The biggest decision a gentleman must make every morning — aside from whether or not to hit that snooze button one more time — is if to shave dry or wet. A dry shave can be convenient – a quick whizz over the face with an electric shaver will seem a godsend if you’re running late. But, with this buzz of electric blades comes the ever-present threat of razor rash or patches missed altogether. Here at Manly Stufhttps://www.manlystuff.ief, we’re always on the side of the wet shave. With its tradition, routine and ceremony, it may take a little more time and focus — but all the best things do.

So reach for your razor, open your ears and listen to why nothing beats a wet shave…

Wash and exfoliate your face with warm water

Warm water and a good exfoliator will not only clean your skin of everything it encountered the day before but it will also soften the hairs for an easier and smoother shave. Doing this straight after a shower is ideal — and prepares your skin perfectly for the incoming razor.

Use a shaving soap bowl or shaving oil to prepare your skin

The right type of razor is key to the perfect shave. A nicely-weighted one allows you to only apply a light pressure so your skin is not stressed, and doesn’t leave you with razor bumps. Also, making sure your razor is sharp is pivotal to getting a close shave, as a dull blade will pull at your hairs and cause major irritation.

Let the razor glide your over skin, without applying too much pressure

This goes hand-in-hand with having a weighted razor with a sharp blade. You should only need to apply light pressure to allow the blade to glide over your skin. By shaving with the natural grain of your hair, it will stop the razor from pulling and instead cut smoothly, and closely.

Rinse your brush and razor with water — then allow it to air dry

Cleaning your razor and brush after a shave is very important, as it allows you to keep everything in top condition. Begin by rinsing the brush with clean water, flicking off the excess hair and then leaving it hanging on its stand with the bristles facing down to air dry naturally. This way, it will be ready to go the next morning and will last you much longer as a result.

Rinse your face with cold water and then moisturise

After all this hot water and pore opening, it’s time to close them back up and then keep your skin looking fresh with a cooling moisturiser. First, Bodenham recommends rinsing off your face with some cold water — this should wake you up if you weren’t already — and then apply a healthy amount of moisturiser, as your skin will dry out very quickly otherwise.