Shaving Advice for Men from Clinique

MFB have listed some of the best shaving strategies, as recommended by Clinique (2007).
General

• Skip shaving days when possible. This gives your skin a chance to rest.


• Alternate between a razor and electric shaver.


• Look for shaving products that are formulated to help make beard hair softer and finer. This makes it easier to cut through the hair when you shave.

Pre-shave

• Apply moistorising lotion several minutes prior to shaving.

Shave

• Use a fresh razor blade thus allowing you to apply minimal pressure.


• Reduce friction on the skin by using a rich lather.


• Avoid foams that are high in surfactants (lathering agents).

Post-shave

• Choose low-alcohol or “buffered” alcohol shaving products containing:
  - anti-irritants;
  - barrier restoratives;
  - antioxidants
  - aloe (to soothe minor nicks and cuts).


• Wait a few minutes before splashing on fragrance.

MFB

Reference: Clinique (2007), “Practive Safe Shaving”, Clinique Skin Supplies for Men – Product Guide, London.

Clinique for Men – Shaving Products

Clinique is the market leading in skin care. Clinique Skin Supplies for Men is a comprehensive range of shaving and skin care products that utilises the research of Clinique’s experienced dermatologists. MFB regard Clinique Skin Supplies for Men as the premier product range and recommend its use as second to none.


MFB highlights the entire line of Clinique Skin Supplies for Men below, listing the benefits of each product, and when to use them!

Clinique Pre-shave Products

Before you shave, clean your face!

Face Soap – An efficient way to remove oil and dirt. Clinique’s soap is gentle yet thorough and leaves skin feeling fresh but never too tight. Use Regular for normal to dry skin and; Extra-Strength for normal to oily skin.

Liquid Face Wash – This residue-free formula cleans gently and rinses off easily. Use Regular Strength for normal to dry skin; and Extra-Strength for normal to oily skin.

Face Scrub – Uses fine, non-abrasive grains that lift the beard hairs and help reduce ingrown hairs. Also helps unclog pours and dislodge dirt.

If you electric shave…

Electric Shave Primer – Softens the beard for a closer shave. Furthermore it holds moisture near the beard, leaving skin smooth. Apply this after you have used Clinique Face Scrub.

Clinique Shaving Products

Remember to wet shave during or after a shower to allow steam to soften the beard and make for a closer shave.


Soothing Shave Oil – Clinique offer a vitamin-rich oil that lifts the beard and reduces friction on the skin to prevent razor burn and leave skin feeling soft. It is possible to use this Clinique Shave Oil alone but more commonly it is used as an underlay to other shave products to cushion the skin.

M Shave Aloe Gel – An oil free gel that can be built into a rich lather and used to cushion the face from the razor. This product is more suited to normal to oily skin. For drier skins use Clinique’s Cream Shave.

Cream Shave – This product is lubricant-rich an ideal for drier skins. It stays at the beard roots and creates a cushion that ensures a smooth shave.

MFB recommend using M Shave Aloe Gel and Cream Shave with Clinique’s Soothing Shave Oil.

Post-Shave Products

Clinique offer a number of post-shave formulas to soothe razor burn, keeping your face smooth and clear. This ensures your next shave is even easier!

Post-Shave Soother (Beard Control Formula) – This Clinique post-shave product, suitable for all types of skin, promotes healing of small cuts and nicks. Clinique claim that over time it help make the beard’s hair softer for an easier shave. Use this product on the beard area only.

Post-Shave Soother (Anti-Blemish Formula) – Clinique’s skin-clearing product which helps reduce and prevent breakouts, keeping your face looking clear and looking good! Use this product on the beard area only.

Post-Shave Healer – Similar to the above post-shave products; reducing razor burn and repairing cuts and nicks from the shave.

M Lotion – Soothing moisturising cream to help keep skin good working condition. Use on the area of face you haven’t shaved.

Look out for more guides to Clinique skin supplies for men, from MFB...

Click here for the MFB guide to Clinique Men's Basic Skin Care products.

MFB

Shaving Advice: The most common mistakes men make when wet-shaving.

MFB have listed some of the most common mistakes men commit when shaving. Avoid these blunders at all costs to ensure a clean, close, cut free shave.

Shaving too fast

Take your time! If you shave at speed you will make mistakes and most likely cut yourself. Carefully control the razor across your skin. Give yourself a couple of extra minutes to shave… it will be worth it.

Using normal soap as shaving cream

Normal soap will dry the skin and doesn't soften the hairs on your face. This makes for a more difficult shave. Always opt for a shaving gel, cream or specialist shaving soap.

Shaving before a shower

Most men that do this think that they can clean their face (in the shower) after a shave and thus save time. However these men don’t benefit from the advantages a couple of minutes of pre-shave hot water exposure can give you. Indeed the shower’s steam softens the hair on your face making for an easier shave. Furthermore the heat opens and unclogs pours to clear away impurities. Plus an opened pore is much easier to shave!

