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A definitive razor for those with sensitive skin, razor burn, bumps?

If you had to recommend one DE razor to a guy who has sensitive skin, suffers from razor burn and bumps even when he tries to shoot for the lightest touch he can, what would it be?
 
Good choice of razor from Taz, the Tech is a lovely mild shaver. I should further suggest that you try "corking" your blades before first use. Read the thread on this page entitled: "Corking Blades". I guarantee an improvement.
John.
 
I have to agree. I just shaved with my recently acquired gold Tech, loaded with an IP blade, and I was surprised by its mildness, sometimes I just couldn't feel the razor edge. But the final point is that it gave me a BBS finish like no other. The Tech is definitely a winner. This makes me think, why on earth did Gillette stop making DE razors? It simply escapes me.
 
You've had great advice so far. Try a tech with the red personna or IP blade. It's a really mild shaver that can give really great results. And they go for next to nothing on the Bay. Get one they're great.

There are other alternatives though. Various adjustable models are on the market. And you should not close your mind to those either.

Lots of men have or think they have sensitive skin. Your skin can be sensitive because it is actually soft and as a result it may absorb water and thereby swell during your shave. This can easily result in bumps and razor burn.

If that's your condition, then a gentle razor may not work for you. You may actually need an aggressive razor to permit you to shave closely and quickly without the irritation of too many passes and too much time with your face wet and absorbing water. That is my situation. I generally have trouble with razors that are too mild.

While I love my tech and my 1948 superspeed, I generally cannot easily get close shaves without burn.

My solution: a fatboy dialed in at no less than 7 and often at 9, or a slant, or a Bostonian which is an open comb with a gap that results in a rather aggressive shave.

My favourite (at least this month): the slant.

Get a tech and try it out. The cost is low and you may love it the way lots of us do. You may find however that an adjustable is your best bet in that it will allow you to dial in a very mild shave and if that doesn't work, you can dial in a very aggressive one.

You may also want to try shaving before you shower to limit the amount of time your face is wet.

Let us know what works. Good luck.
 
I agree with the suggestions of using a mild razor like the Tech or SuperSpeeds but (IMHO) I think that proper technique is even more important than razor selection. Stuff like:

  • Good prep
  • Mapping out the direction of hair growth
  • Correct blade angle and zero pressure
  • Not overdoing it to get BBS (i.e too many pases, against the grain passes, etc).

I have pretty sensitive skin and I use mild razors like the SuperSpeed but when I get too rushed, agressive or inattentive I overdo it and suffer even with that razor. I started using the Merkur 38C which is the most aggressive razor I've used to date (granted, it's not a slant). When I take my time and pay attention I get great irritation free shaves even with that razor.
 
I haven't tried any of the other razors suggested by our forum members - at this point, I only have a Merkur HD.

I THOUGHT I had sensitive skin, until I stopped using cartridge razors (i.e., Fusion, Mach anything, etc.)...once I began using my DE with proper beard prep and shaving technique (including angle and pressure), I am suddenly someone w/ "normal" skin. It's the irritation/burn caused by the cut and pull method of the cartridge razors that really had me thinking I had sensitive skin.

Although the HD is heavier than many other razors, I have absolutely no problems with it...it does not seem to be an extremely aggressive shaver. 2+ passes on my face, and I'm good to go.
 
I agree with the suggestions of using a mild razor like the Tech or SuperSpeeds but (IMHO) I think that proper technique is even more important than razor selection. Stuff like:

  • Good prep
  • Mapping out the direction of hair growth
  • Correct blade angle and zero pressure
  • Not overdoing it to get BBS (i.e too many pases, against the grain passes, etc).

I have pretty sensitive skin and I use mild razors like the SuperSpeed but when I get too rushed, agressive or inattentive I overdo it and suffer even with that razor. I started using the Merkur 38C which is the most aggressive razor I've used to date (granted, it's not a slant). When I take my time and pay attention I get great irritation free shaves even with that razor.

+1 on the prep suggestion. actually, +1 on all your suggestions.
 
Proper technique and good prep are essential as everyone knows and many have stated.
But I think growth pattern is also something that is very important and can sometimes get lost in the shuffle b/c we think of WTG as N-S and ATG as S-N, etc.
The reason I switched to a DE razor was to get rid of the dreaded red bumps on my neck. It's taken some time but they are gone for the most part now. What really sealed the deal for me was finally figuring out my beard's growth pattern. I knew it wasn't simply N-S, I thought it was more of an angle, growing down and toward each ear. Eventually I let my stubble grow for a couple days and took another look. Well, the hair on my cheeks and jawline does grow at that angle, but from the jawline down thru the neck it grows completely E-W and W-E. And there is a "border area" on the very bottom of my neckline that almost grows S-N.
I have adjusted my passes accordingly and things have finally been looking good.

So I guess the moral of that long story is to really pay attention to the direction of the growth of your beard areas.
And like someone else mentioned, don't get carried away doing too many passes going for BBS. I only do 2-3 per shave and I rarely go directly ATG. The risk of irritation is just too high for me for what amounts to maybe an extra hour or 2 before the shadow or stubble comes back compared to my 2-3 passes.

Whew..didnt mean to ramble.
 
Well I have sensitive skin as well, I prefer the 40's Super Speed over the Tech. Just a matter of preference really. I would recommend purchasing a few razors, if you have larger hands such as my self try to find a Tech with with the fat handle, I think the main reason I didn't get along with my tech was because of the skinny ball end handle.

Right now I'm quit happy with the new 38C mainly because as I mentioned I have larger hands, but you have to make sure you can apply zero pressure before trying to shave with this heavy razor :biggrin:

Also as recommended keep an eye on technique, that will do more for you then all the different safety razors and blades. Work on finding the perfect angle, spend time on the preshave etc... Once your confident in technique, work through the blade sample pack, and see if there is a blade that works best for you.
 
I have sensitive skin that is prone to ingrown hairs because my beard grows tough and coarse. The solution for me has been the merkur slant bar razor. Because of its shape it is actually kinder to the contours of your face and cuts the facial hair cleaner than a straight-headed razor.
 
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