Shaving your beard before Christmas: how to avoid razor burn
Photos Pexels / DR
Words Horace redaction
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Maybe you're attempting to avoid your parents' comments on the "excessive length" of your beard during the family Christmas dinner. Maybe you want to take advantage of the upcoming change of year to see what your face looks like without a beard again. In both cases, Horace has some tips to help soothe razor burn and make the experience as gentle as possible.
Every man has already experienced it, the burning sensation that follows a shave, particularly if you happen to be shaving off a lengthy beard. This burn might also be followed by spots due to ingrown hairs that make the shaved area incredibly itchy (please avoid scratching at all costs). We gathered some tips to help soothe your skin post-shave.
Soothing the burn
If your skin is starting to feel tight or feels like it's burning, we recommend soaking a cotton pad with our tonic lotion and dabbing it on the sensitive area. Go gently, as a rubbing gesture could further irritate your skin. The lotion contains lactic acid and arginine to reduce the irritation, plant-derived glycerine to moisturise, and natural betaine to soothe your skin.
As a second step, you can spread aftershave on your skin to continue to soothe the skin. Our aftershave gel contains aloe vera, known for its soothing properties. It also contains kukui oil, which is particularly recommended for calming the skin. Furthermore, if you have alum stone, hold it on the hottest areas of your skin for about ten seconds to help its micro-cuts heal more quickly. Last tip: hold a cold, damp towel against your face for a few minutes to further soothe your skin by cooling it.
As far as clothes are concerned, avoid turtlenecks and scarves, which will only aggravate your redness. If you must wear a shirt, don't button it up until the very last minute to give your neck a break.
Preventing the burn
You know the saying, "better safe than sorry". Instead of trying to repair the damage, we recommend preventing it. Razor burn is mainly a sign that your shaving tools or aftershave aren't doing their job correctly or that your skin wasn't adequately prepared.
On a daily basis, it's best to wash your face and neck with the purifying cleansing gel before shaving. Ideally, this should be done during or after showering, once your pores are dilated, and your beard hair has been softened by the humidity and heat of your bathroom. If you weren't planning on showering, press a towel moistened with warm water against your face – as a proper barber would do. And don't forget to apply shave gel or shave cream to prepare your skin for the razor.
This next tip is crucial. Your razor's quality is of the utmost importance. Remember to regularly change your razor's blade(s), whether it's a simple safety razor or a state-of-the-art multi-blade one. You can also learn how to use a straight razor, which you can regularly sharpen yourself, like a bathroom samurai.
After shaving, rinse your face off with cold water to tighten pores and refresh your skin, dab your face with tonic lotion to prevent razor burn, and finish off with aftershave to protect your skin. This should prevent you from having to dip your face in the first cool thing you can find to soothe the intense burn.