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

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

The Cool Fix by Shaveworks

Here’s the breakdown…

1. Tackles four shaving woes – ingrown hairs, razor bumps, razor burn and redness
2. Filled with exfoliating agents that slough off dead skin, leaving the area clearer
3. Boerhavia Root Extract – helps to calm and soothe redness on contact
4. Unisex- it’s formulated not only for you, but  for her as well.  Go ahead you can share!

Moderately priced @ $25 a bottle.  Don’t worry… unless she decides to use it as body lotion, it will last you at least 6 months!

Rating: ★★★★½ 

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!

The Bluebeards Revenge

Although it’s still fairly new to the shaving cream market, it has created a niche that easily separates it from the shaving cream pack.

How you ask?

Well this shaving cream takes pride in promising to slow down the growth of the beard within 30 days! The key ingredient recruited to do the job is called Decelerine. It’s a mixture of paraben free active ingredients that claim to delay hair growth, reduce the frequency of shaving and depilation, and at the same time provide a recovering effect on the skin.

Now on to the fun part, my hands on research! After having personally used this product for several weeks, I found it to overall be face-friendly. It produces a great lather, comes in a tub that provides enough product for months of shaving fun, and the best part… confirmed that you will see the slow down of beard growth it claims! So for the ingrown hair sufferer and those who have to shave again before lunch, pick this one up, you won’t be disappointed!

Here are a few US locations where you can find The Bluebeards Shaving Cream ~ click here!

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Through a series of emails from readers regarding razor burn and ingrown hair issues, I’ve quickly come to realize that many of us are relying too heavily on post shave products to prevent these problems…

Of course I am a fan of razor burn and ingrown hair treatments; however, nothing beats first knowing how to properly shave your face. Once a clearer understanding of how to shave your face has been accomplished, you will notice how much more effective these remedies can be!

So here are a few tips you can try that can help you get better results out of your favorite shaving tools, and see if you won’t be amazed as to how much more effective your razor burn and ingrown hair products will be (if you even need them at all)!

To gain the advantage, check out my Quick and Classic Shaving Tips & Tips to a better Electric Shave.

Oh, and just in case you’re currently struggling with ingrowns, here’s how to solve that problem as well! ~ Quick Question…!

Good luck!

As for the bumps that have already formed, try using a sterilized needle or tweezers  to gently pull the hair out of the bump or swollen area.  But, be careful not to remove the hair entirely, as this could cause the ingrown hair to recur.

Also, to quicken the healing process, try a solution that’s designed to heal and prevent ingrown hairs from forming (ex. 3-in-1 Post Shave, The Cool Fix & Bump Patrol).

Let me help shed some light on this.  But first, I need to establish that knowing the correct way to shave (Quick & Classic Shaving Tips),  is the #1 step to reducing ingrown hairs.

So let’s begin.

Two things you MUST stop doing!

1. Shaving against the grain
2. Following the trend of multiple blade  razors (all have lift-cut engineering)

Why? Because both practices promote a smoother shave by cutting the hair “below“ the skin line. However, the main objective in reducing ingrown hairs is to control the hair.  And, the only way to control the hair is for you to see it.

Most men that suffer with ingrown hairs have curly or wavy beards.  These beards grow at an angle out of the skin anywhere from 0 – 40 degrees (very low to the surface). So your best bet is to shave in a way that will keep the hair “above” the skin line.

I recommend…

1. Shaving with the grain
2. Less is more…blades that is.

• Try single or double blades – more control in customizing the length of the beard.
• Consider razor blades with guards that prevent the hair from getting cut too close (ex. Bump Fighter razor blade w/ Bump Guard)
• Replace often – use same razor no more than 3 times

Or…

Try electric shaving

• Foil electric shavers that allow you to shave with the grain (for ex. Braun)
• Trimmers (T-Outliners by Andis or Taler Trimmers by Oster)

There are quite a few post shave products on the market that are designed to assist in remedying this issue as well (i.e. 3-in-1 Post Shave, The Cool Fix & Bump Patrol).  However, as I stated earlier, knowing the correct way to shave is the first step.

Smart shaving is the only way to shave. So here’s a great rule of thumb!

We’ve all seen the the shaving commercials, whether it is for wet-shaving (Gillette) or dry-shaving (Braun).  They are all promoting the same thing… a smooth, close shave.  Nothing wrong with that!  After all, I think we all can appreciate a  close shave, including myself!

Hair above the skinline

But what about those guys that suffer with irritated skin after such a close shave?  No worries, I’ve got you covered!

Because when it comes to shaving there is always an answer…

If you want a close shave without the irritation, keep the hair “above“the skin-line.  Try a pair of trimmers (Andis – T Outliner, my favorite!), this gives your face the appearance of a very close shave but the hair is slightly above the skin.  The only downfall to this practice is that in order to keep this look, a daily trim is required.  However, in my opinion, shaving like this keeps the face looking smooth without the annoying appearance of discolored and frustrating ingrown hairs.

Side Note: After shaving… DO NOT use rubbing alcohol to cool the skin. Instead, rinse the face with cool water and apply an aftershave balm (try The Store to get a few ideas!)

Hair above the skinline

But what about those guys that suffer with irritated skin after such a close shave?  No worries, I’ve got you covered!

Because when it comes to shaving there is always an answer…

If you want a close shave without the irritation, keep the hair “above“the skin-line.  Try a pair of trimmers (Andis – T Outliner, my favorite!), this gives your face the appearance of a very close shave but the hair is slightly above the skin.  The only downfall to this practice is that in order to keep this look, a daily trim is required.  However, in my opinion, shaving like this keeps the face looking smooth without the annoying appearance of discolored and frustrating ingrown hairs.

Side Note: After shaving… DO NOT use rubbing alcohol to cool the skin. Instead, rinse the face with cool water and apply an aftershave balm.