Beauty & the Brush: Shaving, for men

To the men in our life - you impress us. We won’t say this very often, so listen closely. We may constantly subject ourselves to pain in the name of beautifying ourselves. But, nothing we do could be as awful as having to daily take a razor to your face. We’ve heard countless horror stories of ingrown hairs decorating your chins, nicks and cuts contouring your cheeks, and the itching, oh the itching, when your beard grows back. We sympathise. We offer our condolences. And, today we dedicate our column to you - the men.

After consulting our trusty sources, we’ve compiled a few tips to help ease the discomfort. But before we begin, can we please just say - guys, shaving is not an Olympic sport. You will not make it into the Guinness Book of World Records for the fastest hair removal in history. Please, take your time - this is your face we’re talking about.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, attaining the perfect shave begins with preparation. Do you ever wonder why you’re not getting as close a shave as the guy in the Gillette commercial? It’s because he exfoliates and you don’t. Remove the dead skin cells that stand between you and a smooth face - regularly scrub your skin with a gentle exfoliating scrub, available at any drugstore.

We’re hoping you all realised the blunder of a dry shave at the age of 14. No shave is complete without an abundance of warm water. Heat relaxes your beard and opens up your pores, reducing your chances of razor burn and ingrown hairs. Reach for your razor after you step out of your tub, when the fuzz on your face has softened substantially. Don’t have time to soak your face in warm water? Invest in a pre-shave oil or lotion. These products will make the hair on your face more pliable, lifting it up from against your skin.

Once your stubble has softened up and your skin is primed, do yourself a favour and toss out your dull blades. We realise you’re oh-so-busy and have been promising yourself for a week that you’ll buy a new razor. Stop putting it off and just do it. Why? Dull blades encourage irritation, as you have to press down harder to get a closer shave. Even worse, they can harbour bacteria that will cause bumps and zits. The rule of thumb is, a razor should not be used more than four or five times.

So, be sure to regularly replace your razor and use it along with a glycerine or silicon-based shaving gel. Your razor will be able to move across your face more smoothly without snagging. To avoid razor burn, always go with the grain and use a light hand - a good razor will never have to be pushed down hard for results.

Complete the process by gently pressing your face into a cool, damp towel. The cold effect will help to close your pores and soothe irritation. Avoid alcohol-based aftershave lotions and creams at all cost. These tend to dry the skin out, and in the long run stimulate razor burn and ingrown hairs. Try one that is fragrance free so it doesn’t interfere with your favourite cologne. You may think you’re making the ladies swoon, but they’re really fainting from the suffocating scent.

And finally, before you throw your clothes on for the day, please do us ladies one little favour and take a trimmer to your nose hair. We may love flowers, but we would trade those in for a clean nose any day.

Maria Saadat is author of the popular desi beauty site Lipstick Masala.

QUESTION TIME

Do you have a question about make-up? Can’t figure out a hairstyle for an upcoming wedding? Do your attempts at smoky eye make-up leave you looking like a raccoon? Have no fear! E-mail your questions and issues to [e-mail] and Maria Saadat will respond to them in an upcoming column.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2010.