With, Against, or Across the Grain?

One of the questions that we receive frequently is whether it is best to shave with, against or across the grain.

The direction you use can make a BIG difference, so it is important to know how to shave your face.

Let’s start by understanding what people mean when they say “to shave with the grain”: this means to move the razor following the natural direction of your hair’s growth. So, if you run your fingers over your stubble and it feels smooth and soft, this will be the direction in which your hair grows. Generally, it goes from top to bottom on your face and from bottom to top on your neck. To shave with the grain, you will thus run your razor down your face, and up your neck.

Shaving with the grain is the best way to avoid razor burns, skin irritation and ingrown hair. Most people tend to shave following the natural direction of their hair growth. On the down side, however, this will not give you the closest shave. You might still feel some stubble left behind after your shave.

Shaving against the grain, on the other hand, pulls the hair up and away from your skin allowing to get a closer shave. However, not everyone can shave against the grain as this direction is most prone to irritation and razor burn.  

Our suggestion would be to start by shaving with the grain first and eventually go against the grain if necessary. Applying some more shaving cream in between the two might help as well.

Finally, on sensitive areas like under the nose and the neck where it is SUPER sensitive, and shaving across the grain simply wont tun out well, you can try shaving across the grain, i.e. moving the razor horizontally rather than vertically. This can seem an unnatural way of shaving, and many men might not prefer it. However, if you have a coarser beard that doesn’t shave well when going in the direction of the hair, shaving across the grain will allow you to get a closer shave while still guarding you from irritating and cutting yourself.

Regardless of which direction your razor moves in, you should be prepping your skin to get the best shave. Remember these 3 things to ensure a better shave:

1. Shaving after the shower ensures your hair is softer, and therefore easier to cut.

2. Washing and exfoliating your skin removes dirt & dead skin cells. A clean surface will allow your razor to cut the hair without getting clogged with the excess.

3. Shave cream makes a difference, get the good stuff! This is your skin's number 1 defence against the rough edge of your razor. Protect it well.  

Looking for the right tools? Stay tuned. In next week’s blog we will take you through the differences between the types of razors you can use to shave your face!