How to Shave Your Face

Co-authored by Timmy Yanchun

Last Updated: June 25, 2022 References Approved

If you’re new to shaving, or if it’s been a while since your last shave, you may be wondering how to best go about it. Fortunately, there are a bunch of different products and devices that you can use to get a close and pain-free shave. To make the process simple for you, we’ve answered a few of the most common questions that folks have about shaving.

Question 1 of 5:

What is the best way to shave your face?

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Start by washing your face with a cleanser and warm water. Relax your skin and open up your pores with some warm water, apply a face cleanser, and work it up into a nice leather. Gently scrub your face with your hands and then rinse it clean to remove any oil, dirt, and gunk from your skin.^{[1]
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- Shaving a clean face can help reduce irritation. It can also reduce your chance of getting ingrown hairs.
- You can follow up with an exfoliator to remove additional dead skin cells before you shave if you like, but make sure it’s a gentle scrub so you don’t irritate your skin.
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Apply shaving cream to your face in an upward motion. Shaving cream will help prevent skin irritation and give you a closer shave.^{[2]
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Research source} Spread a thin layer over your face and apply it in an upward motion to help lift your hairs up and away from your face, which will make it easier to shave them off.^{[3]
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Use short, light strokes with a razor to shave your face. Use a razor for a closer shave and use small, 2 in (5.1 cm) strokes. Start with your cheeks and save the more sensitive skin of your neck for last. For tricky angles, such as around your lip and your jawline, puff out your cheeks with air to make it easier to shave. Rinse off the blade between each stroke so they’re smooth and consistent and continue shaving your entire face in small, light motions.^{[4]
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- For instance, avoid long strokes from your ear down to your chin, which can cause the razor to get jammed up and shave your skin unevenly. Instead, stick to shorter strokes for consistency.

Question 2 of 5:

Should you shave up or down your face?

Shaving in the direction your hair grows will cause less irritation. While shaving “against the grain,” meaning you’re shaving in the opposite direction that your hair grows, can give you a closer shave, it can also irritate your skin.^{[5]
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Research source} Your facial hair generally grows in a downward direction, but in some locations, such as your chin or neck, it may grow upward. Take your time and shave “with the grain” or in the direction your hair grows to reduce razor burn, ingrown hairs, and even scarring.^{[6]
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- It may not be obvious which direction your hair grows, especially around your neck, so take your time and avoid rushing through your shave.

Question 3 of 5:

How do you shave with an electric razor?

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Clean your face and apply a shave oil to your skin. It’s always important to start with clean skin. Use a face cleanser and warm water to gently scrub your face clean. Apply a small amount of shave oil to lift the hairs and prepare your skin for shaving. Shaving oil is a blend of natural oils that helps lubricate and protect your skin from cuts and irritation^{[7]
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- Shave oil will help reduce irritation and won’t gunk up your electric razor like shaving cream will, but you can still use shaving cream if you prefer.
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Stretch your skin with 1 hand and run the razor over your skin. Stretching your skin helps the electric razor shave your face more evenly and consistently. Starting with your cheeks, gently tug on your skin with 1 hand and run the electric razor over your skin to shave the hair. It’ll usually take multiple passes to fully shave the area. Work your way down along your jawline, chin, and around your lips. Shave your neck area last.^{[9]
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- Another benefit of electric razors is you can shave in basically any direction. You can go up and down or side to side to get the job done.

Question 4 of 5:

Will shaving your facial hair make it grow back thicker and darker?

No, shaving does not make your hair grow back darker or thicker. This is one of those myths that just seems to stick around no matter how many times it’s discredited. While shaving the hair on your face (or anywhere else on your body) may make it appear thicker for a short time, it’s really just because the razor sliced away the tip of the hair, which can make it look thicker and darker than it was before the cut. But once the hair starts to regrow, it won’t look any different than it did before you shaved.^{[10]
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- Part of the reason this myth sticks around is that when young boys start shaving, it may appear to grow back thicker and darker simply because they’re starting to grow more facial hair in general.

Question 5 of 5:

Is it bad to shave your face as a woman?

There are pros and cons to shaving your face. Shaving can be a great way to get rid of peach fuzz. It can also leave your skin nice and smooth, which can make your makeup look smoother and make it easier to apply. However, keep in mind that you might develop stubble on your face from shaving it, and shaving can cause irritation and lead to ingrown hairs.^{[11]
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- Legend has it even Marilyn Monroe shaved her face to make it smoother.
- If you do shave your face, follow up with a moisturizer to help prevent dryness.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do I switch over to using an electric razor?

Timmy Yanchun
Professional Barber
Timmy Yanchun is a Professional Barber and Co-Founder of Svelte Barbershop + Essentials. Svelte Barbershop + Essentials is a men’s grooming company, specializing in men’s hair, beard, skin, and shave products, originally located in the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, California but has now branched out to 3 locations across Los Angeles. Timmy has been cutting hair since age 13 and opened his first of 6 barbershops at age 18. He is also the co-founder of the newly launched brand LTHR, the world's first wireless hot lather machine for barber quality shaves at home. Timmy and Svelte have been featured in GQ, Men's Fitness, and Hypebeast.

Timmy Yanchun

Professional Barber

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

The best way to start using an electric shaver is to grow out your facial hair to a stubble and then use a beard trimmer to lightly trim it and keep it at that length for a week or two. maybe a week or two. Then, once you get your facial skin used to the abrasion of a metal trimmer, you can start to use an electric razor to fully shave your facial hair.
Question

How should I shave around a cut?

Community Answer

Don't. It will irritate the cut. Just trim it using a scissors and trim only up to the part where the scissors can cut.
Question

What direction should I shave my face?

Community Answer

You should shave your face with the grain (that is, the direction with the least amount of resistance).