When it comes to shaving against the grain, our advice is quite clear – don’t! Shaving against the direction of stubble growth may give you a super close shave at the time, but wait a couple of days, and you’ll likely have skin irritation and ingrown hairs – by going against the grain you actually cut hairs too short which means they’re liable to grow back under the skin causing inflammation and shaving spots.
Here’s our guide on how to get a smooth, comfortable shave without the downsides that often accompany shaving against the grain.
The first step is to identify direction of stubble growth. Once you’ve done this, apply a good quality shave gel such as our Cornerstone one and proceed with your normal shaving routine by shaving with the grain to begin with.
Once you have done this, reapply the shave gel and lightly and carefully go across the grain- at a 90 degree angle. It’s really important that you only apply light pressure when shaving across the grain so that you minimise irritation as much as possible. Notice that at no point should you be shaving against the grain, only across at the very most.
Make sure to finish off your shaving routine with a post shave balm to calm, soothe and protect your skin, and you’re good to go!