In Michael Keaton’s 1993 film, “My Life,” a terminally ill man works to leave his unborn son advice via an old, bulky (but at the time quite techno-savvy) VHS camcorder. Keaton’s character, Bob Jones, tapes himself giving advice on music, love and how to enter a room. Along the way, he also imparts shaving tips to his son.
“There are basically two schools of thought of shaving. Down, like that,” Jones says as he moves the blade down his face. “Or up, like that,” as he rakes the razor up his chin.
“Never “” I repeat, never “” side to side, like that,” mimicking a possible throat-slicing side-to-side motion with the blade.
Sound advice, but hardly comprehensive.
Now that No Shave November (or Movember) has wrapped up, it’s time to review some (better) advice. If you really want a good shave, short of having a professional barber, men’s magazines are full of solid advice. Boiled down, here are the best tips for a clean-shaven baby-face:
Pre-shave
First, the experts agree, it’s important to start with a nice hot face-washing. Whether you use an exfoliant or not, make sure you rinse completely to remove any stray large particle leftovers from the scrubber. The temperature of the water is also important “” it softens your skin, which cuts down on potential razor burn “” and also preps your stubble for a good shave.
Also, don’t dry off completely before shaving. Leave your skin a little damp.
Let ‘er rip
You’ve prepped. Now it’s time to tame that beard. The magazine experts tend to disagree on products to use to lather up. High-end publications tend to want to sell you on $65 ultra-hip, kale-based, Twitter-approved shaving gels which, coincidentally, also happen to be advertisers with them. Don’t fall for it. Dermatologists say that cheaper drugstore options work just as well (even if they’re not Kanye-endorsed). Lather up.
The drug store cheapie probably isn’t the best option when it comes to your razor, though. A 99-center will likely leave you feeling missed spots all day, if not bleeding into little pats of toilet paper stuck to your face. You don’t have to go all-out for the most expensive razors, though. The happy middle ground is a multi-blade razor with some weight to it, one where you discard the used blade, but not the handle as well. If you have sensitive skin, you might consider an electric razor.
Go with the grain
Most men just shave up or down, depending on how they first learned. The experts, though, say you should pay attention to the direction your beard grows. And never go against the grain. Its leads to burns and razor bumps.
It’s also not supposed tomb a one-pass operation. Experts say at least two passes are needed for a complete shave. (That’s lathering up twice, too.)
Wrap it up
Finally, don’t forget the aftershave. A good aftershave not only leaves you smelling like a manly man, but also helps close pores and protect your newly shaven skin. Just don’t go with Hai Karate there, Shaft. Keep it muted and musky, not pungent and punchy. If you don’t trust your sense of smell, ask a female friend.
It’ll give you a chance to show off your close shave, too.
