irritation after shaving

I'm still learning the ins and outs of wetshaving. I am working my way through a small sample pack of razor blades. After my last shave I had some irritation on my face and neck. Nothing too bad. Some redness and the feeling of a mild sunburn or something. I also tried a new aftershave. How can I tell if it is irritation from a razor that is not right for me or some kind of allergy to an ingredient in the aftershave? I'de rather not solve this by process of elimination.

Hi Nudd,

Based on the advice I've received and read about here on B&B, I believe elimination may be your only bet. Try to isolate a single variable and see if the results change. Perhaps stick with the original AS that didn't result in irritation, along with the new blade. If the irritation persists, then it may be the blade. Otherwise, it could be the new AS. My comments, however, operate under the assumption that your prep, pressure and blade angle have all been consistent.

This is a skill that is developed over time, so there will naturally be good days and bad days. Best of luck!!

TD

Irritation is one of the most common issues with DE shaving, especially on the neck. It requires more patience and learning than may be apparent at first. Un-learning cart shave habits takes time.

What setup are you using? Have you spent time with videos and tutorials? Using a too aggressive setup/blade can be a problem if your technique still needs work.

The most common problems deal with too much pressure and learning the correct blade angle. Let us know a little more about your experience and tools and we'll be better able to help.

Codfish

You changed 2 things, the blade and A/S. If your prep and shave have not changed, then it has to be the new blade, the new A/S or a combination of both. I would hold off on shaving for a day to allow the irritation to subside and try the shave with the new blade only. Skip the A/S and see how your face and neck feel.

Thank you all for the replies. In regards to my technique and experience, I am very new to DE shaving. My technique probably needs a lot of work. I have spent a lot of time watching youtube vids and am concentrating very hard on keeping the blade angle consistent and letting the weight of the razor do the work. My current setup, the one that gave me the irritation, is a Merkur HD with personna reds. The AS I used was a combo of the Proraso AS splash and balm. This was the second time I used the personna's in 2 days. The first day didn't feel great either. I think I'm going to begin my elimination by assuming it was the blades. The AS smells and feels great, I don't want it to be the culprit.

Why wouldn't you use the process of elimination? I can't think of an easier way to find out.

Step one: Keep blade, change AS, just use cold water. Irritation? Yes or No
Step two: keep AS, change blade. Irritation? Yes or No

Process of elimination is the easiest way to find out. I was hoping that there would be different symptoms for the two types of irritation so I could avoid learning the solution by getting irritated again. Irritation is not pleasant. I'de like to avoid it if I can.

Go back to your old aftershave and continue with the blade sampling. You should only introduce one new thing at a time.

use the same cream, aftershave, and prep but find the blade that works for you. When you find your ultimate blade THEN you can change one thing at a time. If you want to try a new aftershave, use a combination of creams/soaps, razor, and blade that you KNOW gives a good shave.

Same thing for other types of hardware (razors, blades) and software (creams, soaps, aftershaves)

dannymayo said:

Why wouldn't you use the process of elimination? I can't think of an easier way to find out.

Step one: Keep blade, change AS, just use cold water. Irritation? Yes or No
Step two: keep AS, change blade. Irritation? Yes or No

Click to expand...

That's exactly what I'd do, too. However, I'm not sure it's the root of the problem. Your shave setup is perfect for most anyone. You chose it well. It sounds like you've done your homework in other areas, and are familiar with how to approach wet-shaving.

It takes most of us several weeks/months for everything to fall into place. It took me weeks to learn what no-pressure was (when the razor just touches your skin--STOP--no more pressure than to keep the razor in contact with your face) and proper angle (if an open-comb razor leaves comb-marks, I need a steeper angle).

You have a great attitude and really want to learn. You'll get around the irritation if you stick to basics.

Codfish

First ditch the new AS. Second focus on no pressure shaves and also 30 degree angle. Take your time and use small strokes. Don't rush yourself, enjoy the shave! It takes time but you'll nail it. Also try some witch hazel instead of AS for a while. It soothes nicely while you are learning DE shaving.

Good Luck!

Let me throw in another few ideas, and sorry if this muddies the waters. If you are going through the process of elimination, you have to consider all the variables. You'd sure hate for that new AS you like to mistakenly be labeled the culprit.

Has the weather recently changed for the drier? Did you use the same cream or soap, and are you building a consistent lather? Did you change the frequency of your shaves or add any passes? Are you face lathering (possibly over-exfoliating)? Just some additional irritating things to consider.

One thing I learned early is that technique doesn't only apply to the actual shave. Every phase is of equal importance so pay attention to the task at hand whether it be prep, lather building, brushwork, angle/pressure, and after shave skin care. No one thing is any less important than any other. Master each thing and they will all come together. Above all else be patient and you will find these things become second nature to you. Then you can experiment with different tools for each of the individual components in turn.

I was having the same issue. Changed to cold water shaving and this made a dramatic difference for the good. Still working on the technique, but I am now a CWS fan.
Good Luck,
Ram_Man

Same thing happened to me. I was shaving over the same area twice, once with lather and once without. Now I only shave over a lathered area and problem solved.