Heads up ladies, I didn’t want my headline to mislead you into thinking this blog post is just about guys and their shaving habits. As it turns out both sexes shave, and getting the best shave possible, is a never-ending quest for excellence and safety.

What Does It Take To Get A Really Close Shave?

Few areas of the body are safe from the abuse of the razor. Olympic swimmers trim every hair from their bodies that could cause drag in the water and reduce their speed. Even men with beards do trimming and shaping of the beard line to achieve that well-groomed look. Here are some tips to help everyone get that nice smooth skin we all want.

For The Ladies

Moisture and exfoliation are the secrets for women. There is virtually no difference between shaving creams for men and those for women. Just find a scent you like.

Look for razors with lubricated strips, pivoting head and spring mounted multiple blades. Suggest favorites are the Gillette Venus or Schick Quattro for Women. Make sure you change blades on a regular schedule. Dull blades can nick skin and never share razors because of Hepatitis C possibilities from blood of the previous user. I realize that’s remote and somewhat gross but better safe than the alternative.

Leg hair grows downward to start at our ankles and work your way up. Underarms grow in all directions so you need to shave in all directions. Resist the temptation to douse your legs with Aqua-Velva and use baby oil or a good moisturizer. Legs have a tendency to be dry due to fewer oil glands.

Lower legs and bikini areas might work better with waxing. Save the razor for the thigh area and underarms. The benefit is course hair may not grow back as quickly.

For The Guys

Guys have about 25,000 hairs on our faces and as our female counterparts will attest, those hairs are as hard as copper wire. So to keep peace in the family we men spend about 3,000 hours of our lives trying to eliminate those “razor burners.”

We guys don’t put much thought into shaving cream. Usually we buy what’s cheap or in some cases just use ordinary hand soap. Experts agree that the best way for men to get a close shave is skin preparation.

Getting the skin hot and wet is the key. Barbers prepare the skin with hot towels on the face before applying the cream or gel. It softens the beard, plumps up the skin, and makes shaving easier. Gels work best at softening, moisturizing and reducing nicks and cuts.

Some Final Thoughts

Having retired a few years ago I must confess that there’s not too much need to shave every day. I really don’t miss that morning ritual at all, but for those of you who rely on your appearance for your livelihood, which is most people, you might as well make it an enjoyable experience. What are your best tips for getting that super shave?

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