If ingrown hairs, flaky skin, excess oil, blackheads and shaving bumps are not leaving skin at its best, here’s how you can turn it around by adding a scrub to your shaving routine.

The science bit

Shaving can have all sorts of knock-on effects on the health and appearance of skin. Firstly skin is stripped of moisture, leading to dehydration which can manifest as dry flaky patches and dull, greyish looking skin.

This build up of skin cells can in turn lead to ingrown hairs, which are unsightly and sore, while the usual daily grime and an excess of oil (which is not uncommon as men’s skin tends to be on the oily side) can cause blackheads and spots.

The solution

A good scrub contains micro particles to slough away dead skin cells, deep cleanse pores to leave skin looking clear and healthy. It’s also works as a skin prep for a closer, smoother shave.

Our advice is to use a facial scrub to exfoliate skin two or three times a week maximum, on alternate days. Men tend to like using scrubs because skin feels super clean, but it’s important to make sure you don’t over use this type of product, as they can trigger the skin to produce more oil to compensate for any loss of moisture in the skin.

Avoid using scrubs around the eye area or directly on sore, open blemishes as you can inflame these sensitive areas further and spread spot causing bacteria

Check the product instructions before use as some scrubs are formulated to be used on dry skin, while others need skin to be wet first.

The products

King of Shaves Men’s Antibacterial Face Scrub from www.mensmode.co.uk is good value for money. It contains Jojoba particles to clear skin of excess oil, dirt and dead skin and its antibacterial formulation helps to target spot causing bacteria, and it’s ideal for sensitive or spot prone skin.

Nickel Super-Clean Scrubbing Gel is RRP £15 for 125ml is a versatile gel based product that can be used daily for a speedy clean or for a more in-depth clean a couple of times a week. Again it’s anti-bacterial and can be used on sensitive skin.

Lab Series Invigorating Skin Scrub RRP £18 for 100ml – this gel uses crushed apricot seeds to scrub skin and unclogs pores. Don’t scrub too hard with it though as the coarse seeds can redden skin. This product really energizes skin and leaves it clean, smooth and prepared for a closer shave.