Grooming Expert in Residence - John Turvey, House 99
I often get ‘razor burn’ and ingrown hairs – can I prevent or stop them?
As guys are rarely taught how to shave these days, we pick up tips from ads on TV, which can be quite misleading. The most common image is watching a guy shave up his neck towards his chin, to get a close shave. This is the biggest mistake you can make!
For most guys, this is shaving against the natural direction of hair growth, and will cause the hair to be cut off at an angle that will irritate your skin like mad. If you have curly or afro hair, the curl winds back under the skin, causing an ingrown hair, which can more painful. For the comfiest shave, the most important factor is that ‘P’ word again – preparation.
Before starting any wet shave, wash your face with a good cleanser, and prep your chin-skin with a beard scrub. Aside from clearing a clean path for your blade to travel, it will make your beard hair stand to attention, allowing for a much closer shave.
The next crucial tip would be to try a shaving cream, rather than foam, on the skin while shaving. Leave this to soak in for a few seconds to condition the skin and hair. This makes it the perfect comfort-buffer between blade and skin. Make sure to shave with the direction of your hair growth, which will be A dab of light moisturiser to finish will hydrate your skin and act as a post-shave soother.
-If you like this post, read more about House 99 here, get to know more about their range, and keep up to speed with the Mankind blog.John's many years in the grooming industry have seen him travel all over the globe working for some of the biggest names in the business.
