The Best Men’s Razor for Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin is common, especially on your face. You might break out, or be prone to rashes. You might develop a lot of ingrown hairs or burn in the sun very easily. There are a lot of ways sensitive skin can manifest itself.
Shaving is naturally a bit rough on the skin. Scraping away the first layer of dead skin cells with a razor can sometimes provoke a disproportionate reaction from sensitive skin that was counting on that layer of dead cells as protection.
Changing the razor you use and the shaving cream you shave with is an important part of keeping your sensitive skin calm. While you’re adding it, you might want to add a few other products to your routine that will keep your sensitive skin satisfied.
Why Most Razors Don’t Work
You probably weren’t under the illusion that razors are perfectly gentle.
We all know what happens when we touch sharp things. Razors are designed to cut, and you’re pressing them against your skin. It’s not out of the ordinary for someone with sensitive skin to find that certain kinds of razors cause more irritation than others.
Disposable Razors
Disposable razors aren’t made with quality in mind. They’re made to be used a few times and tossed away. Outside of being wasteful and damaging to the environment, their disposable nature means that they’re made as cheaply as possible.
They frequently have few blades, and their design requires you to make several passes over the same spot to shave that whole patch. Every pass with a razor is potentially irritating to your skin. Skip the disposable razor.
Straight Razors
Straight razors are fantastic. They’re one of the best ways to get a smooth, close shave. The refills are inexpensive for refillable models, and fixed blade models can be resharpened for years. So why avoid straight razors for sensitive skin?
Straight razors require a certain level of skill to use. People who have mastered the art of a straight razor will never turn back. People with sensitive skin who are trying to use one for the first time might come away red and raw. Finding the perfect angle is tricky for newcomers.
If you have sensitive skin and you want to use a straight razor, don’t go right for your face. Practice on an inconspicuous section of your arm or your leg first. Don’t go right for your face until you’ve mastered the angle, speed, and motion of the straight razor.
The Best Razors for Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin, some razors will work better for you than others. Avoid anything that claims to have a “moisture strip” or anything that comes with a plastic handle that you’ll need to toss in the trash in a few days.
Safety Razors
Safety razors provide the same shaving benefits as straight razors, but they’re a little easier to use. The safety razor is designed to help you find the perfect angle when you’re shaving your face. Blade refills are so inexpensive that you can swap them out with every shave without sweating it.
Although safety razors aren’t as easy to use as cartridge razors, the learning curve is less significant. If you’re patient and willing to experiment, you’ll be able to easily strategize a perfect shave without skin irritation.
Electric Razors
Using an electric razor for a wet shave is a great idea for anyone who finds that other blades irritate their skin. Electric razors collect hair and snip it close to the surface of the skin, much like a razor.
The biggest difference between something like a cartridge razor and an electric razor is that the skin is protected from contact with the cutting element.
An electric razor that allows you to shave wet is even gentler. When your skin is slick and moisturized, the glide helps the electric razor make the gentlest possible pass. Although the shave from an electric razor may not be as technically perfect as the shave from a traditional bladed razor, it will certainly reduce the potential for irritation.
There’s More To Shaving Than Razors
Men sensitive skin should be focused on everything they’re shaving with. Using the best razor in the world won’t fix the problem if it's your shaving cream that’s irritating your skin.
It’s highly possible that the formula you’re currently using doesn’t agree with you.
Artificial fragrances and colors can contribute to irritation, and they’re both commonly found in canned “shaving creams”. They often contain sodium lauryl sulfate, a skin irritant that causes a lathering effect without providing any meaningful benefits.
These metal cans don’t contain anything that meaningfully moisturizes or protects your skin. These products act as weak barriers between your skin and the razor, and even then, they barely accomplish the job.
What To Look For in a Shaving Cream
Using real shaving cream is a great first step. Real shaving cream doesn’t come in a can. It comes in a cup or a pod. It should be thick and slick to the touch.
LTHR’s shaving cream is free from chemicals and fragrances. Our cruelty free shaving cream is formulated with coconut oil to nourish your sensitive skin, aloe vera to soothe it, and glycerin to protect it.
One of the biggest benefits to LTHR is that it’s designed to be used warm with our hot lather machine. Hot lather keeps your face warm and wet while you shave. The lather will saturate dry hair, lifting it and making it easier for your razor to capture. This extra bit of encouragement from the lather helps to reduce the potential for skin irritation.
Shaving when you’re fresh out of the shower helps to boost the effects of a warm, wet shave. Your face is already warm and wet, and your whiskers are already soft. The hot lather keeps them that way and optimizes your face for the perfect shave.
Important Things to Do When You Have Sensitive Skin
In addition to changing blades and creams, you might want to consider adding SPF into your daily care routine. Exposure to sunlight can make sensitive or irritated skin feel worse. SPF is especially important if you work outside.
Restoring and maintaining a healthy moisture balance in your skin can help to reduce irritation.
Using a natural moisturizer with ingredients like aloe or chamomile can help to reduce redness and sensitivity. Just rub a little bit into your face before you go to bed. Over time, your skin will balance itself out.
The Takeaway
Choosing the right razor is a very important part of protecting your sensitive skin when you shave. Using that razor in conjunction with an expertly formulated shaving cream and a hot lather shave is going to give you the best shave you’ve ever had without irritating your skin. That’s exactly what LTHR does best.
Sources:
10 Products That are Killing the Environment (With Better Alternatives) | One Green Planet
A Close Shave: Safety Razors vs. Disposable Razors | This Vs. That