Have you ever wondered why some coarse, thick hair starts growing back to the skin whenever you are done with a shave? That might have caused a rough skin texture, several skin infections, and even pain.
The problem might not be in the shaving foam or the razor, but probably in your shaving technique. If you are sick of this frustration, you certainly need to check out some practical shaving tips for black skin.
Many people face these problems after shaving, but people of African descent face them more often.
There’s no magic to eradicate the small curly hairs –it’s in the genetics of black men. They must follow a proper skin-care routine to alleviate the irritation and pain, making the skin look smoother.
6 Best Shaving Tips for Black Skin
Before letting you wait anymore, let’s get right into it.
1. Clean the Skin –Exfoliate it!
Before you apply any shaving material, it’s crucial to clean the skin first.
You might be wondering what the best thing to clean your face with is? The best exfoliator! It’s the one that comes with both ‘chemical’ and ‘mechanical’ cleaning methods.
The mechanical exfoliation involves cleaning the dead skin cells using physical agents such as a sponge or brush.
Another tool is the material used for exfoliating, including some scrubs, sand, sugar, crushed olive stones, or pumice.
The chemical method involves enzymes or acids, including salicylic and glycolic, for dissolving the dead skin cells. Combining both these actions is a win-win for you.
Ending up the exfoliation process with a good-quality cleanser will rip away the oil and dirt, making the skin glowing.
2. Prepare the skin for shaving
Africans or black men have coarse, thick hair on the skin. For them, shaving is really a challenge. If you are one of them, you might’ve noticed some tiny outgrowths still remain on the skin even after shaving.
What’s the catch?
The first step is to prepare your skin and make it receptive to shaving. How are you going to do that? Well! Apply some pre-shave oils to soften the beard hair and nourish with essential oils.
Aren’t you thinking that first, we said to exfoliate your skin and make it oil-free, and now we are saying to oil it up again? YES! The skin oil was messed up with dirt, and it needs to be removed.
The pre-shaving oils actually nourish the skin and make it easy for the razor to glide smoothly on it. Moreover, the oil raises the hair and make a better pass for the razor.
These oils are essential for making the shaving process manageable and trim even the minute hairs out.
3. Lather Up the Skin
If you think using a shaving brush to lather-up skin seems old-fashioned, but trust us! That’s the major downfall in your shaving if you aren’t using that.
If you are black, you might’ve noticed that it’s hard to lift the small hairs and make their way under the razor. Only a brush can serve this function well. It can raise the hairs and make them prone to ripping.
Finally comes the shaving cream! That’s the major element. Make sure the cream you are using not only lubricates the skin but also maintains the hydration levels.
Just imagine! How does it feel when you have to spend a day without water on a beach or a desert? The same happens to your skin if you leave it dehydrated during the shaving process.
Never let that happen!
4. The Major Step – Shaving
Here’s comes finally the job of your shaving gear – the razors! When you are selecting the razor for black men, you must consider blades as the top priority.
Many professionals recommend using a straight razor for thick curly hair. It’s because the blades of traditional razors actually prune the facial hair from too close.
What happens next? The same irritable situation with a lot of ingrown hairs and bumps. As a safety razor, only one passes, so the hairs are liable to stay on the skin’s surface.
An Important thing!
Using a good razor isn’t enough; you need the right technique too. When you are shaving, you have to keep these two things in mind.
· Use lukewarm water only!
It’s one of the most important things to make your skin amicable to shaving. Like a pre-shaving oil, running warm water over the face will soften up the hairs and make them weak and delicate.
Warm water also relaxes the skin muscles and makes the whole process smooth and easy. Warm means warm! Make sure you aren’t burning your face with red-hot water.
Your stubborn beard hair will finally turn into a fragile and delicate thing. Astonishing! Isn’t it?
· Don’t shave in the opposite direction
You might be aware that shaving the hair against its growth will let you achieve a closer shave. A closer shave isn’t a bad idea for white men. But for black men with tight and curled beard, it’s the leading cause of ingrown hairs.
Do you still want a closer shave? Well! Certainly not!
For that, stop thinking to shave in the opposite direction and start doing it in the right way. Shave them in the direction of their growth.
You might still notice small outgrowths after the shave –the tiny hairs that will certainly grow longer and protrude outwards. They are actually far better than ingrown hairs.
5. Don’t Forget to Moisturize Your Face
You might be wondering that how moisturization is directly linked to shaving? Well, probably not! There might not be any direct link in them. But yeah! Moisturization has to do with aftershave effects.
If you are tired of the aftershave bumps and irritation, then moisturize your skin often, even more than before.
A moisturizer maintains the hydration levels of the skin and makes it soft and supple. The smoother the skin, the easier it is to shave, and the better the results. Ultimately, there’s no irritation or itching.
Black men can substantially enhance their shaving experience by introducing a moisturizer’s regular use–at least better than before.
6. Never Use Antibacterial After Shaving
Although we are in favor of applying aftershave one the skin, that really doesn’t matter. The thing that matters is our skin doesn’t hold well with alcohol-based aftershaves.
Should we listen to our hearts or do what skin likes? Well, for the sake of our skin’s safety, we’ll do what suits best to it.
Thanks to the antibacterial properties of these anti-shaves, but, regrettably! They do more harm than good. Alcohol products can dry the skin and make it prone to itching and irritation.
What to do now?
Well! We’ve got you covered. Look for something natural, something beneficial. We’ll prefer to apply aloe vera gel, coconut oil, or hyaluronic acid for the same relief you get from alcohol-based aftershaves.
Conclusion
Starting from scrubbing, preparing the skin, and leaving it to shaving and post-shaving routine, you can get rid of one of the appalling moments –the ingrown hairs and irritation –by following these shaving tips for black men.
The skin’s journey from that rough texture to the smooth, soft, and shining is no more to wait. After following these most effective tips, you’ll observe a noticeable change in your skin.
Set a proper routine, moisturize the skin daily, shave it according to these tips, and enjoy your healthy and beautiful skin.
