How to Shave With a Safety Razor.

This is a guide to help anyone who wants to learn the proper technique for shaving with a safety razor. This will help you have a quicker and smoother shave, while also avoiding injuries that are common to shaving with a safety razor. This method of shaving typically takes me 3-8 minutes to completely shave my face when I have up to 3 or 4 days of facial hair. Longer facial hair tends to take more time, but can still be removed with ease using a safety razor.

Safety concerns – It is easy to get cut while shaving due to
the nature of the tools. To prevent this be sure that your face is wet and that you have a sharp blade.

What you need - 1 brush, 1 safety razor with blade, 1 mug, soap, and a cloth.

Wash or rinse your face with warm water. This will help make the shave smoother and helps the skin contour to the blade.

Start by wetting the brush under warm water. This will allow the brush to become smooth and make it easier to apply a lather to your face.

Create a Lather. This is done by using the mug with soap in it and the brush. Take the brush and mix the soap in a circular motion to create a lather.

Apply the Lather to your face. This is done by gathering the lather on the brush and wiping on your face. Be sure to cover every area you want to shave.

Shave above the jaw. Take your safety razor and rinse under warm water to maintain a comfortable shave. Start shaving by placing the razor at approximately 45 degrees to your skin. Slowly pull the razor in the same direction as your hair. This lowers the chance of cutting yourself and should feel smooth. Shaving will collect hair and lather in the razor. When done, rinse the razor off to remove the lather and hair.

Shave below the jaw. Start by pointing the chin up. This keeps the skin taut and helps keep the shave smooth. Place the razor on your neck and move in the direction of the hair. This will feel smoother and makes cuts less likely. Use extra caution around the Adam’s apple, as this area isn’t quite as smooth and is prone to cuts.

Shave along the jaw. Remove the line of hair along the jaw by placing the safety razor below the ear and moving towards the chin. Use caution to prevent cutting yourself, since the jaw may not be as wide the blade and increases the chance of cutting yourself. Shave below your chin by pointing your chin upwards and gently moving the blade down the neck.

Shave the upper lip. Pull your lips down to maintain a taut upper lip. Slowly pull the razor down the lip, starting below the nose. Take extra caution when you get to the lips, as it is an uneven surface and is another likely area to get cut.

Shave the lower lip. Relax the mouth and place the razor just below the lower lip. Slowly pull the razor down towards the chin. Look for missed hairs around the mouth and remove them with the razor if found.

Inspect your face to determine if there are any stray hairs. If there are, place more lather on your face and slowly move the razor along your face to remove the stray hairs.

Clean off your face. If there are no stray hairs, wipe of the excess lather with a towel and inspect your newly clean shaven face.

Clean up. Rinse off and wash the razor to prevent any lather from caking on and to remove hairs. Wash off the brush to keep the bristles soft and put away.

If the razor feels like it is tugging on your hairs, check to see if the razor is either clogged or dull. If the razor is clogged, open the razor head and remove the blade to rinse it off. If the blade is dull, simply replace it.