The Official Groom-ing Guide

After hours of planning and getting ready, every bride wants their groom to make an effort for the big day. From shaving to hair styling, there are plenty of ways a groom can freshen up his every day look. We've teamed up with The Personal Barber to bring Grooms the ultimate grooming guide for the perfect shave. 

 

 

 

The number one piece of advice for anyone wanting a comfortable, close shave, is to prepare the skin and hair for shaving. Take a warm shower for at least 5 minutes before pulling your razor out. This prepares the skin in a number of ways. Firstly, it cleans your face and removes any debris. Secondly, it relaxes the skin and thirdly, it softens the beard which makes the hairs a lot easier to cut through.

 

 

The best shave a man can have is when someone else does it! A professional would use a single blade because it’s the most gentle on the skin.  They also use a luxurious cream or soap that is whipped up with a soft brush that is then massaged over the skin. However a straight blade can be a bit daunting and, unless your rolling in cash and spare time, we suggest you shave yourself using a classic double-edged safety razor. This still has a single blade to give you the most comfortable shave possible but the guard prevents any chance of you slicing anything off (that’s why it’s called a “safety" razor). 

 

 

There are just two things to bear in mind when shaving, the angle of the blade and amount of pressure you are applying. Angle - You want the blade to cut along the hairs, rather than scrape across the skin and therefore a shallow angle is best. 30 degrees is the approximate recommendation. Pressure - Never press the blade against your skin! This can cause unsightly razor burn and bumps. The trick is to not apply any pressure at all, you should let the weight of the razor glide down your face without effort. 

 

 

The hair on your face grows in a pattern that is unique to you as everyone’s stubble is different. The first pass of your razor should always be with the direction that your hair grows, never against it. Your second pass can then be across or against the hair, depending on how resilient your skin is. 

 

 

The act of shaving is quite aggressive on the skin so using a nourishing post-shave balm is critical to keeping it in top condition. Designed to sooth the skin as well as hydrate and relieve any redness or irritation. If you use a moisturiser in your normal grooming routine, apply it after the balm, once it has had time to soak in.

 

 

The feeling of working up your own warm, scented lather, and then methodically removing it from your face with a gentle glide of your razor is a thoroughly satisfying experience. The ceremony and act of honing your technique turns shaving from a daily chore into a pleasure that you genuinely look forward to every day. The fact you come out with a closer, more comfortable shave is just an added bonus.