Sometimes when you shave your face, you will see a dark shadow left behind. You feel that you have done everything correctly, but there is still a little bit of facial hair on your face.
This is prominent right after you shave. Of course, your beard will grow back, and at some point, it will get long again. But, what if you want a super clean face with no stubble at all? We can solve that problem for you. Our step by step guide will show you how to remove any remaining stubble on your face. We will also review other options like waxing and laser hair removal on your face.
So, why does it show up, and what is the best way to remove it? The dark part that you see is just very short stubble. When you shaved your facial hair, not all of it was removed. There are ways to get a closer shave so that you don’t have a shadow.
What Is A Beard Shadow?
A beard shadow is stubble that is left on your face after shaving. The stubble sits very close to your skin, and it looks like a dark shadow on your face.
This is more prominent for guys with dark beards. This is because darker hair is easier to see, even if it is shaved down close to your skin.
Think of it this way. When you use a razor to shave your face, it will cut your facial hair close to your skin. The quality of your razor, the blade, and your shaving cream will determine how close you get it. That shadow that you see is basically stubble left over that did not get removed.
The good news is that there is a way to get a closer shave to remove that shadow!
Steps To Remove A Beard Shadow
If you want to naturally remove a beard shadow, then you need to use a proper razor along with quality shave cream. Most of the time, a plastic disposable razor will not remove facial hair the best. Even if you use a razor with 3 blades, it may not work well enough.
The best way to remove a beard shadow is to use a proper DE razor along with a quality shaving cream. I know it may sound simple, but a double edge razor with two passes will get you a close shave.
You will need a Double Edge Razor. We recommend a Merkur 34 HD. It is affordable, and it will provide an excellent and close shave. You will also need some DE razor blades.
Here are the steps to get rid of a beard shadow:
- Wet your face with warm water. It is best to do this in the shower, or you can use a wet towel.
- Apply the recommended shaving cream over your face to cover all of your beard hair.
- With your DE razor, shave with the grain of your facial hair. Do not shave against the grain.
- Once you have finished, rinse your face off.
- Lather up your face again with shaving cream.
- Make another pass with your DE razor and shave with the grain. This will remove the remaining beard shadow that you normally see after shaving.
What makes this work is using a double edge razor. These provide a much closer shave, and they are able to cut down close your skin. A quality shaving cream will allow for an easier shave, and you will have a cleaner cut. The 2nd pass will remove any remaing facial hair or what you may call the “beard shadow.”
Does Beard Shadow Removal Cream Work?
You should not use hair removal cream for a beard shadow. There are products like Nair Hair Remover Face Cream, but those are not intended to remove men’s facial hair or beards. Those products like that are designed to remove a small amount of peach fuzz from women’s faces.
They do not work great for getting rid of beards or stubble that is showing after shaving.
Does Waxing Remove A Beard Shadow?
Do not wax your face to get rid of a beard shadow. A man’s facial hair is different, and it will be very painful. In addition, you can damage the hair follicles on your face.
If you do decide to wax your beard, then you will experience a lot of pain, and you may have redness and swelling for a couple of days after. You are looking at a 30 minute procedure, and you will have to get it done again in 3 to 4 weeks. There will still be a few straggly hairs, so you will have to pluck those out with tweezers.
Can You Remove Beard Shadow With A Laser?
You can remove a beard shadow with laser treatments, but it will not remove all of the hair. This is a costly option, and you will have to get multiple treatments to get rid of it. Even after you do it, it will take weeks for the facial hair to fall out. You will need to consult with an expert to determine if a laser is a good option to remove your beard shadow.
There are pros and cons of using this method. In our opinion, nothing beats a good two pass shave with a double edged razor.
