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Male Skin Care

A while back we received and email which asked the question, "Do Ladies shave their face"?   Ok, Ok we surrender! here are some skin care tips for MEN and shaving.

It is best to shave after you get out of the shower (or even while you're still in there). There are many fog proof mirrors on the market. 

Make sure razor is clean. If you have a manual blade, change the blade often. A pivoting head razor is a bit more forgiving to your curves and bumps and good if you have a tendency to doze in and out while shaving early in the morning. As for single bladed razors, they are less irritating than double bladed ones. The double bladed razors give a closer shave, but that often means really close as in SKIN, too. 

Prepare the skin by washing with warm water and a no scent, no dye glycerin soap like our handmade soap. It will leave an invisible film to help your razor glide on your face. 

Lather with firm but gentle pressure, moving the the lather AGAINST the grain or against the direction  of your hair growth. This is sort of coaxing the hairs to get up off the surface of your face. Rinse with cooler water. 

Next, especially if you have a tough beard, soak a washcloth in very warm water and place the cloth directly on your face, covering your beard. Sit down, relax, think about your day in a peaceful manner. Leave it there for at least a few minutes. This moist heat will soften your whiskers and your skin, and reduce ot eliminate razor burn. 

Fill your sink with very warm (again, not hot) water and lather if you use a manual razor. (Click here to skip ahead to Dry Shave if you go electric).

Using either a shaving brushes or your fingertips, work shaving cream, foam or gel or even a glycerin soap lather into your skin with a circular manner and spread it evenly
over all your hairs. 

HINT: While it seems like going against the grain gives you a closer shave,  it's really doing your face and beard an injustice. The hair grows back thicker and tougher. Shave with the grain and in a few weeks, once your beard is "trained" you will get a closer, smoother
shave.

Dip your razor into the sink of hot water, and make a short sweep down a side of your face WITH the grain.  After every few sweeps, dip the razor until you've removed all the hair. A good order to go in:  sideburn, upper cheek of one side, jawbone, neck
area, other sideburn and upper cheek, lower jaw and chin and lastly the upper lip. 

After each sweep, lift the razor away from your skin and place down again when ready to shave. In other words, avoid dragging the razor across your face. Sounds dumb, but you know you do it, it's early, you're tired. This will reduce those nicks and cuts. 

ANOTHER  HINT:  to pull your skin taut with your free hand and then shave over the area that is pulled tight. This also makes the whiskers pull away from your skin, making it easier for the razor to grasp them. 

The Dry Shave. After soaking your beard, dry it completely.  Dust with cornstarch or powder. Your skin needs to be completely dry before taking the electric razor to it. Pick a spot near the hinge of your jaw and go AGAINST the direction of your hair growth (up). If your shaver has the three rotating blades, you can move in a circular movement, if it is a straight blade, long repetitive strokes work best. ***

Finally rinse the face with warm water water (neither hot nor cold) by patting the skin. Do not,  wipe. That will irritate your freshly shaved face.

Meanwhile the neither too hot nor too cold water will close those pores. Feel around for any stray hairs you may have missed. And pat your face dry with a clean, dry towel. Rinse your equipment.

 Lastly, moisturize. Avoid scented lotions, they tend to burn worse. Our Revive is ideal. Some men like alcohol based after shave which has an antiseptic quality. Avoid them as they tend to dry your skin out.

Ever wonder why it appears that men age more slowly than women?  Some say the reason men age so gracefully is that shaving actually exfoliates your skin. So in a sense the daily task of shaving can be your fountain of youth. 

Don't forget to top it off with  a good SPF 15 moisturizer like our Anti-oxidant Day Cream with SPF 15 before going out.