Introduction
Many sighted people have questions about how a blind person lives their life.
They may ask questions like “How does he/she get dressed?” or “How does he/she get around?”
While it is normal for sighted people to have such questions, the answer is usually “I do it the same way you do.”
With this in mind, I’m going to talk about shaving, an important grooming task that many people do every day.
But why is it important?
Grooming tasks, like shaving, are important because it shows that you care about your personal hygiene and appearance.
In addition to that, it will make you come across as someone who is professional and who cares about their wellbeing and thus, will take pride in their work.
Choosing a razor
Many people may think that is unsafe for a blind person to shave on their own, however, this is simply not the case.
While some types of razors, like straight razors could be dangerous, it’s not the only option.
There are many options in terms of which razor you use, and it all depends on your skin/hair texture.
Generally, razors can be broken down into the blade type and whether it is motorized or not.
Electric vs. manual razors
Whether you use an electric razor or not is purely a matter of personal preference.
One benefit of using an electric razor might be the efficiency and convenience. However, I use a manual razor now, and it works better for me.
NOTE: some manual razors have a taptic functionality, and that is what I prefer because it cuts more hair.
A note about my experiences with electric razors
While electric razors can be useful, it’s important to know the different varieties they come in.
First, there are the generic safety razors, which work somewhat well, but this is dependent on factors like your skin and hair texture.
Second, there are the kind where there are 3 metal pads and the blade is in the middle.
In my experience, I found these razors to be the most ineffective.
If you plan on using an electric razor, choose the former.
Single vs. Multi-blade razors
Depending on your skin and hair texture, it may be worth trying out single and multi blade razors to see what works best for you.
For example, I have coarse hair, and find that a single-bladed raiser took more time to shave with, because it didn’t catch all the hair.
I use the Gillette Fusion 5 because of its taptic functionality and multiple blades.
Shaving cream
Just like choosing a razor, choosing the right shaving cream for you will improve your shaving experience
There are 2 main types of shaving cream, whipped and gel.
I use the gel because it is easier to wash off and creates a coating on my face which I like.
Because of that, it helps reduce the number of nicks and ingrown hairs.
The whipped version, on the other hand was harder to wash off, and it wore off so easy that I felt like the razor wasn’t moving smoothly across my skin.
However, your mileage may vary.
Strategy
Now, let’s talk strategy.
It’s very important, to make sure you shave of all the hair on your face, so you don’t leave anything unsightly behind.
To start, I go from the top center of my cheekbone to the bottom of my jawline.
I go in long strokes, and go from right to left until I reach my chin.
When I get to my chin, I tuck my lip in, and use my finger to identify where the hairline begins.
I then continue by going from the beginning of that hairline down towards the bottom of my jawline.
I then go back to the top center of my cheekbone and go down tours the bottom of my jawline.
Now I return to the right side of my face midway down my sideburn.
I make a shorter stroke, moving away from my sideburn.
Then, I do the same for the left side of my face.
Next, I flip the razor upside-down and go in short strokes from the bottom of my jawline up towards the top of my jawline, from right to left.
Finally, I use my finger to find any leftover hairs and go over them with short strokes to make sure I get them all.
Conclusion
Shaving is one of the most important grooming tasks people do every day, and blind people are not excluded from that.
I hope I have provided insight into how a blind person can go about doing normal tasks like shaving, just as a sighted person would.