Many men rush through their shaving routine in the morning, and don’t realize that with the proper technique and the right tools, they could be getting a much better shaving experience. While all the aspects of the perfect shave could easily fill a book, we’ve assembled a few of the most common mistakes to avoid in your daily shaving routine.

1. Not prepping the skin properly.

Both the skin and the beard need to be warm and moist to achieve a quality cut by your razor.  If you only splash water on your face, the whiskers don’t have time to soften.  We recommend shaving after a warm shower to ensure that your skin and hair is fully prepped for a good shave.

2. Using the same blade too long

When using a cartridge razor or safety razor, you should pay attention to how easily the blade moves across your skin. If you’ve properly prepped the beard and skin, it should slide very easily.  If it pulls at your hairs at all, you’re long overdue to replace the blade. A dull blade leads to skin irritation, which isn’t a good look on anybody.

3. Not using enough shaving products

There are good ways to economize in your daily life, but using too little of your shaving products isn’t one of them.  You should have a rich lather in your shaving cream or soap, and don’t be afraid to reapply as you go.

4. Using too much pressure

You’re shaving your face, not scraping paint off a dock. With a good quality razor and properly applied shaving products, you should be able to shave with very little pressure and avoid the skin nicks and irritation that pushing too hard can cause.

5. Finishing Badly

Each person’s face is different, so while one person may need an aftershave balm, another may need an exfoliating tonic. If you nicked yourself, you probably want an alum block to help heal quickly.  One thing that’s good for any face, however, is a thorough rinse with cold water. This isn’t just meant to wake you up, but actually helps close your pores and reduce inflammation. Pat(don’t scrub!) your face dry, and you’re ready for anything!