The 10 Do’s and Don’ts of Shaving: A guide by BIC® Razors
Shaving: literally lifting a series of sharp blades right up to your skin and dragging them across bumpy, complex fleshy bits to remove tiny lengths of hair. Often in the slippery shower. Frequently in a bit of a hurry.
When you look at it for what it really is, shaving is kind of a daredevil thing to do! You’re putting a lot of faith in the tools you’re using to protect yourself from yourself, and there’s the genuine possibility of causing yourself some significant discomfort if you do it wrong. We know they say beauty is pain, but surely this doesn’t NEED to be the case, right?!
Here at BIC®, we’ve developed a range of shaving products with your comfort and safety in mind at a fair price. Designed with the specific needs of both men and women, our razors and gels are high-quality, safe, and made to last. This range is focused on blade excellence and mastering simplicity in design; so you can be assured of the BIC® quality you already know and love with every one of our shaving products. We’ve been making trusted shaving products for over 75 years, so trust BIC® with your razor routine today!
At the end of the day, BIC®’s got your back. Not only have we developed a selection of razors that puts safety, comfort and ease of use first, but we’ve also written this handy guide for the do’s and don’ts of shaving so that you can get all that silky smoothness with none of the potential scariness of a shaving accident.
The Don’ts
- Don’t shave dry
We cannot stress this enough. Seriously. Unless you are some sort of bewildering alien creature who really enjoys having a horrible itchy face, ingrown hairs and tiny cuts everywhere, you are going to have a bad time if you attempt this. Trust us, all it takes is one well-intentioned dry shave, and you will curse the day people invented the razor. And that’s the last thing we want to hear over at BIC®. Instead, invest in some moisturizing BIC® Comfort Shaving Gel and skip the prickles altogether.
- Don’t use a blunt razor
If you try to cut a steak with a butter knife, you’re going to make a mess. Similarly, if you try to get a close shave with a blunt razor, that mess will be as large and attached to your face. A blunt blade increases your risk of getting cuts as you press harder to remove hair. You’re also less likely to get a smooth finish and run the risk of giving yourself a nasty case of razor burn.
- Don’t shave in a shower that’s too hot
Soaking the areas you want to remove hair from in warm water is the best way to go. It softens your skin, opens your pores, and makes it much easier to get a close and easy shave. However, when you switch up your water temperature from “moderately pleasant summer shower” to “spurting lava from the bowels of the earth”, your body reacts by tightening your skin and closing your pores. This makes it less easy to get a close shave. Remember – toasty, not roasty!
- Don’t use dirty tools
This might seem like common sense but you’d be astounded at how many people will see a scummy shaver, think ‘it’s in the bathroom so it’s clean, right?’ and go to town on their bodies with the equivalent of a plastic knife you found on the floor of a bus. Always rinse your razor after use, to get rid of any products or excess hair and skin that may have gotten attached to it.
- Don’t shave against the grain in areas with coarse hair
We understand this is a hotly contested issue: against the grain or with the grain? While some argue that shaving against the grain of your hair is the only way to get an optimally close shave, others maintain that it’s a surefire way to get chafing, cuts, ingrown hairs and razor burn.
We propose a compromise (we’re all about uniting the people under the banner of BIC®.) In areas where hair is very coarse and more likely to grow back fast and cause ingrowns, we say shave WITH the grain. In areas where hair is downier and less closely spaced, like the legs, go ahead and switch directions. You’re at less risk of causing discomfort down the line, and you want to feel that silky smooth feeling over a larger area.
The Do’s
- Use short and slow strokes
Some things in life are way, way better when they’re fast. Cars, short bank queue takes and even shorter ad breaks in your favourite prime-time TV show, to name a few. What’s NOT on that list is how long it takes to shave. Speeding through the shaving process is basically asking for an embarrassing nick. Be especially careful around more finicky areas, like jawbones and knees. Make sure to rinse off your blade after each stroke, or your next pass won’t be as efficient. Remember: taking your time shaving will only add a few extra minutes to your routine, but the embarrassment of turning up to a date with 5 bits of toilet paper stuck to your face or legs lasts a lifetime.
- Exfoliate beforehand
Before a razor even gets a glimpse at your face, it’s in your best interest to give the area of intent a good exfoliating scrub. By doing this, you’re sloughing off all the dead skin cells that build up around the base of hair follicles. Exfoliating also frees the edges of any hairs that might be trapped under the skin, so you don’t miss them with your razor. Also, it’s impossible not to feel fancy while you’re exfoliating. Even the word feels luxurious. Like a fancy horse name.
- Create a taut surface to shave
For the closest shave possible, we recommend pulling the area you’re working on as taught as you can while it’s still comfortable and then making a pass with a razor. For underarms, lift your arm and use your fingertips to stretch the skin. When shaving your knees, ensure they’re bent and not standing straight. For your face, move your mouth slightly to the side. Bonus points if you video how silly you look doing all of this for comedic value later.
- Perform shaving aftercare
Unfortunately, shaving frequently dries your skin, even if you use shaving gel. It’s best to moisturise after shaving with a post-shower cream or oil of choice. Do this as soon as possible after you’ve shaved, to help prevent the appearance of razor bumps and soften your hair follicles to fight off the possibility of the dreaded painful ingrown hair.
Avoid heavily scented deodorants or colognes directly after shaving as your skin can be extra irritated, and the harsh scent in these products can cause irritation. And to avoid the ‘the pits of fire’, avoid alcohol-based deodorant sprays for at least fifteen minutes after shaving your underarms.
