If your stubble is finally getting to you and your bush has grown quite a tad bit over the years, but you’re running low on shaving foam and out of time, perhaps the solution to your quick shave is placed right in the cabinet of your bathroom. Yes, we’re talking about the soap bar that never ever gets used, unless you need an alternative to your handwash.
Apart from being used for its fragrance and being used as a replacement for body wash, a soap bar is a great asset to the world of grooming. While one can use it to eliminate their unpleasantly consistent body odor, they can also use it as a sidekick to their reliable set of razors to reduce the volume of their facial and body hair.
The write-up that we have for you today will consist of all the highlights that one will obtain if they decide to place their trust on a soap bar to take on the act of manscaping. Apart from dropping a basic tutorial, we will also list down why people should utilize the product to meet their grooming needs more often at the end of this article. We hope you stick around until then and enjoy the read!
Contents
Why a Soap Bar is a Great Option for Obtaining a Good Shave?
Using a soap bar might feel like an unusual move to make when partaking in the act of shaving. The texture nor the ingredients seem to be convincing enough to make a soap bar an credible contender, but those aren’t the only two things that should shape up the final outcome. With every drawback comes a benefit. Similarly, here are the compelling benefits one must check out before they use a soap bar as a tool to meet their shaving needs.
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It is easy to use
Similar to shaving foam, one doesn’t need an instruction manual to use a soap bar. All they have to do is work the soap into a nice, foamy lather and apply it to their bare skin before allowing the razor to take over the rest of the procedure.
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It gets rid of oil buildup
Apart from being an alternative to shaving foam, a soap bar is known as a cleansing agent. From decreasing bacteria to eliminating hours worth of oil build-up, a soap bar makes sure that one’s skin isn’t just protected from the sharpness of a blade, but also prevents the razor from getting clogged due to sweat, sebum that might be present on one’s face.
Apart from using an improper technique, one of the many reasons why a person sees underwhelming results despite using a new blade could be due to the oily nature of their skin, which is non-existent when a soap bar is used beforehand.
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A soap comes with a range of fragrances
A soap bar is as quick as shaving gel and foam, but what really separates it from the other two variants is the amount of natural fragrances one gets when buying a soap bar.
Soap bars consist of natural organic ingredients that almost always smell pleasant. One can purchase strong scented soap bars that are as enticing as the flavor of vanilla, or can even opt for a soap bar that is full of antioxidants like oatmeal.
Additionally, a soap bar contains a series of ingredients that may be great for improving the health of one’s skin. It contains animal fat, essential oils, and even alkaline, which is known to improve the pH of one’s skin and prevent the eruption of skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis, and so on.
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It is affordable
A bonus to using soap is that it’s extremely affordable. Unlike many grooming essentials, a soap bar offers a range of flavored options at a reasonable price. One can easily buy two or three shaving bars or even natural soap bars with the price of one shaving foam. Not only will the soap bars be high in volume, but they will also be better in terms of quality due to the natural, chemical-free ingredients they tend to contain, making it a win-win for you as well as your savings!
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It has a lengthy shelf life
While the sensation of shaving foam feels relatively better than that of a soap bar, in the long run, don’t be surprised if a soap bar sticks around for a longer period of time. The reason lies behind the ingredients that are used for both of the items.
Shaving foam contains chemicals that are useful to apply onto the skin and even better for a razor to glide through. However, due to the massive amount of unnatural ingredients it attains, shaving foam becomes ineffective over time and tends to expire 2 years after the seal is broken. It may also cause one’s skin to generate pimples and even make it discolored in some cases if the foam is applied after the expiration date has passed.
On the other hand, in contrast to the shelf life and after effect of shaving foam, soap bars are effective and valid till they cease to exist. In simpler words, they can be used until they dissolve, which takes around 30 months to occur on an average. One can even use them inconsistently without having to worry about their shelf life, as the natural components will prevent the products from decreasing in terms of quality when they’re not in use.
An Idiot-Proof Guide To Using Soap Bar For Shaving
Now that you know why soap bars are an excellent alternative to shaving foam and shaving gel, if you’re as convinced as us and believe in the qualities of it as much as we do right now, then we’ve got a surprise for you!
Listed below are the steps one can follow to achieve an effortless shave with the help of a soap bar. The instructions are easy to implement, and can be of great help to those that are beginners as well as veterans.
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Trim when your skin is warm and clean
To achieve optimal results, shave when you’re in or after you’ve come out of the shower. Since the temperature of your body is relatively higher and your skin is free of dirt and softer than usual, work the soap bar to form a foamy lather before applying it onto your cleansed skin. Create as much foam as possible to reduce the chances of having nicks and cuts that could be obtained from the razor.
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Use the right razor
People often forget to talk about how one needs to use a different kind of razor when using a soap bar to achieve the best results.
While shaving foam can adapt to even the plainest kind of razors, one might need to use a razor with a moisture strip when using a soap bar. This is because, while a soap bar does offer more natural ingredients, some of the ingredients can strip one’s skin of the natural oil it contains, dehydrating the skin and making it form dry patches as a result.
However, the concern can easily be diminished if someone switches their regular blade up with an alternative that has a lubricating strip.
Additionally, if you still want to use the razor that you have, be sure to lather it with some baby oil before you glide it through your skin.
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Shave with the grain
When using the razor, make sure to shave with the grain. Doing so will not only allow you to have an effective shave, but also save you from minor inconveniences such as razor bumps.
Furthermore, you can also shave against the grain if your skin isn’t as sensitive and if that technique allows you to have more control. However, make sure to use a clean blade and control the pace of your strokes.
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Wash the razor frequently
Shaving with one razor will be more than enough for achieving desirable results, but it can accumulate and be clogged with more strands of hair if a soap bar is the shaving agent.
Fortunately, however, you can easily get rid of that problem. All you have to do is rinse it once every 4 strokes. Doing so will not only prevent the risk of injuries, but will also allow the razor to work better against your skin.
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Rinse the shaved skin with cool water and apply aftershave
Once you’re done with shaving your skin with a bar soap, treat it like every other part of your body. Rinse it with cool water, towel dry the newly shaved skin, and seal it off with aftershave lotion or perfume.
Furthermore, if your skin is on the drier side, you may also use a moisturizing face wash to prevent your face from drying out.
On the other hand, if you’ve shaved other parts of your body, help the area with gaining some moisture by using a shower gel that is enriched with vitamin E and vitamin C. You can also use a body wash that has natural ingredients such as cocoa butter, and avocado, two agents that prevent one’s skin from becoming itchy and dry.
Conclusion
When all is said and done, using a soap bar is great if you’re seeking a shave that is quick and effective. It contains natural ingredients that are easier for one’s skin to adapt to, and are extremely affordable due to its reasonable pricing. However, it can be a dealbreaker for you if you want your skin to stay clean and healthy.
Due to the natural oils soap bars contain, a razor can become dull when it makes contact with the lather of a soap bar as opposed to that of shaving foam. The razor can also accumulate more bacteria, which won’t be an ideal scenario for a person that isn’t using a one time shaver.
However, as the drawbacks don’t really outweigh the benefits one might face when taking up the technique, you are more than welcome to give this hack a go! Save your time and money by using soap to meet all your grooming needs today!