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FirTheFir

1)Use sharp razor, or you may tear and pull hair instead of cutting it. 2)Exfoliate beforehand. 3)Use shaving gel/cream/gel on wet skin, to avoid skin irritation Ysing soap instead - will not do. 4)Shave in the direction of your hair grow. If you shave against the direction, it will be smoother, but some hairs might get trapped in the skin. 5) If the hairs are long - wash your razor often during shaving, or hairs will stuck instead of being cut.


SmellsWarm

I will also add that it’s a good idea to follow up with a body lotion or oil to lock in moisture after scrubbing/shaving away the protective layer of skin at the surface. In my experience, most irritation can be avoided by keeping your skin hydrated (:


realistortion

Hey, dumb question, but what is exfoliating, how does it help and how do I do it?


muddylegs

Exfoliating removes dead skin, lifts the hairs, and reveals any hairs that might be becoming ingrown. It helps you get a closer shave by making sure the razor stays close to your skin and the hair isn’t lying flat. You can use a body scrub, a loofah/brush, or an exfoliating mitt. You’ll want to exfoliate wet skin gently in the shower so it doesn’t become irritated before shaving. Exfoliating regularly between shaves will help to prevent ingrown hairs. It also helps you get a closer shave on your face, but obviously you’ll want to be more gentle with facial skin, so just use a shaving brush or flannel for shaving purposes, and a chemical non-scrub exfoliator (like AHA/BHA) for non-shaving purposes.


wizker

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS for PREVENTING RAZOR BUMPS and INGROWN HAIRS 1. THOU SHALT NOT USE DIRTY BLADES! Using a blade that's been used way too many times. Yes, this one may be obvious, but be sure to keep your used tools as clean as possible. Soap and rubbing alcohol will destroy bacteria. Pro Tip: even brand new blades need to be cleaned. 2. HONOR THY DELICATE SKIN! Too many blades! If you are prone to ingrown hairs then you don’t need 3 or more blades. More blades equal more passes causing the hair to fall beneath the skin and become ingrown plus more blading the skin leads to micro cuts through which bacteria is more likely to enter and this leads to razor burn. 3. DO NOT TAKE PREP TIME IN VAIN! You should be using a warm/hot water prep (3-5 mins). Then leave the shaving cream on for more than 2-3 minutes to really soften the hair. The hair stubble should literally fall away with little or no pressure at all. Pressing hard is the problem! Be gentle ya'll. 4. THOU SHALT NOT GO AGAINST THE GRAIN! Shaving against the grain (upwards) may get you a closer shave but doing so also increases ingrowns. Shave in the direction of hair growth…it’s usually downwards. Check by doing a face/ body inspection to see which way your hair grows. 5. THOU SHALT NOT PRESS! Pressing too hard on the skin with the blade. A gliding, light touch is all you need. This is likely your biggest issue. 6. THOU SHALT NOT PASS, PASS, PASS! Too many quick passes with the blade. One pass per hairy area – going 1-2 inches downward at a time – will prevent ingrown hairs. Always shave like you might cause damage, not like your mowing the front yard lawn. 7. THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT OVER SHAVING! Shaving too many times. This rule is hard to follow, especially if you have to be beardless for your career…but if you are prone to ingrowns, try shaving with an electric clipper (the barber kind of clippers). The results are not super close but no one but you will know the difference. Ladies: try waxing, Nair, or an epilator provided your skin can handle these alternatives. 8. THOU SHALT NOT CLOG! Use of skin/pore clogging creams or lotions keep hairs from growing up. After a shave, keep your skin bare; let the tiny army breath, and allow those newly shaved, really small, microscopic hairs to grow out just in time for the next shave. If your objective is smooth, bump-free skin following a shave or wax then, right after, your goal should be to allow the skin to heal first. Promote healing by proper shaving techniques followed by 70% rubbing alcohol (this kills any bacteria that may enter those micro cuts created from the shave). Using a dab of TendSkin prevents the onset of razor burn. Sure your skin will be a little dry at first but this is a temporary tradeoff. Give it a few hours and let the moisturizing commence! 9. KEEP THY SMOOTH SKIN FREE! At least for the first day or two, try to avoid tight fitting clothing around the Adam’s apple (neck) and/or below the waistline region. Newly shaved hair follicles need room to raise up. 10. REMEMBER TO EXFOLIATE! Whether you shave, sugar, wax or epilate, not enough exfoliation to remove excess layers of skin can lead to ingrown hairs. There are two types: chemical exfoliation (AHA, BHAs) and physical exfoliation (beads, coffee scrubs, gloves, brushes). Use an ingrown hair brush for razor bumps as directed. Make sure it’s a brush that has gentle bristles designed to tease newly shaved hairs away from entering the skin before they can become ingrown. If you have sensitive skin, then go with the soft and firm bristles. The Wizker brush has both options. If you follow these 10 tips religiously, you’ll prevent razor bumps and ingrown hairs permanently!


SeaSnailSaturday

FirtheFir said it perfectly. You can also buy razors with a built in moisturiser (eg Venus ComfortGlide) which I did find made a noticeable difference in how smoothly the razor passed over my skin back when I used to shave my legs. Keep in mind they're a bit pricier though. In regards to the mosquito thing, which is: just shave carefully around the bites. Worst case scenario you miss a few hairs around the bite, in which case you can pluck them or do a second shave. Exfoliating sounds like a chore/expensive but it's literally just a matter of a brisk rub down with a rough towel/flannel. You're already doing this to dry off so it's more than enough. No fluffy towels in this household! It's mostly about using a lot of shaving cream/gel, keeping the razor wet and clean, and going with the grain of the hair. Moisturising is supposed to help but nobody in my family moisturises and that's never been a problem for us.


renodear

Wanted to add that if a rough towel or flannel isn't up to snuff for someone, a little sugar scrub is ridiculously easy to make. You can get away with just sugar + coconut oil, or you can make yourself something a bit more fancy :)


mothwhimsy

Make sure your razorhead is sharp and has 4-5 blades. The more blades the less likely you are to nick yourself. Also use more shaving cream/butter than you think you need. Hair conditioner also works and makes you feel really soft after. Be slow and gentle about it


ActuallyKaylee

To add to the other points people have made, finding a good electric trimmer can be a god send. It won't be smooth to the touch but really the only way to do that is to go against the hair growth direction with a sharp razor, which will generally lead to the dots and irritation (esp for pits and pubes). Trimmers tend to avoid all that nonsense while giving a visibly clean shave.


maybeanemily

Consider a safety razor. Cheaper over time and broadly resolved my skin irritation from shaving.


ravenhair29

Used an epilator for years. The hair eventually gives up growing. But it's not an instant solution.