Shaving Tips for Men: How to Prevent Razor Burn and Breakouts

If you're like me and a lot of men, you hate shaving your face. Not only is shaving a time-consuming process that has to be repeated several times per week, but it has the potential to leave your skin looking bad with red bumps and breakouts. For some men, skin problems like these caused by razor burn can be a serious source of embarrassment. Luckily, there are a few simple steps men can take to reduce the razor burns and breakouts that are often caused by shaving.

1. Shave in the shower or after your shower. This simple shaving tip is very important. The warm water in the shower will cause the hair on your face to stand up and will soften your skin, and this will lead to a closer and less-irritating shave. Shaving in the shower is the best, but if you don't have a mirror installed in your shower, you can shave your face at the sink immediately after your shower.

2. Use a good shaving product. Most of the shaving creams and gels that are sold in cans at Target, Wal-Mart, or the drugstore are absolute junk. To get the least irritating shave possible, you'll want to use a thicker, high-end shaving product. I really like the Everyman Jack Shaving Cream sold at Target and the For Men Shaving Cream sold at The Body Shop. Just remember, you want a thick & creamy shaving product, not a light & airy lather.

3. Give the shaving product time to work. Besides for helping the razor glide more easily over your skin, the shaving product you apply to your face is designed to soften hair and make it easier to cut. Allow the shaving product to sit on your face for a few minutes before making your first razor stroke. Most men don't do this, but if you wait that extra little bit of time you'll find you get a much closer & easier shave without red bumps or breakouts.

4. Shave "with the grain" of your hair. The hair on your face and neck grows primarily in one direction, and if you shave in the direction of hair growth you will find your skin is much less irritated afterwards. For most men, this means shaving downwards on the face and upper neck, and shaving upwards on the lower neck.

5. Shave with short strokes and rinse your razor often. At most, you want to be covering 3" of skin with each razor stroke, and perhaps even less if it's been awhile since your last shave. You also want to rinse your razor in running water between every stroke you make. Following these steps will make sure that a sharp blade is in contact with your skin during most of your shave, and this will reduce irritation and razor burn caused by a duller blade.

6. Moisturize your skin immediately following your shave. Finally, apply a light-weight face lotion to your skin immediately after you shave. This will help replace some of the lost moisture caused by shaving, and will also help your pores to close which will leave your skin looking better. By following these 6 simple tips, you are well on your way to being able to shave without any irritation, red bumps, razor burns, or breakouts!