How To: Stop Razor Burn

Razor burn… Just saying the words make me angry! Why? Because it should never happen to me or anyone else.

We should all hate it. The redness, burning, itching, over-sensitivity… these are all symptoms. And the worst part is that these symptoms can lead to more visible frustration, razor bumps!

How you get it and its severity depends on many reasons (will discuss below). But the bottom line is, it ranges from person to person and I promise… if you haven’t already experienced it, you don’t ever want to!

Here are a few reasons why:

• Blade/s too sharp
• Blade/s too dull
• Too many blades
• Too many passes/strokes
• Too much pressure
• Shaving too fast
• Shaving too often
• Lack of moisture
• Shaving against the grain (for some)
• Ignoring your sensitive areas and shaving them the same way as you do the rest.

As you can see, the list is long, and honestly could be longer when considering men with unique circumstances (but you can email me for more details if that’s you). Regardless of the reason, the best way to avoid “razor burn” is to…

1. Know your face – Knowing the direction your hair grows is best, especially if going against the grain has ever caused you pain. Also, be aware of the sensitive areas of the skin. This way you can prep those areas heavier or leave for last.
2. Moisture – You can never have too much moisture on your face. The wetter and softer you can get your face, the less effort it is to take the beard off. This equals less strokes, which means less time the blade is on your face. If you want it a bit closer… re-lather!
3. Heal & Moisturize – A splash of cold water (or the “Big Chill“) will bring your skin back in balance by calming and also tightening the skin. Then, grab your favorite aftershave balm that’s designed to heal and also moisturize the skin.  The healing is especially important because your skin will definitely be going through this process again very soon!