How To Improve Your Pre-Shave Routine

This is a collaborative post.

No matter how often you shave, doing it the right way is essential to make sure your skin is protected and your overall shave is effective. Like anything in life, you need to prepare well if you are to succeed, and this goes for your skin care and shaving routine too. How can you improve your pre-shaving routine to fit around your lifestyle and ensure it is effective, no matter how much time you have?

Here are the steps you can take to positively alter your routine and to get the best possible results. 

Wash and exfoliate your skin

If you’re shaving a beard, it’s really important to wash your face and exfoliate your skin before you begin. This takes away the dirt, grime any dead skin cells that may be left on your face, which can be problematic and irritate your skin. If you’re shaving other parts of your body, make sure you wash the area with warm water and pat dry with a towel to open your pores and help your razor glide over your skin effortlessly. 

Moisturise and hydrate your skin and hair

To prevent your skin or beard from drying out, you need to ensure you moisturise and hydrate. For beards, soft facial hair is much easier to cut than hair that isn’t looked after, or is dry and brittle. The softer and healthier your beard, the easier your razor will glide through. Using water to hydrate your beard simply isn’t enough – there are a range of beard balms and oils on the market to choose from which will have a much better effect. 

Apply shaving cream or soap

Using a quality shaving cream or shaving soap before you start your shave will act as a great lubricant. Building up a lather will not only aid your razor, but it will also prep the hairs ready for shaving. Not only will it help the shaving process, but it will also prevent any post-shave irritation. You can still get a good shave without this extra lubricant, but it definitely works much better if you take the time to use it. 

Need to shave on a time limit?

We’ve all snoozed the alarm a little too long in the morning and run out of time for the usual routine. If you have less than 15 minutes to get your shave out of the way, here’s the best way to do it:

• Have a quick shower with warm water to open your pores and wake up your skin. 
• While in the shower, wash your face and beard with a facial wash or special beard shampoo.
• If you can, choose a beard conditioner and run it through your beard. Less is more!
• When you get out of the shower, gently pat your face dry with a towel. Don’t rub.
• Rinse your face and beard again with warm water and soak your shaving brush for a short while.
• Apply some oil as a secondary lubricant – your first has been applied from your shower.
• Rinse off your oil after a quick rub. This will help to prevent irritation on the skin.
• Apply your shaving cream and shave as much or as little as you wish.

How is your pre-shave routine?

Many people shave differently, and the way women shave can vary considerably to men. Hopefully by reading these tips, you’ve got a good idea about how to improve your pre-shave routine, or even how to start shaving effectively. Do you have any tips for how to improve your routine? Have any product recommendations to share with everyone? Let us know in the comments below!