Not cleaning the pre-shave face

Again, most men think they should clean their face after the shave. However by cleaning away dirt and grease before a shave, you remove a layer or barrier that would otherwise lie between your skin and the razor. Removing this unwanted layer on your skin gives a much closer shave. If you want to save some time, one tip is to clean your face whilst in the shower before you shave.

MFB

The Badger Hair Shaving Brush

Using a fine badger hair brush to brush quality shaving cream onto your face is a necessity in obtaining that perfect shave! MFB investigate the use of badger hair brushes for men…

Why use badger hair brushes?

Although shaving cream may be applied with the fingers, MFB recommends the use of a good quality shaving brush for three reasons.

1. A good shaving brush absorbs hot water then releases and mixes the hot water with the shaving cream as you apply the cream to your face. The combination of hot water mixing with the cream and getting beaten by the brush during application, delivers a thicker, richer, more emollient lather that’s you would not be able to achieve with your fingers.

2. A shaving brush also gently exfoliates the dead skin from your face before shaving. This eradicates an unwanted layer between the blade and your hair, assisting in a closer shave.

3. The brushing lifts your beard and suspends the hair upright in the thick lather, which exposes the maximum hair length to your razor blade to ensure you remove as much hair as possible, thus obtaining a closer shave.

How to use a badger hair brush

It's simple! Skim the brush back and forth across your face and neck in and up and down motion.

Choosing a badger hair brush

The choice of badger hair is dependent to where on the body the hair was harvested from. There are three grades of badger hair in general use:

1. Pure brushes - which have dark hair of medium to short length.


2. Best brushes - which have long to medium length, with a creamy tip and softer feel.


3. Super brushes - which have longer length hair with a very soft creamy white tip. Super badger is chosen by many for its' soft yet luxurious and effective performance however super badger hair is rare commodity making, making it very expensive.

Makers of badger hair brushes

Leading makers of shaving brushes include English companies Cyril R Salter, A. Simpson & Co., and G.B. Kent & Sons. The aforementioned makers are acknowledged by many as creating the best quality and most refined shaving brushes in the world and MFB recommends no others. Indeed G.B. Kent has been making the world's finest brushes since 1777 and is internationally renowned for selecting the best materials, applying advanced manufacturing methods, and finishing with impecable attention to detail that creates a shaving brush that is as close to perfect as is possible.

To browse through a collection of men's shaving brushes by the very best shaving brush makers; including Simpsons and G.B. Kent, click here.

MFB

Shaving Tips for Men

A good shave will keep you looking your best! A poor shave will not only make you look untidy; it will also make your skin feel harsh. Avoid rashes and cuts when shaving with some tips from MFB...

Pre-shaving advice

1. Don’t shave directly after waking up in the morning. Leaving it 10 to 15 minutes will allow the puffiness in your skin (caused by fluid collection) to fade away, helping you to get a close shave.
2. Before you shave, exfoliate! Use a facial cleanser or scrub to eradicate dead skin cells. This helps avoid ingrown hair. It also opens the pores of the skin in preparation for the shave.
3. Shave under good conditions! Good lighting and a decent mirror (preferably a three-mirror setup).
4. Wet your stubble with warm/hot water before shaving. This opens the pores and swells the hair shaft allowing the blade to cut the hair easier. Just after you have had a shower is the perfect time to shave.
5. Thoroughly massage shave cream into stubble before you start your shave - this helps soften the stubble. Choose a vitamin E or aloe vera based shaving product that will help protect against razor rashes and burns.
6. Use a brush to apply cream. The brush ensures a even spread and also lifts your hairs.
7. For best results, use a pre-shave oil. This is not essential, but oil is a time-honored treatment for men with heavier beards or sensitive skin. Apply oil before shaving cream.
8. Use sharp blades. Dull blades are responsible for most shaving cuts. Men end up dragging the razor over their face and catch skin with the rest of the beard. Keep razor blades sharp to avoid this...change blades after every two or three shaves.
9. In addition, using a razor with multliple blades will assist in a closer shave.

Tips for during shaving

1. Keep rinsing your razor blade in hot water whilst shaving. Rinse after each stroke.
2. Use slow, short strokes during your shave. To get best results you should take your time as you shave.
3. Shave with the grain (in the direction the hair grows) on your face! This is a key piece of shaving advice. Shaving against the grain of hair growth can cause redness, rashes, razor burn, cuts and ingrown hairs.
4. Using a razor with a pivoting head allows you to shave better and smoother over and around bony places, curves, bumps and other angles of the face & body.
5. Use one hand to hold the razor. Use the second hand to hold your skin taut.

Post-shaving advice

1. When you’ve finished your shave, apply an oil-free moisturiser to soothe and protect your face. If you’re using an after-shave, check the label for alcohol. Alcohol based aftershave will sting and make your skin dry.
2. Be careful of mentholated shaving products. Whilst they give a nice 'cool' sensation at first they can be irritating to the skin.

MFB