Well, I wouldn’t give up on shaving so quickly.

Depilatories (i.e. Magic Shave, Nair…) can be a great hair-removal alternative for some, but I’ve consulted with men who have experienced nightmares with their use, and I’ve also tried my share of them with mixed results.

The main concerns are: (1) Can your skin handle the aggressive nature of these products, and (2) Can you wait two to three days for your face to heal before you are able to use them again?

In short, since everyone’s face has different sensitivities, I feel that it’s much easier to control a razor’s cutting ability rather than depend on the effectiveness of a chemical. The skin quality (oily vs. dry) can also play a role in the success of a depilatory. Unfortunately, finding out whether it will work with your skin could result in an increased level of skin sensitivity. My suggestion is to practice proper shaving techniques, buy a good razor and shaving cream, and give that razor another try before going down an alternate route.

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**From Craig the Barber’s expert Q+A at Men’s Life Today

Why? Because I care. And, that’s the job of a barber - to make sure that his/her clients always look their best!

The beginning – Prep: Cleaning and exfoliating allows for the skin and beard to be in the best condition (clean & soft). Sticking with a moisture rich shave cream not only aids in further softening the beard, it also protects the skin from the blade. Because the job of the blade is to cut the hair, not the skin. Adding a pre-shave oil adds to greater comfort and closeness… consider it!

**If you feel that shaving across or against the grain is necessary after your 1st pass (with the grain), make sure you always, always, always re-lather prior to changing direction! (Remember my “baby-butt-smooth” rule.)

The end – Post Shave/Refresh: A wet-shave is an exfoliation of the skin; therefore, the skin is far more susceptible to being dry. To prepare for this possibility, always use a mild fragranced or unscented after shave balm that is designed to quicken the healing process while also moisturizing the skin. This puts you – the shaver, in a better position to handle your next shave without fearing any pain.

For the step-by-step process of my recommended shaving techniques – click here!

So the short answer is … no, shaving daily does not cause shaving bumps. You can rest your skin as long as you’d like, but unless you change the way you shave, you’ll keep getting those bumps.

The primary cause of shaving bumps — also known as “ingrown hairs” — is hair growing back into the skin. So the frequency of shaves isn’t the root of the problem; it’s the method of shaving. Proper preparation, along with shaving with the grain, is the best way to keep the hair above the skin line. As long as you keep the hair above the skin line, the hair has more of an opportunity to continue growing outside of the skin, therefore greatly reducing the chances of getting shaving bumps.

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**From Craig the Barber’s expert Q+A at Men’s Life Today

My answer…

Yes, I always follow these steps!  Why? Not only do these steps work, but they work well.

You know,  we should all take time to consider pushing the reset button on how we perceive proper grooming, especially in the shaving category.  The face is the first thing someone sees, and first impressions still reign supreme.  So take a look at my steps and consider following them.  In no time you will see better results both on your face and in your social life!

Remember, the goal is to shave the hair to give a cleaner visual appearance.  Sometimes “baby butt” smooth should be left for babies!

Side Note:  From time to time I personally notice irritation on my neck from shaving multiple times a week.  So there is nothing wrong with shaving your face with a razor and your irritated area with trimmers for a few days.  Or, switch it up all together and  just use trimmers for a couple days to give your face a rest.

But with that being said, I’d have to admit that when it comes to shave foams, I truly prefer other methods of achieving a great lather.  Hey, I completely understand the rationale for their use… “to allow for the development of a quicker lather”. With shortcuts; however, there will always be sacrifices, and in this case it’s the most important one- moisture. Without enough moisture, there is a greater risk of razor burn, nicks, and hair-pulling - which can lead to ingrown hairs. At this point, I’m not convinced that the current foams on the market offer enough moisture to be considered a preferred aid to shaving.

You see, in a world of sharper blades and men finding ways to shave faster (slow down guys, really…), there should never be a question of whether there’s ample moisture on your face. So try to stick with one that will leave no doubt. Trust me, if you Dad or Grand-dad had these many choices today, he’d completely agree!

*For those of you willing to take the challenge of finding an alternative to the old school shave foam, you can start by trying out the 2011′s Must Have Shaving Cream!

Video Review

The truly fog-free shave mirror by The Shave Well Company

Rating: ★★★★★ 

There isn’t a week that goes by that I don’t get asked this question by a new visitor to the barbershop.  Ok, so I might be exaggerating a bit.  But, I can understand how movies like the Untouchables and Eastern Promises can give us barbers a bad rep, making almost any man a bit nervous at the thought of getting a professional straight razor shave, but relax.

Barbers who advertise straight razor shaves are generally well trained in getting the shave close…but not that close!  Besides, actually cutting someone to the point where it gets ugly won’t happen with a “pro” behind the blade or even a novice for that matter.  Now, a “pro” fessional hitman…that’s a different topic entirely!

So, if you’ve ever wanted a good old-fashioned straight razor shave, do your research, and ask around for good place to get one.  But by all means, please, do not let fear deprive you of one of the most relaxing services only a man can appreciate.

I promise you will love it!

Oh, one more thing.  The more you go, the more relaxed you will become.  And, for the record, falling asleep during a shave my friend, is the best compliment you could ever pay your barber!

Enjoy!

Has anyone ever told you…o

If your answer to that question is yes… Stop!

The practice of shaving an area, any area, in hopes of speeding up the hair growth process is purely a myth. You see, genetics plays a major part in determining if you will “finally” be able to sport a full goatee, and even that can take several years to reveal itself.

Many physically mature guys don’t finish developing a full adult beard until their early 20′s or even later. If you’re still young, find comfort in knowing that your beard may continue to get thicker as you get older. Many guys notice their beards growing thicker, denser and faster when they enter their 30′s and 40′s. So, give it time!

*Got help from: The beard community

Here’s why. Hair has three stages of growth and each strand of hair is growing at different stages.

The stages are called:

• Anagen – the active growth phase. During this phasae the hair grows 1 cm every 28 days.
• Catagen - also known as the transitional phase, allows the follicle to, in a sense, renew itself.
• Telogen – this process causes the normal hair loss known as “shedding”.

All three phases occur simultaneously; one strand of hair may be in the anagen phase, while another is in the telogen phase.

So here’s the bottom line, if you’ve figured out how to prevent ingrown hairs, you’ve accomplished one of the most important aspects of shaving. All that’s left is to be aware that a few may return, and be prepared (See Post: Don’t pull it out!).

And there you have it!

Once I opened the top, the fragrance immediately transported me back to the old iconic shaving barbershops of my youth. Then with one swipe across the top with my badger brush, and a quick mix in my mug, I was blown away by the amount of lather it produced!

To be quite honest, the above title doesn’t do this shave cream justice at all. I literally had enough lather to shave at least three times. So not only was the lather great, so was my shave! And the best part, its performance remained consistent after multiple shaves on different clients at the barbershop.

This cream possesses exactly what I mean when I suggest over-prepping the beard to achieve a smoother closer shave, and it does so all in one step!

Mixed with  - Coconut oil, Glycerin, Organic Cocoa Butter & Organic Aloe, and priced competitively at $18 for a 4oz tub, you can trust me when I say, “you will love it!”

Enjoy!

Rating: ★★★★★