How to Get Rid of 5 O Clock Shadow

It’s a tale as old as time: You wake up in the morning, shave, get dressed, go to work, and around evening you check yourself in the bathroom mirror, and oh no! Your facial hair has come back and your jaw and chin are looking darker than they were. And you wonder; How to Get Rid of 5 O Clock Shadow?

How to Get Rid of five O'Clock Shadow

Well, this is known as a 5 o’clock shadow (Usually because it shows up around 5-ish from when you shave in the morning). It’s completely normal, and it’s just your facial hair starting to grow back after shaving.

Because the hairs are still so short, it gives off this kind of shadow appearance. Men have been divided over this for ages; some like the shadowy look and think it looks gruff, masculine, and that it gives your jaw more structure and contour.

However, a lot of men struggle to take it off and keep it off. Some even find it there right after shaving, we’ll get to that later.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A 5 O’CLOCK SHADOW?

Now if you want to have that stubble look all day, it’s pretty easy: Just shave at night instead of morning, and by the time you wake up, voila! It’s there.

It will only get slightly darker throughout the day. Now, what if you don’t want that look, like ever? You’ve come to the right place.

Read Also: How Do You Get A 10 Day Stubble?

CAN YOU GET RID OF A 5 O’CLOCK SHADOW?

If you don’t have a problem shaving the five o’clock shadow, but your problem is that it grows too quickly, blame your amazing beard-growing genetics that most men would only dream of.

Envy aside, if your face is completely and closely shaven in the morning but your stubble is their midday, there’s nothing you can do except shave it off again. Ideally, you would use a razor and go for the full shaving experience.

However, since you’re likely at work and you can’t just bust out your razors, cream, and aftershave, it’s wise to invest in an electric shaver.

Electric shavers don’t get as close a shave as razors, but they’re quick, efficient, and they’ll get the job done. Just head over to the bathroom for a quick electric shave during lunch hour, and you’ll be back looking smooth in time for the 2:00 meeting.

HOW TO GET RID OF 5 O CLOCK SHADOW IN THE FIRST PLACE?

For some, the problem isn’t having the 5:00 shadow showing up randomly in the middle of the day, but it’s in getting rid of it in the first place. You might be thinking “Duh, just shave.” You’d be right, but it’s not that simple.

Shaving alone isn’t a guaranteed way to have a silky-smooth baby jaw, as shaves aren’t always very close. What you want here is as close a shave as possible, one that gets right up there and personal with your skin. For this, you need to go back and re-evaluate how you shave.

HOW TO GET RID OF THE 5 O’CLOCK SHADOW
Source: istock

BEFORE YOU SHAVE

HOW’S YOUR SKIN?

Hold your horses there, there are a few things to note before even picking up a razor. To get the most out of your shave, and to get as close as possible, you first need to take care of that skin you’re going to scrape with a super sharp metal object.

Skincare is undeniably important when it comes to shaving. When you don’t take care of your skin, you can get ingrown hairs, pimples, and dead skin that builds up and interrupts the shaving process, making it harder.

You get a much closer shave when the razor is going across your skin like butter, for that you need two things: Exfoliation and moisturizing.

Exfoliation removes the dead skin and bacteria, making your skin smoother, which in turn leads to a smoother shave. You should exfoliate once a day, preferably after a shower. The next step is moisturizing.

No one likes dry skin, not even your razor. Dry skin leads to a whole host of problems and also makes your shaving process needlessly complicated, so you should moisturize your face after washing it.

PICK YOUR WEAPON

Obviously, to have a nice and close shave, you need a good razor. Cheap, dull razors will cause irritation, cuts, nicks, pulls, and so much pain that’s easily avoided by spending a couple of extra bucks. There’s no perfect razor for everyone, but there are some criteria.

When it comes to blades, the more the merrier. Having multiple blades gets the razor closer to the skin, which in turn gets you a closer shave.

Some razors also have lubricating strips, which will ease redness or irritation and make your skin generally more relaxed.

In the war between razors or electric shavers, the razor will win this one (Since you have a place and time to shave in the morning, this doesn’t work).

However, the razors themselves have wars within them. You can choose between a cartridge razor, a double-edged safety razor, or a cutthroat straight razor.

Overall, the safety and straight razors get you closer shaves, but they’re not as easy and safe as the cartridge razors, which can have swivel heads and more comfort.

Though if you can get the technique of a safety razor down, it’s the cheapest and sharpest option. Just please, make sure you stay away from the disposable ones.

TIME TO SHAVE, BUT HOW?

TIME TO SHAVE

Yes, I know we all learned to shave in middle school or high school, but let’s go over it one more time to make sure we’ve got it right!

1-Washing Your Face

Before you pick up the razor, you need to wash your face with warm water. Warm water opens up the pores, softens the hairs, and makes the process easier. Just make sure it’s not too hot, or you can face dry skin. Afterward, gently pat your face dry with a towel. 

2-Applying cream, foam, or gel

Whether you’re a shaving cream man, a foam man, or a gel man, now’s the time to use any of them with a good brush and go in circles all over your face. Make sure you coat the hairs and move up from your neck to get it in there.

3-Start Shaving In Short Strokes

Now you can begin the shave. Pick up your razor, tug on your skin, and start going with the grain, which means going in the direction your hair is growing.

Make sure you notice the different directions because different parts can grow in different directions. Go nice and slow with short strokes and add some pressure and rinse your razor before it gets all clogged up.

4-Now Do It Again

This is a two-layer process. Once you’re done going with the grain, it’s time to put some more cream on (Less this time though) and start going against the grain.

It is imperative that your razor is super sharp and not dull for this, otherwise, you’re in for a world of pain.

5-Wash Your Face Again

Just like the beginning, you will rinse your face (no soap though) with warm water then cold water, to close those pores you’ve opened.

6-Aftershave Time

Apply some aftershave Home Alone style, though make sure it doesn’t have alcohol because it’s like Patrick Bateman said: Alcohol dries out your skin. You can even use some beard oil instead, which would moisturize your skin quite well.

OTHER METHODS TO GET RID OF FIVE O’CLOCK SHADOW

OTHER METHODS TO GET RID OF FIVE O’CLOCK SHADOW

Of course, there are other ways to get rid of it, but they’re not very ideal:

Waxing

Waxing is excellent for unwanted body hair, and it would work on your face and completely tear out the 5 o’clock shadow hairs in the first place, even causing more time for the hairs to grow back, but is it really worth that much pain?

Laser

Laser treatment is another option, but this is a bit extreme. Lasering hair off is pretty much long-term and it’s not ideal if you’re ever in the mood to grow out a beard.

Plus, it’s an expensive and uncomfortable process. Do you really want to take that ultimate choice for what your face will look like for years?

Color Correcting, But What Color Cancels Out Five O’Clock Shadow?

Covering your stubble with makeup is one way of doing it, and there are different colors. Since the hair is dark, a peach or orange corrector would work fairly well to hide it.

But again, is it worth going through the hassle? The time it takes to apply it or after washing your face, you can add to your shaving time or use it to go over it quickly with an electric shaver.

Just Let It Grow

The easiest way to get rid of the 5 o’clock shadow is by… Not getting rid of it? Men hate that shadow because they think it looks messy or unprofessional or unattractive, so the solution is to let that grow into a well-groomed and well-trimmed full beard that would look elegant and sharp.

Beard is very in right now and the clean-shaven look is being long forgotten. So maybe you just need to stop worrying, and start growing!