Shaving Know How – FAQs

When you feel your shave isn’t as smooth or as close as you’d like it to be, replace your razor’s blade. Below is a quick guide to how to change a King of Shaves Azor System Razor Endurium blade cartridge:

To load a replacement cartridge onto your King of Shaves System Razor, push the Azor’s head down on top of the new cartridge (whilst it is still in the tray) with your index and middle fingers firmly pressing on the square dots on the rear. When you feel the head engage, pull the handle and cartridge out from the tray.

To eject a cartridge, hold the Azor handle and use your thumb to press firmly down on the Azor ‘A’ logo on the back of the razor’s head to ‘ping’ off the cartridge. Alternatively, slide the used cartridge into the tray and remove by pulling the handle upwards whilst gently pressing the Azor logo down with your thumb.

It is true to say for most shaving preparations, the more lather a product produces, the more it will dry out your skin. It may feel good to have a lot of lather on your face, but the fact is that this lather is created by surfactants (similar to detergents) which dry out your skin. As you are already scraping off natural oils when you shave, you do not then want to further dry out your face. Lathering is also wasteful. That white peak of shaving foam, gel or soap isn’t actually touching your face – so why is it there?

So “yes”, the low foam gels and oils do work. You don’t need to cover your face in foam to get a good shave. Oils and low foam gels allow for precision shaving so you can see exactly what you are doing.

With a clear or low foam shave preparation, the more likely you are to see (and thus avoid) any problem areas such as spots, red or rough skin around the neck and so on. Also, if you have a moustache, goatee or beard, you will be able to shave around it with pinpoint accuracy – something that is impossible with traditional lather based shaving products.

Not unless you want a beard! The low foam gels and oils we were talking about are ideal for you. They allow you to avoid particularly sensitive areas – so you won’t keep cutting the same spot or irritating a sensitive area of skin!

Generally you just need to read and follow our prime, shave, protect regime carefully. It will put you on the right track to achieving a smooth rash free shave even if you have sensitive skin. Specifically we would also advise you to change your shaving ‘software’ to a non foaming, King of Shaves shaving oil, serum or gel as they are formulated for all skin types but are especially effective if you have sensitive skin

Our range of shaving and skin care software includes products specifically designed for sensitive or spot prone skin (antibacterial Face Wash, Scrub, Shave Gel plus a soothing Balm) – so seriously consider using these as they will help in the long-run.

For the first four or five days, start shaving before you go to bed at night so you will be sleeping and not fiddling with your rash or burn. Try and shave in the shower if you can – get hold of a non-fog mirror from one of the gadget websites, or shave ‘by touch’. Shave slowly using short strokes in the direction of hair growth – use the side of your forefinger to gauge which direction gives less resistance so you shave ‘with the grain’.

Do not be tempted to go over and over the same area to get a closer shave – this will only further irritate your skin. After shaving, if you have used a gel or serum then splash cool water on your face and pat your skin dry. If you used an oil, simply pat your face dry. Consider using a post shave balm (like King of Shaves Soothing Balm) or moisturiser (like Men’s Moisturiser) as this will help your skin recover. After three or four days of shaving in this way, your spots / rash should have gone, and you will be able to revert to shaving in the morning remembering to use all the advice above!

Begin by following our prime, shave, protect regime and shaving with the grain. This removes the bulk of the hair without pulling and scalping the hairs. Then reapply your shaving software and shave again (very carefully), going against the grain.

Additional tips: Don’t shave first thing in the morning. Have breakfast, let your skin wake-up! Shaving is made much easier by giving the area to be shaved lots of warm / hot water (or steam) before shaving. So have a bath or shower and wash your face in running warm water as this softens the bristles and opens up the pores of the skin preparing it for a closer and less painful shave. After washing apply a hot towel to the beard area for a minute or so to really soften and prepare the bristles for a smooth shave.

These two are kind of linked so we’ll address them together. By having a good shaving routine you should eliminate both. To help eliminate razor bumps, which are caused by the hairs curling round and re-entering the skin (ingrowing), you should exfoliate with a gentle face scrub at least twice a week. Exfoliating is not just for girls as it helps to remove dead skin and frees ingrowing hair. And by following our shaving regime (see above), shaving with the grain and not pressing too hard when you shave, and using a moisturiser / soother afterwards, you should prevent razor burn.

There is no doubt that electric shaving can be faster and simpler than wet shaving. However, electric shaving is harsher on the skin as it strips away natural oils and usually requires the hairs to be dry and brittle to get a close shave. For a closer and more comfortable shave, our advice is to move to wet shaving. But hey, it’s a free country, so if you wish to continue with the electric we suggest you apply a few drops of a King of Shaves Shave Oil to your face before-hand as it will prepare the skin and stubble and help leave you feeling moisturised (not sandpapered)!

Additional tips: Unlike all King of Shaves products, some pre-shave lotions contain alcohol and other astringent (drying) agents which are not good for your skin. So read the label and check the ingredients before you purchase.

Certainly not! It’s important to look after your skin, irrelevant of your sex, and the daily routine of life damages your skin. Women have been wise to this for years – men have taken a little longer to catch up! Shaving can be very drying on your skin and coupled with weather and lifestyle conditions (yes, those late nights drinking in the pub will affect your skin) you need to protect it. Many of the products on the market that claim to be able to replace moisture are lying – once it’s gone it’s gone, but you can help to protect the skin by using a moisturiser after shaving.

