5-Step Guide To Shaving Arms (And The Best Razor To Use)
When it comes to men’s machismo and grooming, there is always a debate surrounding shaving arms.
Body hair has always been an erotic and vigorous symbol for gentlemen. Some hair on certain body parts, like arms, face, and chest, pose more appeal than others.
Yet again, not everyone sees the forest on their arm as a charm. Some even see it as insecurity, especially when society puts a fine line between how much arm hair is sexy and how much of it is shabby.
So, let’s talk about shaving arms.
How to Shave Arm Hair
Too much arm hair can affect a man's confidence.
The secret to making your arm hair work out for you in the best way possible is to tame it, like the beard on your face. You can either trim it or shave it. Whatever you do, keep it on the low. After all, too much of anything is never good.
If you have hairy arms and if the hair grows too quickly, it can be taking a toll on your confidence. Hence, it is entirely understandable why you would love to shave it away. And no, shaving arm hair does not make it grow back thicker and fuller. It is a myth that many dermatologists have already debunked.
With that out of the way, here is the proper way to shave your arms:
1. Warm the surface
Wiping the skin with warm towel gently exfoliates and warms the surface.
To get the closest shave ever, you will need to shave wet. No matter what part of the body, the first step in wet shaving is to wet and warm the surface using a warm moist towel. This step is crucial to soften the hair, open the pores, and remove unnecessary debris from the skin.
All you need to do is soak a clean washcloth in hot water and wait until it is warm to the touch. Wring out the excess moisture, and place it on top of your skin until it gets lukewarm. Then, remove it and use the same towel to wipe the surface clean.
2. Prep the skin
Pre-shave oil adds another layer of protection between the razor and the skin.
Even though the skin on your arms is not as sensitive as your face, you will still need to prep it. Remember that shaving disrupts the surface and creates microabrasions on your skin. Hence, apply your pre-shave essentials if you want to lessen nicks, cuts, and post-shave skin irritations.
This part is easy and has no fuss at all. Grab your pre-shave oil or any shaving oil mix you have at home. Put a drop or two on your arm and massage it onto the skin. If needed, you can always add more, but do not overdo it because it may clog your blades or affect your razor’s performance.
3. Lather up
A thick lather is the best for hydrating the skin while shaving and avoiding accidental cuts.
Once your skin is done absorbing the layer of shaving oil, you can now proceed to the most critical part of wet shaving your arms—creating and applying lather.
Use an organic shaving soap or a shaving cream, and lather it using a shaving brush and scuttle mug. The brush will ensure that the soap or cream whips up perfectly while the scuttle mug keeps it warm.
Apply the lather on your arm using a circular motion to exfoliate the surface gently. Doing so will ensure that your blade will shave at skin level. Meanwhile, the lather will protect and keep your skin moisturized as you shave.
4. Shave
Shave following the hair's growth direction to avoid razor bumps.
When you are all lathered up, you can now grab your razor and start shaving. The first thing on your mind is to shave against the grain because you think that it will give you a close shave. It is true, but it is not advisable as it can make your post-shave experience horrid.
In an interview with Total Beauty, for Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, "shaving against the grain may give a closer shave, but can increase your risk of developing an ingrown."
Hence, when shaving your arms, it would be best to follow the hair growth because you would most definitely want to avoid ingrown, which can cause discoloration and make your hair seem to grow thicker.
Do not forget to wipe your razor clean every after pass to prevent clogging, plus it is more hygienic. Use a clean, warm, damp cloth to remove excess lather and debris off your arm when you are done.
5. Moisturize
Naked Armor's Organic Hemp Aftershave Balm is ideal for soothing and moisturizing the skin naturally.
Ironically, wet shaving can dry the skin, and that is why it is best to use shaving soaps and creams that are highly moisturized to prevent unwanted moisture loss. And that is why applying aftershave essentials when you are done shaving is important.
As soon as you clean the excess lather off your arm, you need to apply your moisturizer. You can get your favorite lotion or use Naked Armor’s aftershave balm, which has organic essential oils and waxes that naturally hydrates and disinfect your skin.
Following these steps guarantee that you will get the closest shave ever! It is imperative to shave at skin level to keep your arm hair growing too fast. The closer you shave, the more time it will take for your hair to come up to the surface.
Do Men Shave Their Arms?
Prying eyes of the fashion and beauty industry have a lot to say about body hair. They expect women to go hair-free everywhere. Meanwhile, the gentlemen have blurry options on what to do with their body hair.
Shaving arms is not taboo, but it is not talked about well enough. And doing it can be tricky—even risky—at times hence, why some men prefer to leave their arm hair alone.
The problem is, women—except for those who have innate primate mating needs—are not huge fans of gorilla arms. But it can also be annoying if they are in for an intimate time and your arm hair stubbles prick them.
Case in point, men do shave their arms—when the occasion or situation calls for it.
Best Razor for Shaving Arms
Naked Armor's King Arthur Gold Straight Razor's premium single-edged blade lets you get a close shave at skin level in a single pass.
The thing about shaving arms is it is high maintenance, especially if your arm hair grows thick, dark, and fast. That is why we cannot stress enough the importance of getting a close or skin-level shape when you decide to clean the lawn on your arms.
When it comes to getting the closest shave ever, one notorious razor is known for its cutthroat sharpness. A straight razor has a single-edge blade and has the ideal length that can cater to the broad area you are shaving.
Since it bears a single-edged blade, you can easily control the way you shave. Unlike cartridges and safety razors, you can see quickly how close the blade is cutting over the skin and through the hair. Hence, you will not have to worry about getting ingrown or having your arm hair grow back too fast.
To have the best and complete experience of shaving arms, get a Straight Razor Kit from Naked Armor. It is complete with our signature straight razors with the hardest stainless steel blades, shaving soap puck, leather strop, and other shaving essentials that are also must-haves for a travel shaving kit!
Make shaving arms and its subsequent maintenance more bearable. Shop your essentials below:
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Benefits Of Using A Straight Razor
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