How to Prevent Razor Burn

Adv_for_womens_shavingI’ve always had sensitive skin. But for unknown reasons, my legs decided to stage a revolt against the Tyranny of Shaving sometime in college and started to break out in awful bumps every time I shaved. Thus began years of searching for a razor burn cure.

I tried switching to Veet. I tried shaving with the grain. I tried shaving with baby oil instead of shaving cream. No matter what I tried, a day or two later, my skin was still prone to breaking out in those oh-so-attractive red razor bumps. With Labor Day weekend coming up, there’s a few more weeks to bare those legs on a beach somewhere, so I thought I’d share the shaving routine I’ve found works best for me to prevent razor burn and get rid of razor bumps if they do appear.

Step 1: Prevent Razor Burn

Exfoliate to prevent ingrown hairsFirst, exfoliate. Exfoliating helps to prevent ingrown hairs. I use St. Ives, Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub. It’s paraben-free and pretty gentle.

Next, I switched to Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel with Natural Colloidal Oatmeal. It’s fragrance-free and has helped keep the sensitive skin in check.

Razors to prevent razor bumpsFinally, you’ll need to find a single-blade razor. This way, the blade only runs over your skin once, instead of the 3-5 consecutive swipes of a multi-blade razor. I recommend the Bump Fighter Razor. It’s designed to keep the blade slightly off your skin as you shave. Sure, you may not feel like a delicate flower while gripping the utilitarian black plastic, but at least the clean-shaven man on the package is easy on the eyes. Cons: You will not get the closest shave of your life with this razor and will probably have to shave more often for upkeep than you might with a traditional razor. But I find it’s acceptably smooth and much worth the tradeoff.

Step 2: Get Rid of Razor Bumps

Occasionally, despite your best efforts, razor bumps still appear. Good news! No need to buy any new products. I’ve found exfoliating again with the St. Ives, Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub has significantly reduced razor bumps when I occasionally do get them.

That’s the shaving routine that worked to prevent razor burn for me. What’s worked for you?

Top Image: Wikimedia Commons / Other images Amazon.com

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