Thinking of going old school with your razor/shaving needs?

[Eli Horton <eli.horton@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Don???t rush through a shave. That???s a good way to abuse your face. Instead, spend the necessary time prepping your??.??for the razor.

Start by washing your face. Facial cleansers work best because they help soften the protein in the??., says Jeffrey Benabio, MD, a dermatologist with Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Harsh soaps, on the other hand, wash away??.-softening oils. Leave the cleanser on your face for one minute before you rinse.

Next, lather up with shaving cream or gel. (Benabio says it doesn???t matter which, but choose one labeled "for sensitive skin" if you need it.) Then let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes. You can comb your hair or brush your??.??to pass the time.

"That???s an important step," Benabio says. "That really softens the hair and makes a one-pass shave possible."

Dermatologist Adam Penstein, MD, agrees.

"The longer you let it sit, the better, although spending the time is not always practical," says Penstein, chief of dermatology at North Shore-LIJ Health System in Lake Success, N.Y.

 

1. Wash your face with soap and warm water to remove oils from the hair and skin, and to allow whisker softening to occur. Or better yet, shave after a shower when hair is fully saturated with water.

2. Next apply a thick layer of shaving cream or gel, and allow it to sit on skin approximately three minutes.

   • Keeps moisture on the skin to enhance softening
   • Reduces friction caused by the razor going over the skin's surface
   • Carries away debris removed by the razor blade
   • Enables you to see the area already shaved
3. Remember to shave in the direction of hair growth. Take your time and shave carefully over sensitive areas. For a closer shave, carefully shave against the grain of hair growth.
4. Immediately rinse with cold water to remove any traces of soap or lather.
5. Complete your shaving regimen with an aftershave product to soothe sensitive areas. Skin can be irritated by the alcohol found in many aftershave splashes, so use an appropriate??cream or gel aftershave product if you have sensitive skin.

Use a clean, sharp blade. Newer blades require less force to cut through the hair than dull blades. Since you don't need much pressure with a new blade, you'll reduce the risk of nicks and cuts.