The key is to lock moisture into the skin rather than try and replace it later. The simplest way to do this is to apply a moisturiser or post shave soothing gel / balm to the skin as soon after shaving (or washing) as possible, but definitely within ten minutes of shaving (or washing). If you use a moisturiser with a built in SPF, all the better!

The brand name of the blade is far less important than the state it is in. You will not get a close shave from a blunt blade; you will be shaved on parts of the face and not on others and you will end up with redness and blotches on your face and neck. The cure is simple. As soon as you feel a blade is not performing properly, replace it!

That said, we have spent five years designing the King of Shaves Azor System Razor and we really believe it will “shave closer, longer, for less” so we recommend you try it out.

Shaving with a cut-throat razor (or open or straight razor) is also becoming popular again. It takes quite a bit of practice to master however this rediscovered method can give you a great shave and really give you the edge trimming shaped beards and lining up those awkward sideburns. For a well illustrated guide on how to hold and use a cut-throat razor visit www.cutthroat-shaving.co.uk.

King of Shaves offers a wide choice of mentholated products for the simple reason many people love the super cooled feeling they get after shaving with a mentholated product. Very occasionally, menthol can cause a slight reaction with some skin types so simply by switching to an unmentholated version of a product can help significantly to reduce redness and sore areas.

For a great head shave, simply follow our prime, shave, protect regime. If you would like more information on head shaving, try visiting www.headshaver.org

Using a shaving oil will not make your skin oiler. However it will leave your skin feeling smooth and moisturised.

If you find that fragrance irritates the skin, an Azor Advanced Shaving Gel or Kinexium Shave Oil coupled with our Men’s SPF8 Facial Moisturiser. Although none of our gels contain fragrance, the Advanced (non-cooling) Shaving Gel is derived from natural ingredients and features advanced skin conditioners which makes it ideal for extra sensitive skin. Remember to follow our prime, shave protect regime and thoroughly rinse off all the gel after use.

To get the closest possible shave, start at your ankles and shave upwards. From the bottom of your ankle, gently glide the blades up the leg in one smooth stroke. Take extra care when shaving areas where bone is close to the skin surface, such as ankles and knees.

To avoid nicks and cuts that often occur behind the ankle, flex your heel to stretch the skin whilst you shave. Around the sensitive bikini area follow the direction of the hairs’ growth to help prevent irritation. Remember when shaving don’t press too hard, let the blades do the work!

For more women’s shaving advice, read our Women’s Shaving Tips – you may need to scroll down the page.

Underarm hair grows in different directions and so you will need to shave up, down and across the area.

To help prevent razor burn and ingrown hairs pull the skin tight with one hand, while you shave with the other. You should re-apply your shaving gel or oil regularly as you shave in different directions.

For more women’s shaving advice, read our Women’s Shaving Tips in the Top Tips section on this page – you can find it towards the bottom of the page.

Easy! Either view our easy to navigate product range pages, or you can read about the differences by clicking on the Range section on this page.

The gaps between the Azor 4 and Azor 5 cartridges should be identical and the geometry is very similar so they should not be any difference in clogging. If you feel the blades on your Azor are clogging then…

Ensure you are using a water soluable shaving oil, gel or foam (all King of Shaves products are water soluble).

Don’t use too much shaving oil or gel – use the amount recommended in the usage instructions. Using more oil or gel will not give you a better shave and it can increase the chance of your razor clogging.

Oil from your skin or stubble can contribute to clogging so before shaving cleanse your skin with a quality face wash (or scrub) and plenty of warm water.

Rinse your razor frequently when shaving to help prevent a build-up of stubble in the blades. We recommend you shave in a warm bath or shower, but if you are using a sink or a bowl, add a drop or two of shower gel or face wash to the warm water and mix it up before rinsing the razor blade in it.

If your stubble is very long, consider using a trimmer to shave off the longer hair before using your Azor.

If you are still having issues, please contact our Customer Care team!

Shaving under the nose, no matter what razor you use, can be tricky so below are some tips to help you keep your upper lip smooth!

1. Shave the upper lip area last giving your shave gel or oil the maximum amount of time to soften your stubble.
2. Curl your top lip down towards your teeth to flatten the area.
3. Then press your bottom curled lip up to meet it – this helps lock the top lip down. You should look like you have no lips showing and the skin to be shaved should be as flat and as taut as possible. Another trick is to use your tongue inside your mouth to push out your upper lip area.
4. Gently push your nose to the side allowing you to shave the side / middle part of the upper lip. Then gently push your nose up with your index finger allowing you to shave the middle part of your upper lip.
5. Don’t rush! Shave using short, light strokes to help prevent cutting yourself.
6. If at any time you feel the blade flex or pull/tug on the whiskers, stop and decrease the blade pressure and resume with a very light touch.
7. You may find that using the razor at different angles may help you reach any difficult areas.
8. You can also try shaving in different directions to get to any ‘hard to reach’ areas. First shave with the grain, then across the grain, and finally, if required, go against the grain. Remember to keep your strokes light and consider reapplying your chosen shave gel or oil to the areas if required between strokes.
9. If you are using an Azor System Razor, to get more precise control over shaving the lip it can be beneficial to hold your Azor slightly differently by placing your fingers over the head (rather than the handle) as shown in the picture below.

King of Shaves products are suitable for vegetarians and vegans (we use no animal derived ingredients) and all our products are tested on humans, not animals!