Grooming Experts Explain How to Achieve a Smooth, Safe Clean Shave

Facial shrubbery has long been the stylish man's accessory, so much so it's been blamed for the downturn in the razor industry. But skin — and, with it, the clean shave — is back in the game, which means you have some prep work to do.

After all, there's nothing worse than raw, red and sensitive skin after a shave – shaving is supposed to be a cathartic and satisfying experience. Most men, it seems, could use a re-educating in their clean shave technique — whether that's replacing razors, incorporating skin-friendly products or tweaking their post-shave routine — so, with the help of our industry experts, we're on hand to teach you how to clean shave.

Before we bestow you with the tricks of the barber trade, let's go through exactly what a clean shave is first. Simply put, a clean shave means no beard, no stubble, no man mane and certainly no mug rug. A clean shave is just a smooth and close shave that lets your skin breath and your good looks do the talking. Sounds hard to achieve, right? Wrong. You can get the look in minutes. Here's how.

The beard trend of the past five years has suited two kinds of men: those indulging their inner Shackleton and those who can't be bothered with the daily rigmarole of close shaves. However, the tide is turning and, with it, the fight against dead skin cells, stubborn hairs and rough skin.

'While the beard won't disappear completely, men are getting rid of the bushier affairs,' says Richard Tucker, head barber at Ruffians, when asking about the recent resurgence of the clean shave. 'We’re seeing people alternating between clean-shaven and light stubble.' Follow Tucker's clean shaving advice to transition from grizzly bear to smooth peach.

Forget your flimsy disposable razors and rusty cans of cream. When it comes to a clean shave, your skin deserves the best. Here are the products that will upgrade your sink time.

Mastering a clean shave can be an abrasive process, and if you’re not careful, you’ll feel the burn. Truefitt & Hill's master barber Michael Symeon offers his tips for taming the fire.

Most modern razor blades are designed to last anywhere between 5 and 10 shaves. That's because each time you clean shave, the sharp and delicate edge of your razor becomes slightly blunter, reducing its effectiveness on providing you with a close shave. Eventually, the blades will start to pull at your facial hair, rather than slicing straight through them to shave, which can lead to a painful shave and an irritated face. What's more, harmful bacteria can be spread via a razor blade and, should you nick yourself during a clean shave, it can become infected. So if you want to avoid all of that make sure you're updating your blades on the reg.

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