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Wet Shaving: Everything You Need to Know

Wet shaving is nothing new, but it has been enjoying something of a comeback, as more guys recognise the benefits it can have over dry shaving.

A traditional wet shaving starter kit would have included a safety razor, a shaving cream, and a shaving brush. Modern wet shaving kits are centred around the same items, but shaving technology and knowledge has advanced to bring you a lot more choice. For instance, with Gillette, you can build your very own wet shaving kit, tailored to your skin type and grooming needs.

What is Wet Shaving?

Wet shaving is the method of cutting off hair very close to wet skin. Your skin could be wet from warm water (showering is always a good idea before shaving to soften your skin and your facial hair) or from a shaving foam or gel.

The Benefits of Wet Shaving

Wet shaving means a closer, smoother shave. This is because you can use multi-blade razors, like the Fusion5 ProGlide, which has a five anti-friction blades. More blades mean a better chance of cleanly removing facial hair close to the skin, so you should be able to last a little longer between shaves.

A wet shave can also reduce your risk of razor bumps and ingrown hairs – these are a lot more likely when you’re taking your razor across a surface that isn’t totally smooth.

Spending some time waking yourself up properly in the morning by splashing your face and making repeated, gentle razor strokes can be quite calming and therapeutic too. Use this time to prepare yourself for the day ahead and practice a little bit of self-care.

Does Wet Shaving Stimulate Growth?

It’s a common shaving myth that wet shaving stimulates beard growth. If you’re lucky enough to have the right genes, this might make your facial hair grow a little faster; but otherwise, you’ll simply have to be patient. Discover the truth about more shaving myths.

Wet shaving does not stimulate beard growth, but it can have many other benefits.

The Benefits of Wet Shaving with Gillette

Gillette has been at the forefront of wet shaving for over 115 years. Today, we have an extensive range of razors, blades and shaving creams to help you to tailor your wet shaving routine to your unique needs.

Take our SkinGuard Sensitive range, for instance. It includes a razor, blades, a shaving gel and a shaving foam designed especially for sensitive skin. With SkinGuard Sensitive, you can shave in the same way that you always do, but your razor will absorb some of the pressure from your hand, making the process kinder to your skin.

When you choose Gillette products for wet shaving, you no longer need to think about stocking up on refill blades. When you sign up for a Gillette shaving subscription, you can get replacement blades delivered straight to your door, on a cycle that suits you.

You can even enjoy a wet shave with your favourite gadget. The GilletteLabs Heated Razor and our All Purpose Styler and Beard Trimmer are both 100% waterproof, meaning you can get all the benefits of a wet shave, as well as the other great benefits these shavers have to offer. Discover everything you need to know about the Heated Razor on our blog.

How to Wet Shave Properly

A proper wet shave should include these five steps:

Shower: soften your hair and skin with warm water for a few moments before you shave to make it easier for your razor to glide over your skin and cut through your hair
Apply shaving cream: create a lather with your shaving gel or foam to look after your skin and help your razor along
Shave: it’s up to you whether you shave with or against the grain, but don’t press too hard on your skin – let your razor do the work
Rinse regularly: rinse your blades with warm water after every few strokes to keep your face moist and to stop excess gel and hair clogging up your blades
Moisturise: soothe and hydrate your skin after shaving by applying a moisturising post-shave product