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New Member Hello and Tips for Neck Area

Hi all, I'm a pretty new member from the NJ/NYC area. I took up DE wetshaving in 2005 but after problems with general redness and lingering acne (I was in my late teens/early 20s) I went back to using the Mach3, but still using high quality soaps with a brush. I just started back up again with my Merkur 11C and a Kent BK8 brush, and so I'll tell you my strategies for reducing redness especially around the neck. Here's my routine:

1. Kiehl's Facial Fuel Face Wash (NOT the Scrub) in the shower
2. Hand lathering (no scuttle yet) and some face lathering all over
3. 1 WTG and then 1 ATG, with a light warm rinse in between
4. Blade-buffing the chin area to get it extra smooth.
5. Warm rinse then a cold rinse and application of lotion moisturizer (right now I'm using Kiehl's Facial Fuel with SPF 15, but I recommend anything with some aloe.
6. Application of an aftershave on the lower half of my neck only, NOT all over my face....too much burn.
7. DONE!

I think my key tip for the neck, to reduce redness, is GO SLOW AND VERY SHORT STROKES. If you like Mantic's golf analogies, think of the neck as right around the green, you need to really focus on quality chipping to get as close to the hole as possible. VERY LIGHT SHORT STROKES, maybe a half an inch max. You focus on your angle more and there is less room for carelessness.

This strategy takes time, and I think a two- or three-pass wetshave in 10 minutes is not realistic. Really take some extra time in the morning to relax and go through a slower shaving routine, taking time on those short and light strokes to make sure your angle and pressure are spot on. It might not be BBS around the neck but it will definitely be less irritating.
 
Good tips, I will have to try your routine. I also have problems with my neck area but my irritation has greatly decreased since I started using a slant razor. I can make fewer passes and the blade doesn't pull on my whiskers/skin as much.
 
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