Korean Men Skincare: How to Shave Without Cuts or Breakouts

I'm Dr. Hongseok Kim, a board-certified dermatologist with 21 years of practice and the medical director of VOS Dermatology Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, right in front of Dosan Park. At VOS I see every patient myself, from the first consultation to the last treatment.

Korean men skincare often gets reduced to a list of products, but for most men the daily skin problem starts with the razor: nicks, red bumps and breakouts along the jaw and neck. Shaving is the one thing many men do to their face every morning, so getting it right matters more than any serum. This page is based on my YouTube video from December 2024; it summarizes what I explained there for readers abroad. The video above can be watched with translated captions.

Start before the razor: wash first

Short answer: wash your face before you shave, so the skin is clean and the hair is soft.

When I was young and my beard was just starting, I shaved in the public bath and kept nicking myself. My father told me one thing: always wash before you shave (in the video at 00:56). I did not think much of it then, but after becoming a dermatologist I realised how right he was.

Most men put shaving foam straight onto dry skin and start shaving. Foam does lubricate, but lubrication is only half of it (in the video at 01:19). The other half is the hair itself. Hair that has not taken on any water is stiff, so the blade has to force its way through. Forcing it leads to cuts, and bacteria can then enter through the follicle and cause folliculitis.

Washing first solves both problems. The soap removes surface dirt, and while you cleanse, water soaks into the hair and softens it (in the video at 02:00). Then apply shaving foam, gel or soap, leave it for about 10 to 20 seconds, and shave gently. It feels completely different, and it is how I have shaved ever since.

Shaving up or down: does blade direction matter?

Short answer: once the hair is softened and lubricated, either direction is fine; what hurts the skin is force.

Some men shave downwards, some upwards (in the video at 02:36). Shaving down follows the direction of growth, so it can feel like the hair is not cut cleanly. Shaving up cuts it short and feels crisp. But on hair that has not been softened, shaving upwards takes a lot of force: instead of gliding, the blade catches on each hair and you feel it snag. That snagging is your skin being injured.

The same applies to women removing body hair. If one pass does not work and you rub the razor back and forth over the same area, you invite secondary infection, redness and spots. Softened hair, a lubricant and a light touch, almost like a gentle massage, matter more than the direction.

Ingrown hairs, aftershave and razor hygiene

Short answer: skip high-alcohol aftershave if your skin is sensitive, change blades often, and never leave a razor damp and unrinsed.

Not every bump after shaving is an infection. Sometimes the hair curls back under the skin and cannot grow out, and the inflammation comes from that ingrown hair (in the video at 03:57). Many aftershaves contain a fair amount of alcohol. It disinfects, but it can also make skin more sensitive, so if your skin reacts easily I suggest leaving it out.

The bigger problem is the razor itself (in the video at 04:31). Many men give it a quick splash, leave it on the edge of the sink, and use it again the next morning after one rinse. Think how many bacteria can build up in that blade. After shaving, rinse it under running water for a good while, or soak it briefly in a cup of hot water. Change blades as often as you reasonably can. Electric shaver users should empty and clean the head too; surprisingly few do. Even if your skin is clean, a dirty razor brings the problem back each time.

What to put on after shaving

Short answer: moisturise every time, and use a gentle exfoliant only occasionally.

Moisturising after shaving is a given (in the video at 05:32). Alongside it, a light exfoliant now and then can help with ingrown hairs; this is common on the legs after hair removal. Exfoliants dry the skin, though, so moisture is still the priority. When skin becomes dry, the outer layer thickens, and a thick outer layer can trap the hair so it curls inside. Keeping the skin in a steady, well-moisturised state is the real goal.

As for foam or gel (in the video at 06:11): I use both. Either one is there to lubricate, so the blade passes over the skin smoothly in one stroke with as little damage as possible. If you have washed first and the hair is damp, either will work well. Pick the one that suits you.

When razor bumps turn into folliculitis

Short answer: if bumps keep coming back or become pus-filled, it is folliculitis, and it usually needs a doctor rather than more home care.

Folliculitis after shaving often goes beyond what you can fix yourself (in the video at 06:46). It usually starts when bacteria that normally live on the skin surface get into tiny nicks around the follicle. A doctor may suggest an antibiotic ointment, and here many people go wrong: they apply a thick layer. These ointments are strongly occlusive, so a heavy layer can clog the pores in that area. Spread it thinly. If that settles it, good. If not, oral medication may be needed.

Some men keep shaving over the same inflamed area, so it keeps bleeding and never heals. Repeated injury like this can leave pigmentation and marks. Do not force the razor over active spots; shave carefully, or ask a dermatologist how to manage it.

A simple skincare routine after shaving

Short answer: healthy skin can use almost any moisturiser, but sensitive or acne-prone skin should use fragrance-free products.

If your skin is healthy, most moisturisers are fine (in the video at 07:48). Products with ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids, the lipids that make up the skin barrier, are a good choice, as are cica-type soothing products. If a clinic has given you a barrier moisturiser for dryness, that works too.

The exception is men who already have a lot of breakouts, acne or sensitive skin (in the video at 08:09). Shaving adds small injuries to skin that is already irritated, and fragrance on top can provoke it further. Shaving foams and gels usually contain fragrance too, so rinse them off thoroughly. The moisturiser matters more, because it is a leave-on product that sits on your skin for hours (in the video at 08:52), so choose a fragrance-free one.

So my shaving routine is simple: check that your razor is clean, wash first so the hair is damp and soft, use gel or foam, shave gently, and moisturise with something fragrance-free. If you want a wider view of daily routines versus clinic care, my notes on when Korea skin care needs a clinic and on what a Korean dermatologist checks first go further, and you can browse our treatments or read creator experiences at VOS.

Results vary from person to person, and whether your skin needs more than home care is decided at a consultation.

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Results, swelling and recovery vary from person to person. This page is general information from VOS Dermatology Clinic based on Dr. Kim's video and does not replace an in-person consultation.