New wet shaver getting razor burn

**LtBrugman70** · 08-02-2006, 07:55 PM

Hey everyone, this is my first post here at B&B!

So, let me tell my little story:

I started wetshaving about 2 weeks ago, and everytime I shave I've got some pretty bad razor burn on the lower portion of my neck and on my chin, too. I use a Merkur classic with Merkur blades, Taylor of Old Bond Street Hypo-Allergenic Shaving Cream, and a pretty old brush. What can I do to minimize the razor burn? It's gotten to the point where I'm going 2-3 days between shaving. It seems that the regions with razor burn stay irritated for a while, and when I shave again I nick/irritate the bumps left from the last encounter.

I'm still working on the proper angle and technique, but the second my razor passes over that same region on my neck it starts to burn and I can tell that I'm getting nicked and it will be raw looking.

Also, what is everyone's opinion on the best way to wash your face before shaving?

**MJB** · 08-02-2006, 08:02 PM

Well--

A few things (1) insure its a good blade--if you are still using the blade that came with the razor--stope and get a new one. (2) make sure that you are not pushing hardly at all with the razor. (3) a pre-shave oil may help a bit. (4) are you using a reasonable afershave treatment of any kind (5) I would recommend shaving daily but with one with the grain pass only until you face settles a bit--I find skipping a day to be problematic for me. At the outset I sacrificed closeness for comfort. Now only about 4 weeks into this (DE sahving) I can go in for the major closeness kill without problem but there is a rapid learning curve.

MJB

**LtBrugman70** · 08-02-2006, 08:04 PM

I'm using new blades, and my aftershave treatment is just simple moisturizer with SPF.

**Leisureguy** · 08-02-2006, 08:06 PM

1. Take some time between shaves to let your neck heal---e.g., don't shave Saturday and Sunday.

2. Try a different blade in your razor---e.g., a Feather.

3. Make sure you're using VERY light pressure. Try Kyle's technique of using a two-finger or three-finger grip on the very tip of the handle, which forces a light pressure. Even if you can't do the whole shave that way, it will show you how light the pressure can be.

4. Pay close attention to blade angle.

5. Use an alum block after shaving, and then some sort of soothing balm as an aftershave. Or use Thayer's Witch Hazel (after the alum block).

6. Shave only with the grain for a few days. When you go back to shaving against the grain, use the four-pass method to gradually reduce the stubble. For me, that makes the against-the-grain pass go smoothly.

7. Try using Proraso pre- and post-shave cream as a pre-shave (rub a little into the wet beard before lathering).

So far as washing the face: I wash my face in the shower, and also put a little conditioner on my beard. I rinse it out and then get out of the shower. Before I start to shave, I wash my beard again, with soap, and rinse it and leave it wet as I lather.

**TraderJoe** · 08-02-2006, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by LtBrugman70

Hey everyone, this is my first post here at B&B!

So, let me tell my little story:

I started wetshaving about 2 weeks ago, and everytime I shave I've got some pretty bad razor burn on the lower portion of my neck and on my chin, too. I use a Merkur classic with Merkur blades, Taylor of Old Bond Street Hypo-Allergenic Shaving Cream, and a pretty old brush. What can I do to minimize the razor burn? It's gotten to the point where I'm going 2-3 days between shaving. It seems that the regions with razor burn stay irritated for a while, and when I shave again I nick/irritate the bumps left from the last encounter.

I'm still working on the proper angle and technique, but the second my razor passes over that same region on my neck it starts to burn and I can tell that I'm getting nicked and it will be raw looking.

Also, what is everyone's opinion on the best way to wash your face before shaving?

I feel as though some refinement of your lathering technique may eliminate many of your irritations. See the pictorial section on building a lather, these helped me a great deal. What elevated my shaves to the next level and completely eliminated irritation, was lathering directly on my face (no bowl usage at all).

Best way to wash your face is to use a glycerine-based soap that isn't drying to your skin. Stay away from scrubs, especially if you are experiencing irritation.

and....welcome to B&B!

**With The Grain** · 08-02-2006, 08:20 PM

...

**19george** · 08-02-2006, 08:41 PM

I too had the same problem when I first began wet shaving.

Make you are going with the grain on your first pass. From what I've read here it seems that beard growth on the neck varies a lot more, relative to the face. Let your beard grow out a couple of days to figure out which direction it grows in.

