How to Achieve a Military Shave

Few characteristics are more emblematic of military men than clean-shaven faces. Only some can sport a look without stubble, so should you do the military shave?

What Is the Military Shave?

The military shave is a quick way to remove facial hair to look clean, presentable and sharp, particularly when you can’t grow a proper beard and mustache. Do this grooming method every morning to go out without a five o’clock shadow.

Clean-shaven mugs are synonymous with modern military men for various reasons. After the introduction of gas-based weaponry in WWI, enlisted male personnel have not worn beards and mustaches to wear gas masks properly and better protect themselves. Having no facial hair is also advantageous in close-quarters combat, giving the enemy one less thing to grab.

Clean face shaving is a way to remove the sense of individuality, promote uniformity and instill the group mentality needed in the military. These tenets are so enduring that the male members of the U.S. Army must still maintain a clean-shaven look after the branch changed its grooming standards in 2021.

However, service members can grow neatly tapered and trimmed and tidy mustaches while on duty and may receive the green light to wear a beard for medical or religious reasons.

Adopting the military shave can be practical even if you don’t have to. No facial hair makes you look professional. It also helps reduce painful bumps and prevent skin irritation when the air is dry.

How to Do the Military Shave

The military shave can be done in about five minutes and a few steps. Your grooming kit must include a safety or straight razor — with a permanent or replaceable blade — a shaving soap, cream or gel, and an aftershave splash or balm.

If you have long, thick facial hair, you may need to use an electric razor first to cut it to a shorter length. Using a hair clipper, trimmer or shaver requires dry shaving, so avoid dampening your face.

Once your beard or mustache is short enough for a traditional razor, follow these steps to do the military shave correctly, cleanly and safely.

Clean Your Face

Regular skincare and moisturization should already be a part of your daily hygiene routine. Wash your face with warm water to clear your pores and remove dirt, oil, and dead skin cells from your mustache or beard. These substances can build up on your razor and increase irritation if you nick yourself.

Use a cleanser of your choice. Facial scrubs exfoliate the skin better because of their gritty texture, but washes may suit you more if you’re prone to breakouts.

After rinsing your face, consider applying a moisturizer. Washing your face removes natural oils your skin needs to stay nourished. Moisturizing helps keep it looking healthy after shaving. Moist skin particularly matters if you have a clean-shaven face, so it’s worth considering.

Build a Lather

Generating the perfect consistency of lather is an art. You can do it in multiple ways but may find only some suitable. Building a lather in a bowl with a brush is optional, but many prefer it to applying a product by hand or directly to the face.

Whipping up a lather in a bowl with a brush can help you achieve your desired consistency without getting messy. Working it with your hand is faster because you skip parts where you warm up the bowl with hot water and drain it. However, this method’s tactile nature can make it difficult to determine whether you have enough lather on your face.

Whichever route you take, applying a creamy lather on the areas you want to shave in a circular motion will exfoliate your skin and prime your face for shaving. Massaging the lather against the grain — the direction your hair grows — is a solid technique to cover as much area as possible.

The lather’s generation speed and consistency depend on the brush, shaving product and water hardness.

Natural hair brushes are either badger or boar and absorb a ton of water, so soaking them before shaving is necessary. Badger hair brushes are the most popular because they’re full and soft. They can create a thick lather easily. On the other hand, boar hair can generate lather quickly but cause skin discomfort.

Synthetic hair brushes absorb no water and are gaining steam because high-quality ones can perform as well as badger hair brushes.

Regarding shaving products, soaps produce a thick, creamy lather but are less moisturizing. Creams promise the richest texture, while gels are less foamy and more lubricating.

Hard water minimizes lather generation because of how magnesium and calcium react with shaving products.

Shave Until You Are Clean

Lather your face and shave with the grain — not against it — using your straight or safety razor. Shaving against the grain causes the razor to tug on your hair and irritate the skin. The shaved skin may develop a temporary rash or razor burn because of this technique, making your face look less pleasant and painful to the touch.

Rinse your face to see how clean of a shave you have. Go back over your neck, cheeks, nose and mouth multiple times to achieve a closer shave. Apply high-quality shaving cream lather on these areas again and shave with the grain with light strokes.

Rinse Your Face

Once satisfied with your shave, wash your face with warm water to completely clean any product off your face.

