If you’ve never shaved your chest before, then this guide will be invaluable. Learning how to shave your chest hair the right way will prevent ingrown hair, razor burn, and will leave your skin feeling smooth, soft, and unblemished. But shaving your chest isn’t the same as shaving your face. In fact, you need to make sure you use the best razor and the proper shaving technique, or you’ll end up with plenty of nicks and cuts and an itchy, uncomfortable rash that can take weeks to heal. In this guide, I’ll go over the dos and don’ts of shaving your chest, so you can learn about the common mistakes to avoid and what techniques to use for a close, clean shave that will leave your skin feeling smooth and looking great.
Table of Contents
The Right Way to Groom Your Chest
Shaving is a less painful and easier alternative to waxing your chest, but if you decide to shave instead of wax, it also means that you’ll have to spend more time grooming. In order to maintain that hair-free look with shaving, you’ll need to create a grooming routine, so you can stay on top of stubble. How often you need to shave your chest will depend on how fast your hair grows and your personal preference.
The hair growth rate can vary from person to person, so there’s really no set rules you can follow regarding shaving frequency. Some men are okay with a little stubble, while others prefer a higher maintenance approach and shave daily. This is entirely up to you. It can also be a matter of how sensitive your skin is. If you get razor burn easily or break out if you shave too often, then you may have to wait a couple of days between a shave in order to give your skin a break.
Will Chest Hair Grow Back Thicker?
Many people mistakenly think that shaving their chest regularly will cause the hair to grow back in thicker. In reality, this is just a myth. Shaving will not cause your hair to grow in thicker. It may look thicker because the hair follicles have split, but there will be no increase in how much hair grows back in.
The Right Shaving Technique
Before you start, make sure that you know how to prepare your skin for shaving. This will involve trimming any chest hair that’s too long, in order to make the shaving process easier and to prevent the longer hair from clogging the razor. If you’re using a traditional razor, make sure you use a new blade in order to get the smoothest results.
You can start the shaving process by using gentle, short, slow strokes, which will provide a nice clean shave without cuts or nicks. After every stroke, make sure you rinse off the blade in order to prevent it from getting clogged and causing a messy, patchy shave job. Make sure that you use plenty of shaving cream all over your chest, thickly coating the skin. This will help to ensure a smoother shave.
Once you’re done shaving and you’ve removed all of the hair, rinse off your chest thoroughly and apply an alcohol-free aftershave product.
To prevent any ingrown hairs and to reduce the risk of razor burn, exfoliate the skin twice a week using a good quality body scrub.
Common Shaving Mistakes to Avoid
Shaving your chest may seem simple enough, but there’s plenty that can go wrong. Fortunately, I’ve included some common mistakes to avoid that many men make the first time they shave their chest. By avoiding these mistakes, you can prevent a painful shaving process and ingrown hairs, and finally achieve that smooth clean shave you’re looking for.
Using Cold Water to Shave
Did you know that using cold water to shave can actually work against you? Cold water will shrink the size of the pores, which will make it harder for shaving cream to work well. The smaller pores prevent the cream from penetrating the skin, so the razor will have a tough time providing the smooth shave you want. You’ll need to prepare the surface of your chest with some warm water in order to really open up those pores and soften up any stubble. You can also help to prepare the skin by getting the bathroom nice and steamy or you can use a hot towel. The more heat that’s applied to the chest, the softer the hair follicles will become, so the hair will be easier to cut.
Not Using Anything to Moisturize Your Skin
If you’re looking for a smoother shave, then you need to make sure that your skin is moisturized. Try using some type of pre-shaving product, such as an essential oil and allow it to soak into your skin for a few minutes. High quality pre-shaving oils are very light and designed specifically to moisturize the body hair, without leaving behind a greasy residue.
Using the Wrong Type of Foam
Many beginners make the mistake of using cheap drugstore shaving foam. However, using a low-quality foam is one of the biggest reasons many men have to deal with razor burn. This is because canned foam isn’t formulated to be gentle on the skin. When you shave, you exfoliate the top layer of skin, so you’re essentially exposing new skin that must be protected and moisturized. Because of this, it’s crucial that you use a foam that includes ingredients such as oils that are designed to nourish the skin. Make sure the shaving cream you use contains important oils and other moisturizing agents that will prevent your skin from drying out.
Not Shaving with the Grain
Most men that shave their chest mistakenly believe that the only way they can achieve a smooth close shave is to shave against the grain. Unfortunately, this is a huge mistake. When you shave, you have to go in the same direction that the hair grows. Doing so will prevent ingrown hairs and razor burn.
Using too Much Pressure
When you’re shaving, if you use too much pressure, as opposed to gentle strokes, you’ll only end up irritating your skin. Irritated skin can result in ingrown hairs or razor burn. Instead of bearing down on the razor, focus on using gentle pressure. Unfortunately, this is another common mistake beginners make, and they usually learn the hard way that when it comes to pressure less is always better. If you want to prevent skin irritation, even on tougher skin such as the skin that’s on the chest, you still need to use gentle pressure.
Using an Old or Dirty Blade
If you’re using an older blade, or you don’t know how to clean a razor blade the right way, then you’re just asking for ingrown hairs and some cuts and nicks. A razor blade has a lifespan. If you’re trying to get more use out of an old blade, then you’re putting yourself at risk of cuts, nicks, and irritated skin.
Before you shave a large area such as the chest, make sure you closely inspect your blade. If the blade is dirty, rinse it out in hot water, swishing it around to remove old shaving cream and hair. If the blade appears dull, then the bade needs to be tossed out. On average, a blade will only be good for three to five shaves, depending on how the blade is used.
If the blade is used solely for the face, then you can get more use out of it. But if it’s used for larger areas, such as the chest, then you’re better off tossing it after three shaves. A blade can also dull faster depending on how coarse a person’s hair is.
In order to get more use from a single blade, make sure that you wash your chest prior to shaving. Use some warm water and the appropriate pre-shaving product in order to soften any stubble. This can prevent the blade from becoming dull too quickly.
If you’re someone that shaves their chest every day, try to take a few days off every once in a while, to give your razor, and your skin a much-needed break. This will also allow the oils in your skin to replenish, which can also help to prevent skin irritation and ingrown hairs.
For more tips, click here to read my in-depth article on how to clean a razor blade the right way.
Not Treating the Skin Using a Type of Post-Shave Product
If you’re done shaving your chest and you’ve finished rinsing it off, don’t forget to use an aftershave product. Just like when you shave your face, the skin on your chest will benefit from using a high-quality aftershave. This will help to close the pores and can prevent skin irritation.
Final Thoughts
These tips on how to shave your chest hair will prevent skin irritation including razor burn and ingrown hairs, while also allowing you to achieve a closer shave, for smoother results. Remember, you don’t have to shave your chest every day. Doing so can cause skin irritation, which can make shaving your chest a painful and uncomfortable process. By following the tips I’ve included here, you can avoid many of the common mistakes that beginners often make and instead, enjoy a smooth, close shave that many men are striving for.
