Skincare and shaving tips for students going to university
When you go off to university for the first time there are many things filling your head, such as what to take with you, whether you will instantly make friends other students in your halls of residence as well as other important stuff. However, there is one area that is often neglected – and this could be the difference between having total confidence in yourself or not – and that is to ensure you look after your skin and facial hair while you are away.
Look good for the start of University
At home it is easy to get into a shaving routine, but in the day to day life of a student this is an area that can soon be ignored. Many students don’t shave while at uni because of the hassle associated with it, leaving the facial hair to grow and grow until it becomes unbearable. However, by ignoring your skincare needs, this can often result in irritable skin and the onset of acne.
For those who are already affected by acne, devoting the time needed for wet shaving can be very rewarding in the long term as it can help you to maintain healthy skin. Instead of oily skin, which actually encourages the formation of acne, by taking a more careful approach to grooming, you will soon be able to notice the changes, with clear looking skin.
You can also prevent razor burn to your face by shaving in the right way. Once you get on top of things by wet shaving after a shower and gently massaging the lather onto the face using a badger brush, giving your face the moisture it needs, these good habits should yield effective results. Just make sure you leave enough time to shave each day and you will look and feel great for the day ahead.
And if you don’t have an effective razor already, you could invest in an affordable shaving set which will give you all you need for a smooth, close and luxurious shaving experience. These stylish products for real men are becoming ever popular as they offer traditional shaving, but with a modern look. So, be sure to consider your grooming needs when going away to uni, the effort you put into this will certainly be rewarded by how you look and feel after a wet shave.
Choosing an effective shaving cream (Part 2)
In the last article we set the scene where a man may not know where to start when it comes to selecting an appropriate shaving cream that will work in tandem with his skin.
Finding the right one for you is not always that simple, and so it is worth considering what you want and need before scouring the market for suitable wet shaving products.
For those that have particularly sensitive skin, it is necessary to consider shaving creams that offer moisturising properties as one of its benefits.
Taylor of Old Bond St Shaving Cream (Lemon & Lime 150g)
Even if you do not have skin which is sensitive, these products can still offer a close and smooth shave when you use a quality razor blade. You can also look out for shaving creams which contain fewer chemicals and ingredients which may cause reactions in some people.
If you want to get excellent results from your shaving experience some of the luxury shaving creams on the market are really effective as they can be used to create a rich creamy fragranced lather.
When you have decided on the things you want from the shaving cream, it then comes down to products and ultimately the brand. While it may be the safe option to go with a recognised global brand such as Gillette, you may find that some of the smaller – yet still well-established – brands like Cyril Salter, Taylor of Old Bond Street and DR Harris are certainly worth a look as their shaving creams come highly recommended by experienced wet shavers.
Choosing an effective shaving cream (Part 1)
The trick when looking for a shaving cream to use in your daily wet shaving routine is to find a product that will work well with your skin. This formula may not be as easy as it sounds though, as a person’s face is individual to them and so what works great for one man may not be suitable for another.
We will now be looking at how best to go about finding a shaving cream that proves to be effective and makes the whole wet shaving process much more pleasurable and enjoyable, leaving your skin feeling fresh and looking good too.
There are plenty of good quality shaving creams on the market - Photo by scottfeldstein
With so much choice on the market, it is hard to identify a suitable men’s shaving cream without a bit of old-fashioned trial and error. However, this can cost money – and a lot of it too – so it is certainly worth narrowing it down a little first before taking the plunge.
Instead of going into things blindly, trying out every product under the sun, the following is what you should look out for.
Firstly, it is recommended that those with sensitive skin should opt for a moisturising shaving cream. This is also a major pointer for those who struggle with razor burn as keeping the skin moist when wet shaving is essential.
No matter what products you eventually decide to go with, don’t ever give in to the temptation to just use regular soap. This is a big no-no as it will only dry out your skin even more, unless it is a specialist shaving soap, and will most definitely not result in a closer shave.
We will publish part 2 on Tuesday, so please check back.
How wet shaving can help to reduce acne
Acne is a common part of growing up, affecting around 96 percent of teenagers, while for many men this skin condition also continues into adulthood. For those who are severely affected, it is unlikely that anything other than medication will be of use in treating acne, but wet shaving can still provide a great way of maintaining healthy skin.
If you manage your skin properly it is only natural that your face will start to look and feel fresh and healthy. The formation of acne, which is the result of blockages in follicles, can be made much worse when skin is left oily and clogged with dead skin cells.
Wet shaving can help to reduce acne (if carried out correctly)
The best way to combat this is to take a more careful approach to wet shaving and develop consistent shaving habits. By taking your time when shaving, by allowing the experience to be more of a pleasure than a chore, you will soon notice the effects of clear and great looking skin.
