Noobed redux - sensitive skin: alcohol, scent, witch-hazel free products?

Hello. For the past year I've just been having a horrible shaving experience. Struggling with a DE (or at least the Merkur blades...) and trying all kinds of various products including:

Proraso Shaving Cream (seems ok)
Proraso aftershave balm (alright... leaves my skin red though)
Mama bears's summertime aftershave (witch hazel = bad!)
Proraso pre/post cream (alcohol = BURN)
Art of Shaving preshave, cream, and aftershave balm (kind of blah... and aftershave was like putting vaseline on my face)
Thayer's Alcohol Free toner
Creamo Cream (has alcohol... not sure about how I like it thogh maybe I use it wrong)

I'm just getting really frustrated.

About two years ago, strangely enough I was having a good time with Nivea's Sensitive skin line and my Gillette Sensor XL. For some reason things were going well.... eventually I worked in some pretty painful-for-my-skin conditions out in the sun all summer and my face has gotten really sensitive. I started to get really easy ingrown hairs and pimples.

Thats when I first tried to go with the "old school" approach because its supposed to be easier on things like ingrowns.

Anyway I've been struggling horribly and my skin reflects that. Right now I'm taking accutane (though I wouldn't say I have severe acne its been around a while and well... finally want to be rid of it and oily skin) and my skin is reflecting the troubles.

I'm just having trouble finding good products. I ordered a blade sampler pack finally because I just have had terrible luck with the Merkur blades even when I thought I was getting good shaves. And the products with Witch Hazel (like Thayers toner or Mama bear's) or even I believe the alum blocks just seem to do more harm than good for me.

Its a horrible situation, and I just really need some solid product advice.

Within the past week or so I've reverted to some Aveeno Theraputic Shaving Gel with some Nivea Sensitive Balm (leaves me sticky) or sometimes some Trumper's Skin Food (leaves me dry... though often crusty) I got recently because it seems to have ingredients I know won't upset me, and the old Sensor XL because while I still can get ingrowns around my mouth for the most part it behaves and doesn't cut badly.

Is there any product advice for someone like me? It just seems that its really difficult to get this kind of research because 99% of product reviews don't really accommodate for such sensitivity and I'm actually getting depressed from it. Even using a shaving brush in the traditional circular motion seems to irritate me.

Please help

Jeff --

Welcome to B&B, for starters, dump the Merkur blades, they are terrible blades, this is my opinion but many others do agree with me. Pick up a razor sampler pack from West Coast Shaving. This will give you a variety of top notch blades to choice from and find the one that suits you best.

Second, since you are taking accutane I wouldn't mess with any alcohol, Accutane can be nasty product and can really dry you out. I would find some heavily moisturizing ASB, the two that are the most moisturizing for me are either of the ASB from L'Occitane (either CADE or L'Occitan) both are excellent. Also the ASBs from Penhaligons are also very moisturizing.

Also check out the prep threads to make sure you are prepping your beard adequately before shaving.

What type of brush are you using? Boar or Badger? A Pure Badger or Boar is going to be quite grainy and may irritate your skin where a Silvertip (or Super) badger will be much softer and less irritating. Also don't worry if you can't do circular motions, there is no shame in painting on the lather.

You may want to get a good facial moisturizer to use just to keep your skin extra hydrated because of your medication. I like the moisturizers from L'Occitane and Nancy Boy.

Good luck and Good Shaves

I hope this helps.

PS You may want to check out all of Nancy Boy's products, their entire line is designed for those with very sensitive skin. www.nancyboy.com

TimmyBoston said:

Jeff --

Welcome to B&B, for starters, dump the Merkur blades, they are terrible blades, this is my opinion but many others do agree with me. Pick up a razor sampler pack from West Coast Shaving. This will give you a variety of top notch blades to choice from and find the one that suits you best.

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I ordered a sampler pack from them on Aug 27 and it was shipped on Septh 4th but I've still not received it...

Second, since you are taking accutane I wouldn't mess with any alcohol, Accutane can be nasty product and can really dry you out. I would find some heavily moisturizing ASB, the two that are the most moisturizing for me are either of the ASB from L'Occitane (either CADE or L'Occitan) both are excellent. Also the ASBs from Penhaligons are also very moisturizing.

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Yeah, I know to avoid alcohol its just hard sometimes cause it is in so many things - even those that say they are for sensitive

Also check out the prep threads to make sure you are prepping your beard adequately before shaving.

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I always shave after a warm shower, and recently have been shaving inside the shower, I think my beard (which isn't very thick) is pretty lubricated at the time usually... isn't shower = hot towel?

What type of brush are you using? Boar or Badger? A Pure Badger or Boar is going to be quite grainy and may irritate your skin where a Silvertip (or Super) badger will be much softer and less irritating. Also don't worry if you can't do circular motions, there is no shame in painting on the lather.

Click to expand...

I was using a darker badger earlier but my mom got me a newer $50 silvery-ish Art of Shaving brush recently... haven't had much time to break it in though... been very stressed out lately (had grandma's funeral, a flood destroy my computer and all my school books, and then a car crash all within the same month) thus my running back to the can + disposable.

You may want to get a good facial moisturizer to use just to keep your skin extra hydrated because of your medication. I like the moisturizers from L'Occitane and Nancy Boy.

Click to expand...

I've been looking at nancy boy but it seems so many of their products have witch hazel which I'm also trying to avoid. I seem to have a bad time with it.

