DON’T GET BURNED BY RAZOR BURN

The pre-shave is crucial, and probably the most ignored, so take heed razor burned brethren. This stage is all about starting with a clean canvas and softening your beard hairs, so quite unsurprisingly it starts in the shower. The hot steam will work to open your pores and soften your hair creating an ideal situation for a proper shave. While you're in there be sure to exfoliate - our NIVEA Deep Anti-Blackheads Scrub is quite effective. This will remove dead skin cells and grime, which can contribute to infected follicles.

We can't emphasize this enough - USE A SHARP RAZOR. The sharper the better. Dull blades create drag and pull at your whiskers leading to irritation, so avoid as you would a rabid dog or your crazy ex. In addition, sharp doesn't necessarily mean you need one of these newfangled twenty blade razors - these are often overkill and put more stress on your skin than necessary Also, ensure that your blade is clean. Bacteria on your razor is one of the leading causes of nasty bumps that result from razor burn, so give it a quick once-over with rubbing alcohol.

When you're ready to put blade to face, be sure to go with the grain. Always with the grain. And be sure to use light, short strokes. While you might not get as close of a shave in the first pass, you will avoid a great deal of irritation. If need be, lather up a second time and give your face another once over, again, with the grain.

Upon completion of your shave you're going to want to rinse with cold water, which will help close your pores and reduce the opportunity for ingrown hairs to form. Because you've just finished dragging a sharp piece of metal across your skin you should soothe it with a post-shave balm or moisturizer, such as our NIVEA Men Sensitive After Shave Balm. Look for products made for sensitive skin with aloe vera, which will moisturize and aid the healing process.

Shaving is the cause of razor burn and bumps, so the best method of prevention, quite obviously, is shaving less, or not at all. Maybe think about getting a whisker garden going, which fortunately for you, we wrote about as well. If that's an option, learn how to Grow a Beard Like a Boss, HERE.