Then, use cold water to close your pores and calm your skin post-shaving. It also causes your blood vessels to contract, lessening swelling and reducing bleeding from cuts.

Dry yourself with a clean towel. Pat your shaved areas instead of rubbing them to avoid irritation.

Lastly, apply aftershave to your skin. An aftershave splash is an antiseptic that kills germs — like the bacterium Staph aureus — that may infect any nicks and a toner that tightens the skin. It also has a noticeable fragrance.

In contrast, an aftershave balm doesn’t burn because it contains no alcohol. It hydrates, which can be relieving if you have razor bumps or dry skin. Its fragrance is too subtle to overpower your cologne’s scent.

Is the Military Look for You?

Having a clean-shaven face has merits and drawbacks. Sporting a beard or mustache can improve your appearance and offer protection from the sun’s ultraviolet light. Do the military shave only if you look better without stubble.

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A Closer Look at Electric vs. Regular Razors

Shaving is the primary grooming skill every suave man should know. However, your ability to shave yourself is just as good as your tools. Should you do it electrically or go old school? Consider these eight merits of electric vs. regular razors.

1.   Cost

Electric and manual razors come at different price points, but the former is more expensive by a mile. Low-end electric hair clippers, trimmers and shavers will set you back a bit, while high-end models can cost hundreds of dollars. On the other hand, you can buy a pair of quality safety razors with a sleek finish for less than a Benjamin. You can also order four stainless steel shavettes for the same amount.

However, regular razors require wet shaving. A decent shaving brush and a rustproof stand are usually one-time purchases, but you’ll need to budget for preshave, shaving soap or cream, aftershave and replacement cartridges occasionally. The cost to replenish your supply will add up over time if you’re not smart with your purchases.

Meanwhile, electric clippers, trimmers and shavers generally work without other products because they only need dry shaving. They can last for years, but you may need replacement parts when some of their components break. You’ll also need a stock of cleaning fluid to prevent premature foil and blade wear.

Moreover, having one electric razor may be insufficient for your grooming needs — especially when you have plenty of facial and body hair. You may need a trimmer or a shaver paired with a hair clipper if you want to do all your shaving. More gadgets mean higher expenses.

2.   Speed

Are electric razors better than regular ones regarding efficiency? In a way, they are. Machines can get the job done faster, but you may need to go back over areas multiple times to cut more hair.

Conversely, shaving with a traditional razor is typically more time-consuming. You must prep the areas first to reduce the friction between the blade and your skin. When you’re ready to shave, you must take time to glide over areas smoothly and safely.

3.   Shave Closeness

Shaving the traditional way is the best way to achieve a clean look. A conventional razor has multiple blades designed to lift the hair from the follicle upon contact before cutting it. The result is the closest shave you’ll get.

Trimming messy stubble with an electric shaver can make your face look neat, but expect a five o’clock shadow. A slight growth of beard and mustache can make you appear more masculine and mature, but it’s the closest to a shave an electric razor can do. You’ll have to shave more frequently to keep whiskers unnoticeable if you want to do it electrically.

4.   Versatility

Traditional razors are useful for any area you want to shave cleanly. Most barbers recommend them for your face, chest, abdomen and legs. In contrast, every type of electric razor has a specialty.

Trimmers can be helpful for shaving different body parts. It’s suitable for cutting finer and shorter hair on your face. This tool can come with various attachments to expand its shaving capabilities. It can have a precision detailer for trimming your beard, sideburns and eyebrows, a reciprocating head for edging and grooming hairy ears, and a rotary head for cutting nose hair.

Hair clippers are perfect for trimming long hair. You’ll need one if you have a scruffy beard or want to cut the hair on your head down to one-sixteenth of an inch. Shavers are primarily for facial hair. You can use a hair clipper and a rotary shaver alternately to trim your bushy beard, but you’ll need a foil shaver to remove as much hair from your skin as possible.

5.   Maintenance

Consider the tool’s design when determining the upkeep of electric vs. regular razors. A no-frills safety razor is easy to maintain. You can rinse it with warm water and pat it dry to remove mineral buildup and lather residue. When changing blades, wash and wipe the inside of the head. On the contrary, a straight razor needs more care since its blade dulls with use. You can sharpen it with a strop, a natural or manufactured stone, or a lapping film.

