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How Shaving With The Grain Just Might Work For You

How Shaving With The Grain Just Might Work For You

Many men try to shave against the grain to gain their closest shave. Even though this method cuts the hair as close to the skin as possible, it also causes problems for the skin. Razor bumps, skin irritation and even cuts can result.

About Shaving Against the Grain

Shaving against the grain causes the razor to pull at the hair before cutting it. That is why going against growth pattern produces such a close shave. But this tugging can damage hair and skin. It causes those ingrown hairs and razor bumps, resulting in swelling and redness on your face that you can probably happily live without.

Many men have skin that does fine with shaving against the growth pattern. But others suffer from it and have to make the choice between a really close shave today with those red bumps tomorrow, or shaving with growth as nature and invention intended.

If you are not an adrenaline junkie and want to focus on shaving with the grain, don’t fret. You can still get a very close shave through this method. The trick is just in knowing how.

Shaving with the Grain: How to Get Your Closest Shave

To get your best shave with the grain, you will first need to obtain a double-edged safety razor. There are a multitude of these to choose from at The Original Shave Company. It is just a matter of choosing the right one for your grip and style.

Edwin Jagger 3D Laser Diamond DE3D14BL — Edwin Jagger DE3D14BL

Safety razors are not dragged across skin. Unlike disposable razors from the grocery store, these razors are designed to glide across your skin. This provides a great shave without razor bumps and irritation that multi-blade cartridge razors can cause.

One thing you have to remember with a safety razor is that you must change the blades frequently enough to keep them sharp. Many people overuse throwaway cartridge razors by bearing down harder on the skin, but that will not work with safety razors.

The next step is to determine which direction your hairs are growing. When you have a slight outgrowth or five o’clock shadow, run your hand across your face to note this growth direction. You need to do this for all areas of your face like your cheeks, jawline, under your nose, chin and neck, as hair does not grow in one direction throughout your entire face. Mentally “map” your growth in your mind, so you know the pattern when shaving cream is covering your skin. Eventually, this mapping will become second nature to you and you will not have to think about it each time you are shaving with the grain.

Taylor of Old Bond Street Pre-Shave Oil — Taylor of Old Bond Street

To start shaving with the grain, first use warm water to wash your face and open your pores. A nice, warm shower can be great for this. Apply pre-shave oil, gel or lotion to moisturize and protect your skin while softening facial hair.

Apply shaving cream to your face, preferably using a badger hair brush. Then, with your hair growth map in mind, gently glide the safety razor over your skin. Rinse the razor or flip to the other side for a second pass on each pathway through the shaving cream. Remember to go slowly when shaving with the grain and not bear down. When your shave is completed, use a quality after shave lotion to protect and moisturize your skin.

Remember that if you want to obtain the closest shave and don’t want to shave often, going against the grain might be the best way for you to go. However, this is not recommended for those with sensitive skin because it will produce results that could irritate and cut your skin.

Posted on June 10, 2016October 17, 2017 by Sean Mason

How to avoid razor burn when wet shaving

How to avoid razor burn when wet shaving

Razor burn can be a real pain, not to mention a distraction for anyone having a face-to-face conversation with you after tell-tale red, angry bumps appear. Knowing how to avoid razor burn when wet shaving usually involves just taking extra care as part of your shaving regimen.

The most frequent causes of razor burn include:

Shaving too quickly
Using too much pressure on the razor
Not hydrating your skin well enough before shaving
Using dull razor blades
Using shaving products that irritate your skin
Making a second or third shaving pass on your skin without re-applying shaving cream

How to Avoid Razor Burn During a Wet Shave

To know how to avoid razor burn when wet shaving, simply consider which of the above causes you are guilty of committing during your shaving regimen. This “reverse engineering” to correct the root issue will help you enjoy a much better wet shave each time, without razor burn.

Once you determine your wet shaving problem areas and potential causes of razor burn, simply apply these remedies below to improve your wet shaving experience.

Shaving Too Quickly
If you are guilty of shaving as quickly as you can, making quick strokes across your face as if you are in a race with the clock, you need to slow your roll. Just add some extra time to your morning or pre-event routine to do things right, at the right speed. Your skin will thank you.

