RAZOR BURN-LESSON LEARNED

[walpan]

I am relatively new to wet shaving, about 5 months. I have read several posts and have been fortunate to have a few very kind posters help me. I normally shave every other day and not on the weekends. The thrill of wet shaving to me was getting that BBS shave and the subsequent face feel hours later. And it is that feel that started the problem. I shaved outside my normal routine by shaving on consecutive days (mistake #1). I then used a razor that I hadn't used in a while with a nice sharp blade. I then started the shave and didn't pay attention to my technique. I was using the previous razors technique here (mistake #2). Even though this razor is a mild razor, I realized I was pressing too hard (mistake #3). Then when I was all done I started buffing and buffing and buffing (mistake #4). The end result was a smooth shave full or horrible irritation and discomfort and after a bit, it showed up. THE DREADED RAZOR BURN AND ALL ITS LITTLE BUDDIES.
Well after a few days off and a lot of Witch Hazel and face moisturizer, I shaved today. Same razor, blade and software. BUT a completely new evolved sense of awareness. Light touch, attention to angle and how to approach different areas of my face. The result was that ever elusive BBS shave.
Moral of the story, DON'T CHASE THE BBS AND PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING IF NOT IN YOUR REGULAR ROUTINE.
YMMV, BUT I DOUBT IT.

 

[thombrogan]

Please heal fast.

I don’t learn too much from my mistakes. Hoping my mistakes will learn from me.

 

[Kix]

Sorry about the razor burn @walpan.
Just consider it a lesson learned and, afterward you proceeded onward to better shaves ahead!

 

[noodles hovar]

Sorry about your face. Your title, however, has an awesome poetic meter...

 

[walpan]

Apparently I am a poet and didn’t know it

 

[GaryTha]

I've found my shave appears closer when I don't wear my glasses.

 

[BigJ]

Good lessons!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[AU55IE]

Everyone is different and sometimes we can get over that hill a little over time on a more natural progression.
In the 5months time you have learned a lot and it's showing.

When I first started out many years ago there wasn't a ton of resources, youtube was nothing like it is now and we certainly didn't have artisan razor makers or soap makers.
You pretty much took what you could get even at the grocery store or at best pharmacy/chemist. Something like a Merkur razor, Edwin Jagger or the likes would be the most accessible and the peak being vintage razors (and for some they still are) but now we have finer materials and a lot more complexity.
Soap makers are also in abundance.
So its always great that we share our experiences and knowledge as you have. It might seem simple or logical but sometimes we just make mistakes and don't apply the knowledge and skills we do have or have acquired.

It can happen to the best of us so it's not like this is completely outside of the realms of possibility for a very seasoned shaver to have a bad shave but as you go forward you will certainly have a lot more great shaves than bad but you have definitely taken something away from your bad shave which is what people should.

Dud blades can also happen. Skin condition on any given day can change, lather, prep, poor blade/razor pairing etc

The good news is that eventually through frequent use your muscle memory will kick even at longer stretches between uses of a particular razor. You will even begin to adjust as you go through the shave without thinking before you cause any real damage too.