Acne.org's guide to shaving

Step 1: Choosing your equipment

Razor: I've personally tried many razors from single blade disposable to three and four blade razors. The most comfortable and gentle razor I've found is the Gillete Sensor Excel. It's a twin blade (2 blade) razor which offers a close shave with minimum irritation. My second choice would be a disposable twin blade such as the Gillette Good News. For whatever reason, single blade razors and multiple blade razors are all more irritating than a twin blade.

Shaving Foam/Gel/Cream: Personally I use three pumps of the Acne.org cleanser to shave with (see video below). If you use a shaving cream, make sure it is non-comedogenic. It should specifically claim to be non-comedogenic on the label.

Shaving Oil: If you feel your skin needs extra protection and opt for a shaving oil, ensure you choose a non-comedegenic formula. Jojoba oil is a good choice.

Step 2: Preparation

One of the most important steps to a perfect shave is preparation. It's essential that you prepare your skin for your shave. Warm/hot water will soften your beard, resulting in a much more comfortable and less irritating shave. Probably the easiest way to achieve this is to shave at the end of your shower or immediately after exiting the shower. Fact: wet hair is more than twice as easy to cut than dry hair.

Applying a pre-shave oil before shaving will further soften the beard as well as assist with razor glide and offer more protection. Apply pre-shave oil to damp skin. You only need a few drops for your full beard. Massage the oil in to the beard, going against the grain very gently. This will help lift your hairs.

Step 3: The Shave

Following these instructions should result in a close and comfortable shave.

Always shave with the grain. The grain is the direction the hair grows in. Usually on the cheeks the hair growth will be from the top to bottom. Take extra care when shaving around the neck and adam's apple. The hair in this area can grow in many different directions. Taking extra care to shave with the grain, will help prevent razor burn and ingrown hairs.

I shave my cheeks first, giving the chin/moustache area a little extra time for the hairs to soften.

Once you've finished shaving, wash your face with your regular cleanser. If you've shaved with the Acne.org cleanser you'll only need to wash your forehead and nose after you shave.

Step 4: Wash forehead and nose

There is no need to rewash your beard area. Simply wash your forehead and nose and you will be done with the gentle cleansing step of the Regimen. If you came to this page from the Step-by-Step instructions page, click here to return to that page.

Step 5: Post Shave

Follow with your usual Regimen.

Other options

If your skin still becomes irritated, despite following this guide, you could try using a beard trimmer, not to be confused with an electric shaver. I have tried many electrics, and I don't recommend using any of them, as they tend to be very irritating.

A beard trimmer, as the name suggests, will only trim your beard and won't achieve a clean shave. Though with the guard removed you can get your beard down to a close stubble.