How often should you shave your face? Despite what some guys might think there isn’t a single answer to this question. It’s a little more complex than that and one size doesn’t fit all.
I first started asking myself how often I should shave when I started getting red bumps on my neck. The itch was unbearable and I only wanted to shave when I absolutely needed to. You may be in a similar boat but whatever your situation we’ve got some advice to guide you.
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How Often Should You Shave Your Face
There’s some real life factors to consider before figuring out how often you should shave your face. We’ll detail aspects of day to day life, things to consider, and overall we will compare the pro’s and cons of each shaving frequency below.
There’s no one single answer for how often you should shave your face. Instead see what your options are below and see which one will fit your lifestyle the best.
The Everyday Shave
Guys who shave everyday usually do so because their job requires it. If you are in this category there isn’t a ton you can do to get around it. You’re not completely out of hope though.
If you shave everyday I would pick up an electric shaver and split your shaves between a razor and the electric. The reason I recommend to swap between the two types is to reduce the amount of skin irritation and razor bumps that result from the bladed razor.
Shaving everyday using a blade can be hard on your skin. If you already have sensitive skin it just makes things worse. So do what you can to reduce how frequently you use the bladed razor.
Shaving Every Other Day
If you enjoy a silky smooth shave you should honestly be shaving every other day. This gives your facial hair time to grow out a little which makes the hairs easier to cut. You’ll also get that five o’clock shadow look all the ladies love now and again.
Allowing your facial hair to grow out a little exposes the hairs above the skin. You’re much less likely to experience razor bumps shaving this way. Razor bumps occur when the hairs are very short and end up growing at an angle which stays under the skin.
This is the best overall healthy shave if you’re going to keep your beard at bay.
Twice a Week
Shaving twice a week is where the fence lays. Basically this will work one of two ways for you. You’ll either be able to get away with it without much notice or you’ll have a rugged look twice weekly.
Space your shaving out as an example if you shave Monday your next shave would be either Wednesday or Thursday. Depending on your hair growth and career you may have to shave sooner than later.
My favorite part about shaving twice a week is typically not shaving at all 3-4 days straight out of the week. Weekend free shaving will be a pleasant part of your weekend routine if your job makes you shave.
Once Per Week
If you’re in an office environment this is where you really begin to push it if shaving is a requirement. It’s pushing the boundaries of how often you should shave your face.
Shaving once per week will absolutely give you a rugged look by the time you’re going to shave again. Make sure you can get away with this before really going after it. Sometimes you’ve got to test those limits in a job setting and if you can get away with it then do it!
I encourage it because we love beards! What some people don’t realize is in order to have a great beard you also have to love shaving. You still need to shave to keep a well shaped beard, clean shaved lines, and a clean neck.
Which is a great segway into our approach of the monthly beard.
Shaving Monthly & Monthly Beard
This is where things can get interesting. It definitely gets interesting for me because I love a great beard but not everyone can grow a huge beard. That’s mostly due to genetics.
However, a lot of you can grow a really nice looking monthly beard. It’s the small full beard that covers the face. It’ll look nice and sharp and is easy to maintain. Shave your cheeks and neckline and you can easily maintain this each month.
A smaller percentage of you may not be able to grow a beard in 30 days. If you struggle with patchiness or thinned facial hair but don’t let it worry you. You’re going to shave every 30 days anyhow!
Disadvantages of Shaving to Often
When you shave more often you’re more likely to run into these shaving issues…
…all of which no one wants to deal with. Unfortunately, it just comes with the territory of that which is shaving. Shaving less often and shaving technique can help reduce your odds of any of these happening.
Here’s some tips to avoid these issues:
Ingrown Hairs – You can avoid ingrown hairs by doing two main things. One never shave against the grain. It’s the leading cause of ingrown hairs. Secondly, give your hair a little time to grow before shaving by going with the every other day shave.
Rashes – You can help avoid rashes by keeping your blade very clean. Clean it with alcohol after every shave and don’t let it sit out wet. Dry it off completely when you’re done shaving and don’t leave it in the shower.
Razor Burn – The best way to reduce the odds of razor burn is to reduce the number of blades on your razor. Better yet change over to a safety razor and learn to wet shave with it. It’s the best form of shaving and you’ll save a lot of money on top of it!
Skin Irritation – Changing over to a safety razor will also help you avoid skin irritation. A good electric shaver will do the same thing but it’s not the same silky smooth shave. Other products such as skin moisturizers and pre-shave oils will help treat your skin before and after shaving.
Advantages of Shaving Daily
Have you ever noticed that right after you shave you have a glow to you? It’s because your skin is refreshed and you appear youthful and very clean.
When you’re shaving daily you remove the dead skin cells, dirt, and oils that lay on the top of your skin. Removing them by shaving exposes fresh and clean skin.
It’s a bit of a double edged sword for those with sensitive skin.
A Penny Shaved
I hope we were able to answer how often you should shave your face and help you make a decision suitable to your needs. The less you shave the more money you save!
If you really want to take advantage of saving money on shaving consider investing in an electric shaver and also taking the time to learn to use a safety razor. Leave us a comment below and let us know how often you prefer to shave.