Common Shaving Mistakes

Are you dreading the grooming of your facial hair? You might be doing it wrong

Shaving has become a common grooming ritual that most men perform on a weekly basis. Your routine hasn’t changed much since you hit puberty. Yet, somehow, you still fall into the shaving chaos paradox, making the same mistakes that have led to bumps, irritation, and bleeding facial hair for years. Admitting your faults is the first step to improvement. The next step is to take note of other common shaving mistakes that most men make.

Commercials sure make the task of removing body hair look seamless. But completing a steady, adequate shave has yet to become second nature to you. Ingrown hairs and several other skin care issues continue to plague your money-making machine, putting a strain on your appearance and confidence. It’s time to learn proper shaving etiquette and change harmful grooming habits that cause more damage than charm.

Whether the goal is to remove all facial hair follicles, trim your beard, or go full-on man-styling mode, these are crucial yet common shaving mistakes that should be avoided in order to make the most of your shaving routine—from trimming your beard to moisturizing with beard oil.

Most Common Shaving Mistakes Men Make

Neglecting Your Pre-Shave Ritual

Any barber grooming tips your local hairstylist won’t share could get you into a habit of dry shaving, which can seriously damage your face. Shaving on unlubricated skin can lead to a host of issues, from cuts to irritation. Preparing your skin before shaving is essential. That’s why experts recommend massaging your skin with a pre-shave product. A facial scrub or pre-shave oil is a must, as both ingredients are formulated to moisturize the shaving surface.

Inconsistently Rinsing Your Blades

Every time you shave your face, your razor becomes filled with dead skin, stubble, and shaving product residue. This residue reduces the sharpness of your blades and makes it harder to move your razor in the shaving rack. Rinse your blades thoroughly after each shave by shaking them vigorously under the sink tap. This cleans the cutting tool and removes any dirt that may be preventing additional hairs from being picked up each time you pass over the blade.

Shaving Too High or Too Low

One of these is usually the problem. Whether you have short sideburns or an unshaved décolleté, learn to treat both areas correctly. Don’t shave all the way to the top of your ears. Instead, shave to the middle of your ears, otherwise there’s no bridge between your hair and your face. When shaving below your chin, clean it up first and then continue to shave below your Adam’s apple to keep your collar looking fresher and less gray.

Using the Wrong Shaving Cream

An all-white shaving cream is definitely not an option. Foaming shaving creams dehydrate the skin quickly, contain artificial lubricants, and don’t produce a lot of lather. Not to mention it makes styling and shaping facial hair more difficult because you can’t see where you’re shaving. Anthony Sosnick, founder of Anthony Brands, also added, “I’ve been recommending this shaving cream for over 15 years, and it’s much better than foam…many foams are filled with air, and they don’t hold the blade too close to the skin.” So consider ditching the steel-tube foam in your medicine cabinet and switching to one of these strong shaving gels.

Shaving Against the Grain

It’s almost a beauty commandment not to shave against the grain. You need to brush the blade in the direction of hair growth, rather than turning the razor upside down and sweeping it across your face. Doing the opposite will only cause ingrown hairs, razor bumps, redness, and other facial impurities.

Cold Water Prep

Anyone who has had a professional shave is used to having a hot towel for their facial. The reason beauticians use hot water instead of cold water is that hot water constricts the pores, making it difficult for the cream to penetrate the skin and stimulate the hair follicles. You can take a hot shower and shave immediately afterward, or you can wash your face with warm water to open up the pores.

Shaving Cream Application Rest Time

Patience is a virtue. Unless you give the shaving cream time to sit on your face, you are depriving your skin of the opportunity to absorb the moisturizing and nourishing ingredients in the formula. Doing this for a few minutes will soften the hair and skin, allowing for a better shave.

Repeated Scraping

You just shaved off a layer of skin with a sharp blade. What makes you think that running a razor over the same area will make your skin look like a newborn? Get rid of that idea, because overshaving will only lead to disturbing razor burn. When dealing with residual hair or missing a spot, apply more foam and shave off the residual hair during the next pass.

Wrong Blade Angle

Most cartridge razors are designed to shave at a specific angle and lock into place at that angle. Depending on your facial structure, this can be a positive or negative for your face. When using a more flexible razor like a basic model or a double-edge razor, avoid using steep angles and learn to place the top cap of the razor against your face, moving the handle so that the edge of the blade grazes the skin.

Use Soap Instead of Cream or Gel

Lack of funds or sheer laziness may prompt you to use that Dove shaving cream sitting on your sink counter. Don’t fool yourself: Soap is no substitute for a high-quality shaving cream or gel. Cleansers are known to clog blades and don’t provide the necessary glide to produce a smooth, consistent shave. If things get really bad, rely on a conditioner to do the job.

Press Hard on the Face

There’s no need to apply brute force. Remember, the razor should be doing all the heavy lifting. Not you. So, relax your approach, because the harder a man pushes when shaving, the less balanced the skin surface will be. If you have to apply pressure to remove stray hairs, it’s clear that you’re using a dull blade.

Reusing the Same Blade

Buying blades can be expensive. However, affordable options like grooming subscription services like Dollar Shave Club make using a new razor very convenient. Using the same razor for a long time without changing the blades will only reduce the quality of your shave, as a lot of dirt and waste will be collected with each shave. It will also destroy some unique features, such as the moisturizing strip.

Chasing Missed Hairs

No matter how clean your shave is, you are bound to miss a few hairs. That’s why experts believe in using a clear skin care product for the second shave. This way, the groomer can skip areas such as the chin, nose, and upper cheeks that may still have hair or stings.

Shaving Too Fast

Never treat the shaving experience as a race. Even if you’re running late for work, use these office grooming tips or take the time to get the best shave you can. Rushing will only lead to irritation, nicks, and an unsightly appearance. If you're short on time, we'd consider investing in one of these top electric shavers, as the electric buzzer is designed to get the job done faster and more efficiently.

Neglecting aftershave care

It's not enough to rub the cup hard to remove any remaining traces of shaving cream. The skin also needs to be nourished to prevent any bumps. Moisturizer can keep your face from drying out, while an alcohol-free aftershave can cool it down and lock in moisture.