet, well-lathered skin prevents cuts, burns and ingrown hairs. -
Shaving against the direction of hair growth
When you do this, the razor tugs on the hair and pulls it away from the skin, which means the hair is cut at a strange angle. This increases the chance of ingrown hair and skin irritation. -
Shaving too fast or rough
It’s important to take your time with your body grooming because going too fast or putting too much pressure on the razor will cut the skin. -
Using razor blades for too long
Shaving with an old, blunt blade leaves the door open to cutting your skin and causing irritation. -
Skipping the post-shave moisturiser
Shaving removes the top layer of skin, so it’s inevitable that unmoisturised, clean shaven skin will dry out.
How to get a clean shave
Razor burn, shaving bumps and ingrown hairs don’t have to be an inevitable part of shaving. The best way to shave involves taking your time and making the effort to ensure that your skin is left soft, smooth and free from irritation and dryness. Here are our top tips for shaving body hair cleanly and safely:
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Exfoliate before shaving
This gives the razor a clean surface to glide over and prevents dead skin cells from clogging the blades. Our Exfoliating body bar goes gently on your skin and clears the way for an easy shave. -
Use cool water rather than hot
While skin needs to be soft for a good shave, if the water is too hot it can become too soft and increase the chances of nicks and cuts. -
Lather up a gentle shaving bar
Our Shaving body bar can be used anywhere on the body and contains ingredients that hydrate and soothe clean shaven skin. -
Shave in slow, smooth strokes
There shouldn’t be any rush when it comes to body grooming. Your skin deserves to have quality time spent on it and it will greatly appreciate a gentle, clean shaving technique. Rinse your razor after every stroke to keep it free from hair and skin cells. -
Don’t shave the same area over and over again
If your razor is clean and sharp enough, one stroke over each area of your body should suffice in order to remove hair. Repeatedly shaving the same area leads to cuts and irritation. -
Go easy on areas of sensitive skin or patches of acne
It is very easy to aggravate skin conditions like acne through shaving. Ensure your skin is well hydrated and shave extra lightly on tender or thinner areas. -
Use moisturiser after shaving
You have just removed the top layer of skin from your body, so it’s essential to restore moisture in order to prevent your skin from drying out and becoming irritated. -
Replace your razor regularly
Of course, how often you should replace your razor will depend on how often you shave. A good rule of thumb for making sure that your razor is suitable for a clean shave is to replace it between every 5-7 shaves. Shaving with a dull blade is the perfect recipe for razor burn and cuts.
Clean shaving with Beauty Kin
Our body bars were created with skin problems like acne, blemishes and sensitivity in mind. We are dedicated to finding and supplying solutions to these problems, so our bars are specially formulated for clean, safe body grooming. To prep the skin for a clean shave, try our Exfoliating body bar. Lactic acid and ground olive stone gently remove dead skin cells and unclog the pores while leaving behind a sweet, fresh grapefruit aroma. During your shave, the lather of the Shaving body bar uses squalane to effectively hydrate the skin. The soothing powers of lavender are perfect for calming irritation and of course, for piercing the room with a relaxing floral scent.
Every body deserves safe, effective body grooming and getting into the habit of clean shaving will do wonders for your skin’s health. You might know how to shave, but it may be that the best way to shave is something quite different. Slow down, go easy with that razor and use gentle, moisturising products that really work in order to start feeling the difference in your clean shaven skin today.