But exfoliation, as we know, requires appropriate care and a delicate balance. So when and how should you exfoliate during your shave routine? Ahead, find everything you need to know for an easy, smooth glide. Razor bumps and ingrowns happen when that free edge of hair becomes trapped within the skin, so it curls downward and grows back into the skin instead—resulting in sore, inflamed, pimple-like spots. Those with coarser hair are more likely to get ingrowns, but “it is also more likely to happen if there is skin covering where the hair is growing,” says board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, M.D. Exfoliation removes that top layer of excessive dead skin cells—without that covering, you increase the chances that your freshly shaved hairs will grow freely. And on a practical level: Your razor will have an easier time removing hair without a film of dead skin cells blocking the area. Both King and Zeichner agree that pre-shave exfoliation is always a good idea, no matter which part of the body you’re shaving. Just know that more sensitive areas, like the armpits, bikini line, or face, might require gentler exfoliation methods (which we’ll get into later). However, you’ll still want to regularly exfoliate those areas (just not right before your appointment!), as it helps minimize ingrowns and encourages the hairs out of the follicles as they grow—when they’re trapped underneath the skin, the wax won’t adhere to those hairs. You can also use a warm, wet washcloth to physically exfoliate the skin pre-shave, says King, especially if you use a firmer pressure and coarser fabrics. On that note: Dry brushing is also an effective physical exfoliator for the body, as you buff the skin with those synthetic nylon or natural boar bristles. (Find our step-by-step guide to dry brushing here.) Finally, the exfoliator you choose will vary depending on where you’d like to shave. “Body exfoliators shouldn’t be used on the face. They are often thicker in consistency and contain higher concentrations of acids and could be too irritating for delicate facial skin,” says board-certified dermatologist Raechele Cochran Gathers, M.D., about body exfoliation. “Likewise, using a facial exfoliation on your body may not be strong enough to give you the results you’re looking for.”
