UrbanUpdate

Learning how to shave seems like a lost art these days. Plus, with beards or perma-stubble being mainstays for the rest of time, most of us would rather not risk things like ingrown hairs, shave cuts, or razor burn and bumps. But don’t mistake that as a downvote for shaving: Few things feel as refreshing as a freshly shorn mug. And even if you prefer stubble or scruff, there are going to be a few moments in life where you need to stick the landing with your razor. (And no, not just an electric razor—though those are great for stubble maintenence—like, an actual manual razor.)

If you need a refresher on how to shave, or if it’s your very first time (welcome), we put together a step-by-step guide. We’ll walk through the primary steps, call out some of the most essential items, and drop a few of our favorite picks in each field.

How to Shave, Step by Step1. Trim it to a Stubble

Unless you’re shaving off just a few days’ worth of stubble, then you should start with a beard trim. While the best razors can probably mow through it, you’ll likely experience a lot of razor drag in the process, risking irritation and inconsistent smoothness. Shaving is meant to be a relaxing and slowed-down process, so make no haste.

Instead, pull out your handy beard trimmer and buzz your fuzz down to a “1” on your guard's head setting. (Or even a guard-less shearing, which will result in a 0.2- 0.5mm-long stubble.) At most, you can trim on a “2”, if you need a little more of a visual aid while shaving.

Braun

All-in-One 9 Trimmer$130

Amazon

$115

Walmart

2. Gently cleanse with warm water

Now that you've gotten the excess growth out of the way, your shave needs to start with the smoothest possible canvas. Washing your face at the start will rinse away any excess oil, sweat, and grime that may have accumulated, as well as any skin care products you’re currently sporting. Choose a gentle cleanser without any high concentrations of harsh active ingredients (namely, avoid exfoliating acids), so that you don’t agitate the skin before the shaving even begins.

The warm water also relaxes the skin and stubble, helping to prevent razor bumps and ingrown hairs, which will ready the skin for the entire process.

PrettyBoy

Fresh Start Gentle Face Cleanser$21

Amazon

$21

PrettyBoy

Bevel

Face & Beard Wash$12

Amazon

$12

Target

3. Scrub away dead skin

While we’re fans of chemical exfoliants as part of the baseline skincare regimen, the pre-shave routine will benefit from a gentle physical scrub to buff away dead skin cells. In general, exfoliation removes dead skin cells to give you clearer, smoother, brighter skin—and it’s that smoothness you want with a shave. (It prevents razor drag and clogged pores.) You’ll get a smoother, closer shave—plus, you'll enjoy the skin-smoothing effects of exfoliation. Don’t go too rough with the rubbing, though, since you are about to drag a sharp razor over your skin. You could also do this step the morning or night before a shave, if you worry about it being too aggressive to pair directly next to a razor shave.

Atwater

Skin Armor Exfoliating Face Scrub$26

Amazon

$26

Nordstrom

Brickell

Renewing Face Scrub$22

Amazon

$22

Walmart

4. Apply pre-shave oil as a lubricating barrier

Don’t worry: Using oil on your face won’t clog your pores. A pre-shave oil creates a thin, virtually invisible protective layer over top the skin. It’s just present enough to help the razor glide smoothly over skin, and won’t compromise the proximity of the shave, either. This oil also helps further soften whiskers and nourish the skin to ensure fewer side effects moving ahead. Apply it to dried skin, after using a clean towel to pat away the water from cleansing and scrubbing. Be sure to let the product set on the skin for a minute or two before introducing a blade, so that it can provide the proper nourishment and soothing.

Anthony

Pre-Shave and Conditioning Beard Oil$30

Amazon

$30

Macy's

5. Apply your shaving agent (brush optional)

The type of shave cream or oil you use is a personal preference, but we do recommend something that doesn’t lather excessively—in other words, something that doesn’t totally cover up your whiskers. Maybe you’re a candidate for a translucent gel as opposed to a big foamy cream, or even a barely-there shave oil. If you're not sure, check our best shave cream picks for top choices in every category.

