LIFE-STYLE FOR MEN: WHAT MEN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SHAVING Basic shaving can be quick and easy. Just pick up a razor and drag it across your face until the stubble’s gone. A really good shave, on the other hand, requires a little more effort and know-how. Even if youve been shaving for years, you might learn something, from dermatologists and a barber who’s been shaving men for decades, about what you need to do to get the best shave possible. Time Is of the Essence Don’t rush through a shave. That’s a good way to abuse your face. Instead, spend the necessary time prepping your skin for the razor. Start by washing your face. Facial cleansers work best because they help soften the protein in the hair, harsh soaps, on the other hand, wash away hair-softening oils. Leave the cleanser on your face for one minute before you rinse. Next, lather up with shaving cream or gel. (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 teeth to pass the time. That’s an important step, which really softens the hair and makes a one-pass shave possible. The longer you let it sit, the better, although spending the time is not always practical. Brush Up Dont rely on your fingers to lather your shaving cream. Get a brush. A good brush really pushes the cream into the hair and makes it much easier to shave. When it comes to razors, there’s no need to fool with multiblade razors. A single blade will work fine, though I favor a double-bladed razor for it shaves. The important thing to keep mind, is that the blade you use must be sharp. Discard it if you see a nick in the blade; otherwise, if you shave most days, change blades every week or two. Not applicable to those imitations in the shops now. How often you must change blades is another good reason to stick with inexpensive single blades rather than three- or five-blade razors, which can be quite costly. The more expensive the blade, the less likely you may be to change them as often as you should. As for straight razors leave those to the pros. Theyre much harder to handle and to keep even, and theyre not as safe. HOT AND COLD Another key to a good shave is keeping the skin hot and moist. A great way to do this is to shave in the shower or just after you get out. Use hot, moisturized towels to prep the skin and then again during the shave to keep the hairs soft. Follow your shave with a cold water rinse. Cold water reduces inflammation. Its like putting a cold compress onto an injury, Go With the Grain I recommend shaving with the grain -- that is, in the direction your hair is growing. Though you may get a closer shave if you go against it, you make razor burn or ingrown hairs more likely. Softening the hair first, as described above, should allow you a close, comfortable shave in one with-the-grain pass. That should be ideal. The more time you go over an area, the more irritation youll get. If you have thick hair, it’s particularly important to go with the grain. Occasionally, Let Someone Else Do the Work. More men are getting professional shaves, a change from recent decades, Kirkpatrick says. A typical pro shave, he says, lasts 12 to 25 minutes. All you do is lie back and relax. The time depends on how many hot towels you want to use and if you get a facial massage to go with it, Once in a while, you need a professional job, so spend some time with barber, as I see hair cut and shaving at the saloon partly a social outing..
Posted on: Thu, 17 Oct 2013 09:24:58 +0000
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