Grooming Matters

The Home of Good Grooming for Men

The battle for smooth skin is easily won – just follow a few simple rules and pick the right tools for the job...

• Wet is better than dry
  As you shower or bathe in warm water your pores open and the hair swells and softens as it absorbs moisture. Cutting dry whiskers is a risky business as it places more strain on the skin and increases the chance of skin irritation and in-growing hairs.
• Cream or oil beats foam
  Foams do not deliver moisture in fact they actually tend to dry the skin. In contrast, a good shave cream or oil will moisturise and protect your face as battle commences. We recommend Sandalwood Shave Cream from Truefitt & Hill.

• Add a shave brush to your arsenal
  Fingers are fine, but brush is best! Not only does a good quality brush lift and soften the beard to protect against chafing and irritation, but it adds a massive feel-good element into the eternal battle for smooth skin. Once you have enjoyed a gentle facial massage from a real badger hair brush we guarantee you won’t go back, see Truefitt & Hill for an excellent range of shave brushes.
• Go with the grow
  Shave gently in the same direction as the hair growth and avoid pulling on the skin – at least the first time over. Shaving against the direction of hair growth poses the danger of cutting the hair too short and encouraging nasty, painful in-growing hairs. Use short strokes and regularly rinse your razor as an extra precaution.

• Be kind to your skin after shaving
  Use an antiseptic to help prevent infection – commonly manifested as small spots on the newly shaved area – it will seal the skin and keep it clean as it heals for the 15-30 minutes after shaving. Try not to touch your face during this time as it will be open to infection. A good and easy option to save money is a simple bottle of Witch Hazel which will serve the same purpose without the pampering. If you want to smell great then try Vetvyer Aftershave balm from Fragonard, just use it on the neck and chest area though, avoid the face as the alcohol content is very strong and drying on this delicate skin.
• Look after your tools for peak performance
  Wash your razor in HOT water to keep it properly clean and change the blades regularly. Keep your badger hair brush clean, rinse after every use in COLD water and hang it upside down to dry naturally. By hanging it upside down you allow the water to drip down safely away from the epoxy resin that holds the badger bristles in place.

groomingmatters top tip for troubleshooting

The best tweezers for efficiently eliminating unwanted in-growing hairs are made by Tweezerman. The ultra-sharp elongated points will easily spring even the most stubborn hairs from under the skin. Just remember to disinfect the tweezers and your skin after every use to avoid infection.

groomingmatters interesting fact

Men began shaving their faces as a defensive measure in hand-to-hand combat situations to prevent the enemy grasping their beards. As the practice spread men of unshaven societies began to be known as ‘barbarians’ meaning the 'un-barbered'!