AoS Lavender: What am I doing wrong?

I've read over and over the many ardent recommendations for AoS's shaving creams, so the last time I flew to SF from Canada, I picked up a tub of their lavender cream. Have been using it for the past week but no matter what razor/blade combo I try (all combos that work flawlessly with Proraso/Godrej/VDH soaps) I get a lot of razor burn.

It feels like I get no protection with the AOS cream and my skin is sore after two passes - something that doesn't happen with any of the other soaps I have. Am I doing something wrong?

Typical process:

Soak brush in hot water while I shower
empty out the mug and shake brush a little
10 seconds of swirling in the AOS cream followed by 1-2 minutes of lathering in my bowl

I get an opaque, great looking lather, but no protection

Maybe you got a dud?

A couple of thoughts...

-try using more cream and see if you can make a thicker, more protective lather (a photo would help)
-perhaps you are having some kind of reaction to the product and the discomfort is not caused by your razor at all (in which case you may want to test the lather on the inside of your elbow to see if there is a reaction)

I use AOS Lavender frequently and never have the issues you described. Always leads to a smooth shave with great post shave feel and no nicks, burn or irritation. Maybe play with the water to cream ratio?

I face lather my AoS lavender, but I also get a consistently protective, slick lather. I run a badger brush under hot tap water for a bit, give it a couple of shakes, and then load from the tub until the brush is pretty well coated. I then build the lather on my face, adding drops of water to the brush as I go along. It starts off pretty thick and dense and I work it until it's yogurt-like.

I do not think the method is going to make any difference, but the one thing I did differently was peel off an almond-size dollop into a bowl and lather there.
I do not believe this would make much if any difference either but I've always used AoS pre-shave oil with creams. From its founding by a couple that included an aromatherapy specialist, AoS recommends their pre-shave as part of the shave process. Maybe just to see if something like it may help, you can try a drop or two of olive oil.
You may simply have an unusual sensitivity to the product, its scent additive, or some other specific ingredient.

Another thought, AOS creams are rich in essential oil and possibly your cream and the essential oil have separated.
try stirring the cream really well with a spoon, butter knife or such.
going a step further, then take a nice single-shave portion out of the tub and leave it overnight in a lather bowl.
next day, try lathering from that dollop after it has 'aired' so as to allow any super-concentrated essential oil to evaporate a bit.
good luck!

djh said:

A couple of thoughts...

-try using more cream and see if you can make a thicker, more protective lather (a photo would help)
-perhaps you are having some kind of reaction to the product and the discomfort is not caused by your razor at all (in which case you may want to test the lather on the inside of your elbow to see if there is a reaction)

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This is my thought as well. I do not use AOS lavender rather sandalwood and get great lather and irritation free (well at least as far toward irritation free I can get) shaves. I have some soaps that my skin just does not like. They perform well but something in them reacts negatively with my skin. I tried the inside the elbow trick, nothing... Try lathering up and then applying to your face and just leaving it there for a bit without actually shaving (has worked for me). If you get irritation then I would say either sell the cream or PIF it as it likely won't all of a sudden not irritate your face. It could be the lavender essential oil in the cream or any one of the other ingredients. Hopefully you figure it out. Good luck.

AoS lavender is near my top favorite. I shake the brush well (so it's damp not wet). Then load the cream from the tub. After a dozen swirls in the bowl I begin adding water until it gets right. If I have too much water initially it can take forever to get to that yogurt consistency - if I get it all. Try a drier brush and add water.

Thank you for all the tips and suggestions, I will test for irritation, try more/less water and try airing it and report back here!

Not sure what lathering techniques you use but I'm a face latherer and I find bowl lathering works best with many creams including AOS.

I love AOS creams, especially the scents. I find them easy to lather and very cushioning. I also think that the one area they falter slightly in is slickness compared to other creams and soaps in my den. I do not get irritating shaves from it though. I still find it a good performer.

I'm going to try using more and see if that makes a big difference in slickness. I had been adding extra water not product to try and make it slicker.

I have only tried the peppermint, sandalwood and eucalyptus.

Anything with essential oils is a suspect when skin reacts badly.

Go West Young Man said:

Anything with essential oils is a suspect when skin reacts badly.

Click to expand...

+1
I use the AoS Lavender often and enjoy it. I think it is as slick and protective as their other creams. It may be that the essential oils are irritating your skin. You can try more or less water, but again, it may just be that this particular chemistry and you don't get along.