Part 2 in our series of getting the best from shaving, this week covers the most important tool involved in the process, the razor. With over 93% of us males globally prefering the experience of a wet shave there are a couple of things you need to remember so we sort the top shaving tips from award-winning barbers Ruffians to ensure you achieve a close shave:
1. EXFOLIATE: It’s essential that you prepare the skin properly before you shave. Think about it – if you’ve got a face which is studded with bits of dirt, dust and who knows what else, that will create a bumpier ride for the razor. To eliminate this, it’s best to wash your face with a microgranular exfoliator which will help to smooth down the face, creating a flatter surface which the razor can glide cleanly over.
2. USE WARM WATER: It’s time to up the temperature! When washing away your exfoliator, use warm water or better yet, a towel that has been soaked in very hot water. This will help to keep the pores open and allows the hairs to become softer and less brittle. This will mean fewer rough passes with the razor and a far smoother finish.
3. CHOOSE YOUR RAZOR WISELY: The better the razor, the closer the shave. Make sure you choose a razor that is good quality, versatile and made with the customer in mind. The Dorco Classic comes with seven precision-aligned blades, making it a world first – ideal for the most challenging facial hair. However, if you’ve got sensitive skin, you’ll need to protect against the blade’s efficiency: the Dorco Classic thought of this, and positioned a strip of lubricating balm just next to the blade. In the unfortunate event of nicking your skin, the natural extracts on the lubricating strip will soothe the cut and quickly disinfect it, so you can finish your shave without worrying about balls of tissue paper.
4. SHAVE IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE GROWTH: Shaving against the grain is the number one cause of irritation when shaving, as it will rip hairs unnecessarily from their pores and cause tiny blood blisters. The Dorco Classic has a pivoting head which increases flexibility and can follow your individual growth pattern with ease.
5. MOISTURISE: Be kind to your face – after all, you’ve just scraped off a few layers of skin and it probably needs some further TLC. Once you’ve finished shaving, splash your face with cold water (this will help to close up the pores) and apply an alcohol-free aftershave balm or moisturiser. This will form a barrier between your fresh skin and the bacteria floating around in the air which can no longer enter your pores. Finally – make sure you spray your aftershave somewhere which isn’t your face, as anything alcohol based will dry your already sensitive skin out significantly.
With the words of wisdom from tip 3 fresh in our little heads here’s are our 6 of the best Razors currently on the market;
It is estimated that the average man spends 125 days of his life shaving and using beard brushes. With this in mind Cornerstone have worked tirelessly hard to take the stress out of shaving with their subscription service. They offer a personalise monogrammed razor handle and each durable razor has five blades, an aloe vera moisturising strip and a flexbile head for precision and control mounted on a lightweight alloy aluminium razor handle.
A man uses 170 strokes every shave, on average 120 of these are re-strokes over the same area of the face after the initial strokes have wiped away most of the shave gel. Gillette ProShield NEW Lubrication Bar before the blades, in addition to the Lubrastrip after the blades, shields from irritation, paired with FlexBall handle technology handle with innovative pivot to respond to facial contours for maximum contact.
Once again Harry’s promises to taking the stress out of shaving with their hassle free subscription service. Their razor blades have been exclusively engineered in Germany in partnership with an almost one hundred year old company comprised of extremely talented craftsmen who have been manufacturing some of the world’s finest blades for almost a century. The handle has been economically designed to assist and enhance in the shaving experience.
Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5 is engineered to offer improved skin protection hydrated skin. The Hydro 5 razor features pioneering gel pools, which last up to twice as long as a lube strip and deliver 40 per cent less friction than a lubrication strip.
Not only does it come with hydrating gel pools, it’s also equipped with the razor-sharp Flip Trimmer providing a clear-cut finish with every shave. With a simple flick of the thumb the hydrating gel pools flip back to reveal five blades that deliver parallel precision and control, reaching the difficult contours of the face, so you can look sharp for any occasion.
Launched earlier this year the NEW Dorco Classic razor is looks set to revolutionise your grooming routine. With seven precision-aligned blades, making it a world first, you should be more confident you’ll achieve a close and comfortable shave in the fewest strokes. With angulated blade technology used in it, it gives slimmer, denser blades to reduce any irritation to the skin. Plus it also has an open structure design to enable easy rinsing, helping to keep blades sharper for longer. A Honeycomb Guard Bar with soft rubber surface allows effortless gliding over skin, adapting to the contours of your face.
That’s not all! An advanced lubricating strip with antioxidants from Argan oil and Calendula extract helps sooth sensitive and dry skin, and heal razor burns. To improve precision, the lubricating strip has been shortened from Dorco’s previous models, making it perfect for those hard-to-reach places without the need for a separate trimmer.
Grüum is another subscription service making massive waves in the shaving market. Its precision-engineered razors are manufactured from high grade Swedish steel, exclusively for grüum. The added roller component helps to lift hair away from the face, creating a close and comfortable glide.
Their oska razor handle is the ultimate fusion of form and function; bold styling, striking colours and ergonomic design combine to deliver a gripping shave.
Plus the osku razor cartridges give a shave as close as the big brand razors, for a fraction of the price.
