Tips for a smooth shave General healthcare Shaving is a day-to-day affair in a man’s life. Here are 7 tips for a better shave. After shower Prefer to shave after bath. By then the skin and beard is smooth, ready for shave. Prefer a warm water bath. Hot showers are refreshing. But, spending a lot of time under hot showers makes the skin dry, rough and itchy. Try to limit the duration if you can’t do without a hot bath. Keep it for 5 minutes. Clean it up 1. Use a cleanser instead of soap to wash your face. Soaps contain an ingredient called sodium lauryl sulphate. It dries the skin excessively. 2. For a dry skin use a cleanser which has ingredients like glycerin, sunflower oil etc. 3. For an oily skin use a cleanser which has ingredients like tea tree oil or eucalyptus. Use a gel Use a gel to avoid razor burns. What is a razor burn? Razor burns are cuts on the skin which are caused while shaving. Some are prone to repeated razor burns. To prevent razor burns, use a gel instead of foam. Lather up Lather up. Use a good brush to lather. It pushes the lather to the roots of hair. Keep the lather for two to three minutes before you start shaving. Meanwhile you can brush your teeth or comb. Choose a good razor Single blade razors are good enough though you can opt for double bladed ones. What matters is how sharp the blade is. If you shave every day, change the blade once in one or two weeks. Prevent ingrown hair What is an ingrown hair? Sometimes hair tends to curl and grow within the skin instead of growing outside. It results in a bump which can be painful. It’s difficult to shave off. Shave in the direction of hair growth. Use fewer strokes. This prevents ingrown hair. Pat dry & use after shave lotion Pat dry after a shave. Some have a tendency to wipe thoroughly after shave. This may irritate the skin by making it dry. Do not use rough towel. Alcohol based aftershaves tend to irritate the skin. Prefer to use a moisturizer. It soothes the skin.