Summer is coming for most of you. In Australia, the weather is still warm and nice. I am still wearing shorts and dresses. It means I have to shave regularly. Like most of the people, I use razor. Like most of the girls, I shave because I want to look nice, clean with smooth skin, right? How come we get razor bumps, irritation and unpleasant ingrown hair. How can we avoid the bumps and cuts? Here are some common mistakes.

# ​Not preparing your skin and hair properly.

Warm water is not good enough in this case. Use a hot towel before you shave or shave after a hot shower.  Remember, not too hot to irritate your skin. Guys, you might need to prepare a bit more if you have a bushy beard. Trim the hair with an electric razor first before anything. Ladies, shaving in the shower is such a good idea. Save time too!

# Not using enough shaving cream.

​Not enough shaving cream, the hair or beard will not be softened enough. Shaving will cause more irritation. Using too much, the shaving surface is too slippery. It can lead to more cuts. Use an almond-sized cream should be enough for a good shave. Let it sit for one or two minutes to make sure the skin or hair are ready for a smooth shave.

#Soap or body wash are not shaving cream.

You probably think there is no big difference. Wrong! Most of the soaps and body wash removes body oil. Quite often, it leaves the skin dry and dehydrated. It makes shaving harder. Shaving cream actually acts as a slip agent for a nice and smooth shave.

# Not knowing which way your hair grows.

Grow out your hair a bit and learn which way your hair actually grows. Then, there is a trick. First, shave along the way your hair grows. Then, shave again against the way it grows. You will get a smooth result you want. Why? After the first shave, you will have less dead skin cells on your skin. The second one will make sure you have the best shaving result.

# Press your skin too hard when shave

​We would think if we press hard enough, we can shave more hair or stubble. Not really! On the contrary, it might cause cuts and nicks. Just be gentle. Press the razor against your skin and glide on.

# Forget to moisturize your skin after shave

Shaving can cause irritation easily. After shave, rinse with cold water to closes pores. Applying some moisturizer or lotion is a must. Dry and irritated skin will only cause more problem of ingrown hairs and redness.

#​Leave razor on the shower ledge

Guilty! I don’t remember how many times I have done that. Bacteria and water will leave the razor dirty and dull. It will get rusty too. We don’t want that. The correct way is investing in a razor stand. It makes your bathroom look stylish and extends your razor’s life too.

# ​Not replace the razor regularly.

Changing razor regularly will help to eliminate the risk of getting more cuts and nicks. However, it’s just so easy to forget to buy new razors. Some companies provide a subscription service, like Harrys. They will send your new razors on a regular basis. You will not need to worry about forgetting to buy new razors or shaving gel or cream. How convenient and time-saving! I would love that.