SKINCARE
HOW TO GET THE BEST FROM YOUR
MORNING SHAVE
Preparation, products and patience – the three things you need
to get the best from your morning shave. Below, premium men’s
grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge teams up with award-
winning barber Luigi Caterino to help you master your shaving
technique.
The first big mistake many men make is to shave before hitting the
shower. But making sure your beard is thoroughly wet and your skin
is softened by the warm water will hugely reduce your chance of
razor burn or shaving rash.
Warming the skin and moistening stubborn stubble will soften facial
hair and is why barbers use hot towels on their clients ahead of a
shave. You can recreate that barbershop feeling at home by simply
wetting a clean flannel in hot water and leaving it to sit on your
cheeks for a few minutes.
Luigi says: “Using a shaving brush, lather up your shaving cream
with a little water. You can lather the cream into a bowl, or straight
on to your face. Either way, you should only be using an almond-
Pre-shave oils will also help to further soften hair. Master Barber Luigi
Caterino, Britain’s Best Wet Shaving Barber 2015 and ambassador for
The Bluebeards Revenge, is a big advocate of pre-shave oil. He said:
“The use of pre-shave oil should be a big part of every man’s shaving
sized amount of cream for each shave. For the best results, use The
Bluebeards Revenge Shaving Cream.”
Now that all the prep is done, you’re ready to start shaving.
routine. Massage the oil into the skin before the effects of your warm Patience is the key to a blemish-free shave. It is a meticulous
shower or hot towel treatment wear off and your pores start to close process and should not be rushed. Apply the lather evenly to your
back up.” face. Then, make sure you shave with the grain; shaving against
The last stage of your preparation is to lather your favourite shaving
cream. Traditional creams provide a smoother shave than off-the-
shelf shaving foams in a tin; the lather you create from them is often
the grain increases the chance of razor rash and ingrown hairs.
Keep your strokes short and light and remove excess shaving
cream from the razor between passes.
thicker and less soapy, meaning your razor will glide across your face Caring for your skin immediately after a shave is important too.
with much less resistance. Combine a shaving cream with a shaving Find a post-shave balm that you feel comfortable with and
brush to help further exfoliate the skin, remove nasty impurities and moisturise it into your skin for a cooling sensation that will leave
lift facial hair ready for your razor. you feeling refreshed all day long.
If you’re prone to cutting yourself, Luigi suggests that you invest
in an alum block: “An alum block is a great way to help seal the
inevitable cuts and nicks that come with regular shaving. Simply
wet the block and glide it over cuts. It’ll sting a little, but is a much
better alternative to blotches of white tissue paper.”
And there you have it, a perfect morning shave to start your day.
To master your morning shave, shop award-winning shave
products from The Bluebeards Revenge: www.bluebeards-
revenge.co.uk.
82
The Art of Luxury
Issue 42 2019