How To Shave – 10 Top Tips From Men-Ü

Knowing how to shave is an important skill that affects the health of the skin. We reveal 10 top tips from experts Men-ü.

How To Shave: Why Your Skin Loves It

For many men, shaving can seem a boring daily chore. However, what you may not realise is that shaving is actually very healthy for the skin. Not only does it exfoliate dead skin cells, it also provides the ideal surface for deep cleansing. This means less spots, less breakouts and younger looking skin. In fact, it's the reason most teenage boys have better skin once they begin to shave.

There are 3 steps to a successful shave: 1. Shave & Exfoliate 2. Deep Cleanse 3. Refresh. Men have bigger sebaceous glands and therefore oilier skin, which means cleansing and refreshing are important steps of the process. Happily, Men-ü have made it easy with a range of fast, easy to use products.

How To Shave: 10 Top Tips

1. It's best to shower first if you can, or at least rinse your face with warm (not hot!) water to soften the hair. Never shave on dry skin or with cold water.
2. Barbers use a good quality brush, and with good reason! The bristles help to raise the beard and also create a creamy, less aerated lather (less aeration in the creme means the less air there is, the more product is in contact with the skin).  The men-ü Pro-Black shaving brush is a super-affordable option that's smooth, solid and non-absorbent (which means less bristle loss).
3. Your shaving creme should have a high level of 'slip' so that it moves across the skin well. This also protects your blade as there's less resistance.  In addition, your creme should be moisturising so the skin doesn't dry out. Men-ü Shave Crème is an award winning product used by professionals for a close shave and contains tea tree oil, a natural antiseptic. There's enough in the 100ml tube for 165 shaves!
4. If you're using a brush, you'll want to apply the creme in a circular motion, ending in an upward stroke to make the hair stand up and away from the face. If you're using fingers, apply using wet palms like a face pack.
5. When it comes to the blade, it goes without saying that a good quality, sharp blade is essential. Rinse it often under hot water as you work and again, make sure to use a good quality products. Some shaving cremes don't break down when the blade is rinsed and will block multi-blade razors.
6. Now you're ready to begin shaving, you should shave in the direction of the beard growth and begin with the sides, then moustache and lastly the chin. Chin hairs are usually toughest, so the longer they can sit under warm water and product, the better.
7. For an even closer shave, re-apply lather then shave again. Never shave over an area without re-application.
8. Now that you have shaved, your skin is at the ideal point for treatment. Rinse with warm water and use an antibacterial face wash like men-ü Healthy Facial Wash which contains natural tea tree oil and witch hazel. These protect against spots and shaving rash.
9. Rinse away your face wash with cool water to settle the skin and pat dry with a towel - no rubbing at the skin like a scouring pad!!! If spots, excess oil or ingrown hairs are an issue, apply a quick shot of men-ü Matt Refresh Gel and leave it for 60 seconds. Containing salicylic acid and willow bark extract, this gel controls excess oil and leads to clearer, soothed skin.
10. The last step is to moisturise. Don't skip this step as not only will this give you a smooth, firm look with a protective layer, ingredients in the product will help to control oil and sooth the skin. Men-ü Facial Moisturiser Lift contains mint and menthol to cool and refresh, while men-ü Matt Moisturiser has sebum absorbers that leave skin with a matt finish.

You can shop all men-ü products online at allbeauty, with prices from just £2.75.