MensXpert.com - Build Your Complete Shaving Kit

A clean shaven face is the piece de resistance of a well-groomed look, and while minimalist can be a good route to take when dressing up, when it comes to a shave it is better to have a kit that goes beyond just a razor and some shaving foam. Getting yourself a good shaving kit isn’t difficult, and we’re here to prove that to you!

Though you might wonder why the heck you would want to invest in anything more than the standard razor and foam when it serves you very well, once you get this kit in place, you will realise the benefits of it very soon.

Preparation

Scrub & Shower. There’s a reason why men usually shave after a shower. The warm water steams your face and opens the pores, making the process easier than it usually would be. In case you haven’t had a shower, using a hot, wet towel on your face before a shave works just as well. Also use a facial scrub to exfoliate your face and get rid of dead cells while opening up pores. This process doesn’t take you time, keeps your skin supple and warm and your facial hair will be ready to be shorn.

Face Oil. A face oil is a good idea if you can invest in it, because it softens your skin and opens the pores on your face. While the scrub and hot towel can do that, the face oil also ensures a close shave and can save you from shaving burns. Choose a non-greasy oil like coconut oil or any other plant oil. On the other hand, if you are using an electric shaver, usually these tend to come with their own brand of blade oil. This works best because you will just need to put a few drops of the oil on your razor’s blade and it ensures that you don’t suffer from nicks and cuts from the razor, while doing its job of moisturizing your skin.

Get Your Shaving Kit Ready

These are the products that you will need while shaving to ensure that you have the very best type of shave!

Lather (cream/gel): Shaving creams and shaving foams function in the same way. They form a layer over your skin to enable the razor to glide smoothly and remove unwanted hair. They also contain ingredients that moisturize your skin and smoothen the hair on your face to help ease the razor’s task. Lather or foam needs to be applied to your face for almost a whole minute before you begin shaving to enable it to work properly.

Shaving brush: A good quality shaving brush is necessary to ensure that it applies lather to your face effectively, massages your facial hair and fluffs it out so that the razor can then easily remove it

Razors: There is the option of taking the easy way and using an electric razor because it is convenient and fast. Electric razors either have blades organized in a circular manner which rotate and cut your facial hair, or else they have a foil design shaver which has rows of blades that cut away any facial hair that gets into its perforated holes. But, however advanced a model you’re using, electric razors cannot achieve as close a shave as a simple hand-held razor can achieve. But because of this, you can be assured that you will hardly ever suffer from cuts or razor burns while using an electric razor.

After Shave

Always look at the ingredients of post-shave products you’re planning to buy and buy ones that contain vitamin C and E. Also, those that include sunscreen are great because they protect your skin against UV rays while soothing it from post-shave burn. Aftershave is the traditional product that all men use, but it also contains alcohol that dries out skin. If you don’t want to give up using it, don’t splash it on generously, and only pat on a little amount on your skin. If you aren’t the kind to invest in any kind of products, then the best thing to do post-shave is to splash cold water on your face. This immediately closes the pores. Then, use a basic unscented moisturizer to protect your skin. If you have sensitive skin, you can go a step further and use ice cubes instead of cold water. It nips any skin rash or redness in the bud.

Now that you have an idea of all the products and necessities that your shaving kit should hold, it’s best to try out different brands to figure out which suits your face the most. Eventually, developing a shaving routine with your shaving kit and its toiletries will help make you look and feel very good.