Applying Too Much Pressure on the Razor
Bearing down too hard on the razor is a common mistake for men during wet shaving. You are likely more used to using an inexpensive disposable razor, the type that require extra pressure for a close shave to be achieved. But an authentic wet shave using a safety razor, Mach-3 or Fusion razor does not require heavy pressure. Let the razor do all of the work, as you slowly glide it over your skin with light strokes. Do not drag it across your face.

Not Hydrating Your Skin Before Shaving
Every shave should begin with a warm water wash, preferably in a shower before shaving. This warm water relaxes your skin, opens pores, softens hairs and makes the hairs stand up. All of this is very important toward preventing drag of the razor on your skin. Hydrated hairs are also easier for the razor to cut, providing for a close shave.

Even better than just a warm water wash is an exfoliation before shaving and application of a quality pre-shave oil. Pre-shave oil hydrates the skin, softens hairs and helps the razor glide smoothly over the skin’s surface.

Using Dull Blades
You should change your razor blades approximately every week to ten days, depending upon how often you shave. Whether you shave your entire face or just clean up edges around a beard also determines duration of your razor blades’ quality. It is important to use sharp, clean blades.

Using Shaving Products that Irritate Your Skin
Quality shaving creams, gels and soaps are the key to a better, closer wet shaving experience without skin irritation. Edwin Jagger, Taylor of Old Bond Street, BAUM.BE, Colonel Ichabod Conk and other quality brands are made from ingredients that improve the quality of your skin, rather than causing irritation.

Making Additional Passes with Your Razor Without Fresh Shaving Cream
Anytime your razor is applied to your skin, the skin should be protected using a quality shaving cream or soap. Do not rely on residue from a first pass of the razor to protect your skin on additional passes. By using a shaving brush, re-applying shaving cream is quick and easy during your wet shave.

To ensure your wet shaving experience is razor burn and irritation free, ensure your shaving kit or medicine cabinet is well stocked with fresh razor blades, shaving cream, pre-shave oil and other products from the OriginalShaveCompany.com.

Posted on May 23, 2016October 17, 2017 by Sean Mason

Is using a shaving brush beneficial to your skin?

Shaving brushes are one of the greatest inventions for mankind, when they are used properly. Well, maybe not “the greatest for mankind.” But a shave brush is undoubtedly a wonderful luxury any man can start using for better skin and a more luxurious shaving experience.

Why use a shaving brush instead of fingers?

Using a shaving brush for application of shaving cream or soap is far better than using fingers for a multitude of reasons. Among those:

Creation of greater, richer lather
Makes shaving cream, soap or gel last longer due to less being required for same results
Lifting of hair on the face in preparation for shaving
Opening of pores
Natural exfoliation of facial skin
Provision of a closer, better shave
Lower tendency toward irritation, ingrown hairs and razor burn

Shaving Brushes Are Popular Again

Shaving brushes were used from the Edwardian era through the 1960s. They were then dropped for the quick, easy shave of disposable razors and canned shaving cream. Men lost their appreciation of a more luxurious shaving experience for a while, but are returning to their grandfathers’ methods. Shaving brushes are again popular, especially among men seeking to have the best looking skin and closest shave they can provide for themselves at home.

When shopping for your own shaving brush, consider buying a badger hair shave brush. Badger hair provides the most authentic shaving experience along with benefits only badger hair fully provides. For people concerned about endangering badgers from the manufacturing of badger hair brushes, this is not something to be concerned about. Companies like Edwin Jagger pamper their badgers, with these animals living long lives of natural hair production for the company. Badgers are not harmed in the process.

Pure Badger Hair brushes have long been considered the best brushes for shaving. These use badgers’ soft, flexible hairs with fine tips that create a rich, smooth and creamy shaving cream lather. The bristles apply cream close to the skin for an equally close, irritation-free shave.

There are several types of badger hair brushes:

Best Badger Hair
Best badger hair brushes are also known as pure badger brushes. These brushes for shaving are the most common and popular type, with availability and standard craftsmanship reflected in a lower price than other types.

