The perfect shave

It's all about the before and after.

I'm sure we all have that image saved in our heads; the one when someone walks into a barber shop, sits down and the barber starts applying the foam, then with his blade makes one clean shave, so clean that you almost fear for the guy's life.

If you're looking to achieve that perfect shave at home, there are a few things you need to keep in mind that will help you not only get the look you want but a super clean and smooth face. 

It's all about the preparation. In order to see better results, you'll need to establish a routine. 

Exfoliation, this may be the most forgotten word in any guys dictionary, but it's one of the most important ones. Depending on your type of skin, you should do this daily or every third day. This will help you avoid a non healthy look, and ingrown hairs.

Then you'll need a quality shave cream or gel. For this you should look for moisturizing and soothing products and avoid the ones with alcohol. The greener you go with this one, like green tea, primrose extract or calendula, the better it will be for your skin. This will ease minor cuts and fight irritation and itchiness.

Like we said before it's all about the before and after, but the blade also plays a part in all of this. There are plenty of razor blades out there but we recommend the following 3, the final choice is up to you;

An angled blade. This blade will make it a lot easier to cover the curves on your face in one single shave, so you avoid passing the area repetitively and furthermore, irritate the skin.

A double-edge safety razor. This one is a classic, it became popular in 1900. The reason they're gaining popularity is the fact that you can get an incredibly close shave without applying aggressive or repeated pressure to the face.

An electric razor. This razor won't shave as close as the other ones, but will irritate your skin less, and will help you save some time in the morning.

During the shaving process...

The technique in order to get better results is shaving after a hot shower; it will open up your pores and soften the hair. Shave with long even strokes, this is the best tactic to prevent ingrown hairs and razor burn. Once finished, wash your face with cold water to close up the pores.

A pro tip is to apply the foam with a special barber brush, this will leave you with an even and thick layer. In order to get better results, leave the foam 2 minutes in the skin before your shave.

Then theres the aftershave. Theres no better way to follow up your shaving session than with a moisturizing aftershave. This will help reduce redness and irritation that usually follows after your shave. We recommend using one with aloe, avoid at all costs the ones with alcohol.

Follow these steps, with your favorites products and start seeing the results. 

Don't forget to dump your blade every two weeks, in order to avoid growing bacteria. If you use electric razors, you'll need to clean it up with alcohol after each use!