Self-Care Life Hacks: Close Shave
Feeling anxious, stressed or stuck? It can seem impossible to get yourself out of an unpleasant headspace, but we’ve all been there - and we’ve picked up a few tips and tricks along the way. In this short series, we’ll explore a few self-care life hacks you can use when you’re feeling the need to unwind.
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Having a shave might not be the first thing you think of when you’re in need of a little self-care and me-time, but consider it a fresh lick of paint for your body - whether you’re shaving your chin or your legs, turn that chore into an act of self-worship with these handy tips.
Scrub Up
Before you reach for the razor, give your skin a nice scrub with an exfoliating treatment. Removing the top layer of dead skin cells helps you start with a clean slate, and you won’t want to exfoliate after you’ve shaved - the skin will be sensitive, and scrubbing it won’t help it calm down. Find a cream based exfoliator that doesn’t contain microbeads, and gently scrub away unwanted dirt and impurities to prepare your skin to be smoothed.
Cream of the Crop
This is Rule One of shaving, but you’d be surprised how many people break it anyway. Dry shaving is terrible for your skin! Get some sort of shaving cream or foam involved to help your skin cope with the sharp razor and minimise rashes and bumps afterwards. If you ever find yourself caught without fancy foam, you can always try using a hair conditioner as a substitute - it’ll leave your skin feeling soft and smelling gorgeous.
Broad Strokes
Invest in a good quality shaving brush, because using your fingers to apply foam or cream will only smear the lather over your skin. Shaving brushes are designed to lift the hair off the surface of your skin, and give you a rich protective layer of lather that’s applied evenly. The better you prepare your skin for the shave, the less likely you are to suffer razor burn, shaving bumps and other irritations, so it’s worth the effort.
Sleep On It
You’ve probably heard that a good time to shave is after a shower, because the warm water expands your pores and brings hair follicles closer to the surface of the skin. But did you know that the best time to shave your legs is at night, before you hit the pillow? Not only will your freshly smooth legs feel amazing in the sheets, but there’s a scientific reason behind this tip. Apparently, your legs swell a little bit while you sleep, which forces your hair to withdraw back into the follicles. So if you missed any hair in your pre-bed shave, it won’t be there in the morning.
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Don’t underestimate the power of a shave for revitalising yourself and refreshing your body for the week to come. Build some shaving time into your Sunday evening and you’ll be able to greet the week with a fresh face.