For many years, women and mens shaving products and razors have been kept in completely separate aisles of a shop, allowing women to fall under false pretences. While a pink razor that claims to make your legs as smooth as silk may be appealing, you can end up paying high prices for a razor that irritates your skin and will need throwing away after a few uses.
Actually, there needn’t be a divide when it comes to mens and women’s shaving. A high-quality razor will work just as effectively as a safety razor for women for shaving a woman’s legs as it will for a man’s unruly beard – it’s all about the technique and making sure you take care of your skin both before and after.
To steer you in the right direction and away from the aisles full of multi-blade bright pink and soapy razors, let’s take a look at safety razors and how they can be used by both men and women to achieve a close shave with no irritation.
What is a safety razor?
Safety razors essentially have one blade that is double-edged, meaning it can be used in either direction. Instead of having to replace your entire razor once it becomes blunt, you only need to stock up on some new blades, making it far more of a worthwhile investment and much better for the environment.
Safety razors are widely used by men to shave their facial hair because of the incredibly close and smooth shave that can be achieved with minimal pulling on the skin – if they’re used in the right way. If you’re ready to say goodbye to the pink tax and start using a safety razor that will last you for many years, it’s important to go for a top-quality brand. The English Shaving Company only stock luxury and reputable shaving brands, offering a wide range of mens and women’s double-edged safety razors and blades allowing you to get rid of your disposable plastic options for good.
How to shave with a safety razor…
When starting out with a safety razor, it’s better to be more careful and gentle with the pressure than a disposable razor. The blades are sharper than those in a multi-blade razor, meaning they can easily cut-throat hair at the root and avoid any pulling or tugging on your skin, which is why rashes or razor bumps occur. It may take a few attempts to nail your technique but once you are familiar with the right angle and pressure to apply, you will never look back.
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Prep the skin
First of all, you should prepare your legs for shaving as you normally would. Use a good quality exfoliator to get rid of any dry skin and ensure your safety razor has a smooth and fresh layer of skin to glide across. Use hot water to open your pores and scrub away any skin cells that could get in the way of your safety razors blade.
Next, apply a layer of shaving cream or foam to your legs so they’re all lathered up and raring to go and the blade doesn’t have an opportunity to drag on any dry patches of skin. A good eco alternative and equally as effective is shaving soap.
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Shave
Hold your safety razor at a 45-degree angle to your skin and glide the blade over your legs in gentle and short strokes to ensure you can apply even pressure. You don’t need to get carried away and press harder or go over the same spot multiple times as this can irritate your skin and lead to cuts. Shaving your legs with a safety razor is essentially about letting your razor do its job – you just need to move it in the right direction and at the right angle.
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Moisturise
It’s always important to look after your skin post-shave too. While there should be little to no irritation when using a safety razor, your skin still deserves a generous amount of moisturising to prevent it from drying out once you leave the hot shower.
As you can see, shaving with a safety razor isn’t as intimidating as it might seem. Once you get used to the angles and pressure needed to glide across your skin, your legs will be consistently razor bump and hair-free.
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