Razor burn is irritating, painful, and not particularly pleasant to look at. When you’re shaving your armpits, razor burn feels super itchy, and you spend the next few days feeling incredibly uncomfortable until your hairs start growing back. It’s even worse when you shave your legs or bikini line – especially when you intend to wear something revealing. You feel really self-conscious of the red bumps and marks, which have been made even worse by persistent scratching.
What’s annoying about razor burn is that it happens all the time. You see it as simply part of the shaving process – but it doesn’t have to be like that. You can shave your body without spending days in pain, and here are the best tips:
Keep Your Blades Sharp
This sounds badass, but it’s also one of the most neglected shaving steps of all time. Be truly honest with yourself for a moment: how long have you been using the same razor head for?
All razor blades will dull after multiple uses, which is why they’re designed to be disposable. You should always use a sharp blade because it cuts through the hairs easier. Dull blades snag on hairs, which can cause razor burn or ingrown hairs a couple of days after. The sharper it is, the easier it can slice through and leave your skin feeling less irritated.
Use Warm Water To Soften Everything
Again, you need to be honest here, how often do you shave in a rush? You’re about to go to the gym or head out with friends and you’ve realized you need to shave your armpits or legs because of what you’re wearing. You run to the bathroom, grab your razor, and start shaving.
Please stop doing this.
“Raw” shaving is terrible because your skin and hair aren’t in their optimal conditions. You want them both to be soft, which makes it easier to shave. Your razor will be able to glide over your skin without catching it or leaving a burn behind. All you have to do is wet the area with warm water so everything softens. That’s why shaving in the shower makes the most sense – you also get this constant stream of warm water to ensure nothing dries up.
Never Shave Against The Grain
Get your finger and feel which way your hair grows. With most people, when shaving legs, the hair will grow downwards. If you get your finger and brush up your leg, you’ll feel the hair bristle – this is the exact opposite of how you want to shave.
It’s called going against the grain, and it will result in more snagging and hairs being ripped from their roots. Ultimately, this is the primary cause of razor burn when shaving, and you can also expect to see loads of ingrown hairs in terribly unfortunate places.
Instead, you should shave with the grain. Find the direct your hair grows in and follow it with your razor. You will instantly feel a difference; the razor moves more fluidly, and there’s less resistance. It’s a simple technique that improves your skin and can eradicate razor burn once and for all.
Apply Soothing Shaving Cream/Gel
Before you get your blade and start shaving, always ensure you use a shaving cream or gel. This adds some additional lubrication, which works with the warm water to get that slick glide you’re hoping for. A more lubricated shave means you don’t have to go over the same area as many times, reducing the chances of “burning” the area.
More to the point, you will also find soothing shaving creams or gels that aid your skin. They include ingredients that promote healing as soon as you shave, which stops a lot of redness and irritation in the days after.
Switch To A Different Hair Removal Option
Look, you could try all of the above and still have razor burn, and that sucks. It’s likely down to how your skin reacts to this hair removal technique, so can the razors and try something else. Look into laser hair removal, waxing, or even using an electric shaver.
Laser hair removal is good for a more permanent solution, though it only works on certain types of hair. Waxing leaves the smoothest finish, yet can be truly painful – especially during your first few attempts. Electric shavers are great, but they won’t trim the hair down as short as any other hair removal option. This is still fine, though you may prefer a different option for your bikini line in the summer.
No matter which way you approach it, razor burn can be a thing of the past. Try making the necessary changes to your shaving setup and wait for the results. If you still get pesky razor burn, then it’s definitely time to try a different hair removal technique altogether.
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