If you find yourself avoiding hard to shave areas, these core tips and tricks will guide you through your shave in no time at all!
Not everyone can pull off such dashing good looks as Tom Selleck with his distinguishing ‘stache, or Rasputin with his sculpted beard. For the rest of us mere mortals, we are left with shaving and taking care of our skin. However, that comes with a whole host of problems that this article will guide you through…
How to shave your upper lip
The upper lip is one of the more notorious spots for shaving difficulty. So difficult, that many men and barbers have chosen to avoid it altogether. This has led to questionable facial styles over the years – think Charlie Chaplin.
With its close proximity to the tender lip area and the nose protruding right above, it’s no wonder that the upper lip has caused such consternation. Should you prefer your stiff upper lip free from hair, there is help!
Be sure to thoroughly prep the area for shaving by using a pre-shave oil and a pearly rich shaving cream. Once prepped, it’s time to pick your weapon of choice. Start by shaving as much of the lip as you can, gently pinching and moving your nose to the side to help you reach those pesky hairs. If you curl your lip slightly under your teeth, it will flatten the surface and provide some stretch as well.
You can also change the direction of your shaving from north to south, and turn your razor ninety degrees and shave east to west. Be sure to tread gently while practising this east-west technique. Finish up with a post-shave balm, ideally containing aloe vera to soothe any redness.
How to shave your chin
Once you’ve navigated around the pesky upper lip area, you’ll find yourself fronted with another troublesome spot – the mouth and chin. Unless you plan on blowing doors down on houses built by swine, have a beard, or sport a fashionable Van Dyke, that hair on your chinny-chin-chin has got to go!
Thankfully, it’s not quite as sensitive as the upper lip, but some caution still needs to be held. Otherwise, you’ll be walking around with tissue paper as part of your prominent visage! The best technique we’ve found is to tuck the bottom lip inward towards the mouth. This creates a flatter, smoother surface to shave upon. Also, you can take your off-hand and gently pull the skin to the side. Do not pull too tightly though as this can cause more problems; a light and easy tension is all that’s needed to help level the playing field.
How to shave your Adam’s Apple
The Adam’s Apple is perhaps the most dreaded area of any wet shave. This sometimes very prominent feature of the larynx can be very difficult to shave around, especially if yours looks like James Stewart or Brad Pitt’s (lucky you!).
One of the keys to shaving around the Adam’s Apple is to shave with the grain/with the hair growth. Going against the grain can lead to irritation, spots, and ingrown hairs which can be painful to say the least.
Turning your head to the opposite side that you’re shaving (if you are attempting to shave the left, turn your head to the right) is perhaps the easiest solution as it flattens the surface of the skin, allowing for a cleaner shave. Repeat as necessary and take your time. Another technique to use – especially if you have a very prominent larynx – is to take your off-hand and gently pull the skin taught. This is very similarly to the chin, but in very small sections to avoid irritation.
Above all, you’re after a smooth and clean-shaven look, hopefully avoiding cuts and irritation. Preventing razor burn is foremost, and using quality creams, razors, balms, and the occasional face scrub before shaving can prove very helpful in the pursuit. You can shop for all of these essential products on the Shaving Shack today!
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