The Curse of the Ingrown. And other Weird Stuff

A Smooth Operator’s guide to a bump-free, pain-free, post-shave face.

Strange bumps have sprung up on your face. They’re not exactly pimples. They’re not hives, either. Either way, they’re damn ugly and not the look you were going for – especially for this afternoon’s rendezvous with Tinder. Yes bud, they’re ingrown hairs and yes, they’re as undoable as a match between the Boks and the All Blacks. These days, anyway.

This could get a little nasty but, dude, bear with us – because knowledge is powerful. It stands you in good stead from a shaving perspective. Be prepared to be a razor cut above the rest.

Right. So, listen up: here’s the story of something gone a bit “Rory”… the Ingrown Hair.  Or, as we like to call them – with kudos to Tarantino – Inglorious Bastards.

The bite-sized definition of this unhappy hairy affair is that they’re basically hairs that have curled around and grown back into your skin instead of rising up from it. Stupid little suckers – and by no means a disease. Sometimes, dead skin can clog up a hair follicle – which forces the hair inside it to grow sideways under the skin, rather than upward and outward. And we land up with an irritating, unsightly and ugly bump.

The good news is, anyone can get an ingrown hair – even Ridge Forrester –  but it’s more common amongst those with curlier or coarser locks. Guys with thick or curly hair can develop a type of ingrown hair called pseudofolliculitis. We know, it sounds weird. More commonly known as “razor bumps,” this collection of bumps is common on the beard area after you’ve shaved, waxed, or tweezed to remove unwanted hair.

The hair that grows back has a sharper edge, so it can more easily poke back through the skin and get trapped under the surface.

Often, ingrown hairs and razor bumps are the result of one thing: not using the right products and or methods. That’s why we’re here: to put you – and your hairs – on the straight and narrow with some Sorbet Man-sized tips for keeping your face smooth and pain-free after each and every shave.

  1. Don’t shave against the grain. It provides a slightly quicker close shave, but usually brings on razor bumps.
  2. Toight is not always right. Ingrowns can happen when skin is pulled tight to get that close shave.  Let it go, yo. Because when you do eventually let go of your skin, it pops right back over the hairs you’ve just cut – and they start growing into your skin, causing razor bumps.
  3. Don’t be shy to shave. If you are prone to razor bumps, allow no more than one day between shaves. Unless your skin is just too sensitive, shaving daily is optimal.
  4. It’s all about the preparation. Start off with warm water to soften your skin and hair, and open the pores. Sorbet Man’s 2-in-1 Face Wash & Scrub (made from a cooling formulation of aqua and menthol that revitalises, energizes and oxygenises skin, while cleaning and exfoliating), is a good place to start. Try to use a priming oil if you can – and, after shaving, whatever you do – don’t skip or skimp on your Sorbet post-shave balm. It softens your skin and hair and acts as a layer of protection.
  5. Keep it sharp! Razor blades become dull and dirty, and coarse or thick beards require blade changing much more often. Better yet, try to make a pit-stop at Sorbet MAN part of your weekly routine – and get a hot towel shave done right, by the Sorbet MAN barbers.

For a look at the Sorbet Man range of products visit www.sorbetman.co.za

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