When we think about shaving, it just comes natural, but believe us, it’s not always been that way. Men and women have always had a love-hate relationship when it comes down to removing body hair. We’ve been ripping, plucking, burning, tweezing and pulling out hair since the dawn of time.

When guys started shaving, it began during the Stone Age, where cave carvings showed Neanderthal man using the likes of seashells as oversized tweezers to pluck out unruly hairs. Flint blades, believed to be the first razors used for shaving, and have been dated back as far as 30,000 B.C. There is also evidence that in ancient times, Egyptian men shaved their beards for religious as well as aesthetic purposes. It’s actually the Egyptians who are given credit for introducing shaving as part of a daily hygienic routine.

Shaving was extremely important to the Egyptian males, as facial hair was associated with personal neglect, so much so that it was completely normal for the richer families to keep a barber as a member of their staff. It was also seen that a ‘barber’ was just as important as a doctor or anyone else in a very professional position. Archaeologists even found circular bronze razors and hatched shaped rotary blades in plenty of burial chambers, to use in their afterlife!

Then came Alexander the Great who introduced the art of shaving to the Greeks in around 300 B.C. It was he who took up the practice of shaving, as he thought a beard gave the enemy something to grab onto during battle. Then that trend began; cropped hair and closely shaven hair became all the rage at that moment of time. It’s clear to see that our relationship with the removal of unwanted body hair is a long and slightly colourful one.

It goes without saying, us guys have been shaving for a very long time. Today, it’s something that just comes natural. However, there are some things that you may not know when it comes down to business. For example, for a better shave, leave your shaving cream or gel on for more than 3 minutes, to pass time, brush your teeth and just let it sit there. That way it really softens the hair and makes a one-pass shave possible. Another handy tip is to invest in a good shaving brush, this really pushes the cream into the hair and makes it much easier to shave. Proper wet shaving techniques, quality products and post-shaving skincare can help any guy look and feel their best and help avoid razor burn, bumps and skin irritation.

In order to keep your skin looking good on your face, always use a good quality sharp razor blade. A dull blade is traumatic to the skin, making your face feel sore and looking rather blotchy. Depending on the toughness of your beard or tash, change the blade between every two and every ten shaves. Two weeks is too long to go without changing blades. Take note of the number of shaves you do, if the blade becomes dull, simply bin it immediately.

When it comes down to brands and knowing which razor to go for - we think you can't go wrong with any of the Art of Shaving series. Last but not least, after you’ve shaved, when the skin is most vulnerable, simply rinse your face with hot water and use a good branded facial wash that has a high concentration of tea tree oil, a natural antiseptic that is ideal to help cleanse and protect your skin from getting spots pimples and terrible shaving rash.

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