We’ve all heard them. Bead myths are alive and well, even in this technologically and educationally advanced era. Unfortunately, you’ve almost certainly been told something about shaving that was wrong. If the source sounded sure of itself, or you trusted the person who told you, then you probably believed it. I have some bad news. Not everything you’ve heard is right. Especially when it comes to stimulating beard growth, there are a lot of opinions posing as facts.
Does wet shaving stimulate beard growth? The short answer is no. However, it can help prevent the things that hinder your hair, so the effect can be similar to stimulating growth. Realistically a good wet shave helps allow your beard to grow in better.
No amount of shaving, regardless of whether it’s wet or not, makes your beard grow faster, thicker, or better. However, your genetics, hormones, health, and grooming can change the way your facial hair grows. Additionally, stress and rarely even environmental factors can change your beard.
Should You Wet Shave For a Better Beard
When you’re looking to grow some epic, or at least respectable, facial hair, wet shaving is the way to go. Just because it doesn’t stimulate hair growth doesn’t mean it’s a bad plan. Even if you want a clean-shaven face, you should still be using the wet-shave technique every time you pick up a razor.
If you think ‘wet’ shaving means water, then I hate to burst your bubble. You’ve probably either heard wrong or assumed that’s what it is because water is ‘wet.’ Similarly, a wet shave does not refer to using shaving creme or gel. Unfortunately, you’re just regular-shaving a moist face.
You shouldn’t shave because you believe in a myth. However, you should use a wet shaving kit for the sake of your skin. The buffer it provides between the razor and your face can reduce a whole lot of irritation. Plus a single blade razor doubles down on that with less stress on your hair and skin than modern multi-blades.
Try a great wet shave kit like Rapid Beard Wet Shaving Kit for Men. You can check it out right here. Not only will a wet shaving kit help you get a great shave, but it also reduces irritation in the process. Less irritation could lead to better beard growth in the long run.
Using an additional buffer does more than reducing irritation, it lubricates the path. A smoother way means more comfortable shaving. That, in turn, leads to fewer passes over each area to get the hair off, which also reduces razor burn and irritation. Wet shaving is more for your skin than your hair, but better skin might help your hair grow in the best it can.
Skipping the Wet Shave Won’t Stimulate Your Beard
You should never use a disposable or electric razor if wet shaving is an option. As I mentioned before, there’s no ‘way to shave’ that directly stimulates beard growth. Using a different method won’t help, and it might hinder growth by clogging follicles.
Still, it happens to all of us. You get in a rush, and you grab a modern razor just to get the job done. Sadly, you may be getting the hair off your face, but you’re not doing your face or your beard any favors.
Dry shaving is alright with a modern razor or even an electric foil. However, I wouldn’t suggest skipping any steps or going dry with a safety razor. Moreover, electric shaving and disposables are just asking for skin problems. If you don’t have time to do it right, consider growing a beard instead. Of course, beard maintenance is its own issue, but this article is about shaving.
Get the Best Wet Shave for Your Beard
Technique and product quality are everything when it comes to getting your best wet shave. A great shave will stimulate the skin and increase blood flow, which might help your hair grow better. The shave itself won’t change the way your hair grows, but healthy skin and follicles work better than their irritated counterparts ever could.
You can always go to a barber for your shaving needs, but most of us prefer to do it ourselves. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to assume there’s ‘nothing to it’ as long as you don’t cut yourself.
There are three things you need to keep in mind when you wet-shave. First, always use an excellent pre-shave to soften up the hair. Second, learn to hold the razor at the correct angle. You need about a thirty-degree angle to get the best shave. Third and finally, make sure you stretch the skin taut wherever you’re shaving.
Dragging a dry, dull razor against the grain, then you’re asking for trouble. Instead, learn how to DIY a traditional wet shave. Follow this simple tutorial.
Choose The Blade Handle You Need
Before you set up your razor and blade, you need to know which style to use. Style is about what kind of a shave you need. Slant Razors are best for men with sensitive skin. Meanwhile, you should have a Closed Comb if you shave daily and an Open Comb style if you shave more rarely.
