For most adults, shaving is just a part of life. Whether you shave a certain part of your body every day or only shave particular areas occasionally, the point of shaving is to have smooth skin. However, simply shaving all on its own often can’t get you as close of a shave as you might like.
Luckily, there are quite a few tricks you can try to ensure that you’re able to get the closest shave each time you bring a razor to your body. To show you how this can be done, here are three tips for getting a closer shave.
Steam Open Your Pores
While you might have tried dry shaving in the past, to really get a good, close shave, you’ve got to spend a little extra time ensuring that the hair and your skin are properly prepped. One of the best ways to get your skin and hair ready for a close shave is to use heat and steam to open up your pores.
According to Rob Verger, a contributor to Popular Science, taking a shower is a great way to use water, heat, and steam to open up your pores prior to trying to shave. By doing this, you allow the water to moisturize the skin that you’ll be shaving, the heat to make your hair softer and easier to work with, and the steam to open up your pores and allow you to get more of the hair as you’re shaving.
Use The Right Pre-Shave Products
Once you’ve got your skin and hair ready to shave, you’re going to want to use some type of product or products to make the whole process go smoother, literally and figuratively.
There are a ton of different products on the market that can help you get a closer, smoother shave. Some that you might want to try, according to Esquire.com, are pre-shave butter or pre-shave oil. When you use these products before you start shaving, you allow them to work their magic of both lubricating and protecting your skin.
Know Which Direction To Shave
The direction you shave can have a big impact on how closely you’re able to get to the hair you’re trying to remove. Depending on what part of your body you’re shaving, the direction you shave will vary a little bit.
For men shaving their face, you’ll want to at least start going with the grain and only go against the grain if you’re willing to take the risk of getting some razor burn. For women shaving their legs or armpits, the Cleveland Clinic recommends going against the grain so you can get the closest possible shave. The way the hair grows can vary from person to person or body part to body part, so keep this in mind when thinking about shaving with the grain or against the grain.
If you’re wanting to get a closer shave, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you do just that.
