Shaving Tips for Black Men
Ingrown hair (pseudofolliculitis) and razor bumps are tiresome and painful.
They can be such a bother to treat and we see you looking for answers on Black Skin Directory. Don’t worry, we got you.
Ingrown hairs are very common on Black skin due to the naturally curly and coily nature of Afro hair. When the hair is cut either by shaving or clipping, it can curl back on itself as it regrows and pierce the skin causing small itchy painful bumps. This can also sometimes lead to inflammation and an infection called Folliculitis barbae. Not pleasant.
To avoid ingrown hair and razor bumps:
Prepare the skin before shaving, steam from a hot shower will soften your skin, open pores, and loosen skin cells. If you can’t do a hot shower, then putting a hot flannel over your face will do a similar job.
Wash your face with an exfoliating cleanser such as Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Lactic Acid Cleanser to remove old skin cells. The trick is to use neat, leave on the skin for five to ten minutes before rinsing off.
Use a safety razor with a single-blade and shave in the direction of the hair growth as this creates less friction and irritation. You can get very good shaving sticks options from brands like Bevel and Mühle.
Make sure your blade is sharp so you can do a good job first time round, as you don’t want to be repeatedly shaving the same area over and over again. That creates friction which leads to irritation and then hyperpigmentation which is never a good look.
Get into the habit and washing and drying your blade thoroughly as well as changing the blade often. Dull blades will only pull and tug at the skin.
After shaving apply an antioxidant and a gentle moisturiser to condition the skin, stave off hyperpigmentation and encourage healing. Don’t forget to also apply a sunscreen.
SKINCARE FOR SHAVING
If you have a beard:
Yes, a full and lush beard is something to be admired but stop coating your beard in oil every day to keep it shiny and glossy. Don’t forget you have skin underneath that tends to be oiler, thicker and rougher. Oils can block your pores, leading to breakouts, which leads to hyperpigmentation.
If you are using oils, thoroughly wash your face in the evening to avoid stacking up future problems, and apply a proper moisturiser to your skin before a few drops of oil to keep your beard glossy and tame the stray hairs.