Also use an actual aftershave. Nivea makes a balm that is cheap, good, and available at your local drug store. I use Proraso's balm which gives my face a nice cooling sensation when I put it on.

**NMMB** · 08-02-2006, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by 19george

...Let your beard grow out a couple of days to figure out which direction it grows in...

This is GREAT advice - I wish somebody had given it to me when I started shaving as it would have saved me from some irritation.

**HairyManilow** · 08-02-2006, 08:57 PM

I had very similar problems, also using a Merkur with Merkur blades. I switched to Derby blades last week, and the improvement in the shave quality and comfort is amazing!

Mark

**Tito** · 08-02-2006, 10:39 PM

My face was a wreck the 1st couple of weeks too. Which was not all that long ago. Here's the gospel as it was told to me. You can use use the thou shalt if you want to...

1. Prep with the warm towel.
2. Practice making lather.
3. Not whip the lather too much nor make it too soupy but somewhere in between.
4. Hold the razor like this
5. Begin with two with the grain passes only
6. Use a light touch.
7. Ask lots of questions

Take a couple of days off as suggested let things heal. Cetaphil and Aloe 80 help me recover when I get a rough shave.

**TheChefs** · 08-03-2006, 12:04 AM

I had the same problem with my neck, I let the hair grow for 3 days and then I noticed that the hair on my neck grows from left to right. When I started shaving that part of the neck from left to right instead of N-S, the irritation was gone. Also make sure you don't apply pressure and make sure you have the right angle, it's harder to get it right on the neck then on cheeks.

**rtaylor61** · 08-03-2006, 12:13 AM

The neck is the area where most gents have issues. Try to make the surface of your neck as flat as possible by turning your head and by stretching your skin. Then remember "no pressure". And remember, trying for that "perfect" shave everyday is not the goal. Try for one that is comfortable and looks good.

Randy

**varpula** · 08-03-2006, 02:13 AM

I must confess.. I'm there as well... the burn on the neck.. But yesturday it wasn't as bad as it used to be... And the key (I suspect) was the NO PRESSURE thing.. I used to get a really bad shave or lots of burn in that area until yesturdays shave. And yesturday was a real slow neck shave with lots of short strokes and absolutly no pressure on the razor but with quit a lot of streching of skin (and I got a lot of it skin that is..

)

**Suzuki** · 08-03-2006, 06:23 AM

In addition to the advice given above, I would add consider your stroke technique (not that stroke technique!).

My experience is that shorter, slower, more deliberate strokes also help with both smoothness of shave and minimizing razor burn. This helps you get the right blade angle for the particular patch you are shaving and slowing down minimizes skin irritation while giving the blade more time to cut throught the hair. We're not talking about shaving in slow motion - you'll figure out the proper speed with practice.

I've shaved with a DE for years and still have lousy shaves from time to time.

Keep up with it, experiment and it will come in time - and when it does, you'll consistently have better shaves than what you can get with a cartridge.

**Jim** · 08-03-2006, 06:30 AM

I won't add to all the excellent advice you have already received- just Don't give up! keep posting.

**Joedy** · 08-03-2006, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by HairyManilow

I had very similar problems, also using a Merkur with Merkur blades. I switched to Derby blades last week, and the improvement in the shave quality and comfort is amazing!

Mark

I second Mark's observation. I have found the Derby's to be very forgiving while still giving a good shave.

-joedy

**mrob** · 08-03-2006, 12:25 PM

After reading the initial post in this thread I rushed to post a reply--then read all of the responses above and realized I could add not a single thing to the discussion. A wealth of great information above.

I would also politely disagree with Leisureguy's advice to try a Feather blade--at least for me, the Feather is a very harsh shaver and requires (I guess) much more technique than I possess. The Derby is the my favorite blade--plenty sharp but very smooth.

**Leisureguy** · 08-03-2006, 12:38 PM

I absolutely agree that the Feather blade is not for everyone. But it is for some, and one doesn't know until one tries it. I've read quite a list of people praising the Feather for at last giving them a good, comfortable shave---and, of course, people who say that it wrecked their face. But: the point is, one won't know to which group one belongs until the Feather is tried. That's the benefit of the sampler pack, of course: get to try everything and see which is right for you. So, if someone hasn't yet tried the feather, I don't see how the advice, "Try it and see how you like it" can be disagreed with...