#TipTuesday: Easy Shaving Hacks You Keep Forgetting

It’s not the most exciting beauty ritual, but shaving should never be painful or cumbersome. If you wouldn’t dare rock a revealing ensemble without smooth legs and armpits, there are plenty of ways to make shaving a stress-free part of your day.

For starters, instead of priming the skin with a harsh soap or shampoo, invest in a shaving-specific product. The Completely Bare’s Shave Gel from our July BeautyBox is especially great for summer because the gel formula is cooling on skin that’s been dehydrated by the sun. It’s also infused with gentle ingredients like chamomile and essential oils; both of which are the ultimate cure for irritation (hello, razor bumps!).

Keep reading for five other shaving hacks that you’ve probably heard, but keep forgetting.

Keep your razor out of the shower: Although heat from a hot shower is the quickest way to mellow hair follicles, it isn’t so great for razors. Over time, water will actually dull razor blades and ultimately, keep you from getting the closest and smoothest shave. Be sure to store your razors in another part of the bathroom once you’re done using.

Shave toward the end of your shower: Speaking of mellow hair follicles, waiting until the end of your shower to shave ensures each hair will be softened and easy to remove with one swipe. Get everything else done first and it’s smooth sailing (pun intended) from there!

Clean and exfoliate before you shave: You may not be able to see every piece of dirt and grime, but cleaning and scrubbing your body before a shave will prevent bumps and cuts later on. If you’re not a fan of pre-shaving products, your kitchen is stocked with plenty of ingredients for a DIY scrub, too.

Skip the scents: Have you ever felt a painful sting while applying deodorant or fragrant lotions after a shower? That’s because scented products tend to irritate freshly shaved skin. Avoid applying any scented products to the skin up until 20 minutes after a shave or use a fragrance-free moisturizer instead.

Cure cuts with lip balm or Chapstick: The occasional cut is inevitable, but your leg should never look like a crime scene. If you see blood after leaving the shower, apply unscented balm or Chapstick directly to the cut. The bleeding will stop immediately and the cut will heal faster.

WANT MORE FROM ESSENCE? Subscribe to our daily newsletter for the latest in hair, beauty, style and celebrity news.