There are many men that really like wearing a beard but also there are some others that like being clean-shaven.
If you belong in the second category this article is for you.
In fact, there are many men that don’t grow beards for various reasons. For example, in many countries, military men are not allowed to have any facial whatsoever.
The Greek army, for instance, does not allow men to have any facial hair and even if you have a 5 o’clock shadow beard, you get punished.
And this is only one example. There are millions of men that are clean-shaved.
In this article, we will discuss how to get rid of 5 o’clock shadow, what exactly the 5 o’clock shadow is, and more.
Let’s get straight into it!
What Is A 5 o’clock Shadow?
A 5 o’clock shadow is something that most men have experienced at least once in their lives. In fact, if you don’t grow a beard you face this phenomenon daily.
The 5 o’clock shadow is that light stubble you have every morning. Most men shave their facial hair early in the morning but after 5 o’clock.
For this reason, at 5 o’clock these men have their maximum beard length. This phenomenon-beard style takes its name from this whole situation.
The funny thing is that there are many men that love this beard style which is very difficult to maintain because either their facial hair grows more or they shave it.
Maintaining a 5 o’clock shadow beard is very challenging but you won’t have to deal with it, hopefully.
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To sum things up, a 5 o’clock shadow is a light stubble. It is let’s say a 1-day stubble.
Now, that we know what the 5’clock shadow exactly is let’s move on.
What We Need To Shave A 5 o’clock Shadow?
Well, in our case most trimmers if not all won’t work.
They absolutely not.
Beard trimmers always tend to leave a little bit of stubble.
So, our next choices are either an electric razor or a manual razor.
An electric razor is, in theory, much better than a manual razor because it shaves softer and it won’t cut or hurt you. But, they also have 2 important drawbacks.
The first one is that electric razor are, of course, more expensive than manual razors but if you plan to shave every single day for the whole year, manual razors’ cost will also increase.
However, the most important thing we wanna take into account is that electric shavers do not shave as deep as manual razors.
Manual razors shave precisely and deeply.
But, there are also drawbacks on manual razors too.
Manual razors can cut your face if you are inexperienced, if they are low quality, and if if you rush to shave.
Trust me, I have been there multiple times.
If you wanna shave with a manual razor make sure you have 10-15 minutes and buy a high quality razor.
I would go with a 3-blade razor. It works perfectly for me but you can also shave with a high quality 2 blade razor. More blades mean deeper and softer shaving but there is no need for more than 3 blades.
Read Also: Does Shaving Make Your Beard Thicker?
Plain and simple.
To sum up, should you use an electric shaver or a manual shaver for the 5 o’clock shadow?
The answer is, a manual shaver.
How To Get Rid Of 5 o’clock Shadow Beard: Step By Step
In general, before you try to shave it is good for you to take a shower. But, I get it. Most men shave very early and may not want to take a bath.
However, warm water makes your shaving much easier and less painful. To be honest, shaving is not painful but if it can get tricky if you reckless.
My recommendation is to take a shower before shaving but if you don’t want to, make sure you throw some warm water to your face.
Exfoliation is another way to prepare yourself for shaving. But again, I get it. Most of us, won’t mess with anything else other than the basics.
However, keep in mind that exfoliation removes dead cells, makes your skin breathe, and helps you shave deeper with less effort.
Let’s now dive into the real step by step process. These are the 9 steps you need to take to get rid of the 5 o’clock shadow stubble:
That’s it. You are done!
But, let’s get into some more details.
The first we always do before shaving is washing our face with hot water. Hydration prevents cuts and pain. Remember this is a razor, it is not a trimmer.
Again, we recommend you shave after shower, otherwise just wash your face for 1 minute.
Read Also: Can I use regular hair shampoo or soap for my beard?
The second step is obviously to apply a shaving gel or foam or creme. I personally prefer Nivea gel for men but this is no very crucial.
Most men, make this mistake here. They start shaving immediately after they apply the shaving product. Make this favor to yourself. Wait for 30 seconds or 1 minute for the product to make your stubble softer.
Most of the time, you will need to use a new razor. But, if you don’t, please check the blades.
If the blades are worn and not clean, throw it away. The newest the razor is, the less cuts you will have.
Now, it is time to start the actual shaving. Start shaving with gentle, soft strokes. If you do have a 3 blade razor, I am confident it won’t leave any stubble.
At this point, I want to tell you something important. Some men shave in the same direction as their facial hair grows while others do not.
Guys, if you have thick facial hair, you will have to shave against the grain, otherwise the 5 o’clock shadow won’t disappear completely and in some hours you won’t look clean-shaven.
On the other hand, if you don’t have much facial hair, it will be ok to shave with the grain.
Always with gentle and soft moves.
During your shaving process, rinse the blades with warm water, it makes the whole process easier and faster for you.
When you finish, wash your face and check if you have left any areas with stubble. If not, you are done, otherwise apply a little bit of gel again and shave only in this area.
Finally, wash your face, dry it and apply your aftershave lotion that moisturizes your face.
Not only will you feel soft right away but also most aftershave lotions smell great. Women can’t resist a freshly shaven man.
Conclusion
A 5 o’clock shadow is both a beard style and a phenomenon that happens unintentionally.
Many men do like this style but there are also many other men that for various reasons want to be clean-shaven and that’s ok.
A 5 o’clock shadow is simply a 1-day stubble beard or light stubble.
To get rid of 5 o’clock shadow, you need a razor. A manual razor will work better than an electric but you should be careful during the process.
Follow the detailed steps that we went through and you will be just fine.
And…that’s it for today’s article. I really hope you found it helpful.
Leave us a comment and share your thoughts or questions and we will be more than happy to reply.
Are you ready for your clean-shaven look? Take action!
Until next time,
Stay safe,
Tasos
Tasos Moulios is the founder of Beardlong. He loves trying different beard and hair styles and blogs about them. The tips he shares come from his own experience and love for what he does.