Dry shaving is the act of shaving without applying shaving cream or gel and is something we’ve all been guilty of doing at some point or other. However, it’s one practise you need to stop ASAP. Why? Because it’s super harmful to your skin and can leave your skin damaged.

Ahead, all the harmful effects of dry shaving on your skin…

 

Causes your skin to dry out

Causes your skin to dry out

Shaving is a great way to exfoliate your skin and get rid of accumulated dead skin. But it is also extremely drying. Using a shaving cream helps to form a moisturising layer on your skin that prevents your skin from drying out, and looking parched post-shaving. Therefore, apart from using shaving cream, it is also highly advisable to apply a moisturiser right after shaving to soothe and calm your skin.

 

Causes strawberry skin

Causes strawberry skin

When you lubricate your skin with either some shaving cream, conditioner or simply soap and water, you end up softening the skin. This is really important to get a close, clean shave. But since dry shaving doesn’t involve any of this, you could end up with a lot of ingrown hair leading to strawberry skin.

 

Causes razor burns

Causes razor burns

Dampening and lubrication are two of the most important steps to achieving a close, clean shave. A shaving cream forms a layer between your skin and the razor, thereby prevents the chances of tugging and pulling to a great extent. But when you avoid this step, you are also essentially depriving your skin of this added protection and making it more vulnerable to razors burns and stings.