During the winter, dry skin and extra layers of clothing can put a damper on your shaving routine. But, you never know when you’ll be invited to a spontaneous hot tub party, and no one wants to be in that situation only to realize your legs or underarms are a disaster. Follow my tried and true techniques for the closest shave to get silky-smooth skin every time.
Choose Your Razor
While expensive razors may seem appealing, and come it pretty colours, they require you to change the blade weekly, which can be expensive. I used to use an expensive razor, but actually found it never gave that really close shave I was after. My secret now is to use men’s disposable razors. Because they’re designed to be used on a man’s face, where hair is finer and the shave has to be close, these always give a better shave than any women’s blade I’ve ever tried. They may not look as cute on your shower shelf, but the results are worth it.
Lather Up
What you use for shaving cream is up to you. If you have sensitive skin, you’ll want to opt for a shaving cream especially designed to fit your needs. If your skin isn’t sensitive, you can get away with just using you body wash and lathering up well. Using a loofah pouf also gently exfoliates your skin prior to shaving as you lather, which whisks away dead skin allowing for a closer shave. Even if you’re using shaving cream, gently applying it with a loofah is the best way to prep for shaving.
Shave
How you choose to shave is personal, depending on your skin sensitivity. However, especially with underarms, I recommend shaving in all directions: against the ‘grain’, with it, left, right, diagonal. Your hair doesn’t grow in one direction only, so you shouldn’t shave it one direction only. This technique ensures that each and every little hair is taken care of. Also, after shaving your underarms, gently tug the skin away from your body to make sure you reached every part, as it is something hard to see.
Scrub Down
This is my absolutely essential step for the smoothest shave of your life. As I noted above, exfoliating your skin whisks away dead skin, allowing for a closer shave. But, after you shave, there can be a build up of skin cells, bits of hair, soap, and oil that prevents your skin from getting that desired silkiness and can even cause discolouration. To remove this, invest in an exfoliating facial scrub that matches your skin sensitivity level. After you shave and rinse off the shaving cream/soap, gently apply the scrub in a circular motion all over the shaved skin, allow to sink in for a moment, then rinse off. You’ll be amazed at how touchable your skin becomes.
Lock in Moisture
As soon as you step out of the shower, before towelling off at all, apply a moisturizing cream or deodorant to the shaved skin. It will feel a little greasy at first as the cream mixes with the moisture on your skin, but after a minute of two, the moisture sinks in leaving your skin butter-soft and amazing.
Simple steps but, combined, will lead to the best shave ever. You’ll love the feel of your legs or underarms so much, you may actually look forward to shaving (and your boyfriend won’t complain either!) Try out these tips and let me know how you like the results. Do you have any secret tips for getting a great shave? Leave a comment and share! How to get the closest, smoothest, silkiest, velvetiest, bestest, most amazing shave ever? Something every college girl should know.
