Men, have you noticed that your skin seems to get more irritated as you shave? I'm sure you thought it had to do with the shave process - scraping the razor over the face often. Shaving by itself is an exfoliating process. Rubbing the skin and scraping away the hair with a razor helps to remove the daily skin debris that is created along the outermost layer of the skin. This process of shedding dead skin cells is common across men and women. This debris can get impacted within the hair follicles and lead to acne. However, with regular shaving you can remove these dead skin cells without the need to scrub your face or dome.
Additionally, the ingredients found in most shave products (aerosol cremes and gels) can be harmful to your skin over time. Your skin hydrates itself naturally. The reason your fingers can smudge clear smooth surfaces is because of the oils your skin produces naturally. The problem with pressurized cans of shaving cream (especially gel based shaving products) is that the chemicals which allow for the creams to be pressurized and turn 'foamy' when they are released also make it difficult for the skin to hydrate. These chemicals, known as surfactants, are designed to reduce tension between surfaces which also means that they make it difficult for hydrating compounds to penetrate the skin. This makes it necessary for artificial lubricants to be added. These chemicals may not be horrendously damaging to your skin on a daily basis. However, long-term exposure has been shown to make skin more alkaline. Basically, the longer you skin is exposed to these chemicals, which displace hydrating compounds from the skin, the harder it becomes for your skin to be able to hydrate itself naturally. This means your skin becomes drier and ages much faster (Razor Emporium).
The FDA has classified propylene glycol as "Generally Recognized as Safe", which may sound like a reassuring statement. However, new information comes out every day about the chemical type and its effects on health. Since its initial classification by the FDA, several studies have found contact with propylene glycol can lead to severe skin irritation and allergies. Studies have also shown exposure could lead to increased likelihood for development of eczema and asthma. Some studies have linked propylene glycol to dermatitis and kidney abnormalities. If none of that were enough to dissuade the common consumer, here's another fact about propylene glycol: its other major manufactured uses include brake fluid and even antifreeze. Not something that you would want touching your skin, let alone face, is it (Razor Emporium).
Shaving on a regular basis, is the easiest way to steer clear of ingrown hair or razor bumps. Shaving daily means that you don’t allow the hair to get too long. This reduces chances of the hair entering a neighboring hair follicle. Even if a razor bump does develop, shaving daily will ensure that you can discover and dismantle it before it gets too big and ugly. Shaving on smaller hair means lesser pulling. This avoids the hair shaft being fully pulled out, overcoming the root cause of razor bumps. (Grooming, MensXP.com)
Shaving the dome daily is my preferred regimen, and I'd rather do it with stuff my Dome will thank me for later!