How To Shave Your Beard

If you have been growing a beard for a while now and are interested in shaving it off, it's important to learn how to shave your beard properly to reduce skin irritation. By following these important steps when shaving your beard, you will reduce the risk for cuts, ingrown hairs, infections, and skin irritation.

To shave your beard you will need:

• New, 3-blade razor
• Scissors
• Warm water
• Small towel
• Shaving cream
• Shampoo or soap

1. Before you begin to shave your beard, make sure your beard is clean using shampoo or soap. By washing your beard before hand you will reduce the risk of any bacteria causing irritation to the skin. Pat your beard dry using a small towel.
2. If you have been growing your beard for quite sometime and it is rather long, you will need to trim it before you shave your beard. Using scissors, very carefully trim your beard so the length is no more than 3/4 of an inch. Be very careful not to cut yourself.
3. To begin shaving your beard, you want the hair follicles to be soft and the skin and muscles of the face to be relaxed. To do this, dampen a small towel in warm water and apply it to the beard area. Leave the towel on your face for about 5 minutes to allow the heat to make the shaving process easier.
4. To shave your beard, you will need to apply shaving cream to your beard. Make sure you use enough so the razor slides over the skin without causing any irritation.
5. Begin shaving your beard with a new 3-blade razor that has been dampened. When you shave your beard always shave in the direction of the hair growth, never against it because this increases the risk for ingrown hairs and skin irritation. You will need to rinse the razor blade often to avoid the clogged razor from pulling the hair, causing irritation.

After you have fully shaved your beard, rinse your face with cool water to remove any loose hair or excess shaving cream. By rinsing with cool water, you will cause the skin pores to close, sealing the skin and reducing the risk for infection.