Electric razor maintenance is usually stress-free. Built-in vacuums and self-cleaning settings will make your life easier. If your model has no set-and-forget automatic cleaning station, you can clean it with running water fuss-free and dry it afterward.

Lubrication is an extra but straightforward task to keep your electric razor in good shape. Applying a few drops of light oil before you groom will:

  • Prolong the life of your shaver’s foil or blade
  • Reduce friction-induced heat during operation
  • Help cutting components move with less resistance
  • Boost your electric razor’s performance

Spraying a cleaner on your shaver is optional, but doing so can help neutralize hard water and lubricate your tool.

6.   Skin Safety

Manual razors have a reputation for causing irritation and abrasion because they interact with the skin directly. However, applying shaving cream or oil can make your grooming experience pleasant, even with sensitive skin. Dermatologists recommend having a clean-shaven look to prevent razor bumps.

Electric shaving is generally safe for the skin but can still cause itchy and unsightly ingrown hairs. That’s why it’s wise to use shaving cream when grooming to add a protective layer between your skin and an electric razor.

7.   Controllability

Shaving is a lost art. Traditional razors will help you hone your grooming skills more effectively. Learning how to wield a razor will help you better trim a distinct beard neckline. You can define your facial hair’s lines well with muscle memory using an electric trimmer, but a tool you can hold with just your fingers will give you more control over the shaving process.

8.   Portability

Whether manual or electric, your grooming gear will eat up luggage space. Some say that traditional shaving kits are less convenient when traveling, but a mechanical tool needing a charging and cleaning station and requiring wet shaving can also be bulky.

Are Electric Razors Better Than Regular Ones?

All grooming tools have pros and cons but complement each other. Despite advancements in men’s electric shaving tech, traditional razors have persisted. It’s evidence that they can do what sophisticated gear can’t, so invest in a kit to round out your grooming toolset and maintain your desired look.

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Signs That Your Beard Isn’t Getting the Care It Deserves

beard

Men wear a beard for several reasons — one is to look masculine. While it makes you look manly and ruggedly handsome, maintaining facial hair requires intensive grooming, much like scalp hairs.

Are you noticing beard problems cropping up now and then? Do you see flakes or split ends? These are indications your fuzz needs extra loving and care. Here are prevalent signs your beard isn’t getting what it deserves.

Itchy and Red Skin

As your beard gets longer, it’s harder to reach the skin underneath when washing your face. What typically happens is instead of clearing away dirt, it gets trapped in the jaw and chin. Over time, oil combines with dirt and clog your pores. When hair follicles are blocked, it causes itchiness, redness, and sometimes acne.

Proper exfoliation can resolve this problem. It’s one healthy habit your beard will thank you for. Exfoliate your face fuzz like a boss in these four steps.

1. Wet your face with warm water.

2. Grab your go-to beard wash and create a lather.

3. Spread the shampoo to your mustache using a scrubber and gently brush the area.

4. Rinse and pat dry with a towel.

5. Apply beard oil or conditioner to hydrate the skin below.

Flakes or Dandruff

Men don’t get flakes on the scalp alone. The beard skin can also get dandruff, medically known as seborrheic dermatitis, leaving you feeling unhygienic. When yeast grows on the chin or jaw, the result is scaly and grainy skin.

Up to 40% of men experience beard dandruff. Proper beard care is vital to prevent this from happening. Otherwise, you’ll need to shave your beard away. Choosing a good shampoo is the easiest treatment method. Look for a variant with 1% ketoconazole, pyrithione zinc or selenium sulfide. These active ingredients have antifungal properties that kill and stop yeast growth on the skin.

Here’s how to achieve the best results by using antifungal shampoos.

1. While dry, apply enough shampoo to your beard. Ideally, do this a few minutes before showering.

2. Massage the shampoo thoroughly, making sure it reaches the skin. Use a beard scrubber if necessary.

3. Rinse it thoroughly. Ensure no residue is left on the skin. You can reapply the shampoo on wet skin if you want.

Dry and Brittle Hair

One of the signs of poor beard care is dry, brittle facial hair. Looking at them is as uncomfortable as having them. You can sometimes solve it by switching to another brand of beard wash, as your current product could be drying the hairs out or irritating the skin.

In other instances, dry and brittle hair can be caused by dehydration, overswimming and extreme weather.

