How to Avoid Nicks and Cuts While Shaving

If you are tired of leaving your bathroom each morning with tiny toilet paper squares stuck to your face to repair the damage you have done while shaving, then this article is especially for you.  Nicks and cuts, much like taxes and women, are an often annoying inevitability of life.  This article might not help you get out of hot water with the IRS or your wife, but these tips will certainly help you "save face" while shaving.

1.  Pressure is everything.  Most of us apply too much pressure while shaving, probably out of habit from shaving with cheap disposable razors.  Most razors on the market, especially those with multiple blades, will only require a light touch while shaving.  By simply reducing pressure while shaving, you will reduce nicks and cuts.

2.  Never shave on dry skin.  Shaving on wet skin has many benefits.  The razor will glide over the skin easier, and the hair will be softer and easier to shave.  Even with the best shaving creams or gels, you will always want to make sure that your skin is wet.

3.  Don't shave against the grain.  Shaving in the direction that the hair grows will result in significantly less irritation and it will also prevent ingrown hairs.  Of course, your shave won't be as close, but this might be a small price to pay if you are prone to cutting or nicking yourself.

4.  Hold the skin taut while shaving.  With your free hand, pull the skin taut in the area you are shaving.  It will be much harder to cut yourself this way.

5.  Keep your razor clean.  Rinse your razor with hot water after every stroke.  If hair builds up between the blades of your razor, you will be far more likely to cut or nick yourself while shaving.  A clean razor equals a clean shave.

6.  Don't rush.  Most cuts occur when a man is in a hurry.  Just as driving a car around curves at a high speed will result in a crash, shaving around the curves of your face at a high rate of speed will result in a cut.

7.  Keep your skin moisturized.  If you have chronically dry skin, you will suffer from more nicks and cuts.  Men who keep their skin soft with lotion or moisturizing cream will suffer less from nicks and cuts because the razor will have a smoother surface to glide over.

These seven tips are guaranteed to reduce a wide variety of shaving mishaps, from nicks and cuts to razor burn, irritation, and ingrown hairs.