While there are a wide range of hair removal techniques, few can argue that the fastest (and easiest!) way to get rid of unwanted hair is shaving. However, shaving can often cause ingrown hairs, bumps and fast-growing stubble.

But women who don’t have the time to wax and must pick up a razor instead can take a few steps to ward off the uncomfortable side effects that often accompany shaving.

Before using your razor, slather on a deep-conditioner. “Conditioner lowers the hair’s pH and smooths its cuticle, making it less brittle and apt to break,” Jeannette Graf, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, told Allure magazine.

Additionally, the news source recommends using an antibiotic ointment instead of soap or shaving cream, as the medicated formula “allows the razor to glide easily and takes care of the bacteria that can cause bumps.”

And while shaving can cause minor nicks, women can use a treatment like L’Occitane Cade Alum Shaving Stick, which is formulated to help stop bleeding and acts as an effective astringent.