Do You Exfoliate Before or After Shaving?
Do you exfoliate before or after shaving? So you’ve heard it’s best to exfoliate when you shave, but when’s the right time to do it? Exfoliation is an important step in the shaving process to remove dead skin cells and prevent razor burn and ingrown hairs. Using the right exfoliator also helps to ensure a smooth result without irritating your skin.
Ahead, we delve into the importance of exfoliating, the best products, and we answer your question: do you exfoliate before or after shaving legs, bikini line, and underarms?
Why You Need to Exfoliate
Exfoliating the skin is a beneficial skincare practice that involves the removal of dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. Our skin naturally sheds dead cells, but sometimes this process may not be efficient, leading to a buildup of dead skin cells on the surface. Exfoliating helps to speed up the shedding process, promoting healthier, more radiant skin.
Before you find out do you exfoliate before or after shaving, here are some reasons why exfoliating is important in your skincare routine — and shaving routine.
Removes Dead Skin Cells: Over time, dead skin cells accumulate on the skin's surface, making it look dull and dry. Exfoliation helps to slough off these dead cells, revealing fresh, healthy skin underneath.
Unclogs Pores: Exfoliating can help unclog pores by removing dirt, oil, and other impurities that often get trapped in the skin. This can prevent the formation of blackheads and whiteheads, reducing the likelihood of acne breakouts.
Stimulates Cell Turnover: Regular exfoliation stimulates the production of new skin cells, which can help improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Enhances Skincare Product Absorption: By removing the barrier of dead skin cells, exfoliation allows other skincare products, such as moisturizers and serums, to penetrate the skin more effectively and deliver their benefits.
Improves Skin Tone and Pigmentation: Exfoliation can help even out skin tone and reduce the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
Prevents Ingrown Hairs: Exfoliating can also help prevent the occurrence of ingrown hairs, particularly in areas prone to shaving or waxing.
Do You Exfoliate Before or After Shaving?
The short answer = both.
Exfoliating before you shave is essential to prep your skin for shaving. By removing dead cells, excess oil, and product buildup, you reduce the risk of inflammation and redness occurring after shaving. Another reason to exfoliate before shaving: it stops your razor blade from getting clogged with dead cells and hair, which makes it less effective.
So if you’re wondering, should I shave first or exfoliate? The answer is: definitely exfoliate first. It’s your best chance for achieving a closer shave and the smoothest result without nicks, bumps, and razor burn.
With regards to do you exfoliate before or after shaving, you should also exfoliate after shaving to reduce the incidence of razor bumps. Keeping skin clear and free of dead cells and impurities will allow your hairs to emerge from their follicles freely, thus preventing ingrown hairs.
Should You Exfoliate Before Shaving?
Yes, exfoliate before shaving to ensure an irritation-free shave. Start in the shower to let the warm water soften your skin and hair. Then use a chemical exfoliator or body scrub to gently remove the buildup of dead cells. After that you can follow up with all the normal steps in your routine to get a smooth, close shave — shaving cream, moisturizer etc.
Should You Exfoliate After Shaving?
Yes, exfoliate the day after shaving to keep pores unclogged and prevent ingrown formation. Alongside this, it’ll maintain your silky smooth shave for days after the hair removal process. You don’t always have to exfoliate the day after. Just make sure you don’t leave it much longer than two days after your shave to keep the area fresh and smooth.
Best Exfoliators for Before Shaving
Now you know the answer to do you exfoliate before or after shaving, here are some of the best exfoliators to use before shaving. For pre-shave exfoliation, we recommend physical exfoliation to slough away dead cells on the top layer of skin. There’s likely to be more of a buildup before shaving so a body scrub can really help in creating a clean, smooth canvas for an easier razor glide. Here are the one’s everyone loves.
Smooth Legend Pre-Shave Scrub
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Lather up with this lightweight, sugar-based scrub to buff away dead skin cells, loosen hair follicles and decongest clogged pores for your smoothest, brightest, softest skin. It’s also infused with hydrating coconut and healing lavender to treat existing bumps while preventing future ones from forming.
Bubble Butt Jelly Body Scrub
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Firmer body. Smoother skin. All achievable with this gorgeously gooey, pretty pink scrub that smells like lush black cherry. Unlike a lot of scrubs, it doesn’t have that grainy feel making it perfect for people with sensitive skin. Powered by retinol, kombucha, saffron, and ceramides, get ready for unbelievably smooth skin.
Moon Rocks Whipped Body Scrub
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A lightly whipped sugar scrub enriched with a nourishing base of 100% organic coconut oil and protective vitamin E to buff and brighten up dry skin. What makes it unique is that it blends both physical and chemical exfoliation with its sugary base and burst of glycolic acid, a well-known alpha hydroxy acids that melts dead cells.
Barbie™ Smooth Scrub
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Get smooth, soft skin by lathering up with Barbie™ Smooth Scrub, a pink and fluffy gentle exfoliant that preps skin for a smoother shave minus ingrowns–with witch hazel, sunflower seed extract, and aloe. It helps keep dryness under control while combating excess sebum.
Best Exfoliators for After Shaving
Do you exfoliate after shaving? Yes, but you don’t need to do it right away. Leave it a day or two before you exfoliate again, and be sure to use a gentle exfoliator like one of these fan-fave formulas.
Vegan Collagen Booster Body Polish
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An anti-aging body polish that works perfectly for maintaining the freshness of newly shaved skin. Three anti-aging power players – retinol, vitamin C + plant collagen booster – come together in this fluffy polish to improve skin’s suppleness and overall texture while keeping pores unclogged.
24K Gold Black Soap
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A cleansing, resurfacing, and retexturizing cleanser to keep your skin smooth and clear — long after your shave. It’s formulated with African Black Soap and salicylic acid to draw out impurities and lift dead skin, and 24k gold to firm and reduce signs of aging. It’s perfect for anyone dealing with acne or visible signs of aging.
When it comes to do you exfoliate before or after shaving, it’s best to do both. Exfoliating before shaving preps skin for an easier razor glide as it prevents dead cells and dirt from clogging and dulling your razor blade. Exfoliating post-shave keeps the area clean and clear, preventing bumps and ingrowns from forming.
Do you exfoliate before or after shaving? Both! Watch this tutorial to find out how to scrub your way to irresistibly smooth skin.
