Should You Scrub Before or After Shaving?

Before any hunt, I walk the trail once in daylight and clear it. Fallen branches, dead brush, the bramble that grabs your ankle at the worst moment. Come moonrise, I can move fast and quiet because nothing is in the way. Your legs work the same way before a razor goes over them.

So should you exfoliate before or after shaving? Before. Scrub first, either at the start of the same shower or the night before, then shave. Exfoliating clears away dead skin so the blade glides close instead of snagging and clogging, and it lifts flattened hairs so you catch them on the first pass. Scrubbing right after a shave is the move to skip. The razor has already taken off a thin layer of skin, and grinding sugar into that tends to sting, redden and leave you itchy for the rest of the night.

Exfoliate before or after shaving: why "before" wins

A razor is a blade dragged across skin. Anything sitting on top of that skin gets in its way. When you exfoliate before shaving, you're clearing the trail, and three good things happen.

• The blade glides. Dead, dry skin is what clogs a cartridge and makes it tug. Smooth skin means fewer passes, and fewer passes means less irritation.
• Hairs stand up. Scrubbing in circles lifts hairs that are lying flat, so you get them on the first stroke instead of going back over the same patch three times.
• You get a closer shave. With less buildup around each hair, the razor can cut cleanly at the surface. That's the smooth that lasts into the next day.

After shaving is different territory. Shaving is a mild exfoliation on its own, because the blade scrapes away surface skin as it goes. Add a scrub on top and you've exfoliated twice in five minutes. Some people can get away with it. Most of us end up with pink, prickly shins.

Timing: when to scrub and when to shave

I like a plan with clear marks on it. Here's the timing I follow, and what each option is good for.

For most legs, two or three scrubs a week is the sweet spot. If you shave every other day, line up your scrub with the shave days and leave the in-between days for lotion only.

How to scrub before shaving legs, step by step

Here's my exact routine for a shave night. It takes about 10 extra minutes, and the results show.

1. Soak first. Spend 3 to 5 minutes in warm water before you do anything. Warm, not scalding: hot water dries skin out. Softened hair cuts more easily.
2. Scrub in small circles. Take about a tablespoon of scrub per leg. Work it in gentle circles from ankle to thigh for 30 to 60 seconds per leg. Light pressure is enough; the sugar does the work.
3. Rinse completely. Leftover crystals under a blade feel like sand in your boot. Run your hand over your legs and rinse again if anything feels gritty.
4. Add slip. Smooth on a shave oil, gel or cream. Your razor should never meet bare, dry skin.
5. Shave with a sharp blade. Use light strokes, go with the grain first, and rinse the razor often. A dull blade drags no matter how well you prepped.
6. Cool down and moisturize. Rinse with cool water, pat dry (don't rub), and put on moisturizer while skin is still a little damp.

Want the full shave method, from razor choice to knees and ankles? It's all in my guide to how to shave your legs. And if you're new to scrubs, Sugar wrote the book on how to use a sugar scrub.

What to do after shaving instead of scrubbing

The after-shave part of the hunt is about recovery, not more effort. Skip the scrub and do this:

• Rinse with cool water to finish.
• Pat dry with a clean towel.
• Moisturize within a few minutes. A whipped body butter or a few drops of oil both work.
• Wear loose clothes for the rest of the night if your skin feels warm or tight.
• Hold off on fragranced sprays or alcohol-based products on just-shaved spots for a few hours if your skin tends to sting.

Sensitive skin, bikini line and underarms

Thinner skin needs a gentler plan. For the bikini line and underarms, I scrub the night before rather than in the same shower, and I go lighter on pressure. Your skin then has a full night to settle before the razor comes through.

If your legs flush red after almost any shave, try these changes one at a time:

• Drop to one scrub a week and see how your skin responds.
• Patch test any new scrub on a small spot of your inner arm first and wait a day.
• Swap a gritty scrub for a finer one, and never scrub over broken skin, sunburn or a fresh cut.
• Replace your razor blade more often. A sharp blade causes less irritation than a dull one.

Little red bumps after shaving are common, and you can read my full field notes on razor bumps on legs. Regular exfoliation before shaving can help hairs grow out freely, but it's general care, not a fix. See a dermatologist if bumps get painful, look infected, or keep coming back no matter what you change.

Sugar scrub or a washcloth?

You don't need anything fancy to exfoliate. A textured washcloth or a soft mitt does a decent job before shaving. A sugar scrub does two jobs at once: the sugar buffs while the oil leaves skin soft, so your legs feel smooth even before the razor comes out. What I'd skip before shaving are harsh, jagged scrubs and strong acid exfoliants used on the same day. Those can leave skin too tender for a blade.

My picks for a smooth shave

These are the tools in my own quiver, all in my Amber Moonlight scent: gleaming amber, pink prosecco, moonlight peonies and amaretto creme.

• The Huntress Magical Sugar Scrub (4 oz, $25). A sugar exfoliant in safflower seed oil with rice bran, rosemary and sunflower extracts and vitamin E. This is my trail-clearing step before every shave.
• The Huntress Shave Oil Serum (2 oz, $27). Coconut, sweet almond, jojoba and argan oils. Use it before shaving for slip, after shaving for softness, or both.
• The Huntress Body Frosting (4 oz, $25). A whipped moisturizer with cocoa butter, shea butter, aloe and chamomile. It's my after-shave finish instead of a second scrub.
• The Huntress Razor & Radiance Duo ($50). My shave oil paired with my hair oil elixir, for when you want one scent from your legs to your ends.

FAQ

The trail, cleared

I cleared that trail in the afternoon, and by the time the moon came up I moved down it without a sound or a single snag. That's what scrubbing first gets you: a razor that moves clean and quiet, and legs that stay smooth long after the hunt is over. Clear the path before, rest the skin after, and aim true.

Every beauty has a story.

— The Huntress

Keep reading in The Princess's Vanity

• How to shave your legs
• How to use a sugar scrub (and how often)
• Razor bumps on legs