The Good Reason You Should Save Shaving For Last In The Shower

Having a good shower routine is crucial to getting your body clean and free of irritation, not to mention giving yourself a quality self-care moment. If you're trying to plan out a popular "everything shower" or simply need to maximize your time, you should consider your order of operations carefully. There are pros and cons for how to execute the best shower routine, but one element is certain: shaving should always be last.

Shaving can be a little tedious and sometimes physically uncomfortable, so you might be tempted to get it over with and make it your first step in the shower. However, shaving right away doesn't allow time for your skin to warm up and soften, which is essential for avoiding ingrown hairs and irritated skin. Whether you're shaving your legs, underarms, or pubic area, you need to make sure your skin is fully prepped in the shower before picking up that razor.

Saving shaving for last in the shower helps expose your skin to warm water and hot steam, which has a big impact on your shaving results. This is primarily due to the way steam opens up your pores. As WebMD explains in regard to facial steaming, hot steam causes pores to expand, helping to eliminate unwanted oil and other irritants. When shaving, you want your skin as clean as possible and free of anything that can trigger bumps or ingrown hairs. For this reason, the American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends shaving your hair after showering to ensure that your razor won't be running over dead skin and excess oil. 

Steam also helps soften and hydrate your skin. The softer and more moisturized your skin is, the better for shaving. Likewise, the steam will also soften your body hair, much like a hair steamer softens the hair on your head. Soft, hydrated hair will enable an easier and closer shave, especially when working on sensitive areas, such as pubic hair or your underarms. 

While you can get a few of the benefits of a hot shower when you shave first, you're far better off waiting several minutes for the steam to build up enough that it affects your skin. Meanwhile, you can use that waiting time to further prep and clean your skin for shaving.

The cardinal rule for safe, successful body shaving is to always shave wet. Even after you step into the shower, wait until your skin is fully wet and warmed up by the steam before going in with your razor. As previously discussed, steam and water help soften your skin and hair and expand your pores. Aside from the benefits of steam and moisture, shaving in the shower also provides you with a convenient environment for implementing other useful skincare steps.

Take your time in the shower before shaving to clean and exfoliate your skin. Use a gentle, moisturizing cleanser on the areas of skin you plan on shaving. A soap that's too harsh might dehydrate your skin, which can give you similar side effects to dry shaving, such as razor burn. After you cleanse your skin, follow up with an exfoliator. Along with the steam, exfoliating will remove any dead skin that could intercept a shaving razor.

While it might lengthen your shower routine, waiting for your skin to be properly ready before shaving will give you the close shave and smooth skin that you deserve.