Super Badger Hair
Super badger hair brushes are high quality grade with the brushes being hand-filled with bristles. These have slightly longer and softer hairs than the Best or Pure variety. Tips of bristles are not trimmed and show a black band topped with white tips. These are considered excellent choices for a luxury shaving experience and quality skincare.

Silvertip Badger Hair
Using only the rarest, highest grade and softest of badger bristles, Silvertip brushes feature untrimmed ends with the tell-tale silver tips for which they are named. Of course, these are the most expensive due to being handmade of such optimum-quality hair.

Of course, synthetic brushes are great for shaving, too. These are usually a bit stiffer than natural bristles. They can be coarser, too. But they are quite inexpensive and perfect for a first-time user of a shave brush during shaving. You can certainly graduate to a timeless badger bristled brush after your love of wet shaving grows.

Posted on May 17, 2016October 17, 2017 by Sean Mason

Best Steps Needed To Get A Close Shave

Looking for a really close shave? Feeling too much stubble right after putting down the razor? Below are some tips for getting your best close shave:

Exfoliate Before Shaving

A great, close shave starts with exfoliation. This is because skin does not feel smooth unless you ensure it is actually smooth at the molecular level. Exfoliating removes dead skin cells, leaving baby soft smoothness behind.

There are several ways to exfoliate before shaving. Using a facial scrub can buff away old cells, dirt and oil that hold whiskers down and restrict your razor’s performance. Shaving also exfoliates dead skin cells away. But for a great shave exfoliate first so your razor can do what it is meant to do for whiskers.

Edwin Jagger Shaving Brush - Ebony Best Badger - 1EJ876 — The EJ 1EJ876 will prepare you for closest shave

Prepare Well for Your Shave to Prevent Razor Bumps

To get a great shave without razor bumps, prepare for your shave properly. Wash and exfoliate your face and thoroughly hydrate your facial hair with warm water. Spend three minutes applying nicely warmed water to your face to most fully hydrate the hair.

Next, apply a quality shave gel like BAUME.BE Pre Shave Gel. This gel is designed to help the razor properly glide over skin’s surface. It also softens hair and prevents cuts and abrasions. The gel helps hair hold the hydration you just applied, before shaving cream is applied.

Apply an Ample Amount of Quality Shaving Cream

Use a badger bristle shaving brush like the Simpsons Berkeley 46 Pure Badger to create a foamy lather from quality shaving cream.

While you prepare to start your shave, fill your sink with hot water. As the sink fills allow the badger bristle shaving brush to soak in the sink so the bristles may absorb warm water. After allowing all excess water to run off the the bristles, dance your badger bristle shaving brush around the surface of shaving cream like Mr. Taylor’s Shaving Cream Bowl by Taylor of Old Bond Street. Use circular motions to create a rich, frothy foam. Apply the foam to your face that has been exfoliated, hydrated and prepared using pre-shave gel.

Use an Advanced Razor for Your Best Shave

The best shave starts with the skin and hair preparatory process. Clearly, however, a quality razor is also an important part of the close shave equation. If you like the convenience of disposable blades, an Edwin Jagger Fusion Razor can provide the convenience of a close shave using a multi-blade disposable with the elegance and experience of a beautifully designed razor.

Shave in the Right Order

To get the closest shave where it counts, save the most aggressively growing areas for last. Start shaving on your cheeks, jawline and neck. Allow extra time for the shaving gel to soak into hair around your mouth by saving that part of your shave for last. This will allow the gel to work its magic on the coarse hairs around this area, making them easier to cut and enabling a close shave.

Derby Safety Razors Provides One of the Closest Shave

Keep Your Blades Sharp

Most men who use disposable blades use them too long and don’t ever achieve the closest shave. Change blades when you feel any discomfort, tugging or dragging. Inspect your blades before shaving to ensure they appear in good condition. Use them for the amount of time recommended on the label and replace according to those specifications. Even more importantly, do not share your razor. Each person in the household should have their own personal razor.

If you don’t have shaving supplies yet to kick off your wet shaving journey, you may want to consider how choosing the perfect men’s shaving kit might be just what you are looking for.

Posted on May 9, 2016October 17, 2017 by Sean Mason