Dude, Here's How to Shave Your Legs
Growing up, we used to think that shaving legs was a preoccupation that only women do. In fact, our male role models in those days reveled in having hair all over the bodies, and especially on their legs.
These days, however, things have changed.
Along with fresher attitudes to grooming, more and more men are actually considering shaving off their body hair, specifically leg hair.
• More Men are Shaving Their Legs
• History of Leg Shaving
• Reasons for Shaving
• Benefits of Shaving
• How to Start Shaving Your Legs
More Men are Shaving Their Legs
Over the last two years, the popularity of body hair removal has shot up among the nation’s men. According to a survey, as many as 46% of all men removed hair from their bodies in 2018. That’s up from just over a third (36%) in 2016.
A similar research by a grooming product last year also found that at least 48% of men feel more comfortable when they shave off their body hair. In fact, 1 in 3 men say that their chest looks best when shaved. Overall, about 79% of men have reported that they shave their body below the neck at least once a month.
All these changes is due to the fact that the modern man has no qualms of getting rid of his body hair. Being metrosexual is the new norm these days and because of it, men are now finally allowed to feel comfortable being clean-shaven all over his body, even the most intimate areas.
History of Leg Shaving
This wasn’t the case during the early 20th century. Shaving, during World War II, was associated with men and only then with the practice of facial grooming. But when razor development during those times produced the modern safety and cartridge razors which were relatively safe for widespread use, it was only a matter of time when it would be picked up by the female population - an untapped market then.
As it was, leg shaving was a sexist preoccupation. Female fashion during the 1940s and 50s encouraged women to start shaving their legs for the first time ever with a safety razor. It didn’t help that the wartime period had a shortage of nylon, so stockings were hard to come by. And because it was a fashion faux pax at that time for women to show hair on their legs, using a safety razor was a convenient way of shaving it off so they didn’t have to wear nylon stockings.
Thankfully though, this current generation of women is no longer going along with this. More women are now ditching this practice. The amusing thing is that the opposite is also happening across the gender divide. More and more men have taken to shaving them body hair off regularly.
If you’ve got an active lifestyle, all that hair can trap the sweat and dead skin cells which can be breeding grounds for bad bacteria on your body. This can increase the risks of getting an infection if you have a leg wound.
— D'Rock, Naked Armor Founder
Reasons for Shaving
Men have a different reason though, for shaving their legs.
The average scruffy lumberjack may not immediately welcome the idea of shaving their legs, but with male athletes, shaving their legs has become part of their shaving routine.
That’s because shaving their legs has a positive impact on their game performance.
Among male swimmers, shaving their body hair improves their aerodynamic profile because it helps lessen the drag when they are swimming. Bodybuilders, meanwhile, do it because the absence of body hair gives the appearance of a larger and more defined muscular development and definition.
Otherwise, one can also shave the hair off purely for hygienic reasons.
Benefits of Shaving of Your Legs
If you’ve got an active lifestyle, all that hair can trap the sweat and dead skin cells which can be breeding grounds for bad bacteria on your body. This can increase the risks of getting an infection if you have a leg wound.
For instance, if you fall and get an open wound, the dirty hair can lead to a nasty infection. Having clean-shaven legs reduces the risks and also makes it easy to apply a band-aid on it.
Similarly, when undergoing regenerative therapy like a massage, it’s better to have the skin smooth for maximum benefits. Follow-up treatments like gels and lotion will also be easily absorbed by the skin if it’s clean-shaven.
One is also less likely to pick up parasites. Apparently, ticks love to hitchhike on leg hair, according to this website. Shaving the hair off will lessen the chances of you spreading ticks wherever you go.
How to Shave Your Legs
So if we’ve finally convinced you to shave your legs, how do you go about it? Here’s our tips:
Tip 1: Soak your legs in a warm bath before shaving
You need to soak your skin for at least three minutes before shaving. Hydrating them this way makes them 60% easier to cut.
Tip 2: Don’t use soap or shampoo for lathering
Using your body wash to create lather for your leg shaving can blunt your razor blade and increase the risk for redness and irritation. Use a shaving gel to reduce friction and lessen the irritation.
Tip 3: Use light pressure when shaving
Don’t drag the razor across your legs. Hold it lightly when making a pass. It shouldn’t make a dent in your skin to make it work. Otherwise, you will increase the chances of nicking your legs
Tip 4: Always bend a knee
Not to the Queen of Dragons, but during the shave. Knees are notoriously the most tricky spot to shave. So you need to slightly bend the knee so that the skin on that area will pull tight and flat for easy shaving.
Tip 5: Use a Naked Armor Safety or Straight Razor
If you are unsure of your shaving skills, best use a safety razor. The guard will help minimize accidental cuts on your legs. However, for the best and closest shave, nothing beats a straight razor. It will cut right on the hair blade without any risk of creating razor bumps.
Our razors are made from the finest Japanese stainless steel and luxury wood. It’s guaranteed to make shaving easy and luxurious for you.
Tip 6: Don’t forget to do some after shaving care
Rinse properly with cold water to help close the pores. Leave the skin to rest for at least 30 minutes before applying some virgin coconut oil or any naturally and organically produced lotions and moisturizers to help nourish the skin and reduce inflammation.
Shaving one’s legs need not be a messy affair. Follow these tips to get a comfortable and relaxing experience that you’ll definitely look forward to.
And if you’re looking for more awesome shaving products to make your leg shaving even more luxurious, check out our website.
More Naked Armor Stuff to Read
How To Shave Your Legs With A Straight Razor - For Women
Natural Aftershave for Men
The Best Budget Straight Razor
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