How to Shave With Acne
Shaving acne-prone skin can be difficult – and potentially painful. If you're not careful, you might be left nursing red, burning skin, and even more breakouts.
Fortunately, you don't need to toss your razor just yet. While it may take a little more time and patience, you can maintain smooth skin without worsening your pimples or triggering skin irritation.
Here are some tips for shaving when you have acne.
Always Start with Clean Skin
To curb the amount of bacteria and dirt transferring from one area of the skin to another, it's always important to cleanse your skin thoroughly before shaving. Use a cleanser formulated with acne-fighting skincare ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. These ingredients help remove dirt, sebum, and product buildup that clog pores and ultimately drive out blackheads and whiteheads. This will prep the skin and prevent further blemishes from appearing.
Exfoliate
Exfoliating dissolves dead skin cells from the skin's surface to prevent it from accumulating in your razor. To enhance your shaving sessions, exfoliate your skin once a week using a gentle sugar-based scrub like Truly Matcha Face Scrub. It's made with matcha and glycolic acid to gently remove layers off the skin, reduce blemishes, and soothe inflammation.
Steam Up Your Skin
Softening your skin and facial hair will make them supple, so there's less pulling when shaving. With little to no pulling on the skin, less irritation and trauma occurs. That means you'll be less likely to experience nicks, ingrown hairs, and razor burns.
In the shower, allow the steam and warm water to soften your hair follicles. Give it a couple of minutes to do the work before proceeding with shaving. You can also do this at the sink by placing a warm towel on your face for a few minutes pre-shave to soften. Avoid using hot water as this will only dry out the skin and leave it feeling tight, itchy, and uncomfortable.
Lather Up
For a smooth shave sans irritation, always use a shaving brush and shaving cream or butter. These will help lift facial hairs up so they're easier to cut, reducing your chance of razor bumps and burns.
It also provides slip for the razor so that it glides along without causing friction. While it may seem like a no-brainer, lathering your skin up with a hydrating shaving gel or cream is best shaving tip for preventing irritation. It's especially important for those with sensitive skin.
Switch to a Single Blade Razor
Avoid multi-blade razors if you have acne. They give a close shave, but more friction. And that's really the last thing you want when you have acne.
Instead, use a single blade razor with a pivoting head so you can easily manoeuvre around active breakouts. Alternatively, opt for an electric razor.
If you're going for a wet shave, always make sure you're using new, sharp blades. Dull blades only spell trouble.
Always Use a Clean Razor
When you've got acne, unwanted bacteria is your enemy. Razors can harbor dead skin cells and bacteria that don't always fully rinse away. To curb skin irritation and tackle the pimple problem, regularly rinse the manual blade. When you're done, clean with an alcohol wipe, and store outside the shower. After several uses, switch your blade.
Avoid the Danger Zones
And by danger zones, we mean your pimples.
Shaving over pimples won’t help them clear faster. All it will do is open your skin up to infection, irritation, and possible scarring. Alongside that, it prolongs the healing process, meaning your breakouts will take much longer to go away.
Instead of shaving over acne, shave around it as much as possible. It might be more time consuming, but it'll be worth it when your skin doesn't have to pay the price.
Shave with the Grain
To minimize tugging and pulling on hair, shave with the grain of the hair. While shaving against the direction of hair growth provides a closer shave, it tugs more on the skin and may create even more irritation.
Slash Your Shaving Sessions
Shaving is a form of exfoliation. To put it another way, shaving your face daily may throw off your skincare regimen if you already use an exfoliating product in your weekly routine. Those dealing with acne know the need to approach exfoliating and moisturizing carefully to avoid throwing the skin off balance. If the skin's too dry or too oily, the imbalance can throw skin into a breakout. To maintain balance in your skin, stick to shaving once every couple of days or longer if possible. Your skin will thank you for it.
Avoid Using too Many Shaving Products
While pre-shave oils and aftershave lotions may work wonderfully for some skin types, individuals with acne should steer clear of burdening their skin with too many pore-clogging, potentially irritating products. They may only worsen your skin condition.
Start an Acne Treatment Routine
In addition to following an acne-friendly shaving routine, make sure you're also sticking to an acne treatment skincare routine. The best way to treat acne and prevent future blemishes is by consistently using products designed to banish acne-causing bacteria, unclog pores, and clear your complexion.
Try Truly CBD Jelly Bundle. This four-step blemish clearing kit features a facial cleanser, facial serum, body cleanser, and toning solution to help you take control of your acne. Using zit-attacking, pore-detoxing ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and retinol, these products all work in harmony to help clear up your skin and speed up the healing process.
Anytime a zit pops up, stick a Truly Hemp Acne Patch over it. Using the powers of hydrocolloid, salicylic acid, and hemp, these patches drain zits of fluid, accelerate healing, and prevent acne scars and infection.
Shaving with acne isn't super easy, but it's not totally hard, either. As long as you're careful, equipped with the right products, and in the know about the best techniques, you have nothing to worry about. While you won't expect the closest shave of your life, you can enjoy smoother skin without the risk of worsening your acne.