If you’re used to shaving with a disposable, then start with a closed comb safety razor like the Vikings Blade The Godfather Double Edge Safety Razor. The closed comb style is closest to what you’re used to using already, and it will make the transition smoother. You can pick one up here.
Prep Your Beard
Using an outstanding pre-shave oil will help you get the smoothest shave. The oil moisturizes your skin and hair softening it so your razor can do its job better. Softer hair is easier to cut.
I suggest The Art of Shaving Pre Shave Oil in Sandalwood scent. It smells fantastic and works just as well. Plus, the eight-ounce pump bottle lasts a long time. You can find it right here.
Lather Up
Making your own shave creme with a brush might seem daunting at first, but it’s almost effortless. Mainly you just wet the brush, add soap and swirl the brush to make a lather. The lather works like ‘regular’ shaving cremes and gels. There are plenty of great videos on how to create traditional shaving lather if you want more detail.
Proper Shave Technique
Regardless of whether you go with a Slant, Open-Comb, or Closed-Comb style, wet shaving is pretty much the same technique. Shave using gentle strokes both with the grain and against it. Doing this will help you reach all the hair. Plus, you don’t need a heavy hand with your razor if it’s sharp.
A single blade safety razor makes a single pass with each stroke. Making multiple passes irritates and inflames the skin. More inflamed skin and razor burn mean your body has to heal after every shave. Not only is that uncomfortable, but it can affect how your hair grows. Minor swelling can pinch hairs inside the follicle, making them more likely to become ingrown.
I suggest keeping an extra brush and razors around, so you don’t have to worry about missing your morning shave. Parker makes a hundred pack of spare platinum, tungsten, and chromium blades that you can pick up by clicking here. Skip the steel razors and upgrade for a better shave.
Stretching the Skin
You can stretch your skin by moving your jaw in some spots. In other areas, you should use your free hand to help keep the surface as flat as possible. It may take a little more effort and practice, but the results speak for themselves.
Use Aftershave
Skipping the aftershave is something all too many men think is alright. You need aftershave to soothe freshly shaved skin. Good aftershave helps reduce irritation and dry skin, which can clog your hair follicles, leading to less beard growth.
How a Wet Shave Affects Your Face & Beard
Sure, you’re not going to stimulate the hair to grow by wet shaving, but there are plenty of beneficial side effects to wet shaving. First is the obvious, less irritation. Beyond that, the pure satisfaction of knowing how to perform a classic shave is always nice. However, there are a lot of other reasons to learn.
- Cost-Effective- Using a non-disposable razor and blades is an incredible money saver. Who doesn’t want more cash in their pocket for other things?
- Environmentally Friendly- Ditching your disposable multi-bladed razors and those cans of foam or gel is much better for the earth. Since you have to live here, that’s an added benefit for you as well.
- Be Classy- Choosing to learn a traditional shaving method is just classier. It never hurts to upgrade your skills and your image at the same time.
- Reading Labels- With a wet-shave, you can use the soaps you like. Avoid all the potentially toxic chemicals in modern shaving cream or gel. Just choose a good soap you trust in a scent you prefer.
- A Better Shave- A shocking 62% of men complain about the problems caused by shaving. Multiblade razors are known for their ability to cut hair below the skin surface. This is called hysteresis, and it’s a major skin irritant. Dermatologists recommend a single blade razor for less irritation.
Though you can’t force facial hair to grow by stimulating it with a razor, having a better, less irritating, and cleaner shave will help your face in the long run. A healthier face will grow hair to the best of its ability.
Final Thoughts
If shaving alone could stimulate hair growth, we’d all look like yetis by the time we reach forty. Treating your skin and shaving better will certainly help your skin look and feel it’s best. That could lead, indirectly, to a better beard. However, your beard won’t grow faster, darker, or thicker just because you shave.
The benefits of wet shaving are more about getting a fantastic shave. Feeling and looking great can reduce your stress levels, which in turn might also indirectly help you have the best beard you can grow.