Shaving Tips and Tricks

How you shave can matter more than how often you shave, and having proper shaving technique can help your razors last longer. In our article we'll look at some ways to make your shaving experience better.

Is there a limit to how often I can shave?

How often you decide to shave depends on your genetics and the result you are trying to achieve. General guidelines are:

• For a clean shave: shave every 2 – 3 days
• To style or trim: shave every 3 – 5 days
• Don’t want to shave? Then don’t!

How quickly your hair grows back will also depend on the area of the body. Armpit hair usually grows around 50% faster than leg hair. This means you might need to shave your armpits more often than your legs to maintain a clean shave.

When shouldn’t I shave?

If you have an open wound, skin rash, or sore you should wait until it has healed before shaving again. When your skin is already irritated it becomes more susceptible to infection, especially if you accidentally cut yourself. Similarly, if you have razor burns or ingrown hairs, wait for these to clear up before shaving again.

How do I avoid irritation when shaving?

Having a proper shaving technique can help to protect your skin from irritation. The proper technique will change depending on where you’re shaving, but some good practices are:

1. Hydrate your skin in a bath or shower before shaving.
2. Exfoliating your skin will prepare it for shaving by removing dead skin cells. This can also help you to achieve a closer shave.
3. Using a shaving gel or cream will help to preserve your skin’s moisture and allow the razor to glide more easily.
4. Apply an alcohol-free moisturiser after shaving to keep skin hydrated
5. Always use a sharp, clean razor. A dull blade will increase your risk of nicks, razor burn, ingrown hairs, and irritated skin.

How often should I change razor blades?

Unfortunately, there are many different factors that can affect when you should be changing your razor blades. If you shave daily, your blade will wear out more quickly due to use. However, blades that are left for a long time between each use are more likely to become rusty and need changing. The best indicator that you need to change your blade is dullness. If you are struggling to shave, the blade is pulling your hair, or you’re experiencing more irritation after shaving, you need to change your blade. A very rough guide is:

• If you shave daily consider changing every 1 - 2 weeks
• If you shave every other day consider changing every 2 – 3 weeks
• If you shave twice a week consider changing every 4 – 6 weeks

How can I make my razor blades last longer?

Your hair texture and how frequently you shave will impact how long your razor blades last, but there are some things you can do to keep your blades sharper for longer.

Make sure skin is well hydrated. Dry skin causes more friction that dulls down the blade quicker. Wet hair can also be cut more easily than dry hair, meaning your blade won’t go dull as quickly.

If shaving gel and cut hairs dry in your razor it can reduce its effectiveness. Ensure you rinse the blade between each stroke and rinse it thoroughly after each full shave. Store it upright so it can dry.