Another cause of acne on the facial area is razor burn, which can be unsightly in its own right. However, you can help to prevent razor burn as well as acne by shaving every day and in the right way. This will mean that your skin (and facial hair) is much easier to maintain.
So, be sure to leave enough time each day to shave, especially after a shower when the skin is less sensitive. You can do this by getting into good habits using hot water and steam to soften the hairs and by massaging latheronto the face. If you have particularly sensitive skin, this will provide it with the moisture it needs and in doing so, helping to reduce and keep away acne.
Ask Mantic Q&A# 10: Cleaning A Badger Brush
Mantic, the American wet shaving guru, today answers the final question in The Ask Mantic promotion.
Imran asks: “What’s the best way to clean my badger shaving brush bristles when it becomes clogged with soap?”
Watch Mantic’s answer in the YouTube video below.
Mantic, the veteran of the BadgerAndBlade and ShaveMyFace forums, has now answered questions on variety of wet shaving topics, including slant razor shaving, brush break-in, passes, runny lather, grain shaving, suitable brush types and even female shaving.
We would like to take this time to thank Mantic for his time to answer the ten great questions.
The Shaving Shack team will now spend the next few weeks choosing their favourite question, with the winning questioner receiving a tub of Truefitt & Hill 1805 Shave Cream (worth £14.99).
Ask Mantic Q&A #8 & 9: Grain Shaving & Women’s Shaving
American wet shaving guru Mantic has been taking part in a Question and Answer session with Shaving Shack visitors.
The veteran of the BadgerAndBlade and ShaveMyFace forums has been offering his expert advice on variety of shaving topics, including slant razor shaving, brush break-in, passes, runny lather and suitable brush types.
Today Mantic answers another two great questions in theYoutuve video below.
Jason asks: “When is the right time to start shaving against the grain? I have been wet shaving for about three years now and double edge shaving for the past two. I have a great routine down, and I am using very good products.”
And Maureen asks: “I know these are really men’s shaving products – but can women use them to shave their sensitive area’s? Opposed to the sometimes painful waxing procedure?”
Mantic will be answering his final question early next week, so please check back.
Ask Mantic Q&A #6&7: Recommend A Blade?
Mantic, the American wet shaving guru, has been taking part in a Question and Answer session with Shaving Shack visitors.
Already Mantic, a veteran of the BadgerAndBlade and ShaveMyFace forums, has answered questions on advanced shaving techniques, slant razors, brush break-in, passes, runny lather and suitable brush types.
Today he answers a further two questions in the Youtube video below.
The first is from Doug, who asks: “After many years of shaving with a heavy metal atra razor, what would be the best blade and method for using my grandfathers’ old Gillette 1961 Fat Boy and his 1948 Golden Aristocrat razor?”
The second comes from Jevon, who asks: “What different blades are recommended for different beard types?”
Ask Mantic Q&A #5: Advanced shaving with a slant razor
US wet shaving expert Mantic has been taking part in a Question and Answer session with Shaving Shack visitors.
Already Mantic, a veteran of the BadgerAndBlade and ShaveMyFace forums, has answered questions on brush break-in, passes, runny lather and suitable brush types.
Today Russell asks: “Can advanced shaving techniques like J-Hooking and Blade Buffing work with a Slant Bar razor?”
You can watch Mantic’s excellent answer in the video below.
Next week Mantic will be answering even more questions on wet shaving techniques.
Ask Mantic Q&A #4: How Many Passes?
Wet shaving guru Mantic has been taking part in a Question and Answer session with Shaving Shack visitors.
Already the US shaving legend has answered questions on brush break-in, runny lather and brush types.
And today’s question comes from Steve. He asks: “Would you recommend four quick and light passes, three slower passes, or try for a very careful two-pass shave for consistent close and comfortable results?”
You can watch Mantic’s answer in the video below.
Ask Mantic Q&A #2&3: Brush Break-In & Types
In May, we managed to get a Question and Answer session with American wet shaving legend Mantic, a veteran of the BadgerAndBlade and ShaveMyFace forums.
The session proved very popular, with lots of excellent entries being submitted. We cherry picked the very best ones and sent them onto the wet shaving guru.
The first question Mantic answered was: “Why do I on occasion find that the lather from a soap is fine on the first pass, really creamy and slick, but when I start to apply with the brush for subsequent passes, it has turned airy and foamy? It is with soaps that I have had good results from before too.” You can watch his detailed answer by clicking here.
Today Mantic answers two more questions.
David asked: “It is assumed that boar shaving brushes need to be broken in. Do badger brushes also improve after a break-in period? I have read occasional mentions of this but have seen no definite discussion on the shave forums.”
And Kevin wanted to know: “Not having much experience with different brushes, is there a particular type of brush that I should use with soaps or creams? Boar hair brushes, or badger hair brushes?”
You can watch Mantic answer both of these questions in the video below.
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