SIMON'S TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL ROUTINE
Gents expert in shaving, beard, and hair advises
Everything goes faster and easier with the right equipment. Here we have gathered Gents barber Simon's best tips to help you succeed with your shaving and/or beard routine.
PREPARATIONS ARE KEY
The key to a good shave often lies in the preparations and the conclusion of the entire "ritual". To prepare your skin as well as possible, you should ideally start with a clean "canvas". That means a gentle cleansing with a facial wash/gel in lukewarm water. By using lukewarm water, you soften the hair, making the whole shaving process much easier.
For a little extra "luxury", you can use a pre-shave. That means an oil or, for example, Proraso's pre-shave cream. The oil generally provides better glide and a more pleasant shave, while Proraso's creams may have other functions, such as menthol which can cool and prevent shaving irritation, or their red series which has a very moisturizing effect thanks to shea butter. It works just as well to shower before shaving to prepare the skin, but be careful not to shower too hot as the skin can dry out more easily.
PAY ATTENTION TO POST-SHAVE CARE
After shaving, it is vital to apply an aftershave, preferably in the form of a balm. Lotion (alcohol-based splash) can work if you use something like Proraso's red series, but an aftershave balm helps the skin to repair more easily after shaving and can help against any friction during shaving. Aftershave balm is most important during winter when the climate is cooler and dries out the skin, but it doesn't mean you can skip moisturizing during summer. However, you can use a thinner balm/gel (Benjamin Barber's after shave gel) during summer if you find it feels "sticky".
BEARD
For those with beards, I would like to recommend building a routine with beard oil. Apply the oil to the beard after showering as it is beneficial for the skin underneath. When it comes to longer beards, I would recommend combining the beard oil with a beard balm. The reason is that the oil works more easily into the beard down to the skin, while the balm sits more "on top" and can function as a lighter styling product. With the balm, you can easily shape the beard and avoid any stray hairs
Would you like help finding the right tools for your shaving routine? With a digital test, our skin therapists and barbers provide you with a unique analysis that guides you to the right products and knowledge about your best possible shaving/beard routine!