Not drinking enough fluids can affect the skin under your facial hair. Meanwhile, pools and salt water have chlorine and salt drying to the hair. Lastly, extremely hot or cold weather makes your beard vulnerable to damage. Here are some solutions to this problem.

1. Swap to a different beard wash or shampoo. Consult a dermatologist if you need help picking out the right brands.

2. If swimming, coat a layer of beard oil first to protect your fuzz from harmful chemicals. When you leave the pool, wash and condition it by applying an oil or a balm.

3. If you live in an area with harsh weather conditions, moisturize your mustache frequently. Choose absorbent products so it doesn’t leave a sticky feeling.

Hair Loss and Patchy Beard

A patchy beard is most likely due to alopecia barbae — a condition related to alopecia areata — characterized by hair loss. In such a case, the immune system sees hair follicles as foreign objects needed to get rid of. As it attacks, the damage results in signs of hair loss, including patchiness, thinning and loosening of follicles.

Alopecia barbae is an auto-immune disorder with no cure but is treatable through medications and other means.

Corticosteroids are immune system suppressors injected or applied topically to the bald spot. You may see effects within one to two months after treatment.

Minoxidil is a topical cream used to treat baldness. It encourages hair growth.

Beard care is essential during treatment as these products can make your hair feel greasy. Blot your fuzz with a dry paper towel and use a gentle beard wash to combat this.

 Split Ends

Split ends are a disheartening sight on your face after following the best beard care advice on the internet. Facial hair split ends make your beard look unkempt, dry and coarse.

The sebum produced by the sebaceous gland coats facial hair to retain moisture. Since the skin only secretes a limited amount, nourishing the beard is harder after it gets past a certain length. The ends can become dry and brittle, eventually followed by split ends.

Apart from this natural cause, using low-quality and harsh beard products and improper grooming habits can cause the problem. Unfortunately, split ends are not repairable. The only way to get rid of them is by trimming the broken hairs.

Prevention is key to side-step split-end problems. Here are some tips:

1. Use a gentle beard wash that doesn’t strip natural oil.

2. Moisturize it with beard oil or balm.

3. Brush your beard to maintain its shine.

4. Eat a balanced diet.

Positive Lifestyle for a Healthier Beard

The growth of facial hair is influenced by testosterone, a hormone dominant in men. If the body has less of it, the beard grows poorly.

A healthy lifestyle can help maintain an equilibrium in the body’s hormonal levels. Here are some tips.

  • Diet: Good nutrition, including lean protein and zinc- and iron-dense food sources, like liver and nuts, can contribute to a healthy and fuller beard.
  • Exercise: Physical activities promote blood flow, stimulating hair follicles.
  • Sleep: The body produces testosterone mainly during sleep. Interrupted rest may disturb the process.
  • Supplements: If you’re not getting adequate nutrients from food to support beard growth, talk to your doctor about oral supplementations.
  • Regulate stress: High cortisol levels are a sign of hormonal imbalance that can affect your beard.

Effective Beard Care Combines Grooming Habits and Lifestyle

Your beard requires proper grooming to look its best. It means spending a few more minutes in the bathroom to apply oil and balm to nourish it. Be wise in choosing your beard products. It’s safer to pick brands with gentle and natural ingredients as they generally suit various skin types. Ask a dermatologist or beard expert if you need guidance in selecting the best items.

A positive lifestyle also affects its appearance. Exercising, getting enough shut-eye and eating nutritious foods can help maintain its glory naturally.

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Shaving Tips for Men With Sensitive Skin

Shaving facial hair is an uncomfortable experience for men with sensitive skin. Redness and irritation set in almost immediately after the razor touches your skin, making it practically impossible to finish the job. Then, when your face finally recovers, it’s time to shave again. If you have fallen into this vicious cycle, these shaving tips will be your saving grace.

shaving cream for men

1.   Choose the Right Razor

First and foremost, you must choose the right razor to get a clean shave. A cheap disposable version isn’t doing your skin any favors. The blades must be sharp so they glide over your face and slice through the hairs without aggravating the follicles and roots beneath the skin. There are two razor categories to choose from:

  • Manual: Manual razors are the traditional options, containing one to six blades. The best type is the single-blade straight razor that men have used since ancient times. Fewer blades equal a closer shave and less irritation.
  • Electric: Electric razors are also serviceable for sensitive skin, especially if they have blade attachments that naturally conform to your face’s shape. You’re also less likely to make a mistake or cut yourself with an electric razor.