I'll look into L'Occitaine

Also if anyone has facial cleanser advice... that'd be fantastic as well.

jeffbax said:

I ordered a sampler pack from them on Aug 27 and it was shipped on Septh 4th but I've still not received it...
Yeah, I know to avoid alcohol its just hard sometimes cause it is in so many things - even those that say they are for sensitiveI always shave after a warm shower, and recently have been shaving inside the shower, I think my beard (which isn't very thick) is pretty lubricated at the time usually... isn't shower = hot towel?I was using a darker badger earlier but my mom got me a newer $50 silvery-ish Art of Shaving brush recently... haven't had much time to break it in though... been very stressed out lately (had grandma's funeral, a flood destroy my computer and all my school books, and then a car crash all within the same month) thus my running back to the can + disposable.
I've been looking at nancy boy but it seems so many of their products have witch hazel which I'm also trying to avoid. I seem to have a bad time with it.

I'll look into L'Occitaine

Also if anyone has facial cleanser advice... that'd be fantastic as well.

Click to expand...

Jeff, a hot shower is nice, but it is not equalilent to a hot towel, these will do very different things for you face. Definately try a hot towel one day. It's nice.

If you can you may want to look into Shavemac Silvertips or Savile Row Silvertips, both of these will be very soft on your face.

In terms of a facial cleanser I like Nancy Boy Facewash very much. I don't beleive it has witch hazel.

I'm sorry about your grandmother, I know how you feel, mine passed away on Tuesday.

I've had the same experience as Timmy with the Merkurs. A lot of people like them, but I'm honestly glad my first DE shave was with a Derby. If it had been a Merkur it might have also been my last. Those things ate my face up.

Go back to the Nivea ASB for Sensitive Skin. It's alcohol free, and won't dry your face out.

You might want to also try to find some Kiss My Face shaving cream. It comes in a pump rather than a tube, and I think it moisturizes a little better than tube creams like Proraso.

Actually Kiss My Face comes in both pump and tube, I Canada I can find it in the health food section of our large grocery store chain dont' know about where you live.

Another brush to try is the Vulfix Super badger some complain that their brushes are too flop (ie soft) I have the 2234 Vulfix and it is a very soft brush ($65 from Lee's Razor). I have know problem getting a good lather with either a cream or a gylcerin based soap (haven't tried it with a tripple milled soap yet.)

Also make sure your lather is really good practice making it, soak your brush shake it dry and start making your lather then add water in 1/2 teapsoon increments and whatch and feel what it does keep going until the lather has way too much water (lots of bubbles) this will really so you what to look for and how a good lather feels. Also while shaving if you face dries out add more water to it, with you face being dry because of the accutane you my need to add mor water regularly.

Ditto on the hot towel advice. Just get a nice hand towel soak it with cold water fold it and put it in to a large ziploc freezer bag. I micro wave mine for 2 minute (your microwave might vary) I then take it up to the shower with me in the plastic bag wrap my bath towel around it and it is still piping hot after my shower plus my bath towel is war too.

Its going to be difficult to truely find products that work for you alll the time while taking that medication becaus eit has a tendancy to change your skin so drastically almost from day to day.

When you get the sampler try the Derbys first and just take you time going with the grain for a few passes (no against the grain or even cross the grain for you until your skin calms down).

Good luck, remember there's lots of people here that will give you a hand.

Lots of good advice posted above so I won't reiterate. However, if at all possible, give your face a break from shaving for as many days possible or for as long as you can stand.

Then trim the hairs down to a manageable lentgh and give it a go. Your face needs to calm down(reset) before you take up a razor again. Use your Sensor and the Nivea ASB since you were getting good results with them.


Marty

I went through a hyper-sensitive phase a few years back. Just stroking my stubble against the grain would irritate my skin. I think I might have had an infection of some sort.

I would recommend you try some of the following:

1. As already mentioned, shave only when necessary. Give your skin as much time as possible to recuperate between shaves. You may want to totally stop shaving for a while (for three weeks or more) to see if that clears up your skin. If that doesn't help, have your skin checked by a professional. Perhaps you have a condition unrelated to shaving issues.

2. Don't use a brush if it aggravates your situation. Use a brush-less cream (e.g. Kiss My Face) or gels.

3. I found many gels are much less harsh than soaps or creams, and they moisturize much more efficiently. A gel like Anthony Logistics Shave Gel works perfectly fine, as do a bunch of others.

4. Shave only with the grain

5. Don't shy away from lotions that dry out your skin if they have other benefits. You can always use a dedicated moisturizer afterwards to make up for it.

6. Witch hazel and alum blocks are not really necessary, so there is no need to insist on using them. They might be helpful, but many gents find that they don't really improve their shaving experience.

7. Use only water to wash your face or, better yet, use the oil cleansing method (-> google). Soaps are very harsh to skin, which cannot be helpful in your situation.

Those are just things off the top of my head.

Keep us posted about what you decide to do and about your progress.

Hope that helps. Best - MM

I agree with Jayk1998: the Merkur razors seem rough to me with the Derbys much smoother. I have tried the Kiss My Face cream in a tube, but it does not lather well for me.

Some good things in this thread for you. Do stop shaving for a while. If you want to use a brush, the aforementioned Vulfix 2234 is a very soft, floppy brush that lets you paint on instead of swirl on (might be better to keep the tips from scratching your face). Kiss My Face has an unscented version that you can get at a store like Whole Foods and you might try it without a brush (apply by hand, I don't think it's meant to really lather) just to give your skin a break. I think it helps to keep things as simple as possible: use your old razor, apply an unscented like KMF w/o a brush, shave slowly, maybe forgo an aftershave entirely and just apply a light moisturizer. The fewer variables you introduce, the better your skin will be. Keep in mind that stress causes acne so work on managing your stress and taking care of your diet, sleep, and schedule. Good luck!

Yeah, I already use non-soap cleansers.

It sucks I have a horrible cold this week and a really important job fair in like a day so I kind of have to shave as much as I want to not... I will just have to be careful as hell... which is hard with a regular disposable because you almost have to apply pressure to shave with it.