When you apply shave cream, do so in an upward motion, which helps lift the hairs up and away from the face. That'll make them easier to catch in the razor, resulting in a smoother, more precise shave overall. As for the application tool, a shave brush is totally optional, but I quite love it. If you’ve taken your beard down to a stubble (recommended), the brush isn’t needed to lift the hairs up away from the skin. However, it is both soothing and fun to sweep the brush across your face and build an even coat around your neck, cheeks, and chin. I personally just sweep it back and forth, practically painting it on, even across my closed mouth. If you have longer whiskers and need to lift those hairs, you can apply with the brush in upward circular motions—one issue here, though, is that not all of your hair will grow in the same direction, so it is impossible to lift everything perfectly. (Again, an argument for trimming down to a stubble before shaving.)

Uppercut

Deluxe Shave Cream$20

Uppercut

Baxter of California

Beard Line-Up Shave Gel$20

Amazon

$20

Baxter of California

Bulldog

Shave Oil$9

Amazon

$10

Walmart

Claus Porto

Shaving Brush$68

Niche Beauty

$85

Claus Porto

6. Use a clean and sharp razor

The type of razor you use is also entirely up to you. While most of us learned to shave with a cartridge razor, it’s worth exploring safety razors as a possible option, too, especially if you have thick or coarse facial hair, are prone to ingrowns, or have sensitive skin. It’s much more intuitive than you may think—browse our favorite single-blade razors to choose one that suits you—some even work like cartridge razors without any guesswork regarding the angle and pressure you need to use. Also, make sure you don’t use an old shaver, especially one that has dull blades, otherwise you risk tearing up your face when what you really want is hair removal.

Check out GQ’s picks for the best razors here.

GilletteLabs

Cartridge Razor with Exfoliating Bar (with stand + 2 cartridges)$20 $18

Amazon

$20

Walmart

Supply

SE Single Edge Safety Razor$59

Supply

7. Shave with the grain

Most guys will want to shave with the grain of their hair’s growth. That is to say: Shave in the direction of hair growth, which you can find by running your hand over your face and finding which way your whiskers feel smooth against your skin rather than feeling a coarse friction. You might need to inspect the hairs before trimming them down prior to the shave, in case you aren’t sure about your specific situation—especially since most of us have wild hair growth patterns that grow different directions in different spots on the face. In fact, many barbers will shave the same part of your face up to three times with a straight razor, each time in different directions, just to get everything down to the smoothest possible result. (Don't try that at home if you're prone to ingrown hairs or have sensitive skin.)

Rinse the blade with warm water between strokes, to minimize friction and drag. Don't press too hard, and make small, gentle strokes so you’re not dragging the razor across your face. It's much better to need to lather back up and go in for a second pass than press so hard you take all the hair—and a bunch of skin–with you.

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Finally, take care of your razor. Too many guys neglect proper razor hygiene. You need to replace your cartridge head or safety razor blades every six shaves or so (or every few weeks, whichever comes first). You should be using a sharp blade each time if you want a smooth shave—which, you do. After each shave, you should also rinse your blade with hot water and then store it upright in a cool, dry place. Once it’s dry, make sure it’s tucked away safely until your next shave.

8. Rinse with cold water

After the shave, you want to rinse everything away with cold water. This helps tighten the skin, in effect “closing” the pores to make them less receptive to bacteria and the like. For a true barbershop-like treatment, soak a clean wash cloth in cold water, wring it out, and lay it over your face for a gentle way to cool down your face and get yourself ready for one final step.

9. Apply aftershave ASAP

Lastly, apply a toning and soothing aftershave—it doesn’t matter if it’s a balm, splash, or lotion, so long as it suits you, doesn’t suffocate or burn the skin, and hydrates. (Stick with alcohol-free ones, alright, Kevin McCallister?) Many heavyset moisturizers even work well as aftershaves, since they prevent moisture loss and serve as nourishing shields against bacteria.

Just make sure your post-shave product has some kind of soothing and balancing ingredient, like aloe, witch hazel, or cactus extract. This step helps keep pores clean, while calming the skin and preventing redness or rashes.

Murdock London

Post Shave Balm$34

Amazon

$36

Nordstrom

Proraso

After Shave Lotion Splash$14

Amazon

$14

Macy's

Read MoreThe Best Razors for Every Type of Stubble

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By Adam Hurly



Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagramRelated Stories for GQShaving