Throughout ancient history, shaving of the beard and head was a popular custom amongst the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. The battle continues today as men continue to fight their facial hair. Not helping the situation is acne, dry skin and sensitive skin siding with facial hair, and whilst we thought the razor was on our side, it betrays us and gives us razor bumps and razor burns. So who is on our side and who can we call as re-enforcements to aid us in shaving our facial hair?
Acne & Shaving
Shaving around the facial contours is hard enough without having to dodge and avoid acne. In fact, shaving irritated skin can make it worse, which we definitely don’t want. The only way around shaving with acne is to pay extra special care and attention to your shaving regimen. Use a pre-shave oil or face wash, followed by warm water to help soften your skin, and finally a moisturiser to help soothe and protect your skin. Most importantly, be super gentle with irritated skin.
Sensitive Skin & Shaving
Like dry skin and acne, sensitive skin makes shaving just that much more difficult. That’s why it is important to have good pre-shave and post-shave processes to help soothe your delicate facial skin (yes, even men have delicate facial skin!). This might include a beard-softening oil or face wash to help prepare the beard for shaving, and an aftershave balm such a soothing cream moisturiser to help prevent razor bumps and razor burns.
Dry Skin & Shaving
Dry skin leads to skin flakes, redness and even to ingrown hairs, all of which further complicates shaving. The solution is simple. Moisturise every day after you shower or wash your face to help replenish any lost moisture in your skin.
Razor Bumps
This happens most commonly when coarse, curly hair is given a close shave. The hair follicle becomes inflamed and in extreme cases, a pustule that looks much can acne can develop and become infected. Avoid this by using pre-shave products to help soften the hair, avoid products that dry and irritate your skin.
Razor Burn
There are many possible causes for razor burns. If you have super-sensitive skin, you may be more prone to razor burns so make sure you have all the pre-shaving and post-shaving processes in place to minimise your risk. Other things that cause razor burns include blunt blades, dry shaving, applying excessive pressure on the razor, shaving too fast and shaving against the grain. So make sure you have good sharp blades which means you shouldn’t need to apply a lot of pressure when shaving. Take your time when shaving and don’t shave against the grain. Keeping the skin moist throughout the shaving process can also help, as well as using pre-shave oil or face wash and post-shave moisturiser.
There’s more to shaving facial hair than meets the eye. Pre-shaving and post-shaving rituals are necessary to assist in shaving, especially if you have acne, sensitive skin or dry skin, and if you are prone to razor bumps and razor burns.
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Nivea Men Sensitive Range[/caption]