A manual razor will be the better choice for most sensitive-skinned guys. Electric razors require you to perform a dry shave, which increases the risk of skin irritation and often leads to acne. Additionally, the dozens of tiny blades on electric razors are more likely to scrape off dermal cells and dry your skin.

On the other hand, combining a simple manual straight razor with shaving cream for men will make the experience as comfortable as possible. Your skin will stay cool, and the solitary blade will have no trouble cutting through stubborn hairs.

2.   Keep the Blades Clean

Once you find the perfect razor, you must do your best to keep the blades clean. Even the best razor blades will cause skin irritation after a few shaves. Once they get dull, you need to sharpen them or replace them with new blades. This type of maintenance requires in-depth knowledge of your razor’s various parts and how they’re supposed to work.

If you choose an electric razor, you must lubricate the blades instead of sharpening them. Most electric razor kits come with a small container of mineral oil. Just put a few drops of oil on the blades at every shave and your razor will last for the foreseeable future. Having a full charge will also make the process easier on your skin.

No matter which razor you choose, the overarching goal is the same — always keeping the blades clean. Don’t let them accumulate dead skin and old hairs. Take a few minutes out of your day to sharpen or lubricate the blades for the sake of your skin’s health.

3.   Exfoliate Before Shaving

Now it’s time to get down to shaving. Exfoliate your skin before applying shaving cream. Showering or washing your face with warm water removes dirt and bacteria and washes away dead skin particles. It also opens up your facial pores, loosening up the hairs so they dislodge more easily.

All these benefits combine to make your skin as smooth as possible. Smooth skin will allow the blades to move around without obstruction. Your first time shaving after exfoliating will be nothing like your previous experiences. As long as you use the proper shaving technique, there will be no nicks, redness or swelling.

4.   Add Shaving Cream or Oil

You can finally apply your shaving cream once you’ve exfoliated. However, you shouldn’t use your hands because they’re oily and abrasive. Instead, you should use a shaving brush with fine hairs to apply the cream. It will be softer and stimulate blood flow beneath the skin to help with the exfoliating process.

You can also create a homemade beard oil recipe with anti-inflammatory essential oils such as clove, peppermint and cinnamon. Some people also use baby or olive oil to smooth the skin before shaving. Store your homemade beard oil at room temperature and monitor it for freshness.

5.   Shave With the Grain

Before applying your favorite shaving cream for men, take a moment to learn the correct way to shave. Some men can get away with shaving from any angle, but guys with sensitive skin always need to go with the grain. Facial hair usually grows downward around the mustache, chin and cheeks, but it also grows upward on the neck. Study your beard’s growth patterns and determine which way you’re supposed to shave.

You also need to apply the right amount of pressure on your skin. Razors in good condition will slice through your facial hair with ease. Don’t push down on your skin too hard or you’ll be more likely to cut yourself or cause painful irritation.

6.   Use a Daily Moisturizer

You have all the fundamentals — getting the right razor, finding a good shaving cream for men, exfoliating your skin and going with the grain. However, you must also focus on daily maintenance habits to keep your sensitive skin healthy. The most important thing is moisturization.

You must replenish your skin with nutrients every day so it has the strength to tolerate shaving and doesn’t develop acne. Malnourished skin is more likely to dry up, crack and become irritated. You should also eat more foods with nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acids to replenish your skin cells.

7.   Prioritize Your Hydration

This final tip is the simplest of them all — stay hydrated. It’s impossible to overstate how important hydration is to your skin’s health. When your skin has plenty of water, it’s soft, flexible and easy to shave on. Dehydration causes brittleness and makes shaving more difficult since the blade will drag.

The recommended daily amount of water is about 15.5 cups daily or 3.7 liters for adult men. Following this basic benchmark will do your skin a huge favor.

Enjoy a Better Shave and Healthier Skin

As long as you follow these essentials, shaving won’t be a hassle anymore. Get yourself a high-quality razor and shaving cream for men, add exfoliation to your routine, shave with the grain, moisturize your face daily and drink plenty of water. If you check these boxes, you’ll enjoy a better shave and healthier skin for years to come. Although choosing the right shaving cream for men might sound easy, there are a lot of bad options out there. Be sure to try our Signature Shave Cream for a high quality shaving experience.

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