Most guys' shaving kits consist of little more than a blade and a can of foam. But obtaining a perfect shave that makes you feel like a new man requires so much more.
The shaving essentials described below are the basics you'll need to build a complete shaving kit. Sure, you may feel like you're on a Bravo reality show when you start stocking your medicine cabinet with oils and creams, but you will quickly see and feel the benefits of using a more complete shaving kit.
pre-shave products
Before shaving, use an exfoliant scrub and hot water to open your pores. Ideally, you should shower before shaving, but simply wrapping a hot, wet towel around your face for a minute also works. Whichever method you choose, the goal is to get your skin supple and warm, and your whiskers fluffed.Oils
Using a pre-shave oil is a must. It will soften facial hair and open skin pores to ensure a close shave.The best pre-shave oils and creams use natural oils, such as coconut, sunflower, olive or other oils drawn from plants. Unlike mineral oil, natural oils are low on the grease factor, so they won't clog pores and cause damage to your skin. Also, keep your eyes open for pre-shave oils that contain antibacterial agents; these will help guard against breakouts and painful cuts.
Oils for electric shavers
All electric shavers come with blade oil, so make sure to keep it in your shaving kit. It's in your face's best interest that you do. Just put a dot of oil on the shaver's cutting block or blades, turn on the unit, and let the oil work its way through. This will help the shaver work properly and protect your hair from being ripped out by rickety blades.There are also skin oils like Lectric Shave and Jack Black that are specially formulated for electric shavers. These oils make the hair stand up for a smoother cut, as well as create a sleek surface for the shaver to glide across.
Shaving powders
There are two types of shaving powders. One is a depilatory powder, which is used mostly by black men to avoid razor bumps and ingrown hairs. The other kind is meant for use with electric shavers; it works like shaving oil, softening the hair and fluffing it up.shave products
You're almost ready to put a razor to your skin. But first, you need a buffer between the skin and the razor that's got a little more substance than mere oil. So, add shaving lather to your shaving kit.Lathers
Cream/foam: Shaving creams and foams are similar, but foams have more air and come in a can, while creams come in a small bottle or tube. Both soften whiskers like shaving oils, but they also moisturize and lubricate the skin. One of their biggest advantages is that they rinse easily from blades. To get the best results from both, be sure to massage them into your beard with your hands or a shaving brush for a full minute.Many creams and foams also contain aloe to heal the skin and guard it from drying out. The best of these lathers are glycerin-based. Steer clear of creams and foams that contain numbing agents like benzocaine and menthol, as these will close your pores and prevent proper exfoliation.
Shaving soap: Ah, the classic. This is what old British generals used while shaving with a straight razor over a wash basin. Like shaving cream, it's made for application by brush, and must be mixed in a shaving cup or bowl. When properly lathered, shaving soap definitely does the job, but because it's soap, it might dry out your skin.
Gel: Shaving gels have become very popular over the past 10 years, as they create a slick surface that maximizes the razor's glide. However, their disadvantages are that they don't wash off blades or faces easily, and they can clog pores.
Brushes
When it comes to obtaining a perfect, creamy lather, only a badger hair brush gets it right.As it applies the lather to your face, its hairs exfoliate, massage and fluff out your whiskers to ensure they're "standing at attention" when the blade moves over them.
Boar bristle brushes are stronger and thicker (and cheaper) than badger hair models, but they're not as flexible or as soft on your face.
razors
Electric shavers
Electric shavers are convenient, fast and long-lasting. Nonetheless, despite years of innovation and advancement, they still result in a shave that's not quite as close as one achieved with a safety razor. Yet, because electric shavers don't shave off the uppermost layer of skin as do safety razors, they have the advantage of rarely causing razor burn or cuts.There are two main electric shaver designs:
1- A rotary shaver has series of blades organized in a circular pattern on anywhere from one to three wheels. As you move the shaver across your face, the spinning wheels cut your beard like a lawnmower. Rotary shavers excel at cutting longer beards.
2- A foil shaver contains a thin sheet of metal perforated with hundreds of tiny holes. Underneath this metal sheet are one to four horizontal rows of tiny cylindrical blades. As you move the shaver on your skin, your whiskers enter the holes, whereupon the spinning blades cut them off.
Most fans of electric shavers believe that foil shavers provide closer shaves, but it's really a matter of personal taste.
Reusable razors
Stay away from disposable razors and invest in a quality multi-blade cartridge safety razor or a double-edged safety razor. The old straight-edged razor is best left to the trained barber.Razor cartridges (two to four blades) give the closest possible shave (next to a barber's straight-edge) and cut hair at an angle. However, this angle and the closeness of its shave can cause the hair to grow back with a slight curl, which can ultimately lead to razor bumps and ingrown hairs.
Double-edged safety razors are classic with a single, well-sharpened double-edged blade. They don't cut as close as razor cartridges, but they still shave well, and they prevent bumps and irritation. Their one big disadvantage is a tendency to cause shaving nicks.For a smooth shave, opt for the Gillette Fusion Power Phenom. This razor offers an irritation-free shave with its comfortable, barely there blades, and you can use its built-in Precision Trimmer to manscape all those tricky spots.
post-shave products
Post-shave products will relieve burn, dryness and razor bumps, and some will even help heal cuts.To make it simple, look for aftershave balms and gels that contain vitamins C and E, natural oils to moisturize and aloe to help heal the skin. Post-shave products with built-in sunscreen are also a solid purchase.
Aftershave is heavy on the alcohol and will dry out your skin. Avoid it. If you are going to use traditional aftershave, though, pat it on gently. And don't overdo it; a little goes a long way.
If you don't want to buy expensive balms and creams, simply splash cold water on your face to close your pores, pat it dry and finish with a basic moisturizer. If you break out after shaving, stick with a water-based moisturizer.
And if you really want to nip razor burn in the bud, eschew the cold water in favor of ice cubes. Rub one over your face and you'll close those pores right up.
Finally, a styptic pencil is a good addition to any shaving kit. The pencil's aluminum sulfate stops shaving cuts in a pinch. The pencil's only drawback? It stings. If that's too much for you, try using lip balm on the cuts instead.
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