OUCH! Getting Rid of Shaving Irritants

Think of it. Daily most men, and even a few women, drag sharp blades across their sensitive skin, tearing away millions of hair strands from their native follicles, usually cutting themselves in the process and even at best, severely irritating their body-enveloping organ. What a ghastly event, repeated hundreds of millions of times around the globe!

Cheer up. There are a number of products available on the market for men and women who want an irritation free shave.

The list is long. Products like face washes, aftershave lotions and special creams are there to keep you free from wounding your skin. However, before you choose a lotion, cream or gel make sure that it suits your skin.

Some may want to consult a dermatologist before starting on a shaving product. There are many prescription products that may save you from shaving uneasiness. Absent this approach, we recommend that:

SHAVING CREAMS. Forget about cheap brushless commercial creams. They are thin, even the ‘best’ of them and will leave your face feeling raw. Brushless, easy as it seems, is not an option for healthy shaving. Attitude is everything. Commit yourself to making shaving an ‘art’. Search sites like www.barclaycrocker.com for the world’s best shaving creams, which come in tubes, tubs and blocks and will make your shaving experience the high point of your day.

BRUSH. Yes, a good shaving brush is mandatory. When you work in the lather for a minute or two, your skin will respond in ways you have never experienced in your ‘pre-brush’ lifetime.

Then, when you use a razor, your skin will be supple and yielding, and your shave will be close, clean and non-irritating.

RAZOR. Straight razor days are, thankfully, behind us. As a

Species, we’ve moved on. There are now 3 and 4 blade razors on the market, some with built in vibrators which actually work to

Make your shave closer than any in the history of civilization. Use one of these.

AFTERSHAVES. Beware of alcohol based products. They will dry your skin and cause further irritation. The best creams we’ve found are the so called ‘E’ creams, natural creams with vitamin E

Extract in the mix. These creams heal the skin and soften it.

INGROWN HAIR. These are frequently found around the bikini area. If your skin is vunerable to this problem, consider banishing shaving and opting for waxing . When the hair is waxed, the entire shaft of hair is removed at the root, preventing tiny stubble from growing  underneath the top layer of skin. If you insist on continuing shaving, look for a lotion containing a slight analgesic to prevent ingrown hairs.

Grandpa Knew Best

18th Century Men Shaved With a Brush

Using a shaving brush, that icon of maleness, not only links us to our forefathers but provides the most satisfactory shave short of a visit to your barber, that is if you can find one who still practices the ancient art.

The beginning of each new day is a fragile time. And yet this is when many of us, bleary-eyed, our brain firing on one cylinder, wield a razor to sheer off thousands of hairs. “Clean shaven” has an upbeat sound to it but for many the reality can be uncomfortable, painful and even bloody. [Read more]