Shaving

Let me remind you that the person writing this guide is a man. I shave my beard, I don’t shave my legs. Nevertheless, I try to make this chapter as general as possible.

Your beard makes a huge difference in your appearance. It seems like it’s more of a “looking-good thing” than actually about personal hygiene, but that’s not true. Remember my comments about health issues when you don’t wash your hair? Well, your beard is also hair, and it has the same effects. If your beard is dirty, messy, not clean, it becomes a breading ground for filth and harmful bacteria, irritating the skin underneath.

Whether you shave your beard, or legs, or whatever, is up to you. I’ve talked with women who stated they hated beards, but just as many who found that part attractive.

Caring for The Beard

Some people shave only when their facial hair becomes too long and too rough. It Is the method that takes the least effort and time, but you guessed it: it’s not the right way to do it.

Take care of your beard every day. Preferably make it the first thing after or before you take a shower. If you want to keep a beard, simply trim it quickly and subtly. If you want a clean look, completely shave it off every day.

Why every day? If it grows too long, it becomes much harder to shave, especially with an electric razor. Additionally, cutting it all of at once, has a high probability of inflicting wounds or rashes on your skin.

Wash your beard under the shower, at the same time you wash your hair.

Finally, regularly check yourself in the mirror, to make sure there’s nothing sticking in your beard or it isn’t longer than you thought. I am certainly guilty of allowing my beard to grow wild and looking silly on occasion.

How to shave

Most razors have some angle or direction. They aren’t perfectly straight, they curve some way. Move it around so that you follow that curve.

It’s recommended to shave slowly and deliberately. Like somebody mowing the grass and trying to create perfect rows and columns, not missing a hair.

Some spots are harder to reach, like around the lips and under the chin. Use your tongue to push out the skin on those places. (Looks stupid, very effective.)

If your beard is really thick, start with a more general shave. (Most razors can vary the length of hair they leave.) Once the bulk is gone, do a more close shave.

Caring for The Rest

For most people, more hair grows on the legs than the arms. And men grow more hair than women, in general, everywhere.

Keep it clean, and it’s nothing to worry about. Most people don’t have any issue with this, as it’s only natural. Don’t shave this because you think you have to, shave it for a good reason.

The biggest issue are the “lonely hairs”. Just one or two hairs, on their one, sticking out way further than the rest. Check these once in a while and just cut them off with a scissor.

Hair on the chest becomes more prevalent as a man grows older. The same is true for hair on your back. Again, this is natural and varies between people. Some find it ugly, some find it attractive, there’s no rule here.

However, beard and legs can be shaved. Larger areas, such as chest and back, are too broad for a simple razor. If you really want to remove that, waxing is a painful but effective option.