How to Shave for Better Results
Naked Armor
For some men, trying to get a great shave can seem like a hit or miss.
Published by Naked Armor
In shaving, there are times when you don't get a satisfying result and this can be attributed to your process or to the items you're using.
And we’re not talking just about the newbies. Even if some have been shaving for quite some time, there will be times when they don’t always get a smooth result.
According to Derek Dodds, founder of Naked Armor, a lot of that is because sometimes, men skip some essential steps in shaving.
"Sometimes, we feel the need to rush through our morning routine. And oftentimes, it’s the shaving routine that gets unfairly squeezed.”, he said. This leads to sloppy shave results.
To get a better result, we at Naked Armor would love to share these easy shaving tips to help make your experience more enjoyable and effective.
Go for a Wet Shave
A wet shave is far more superior than a dry shave. That’s because the entire process also cleans and moisturizes your skin. Sure, it’ll take some time before you’re finished but that’s the point of it. Facial skin is a sensitive and delicate organ so you gotta prep it well before taking a very sharp blade to it in order to shave your hair. And using beard oil, shaving lather, and aftershave will make sure that the skin is nourished while making the shaving experience comfortable for you.
In contrast, a dry shave increases the risk of cuts and irritation. Because the skin and stubbles aren’t prepped up well, the razor blade will only cut the hair above the surface of the skin. So no matter how sharp your blade is, you are never going to get as close a shave as you will get with a proper wet shave.
Wet shaving cleans and moisturizes the skin and is able to give you a far more enjoyable and easy shaving experience than dry shaving.
Get a Wet Shaving Kit
This tip is for practical and economic reasons. Most shaving kits out on the market carry the essentials for a great wet shave. Products like shaving creams, aftershave balms, and even a pre-shave oil are already included in the kit so one does not have to worry about what to buy in order to get a great shave. All these products have been pre-selected to ensure a comfortable shave, similar to one from your barber.
Derek says that at Naked Armor, their shaving kits come with their high-quality unique razors. “It makes for a complete package.”, he said. With a sharp razor tool and natural organic shaving products, the Naked Armor shaving experience not only becomes comfortable but also luxurious.
A complete straight razor wet shaving kit has all the essentials you need for a great wet shave experience.
Take a Hot Bath
Here’s why this is better than a hot towel at your favorite barbershop. For one, it cleans your skin. Washing your face with hot water and soap not only cleans germs but also has an exfoliating effect. Gently rubbing your face gets rid of the dead skin cells which also help your skin become smooth for shaving. For best results, wash the skin with hot water for five minutes or 10 minutes with warm water so that it softens adequately.
Always Strop the Blade Before Shaving
This applies to straight razor blades. Stropping is a process where a razor blade’s dull edge is polished and sharpened through the use of a stropping paste and a leather strop.
Constant shaving, especially daily shaving, changes the shape of the blade’s edge; that’s why the blade becomes dull and blunt after a while. Stropping corrects that by bringing the edge to point again.
Always strop your blade before your every shave to make sure that the blade is sharp for an easy and comfortable shave.
Trim Thick Hair Before Shaving
If you’ve got a thick and coarse facial hair, you can’t shave it immediately with a manual razor. You’ve got to cut it short using a scissor or a trimmer. By cutting it this way, it will dramatically decrease that uncomfortable “tug and pull” feeling that you will get when shaving.
Map Out Your Face
Once you’ve got lather on your face, it helps to keep track of the areas you’re shaving. One way to do this is by drawing a map on the lather.
Using your finger, trace lines to outline areas on your cheeks and neck. This allows you to shave your face portion by portion. This tip is particularly helpful in tracing your neckline when shaving. To find the appropriate neckline to shave, draw a line from the edge of your jaw down to just about your Adam’s apple.
Mapping out your face with lather will serve as guide to help you keep track of the areas you're shaving.
Use Short Strokes
When you shave, you want to make short strokes on your beard to account for the change in grain direction that happens all over your face. It’s also safer because it lessens accidental cuts on your skin.
The lather map on your face comes in handy for this purpose. By dividing the area into small parts, you can easily use short strokes to shave each area as closely and cleanly as you want to.
Sometimes, we feel the need to rush through our morning routine. And oftentimes, it’s the shaving routine that gets unfairly squeezed. This leads to sloppy shave results.
— D'Rock, Naked Armor Founder
Rinse Cold
After shaving, wash off the excess lather with warm water. Then rinse your face with cold water. Cold water closes off the pores. This is also the part where you apply aftershave. Aftershaves have an astringent quality that closes any tiny accidental nicks and cuts by the razor.
Use a Modern Straight Razor
Unlike old straight razors, which are too heavy and are not a joy to use and hold, a modern straight razor will solve common shaving problems.
More importantly, it is the only razor that can deliver a smooth and close shave because it has a single and very sharp blade that cuts close to the skin. Because of its narrow profile, there are no angles that it can’t handle when shaving one’s facial hair. That’s why a straight razor is also perfect for trimming and defining sharp beard lines.
Straight razors are the only razor that can give a smooth and close shave.
Naked Armor’s Unique Blade Design
Derek is particularly proud of Naked Armor’s razor blades. That’s because they’re made from Japanese steel and algum wood.
"They make the best steel in the world.”, he said, pointing out the Japanese's centuries-old tradition of craftsmanship and quality that has been passed from generation to generation and has made the Japanese steel industry one of the most robust.
Even better is its unique design. “Our blade was designed to be a blend of a 1⁄2 hollow and a full hollow. This gives the blade more versatility; it will give you a close shave whether you’ve got a rigorous growth of stubble or just a meager growth of whiskers.”, he said.
So if you want to have a better shave, consider getting a Naked Armor straight razor. Check out the website for their luxurious line of world-class straight razors and shaving products.
Naked Armor's Solomon Straight Razors are made from Japanese Steel and Algum Wood handle. It is designed between a full hollow and a half hollow grind making it a very versatile blade.
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