Very Sensitive Skin + Thick Heavy Beard

For the gents who have this issue like myself, what do you use?

Prep Routine?
Razor?
Blade?
Soap?
Cream?
AS?

I am curious how these gents fair having this annoying issue.

I'm still new so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I'd say you need a good soap that has the ability to moisturize the face, and you might want to consider an open comb, though they can be harder to learn on (supposedly, I wish I had bought an open comb...).

Oh and my face is fairly sensitive, so I can tell you the one thing you don't want to do is dry your face out. Personally I can't use a lot of products with alcohol in them or I end up paying for it.

My face is the same way, very sensitive skin and very tough beard.

Prep Routine: I take a long, hot shower, and rub a some hair conditioner in the beard. If you are secure enough with your manhood you can buy a product called 'Cootchy Cream' and use it instead of the conditioner. Best. Beard. Softener. EVER.

Zirh Pre-Shave Oil also works well for me. A little goes a long way to soften a tough beard. I like the smell (faintly of aged cedar and oak), but I have to use an astringent afterward to get all of it off my face.

Razor: I use a straight, but I strop the crap out of in between shaves. Having steel filaments for stubble really wear out my blade. For me, I need the blade to be scary sharp.

Blade: N/A

Soap: Not a big soap fan.

Cream: Toms of Maine is very gentle and highly effective with out irritating.

AS: Lab Series Razor Burn Relief Ultra - This a phenomenal product, almost hypoallergenic and fragrance free. It does exactly what it claims to do, give lasting and immediate relief from irritation. You would be hard pressed to find a better AS for any type of skin. Smells slightly medical at first, but goes away in minutes.

This is tough. I'm starting to think that sensitive skin can be damaged by prolonged exposure to hot, hot water. I was using the Kyle's prep, but have now changed to a different, less aggressive routine.

1. Wash cloth with hot water to beard, but only for about 30 seconds.
2. MWF to face with boar brush (badger doesn't soap up quite as well.)
3. Let the MWF marinate for about a minute
4. Shave with either Tech of Merkur HD. Derby blade, for the most part.
5. Two passes WTG only.
6. Rinse with cold water. Apply Nivea face cream.
7. Because of some bumps I've been using "Bump Stopper" lately, but the jury is out on this.

I am still pretty new as well (been DE/wetshaving about 4 months), but I can certainly empathise. My ultra-sensitive skin and barbed-wire like beard have been a source of frustration for years. If that were not enough, I also suffer from moderate facial redness.

However, I am starting to have a great deal of success with this line-up.

1. Warm shower (hot water irritates my face too much), washing face with Kiss My Face Olive and Lavender bar soap.
2. Proraso pre-shave cream, followed by Proraso shave cream, allowing the cream to sit for 2-3 minutes to soften my beard.
3. 4-5 pass shave with Merkur 23C (long handle) and an Astra Superior Platinum blade.
4. Wash face with cold water and Eucerin Redness Relief Cleanser.
5. I forgo aftershave and go straight to Eucerin Redness Relief Daily Perfecting Lotion.

Some of the products may seem a little "girlie", but frankly at this point I could care less. They are working for me.

I have also been mixing in some Taylor of Old Bond Street creams (avacodo, lavender, and rose) and I have still been experimenting with other blades. In addition, I recently acquired a '55 Gillette Super Speed Red Tip that I have tried a few times with limited success so far.

Blades I have tried:

Merkur-cannot use
Derby-okay for me, but a little harsh
Dorco-smooth but not sharp enough
Crystal-I like these just not as sharp as Astra SP
Gillette-7 O'clock yellows-really like these, in competition with Astra SP for my daily blade-very sharp and smooth

Hope this helps and good luck!

I have the same problem, sensitive skin, tough beard. What I find helpful apart from using a scrub(Nivea) and a cleanser that contains glycerine prior to shaving, is a long hot shower. Then I break out the Omega soap or the Godrej Deluxe cream. Anything else (like the Indian made Old Spice cream) does not give me a good shave. Whats in the soap and cream that does it for me? Lanolin. Mayhaps, you should try a product that has Lanolin in it to get a better result.

As far as blades are concerned, its the Russian Made green Gillette 7 O'clocks that work for me. Nothing special about my razor (Chinese Tech Copy) and I use a Nivea ASB.

So to sum up, glycerine & lanolin. Might work, YMMV

everything I tried didn't work until I tried Feather blades.

Feathers require no pressure at all to cut. I also think they leave "blunter" stubble that has less tendency to become bumps.

1. Wash cloth with hot water to beard
2. MWF to face with boar brush (badger lifts hair better) Maybe add some Nomad C&E cream.
3. Let the MWF marinate for about a minute
4. Shave with stainless steel straight razor
5. Two passes WTG only.
6. Rinse with cold water. Apply Alum block.

Prep Routine: Hot shower or hot wash cloth in a pinch - Oil cleanser - Trumper Coral Skin Food as a pre shave
Razor: Travel and home are 34c
Blade: My first good shaves were with Derbys but Feathers are my best (Won't go back)
Soap: I have not tried any soaps
Cream: Trumper Violet and Pre Provence Shea. Sometimes mixed or Shea by itself
AS: Trumper Coral Skinfood - Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Mousturizer with SPF15

I think the underlined bits are the key my very sensitive face and tough beard management. I'm sure other razors would work but I'm not likely to try any others right now Others have used pre-shave oils but I know SkinFood agrees with me so it's handy. *I've also rinsed the razor w/blade in super hot water, letting it cool and then couple of drops of tea tree oil on both edges before I start. In my head, its to make sure its clean.

As for direction of passes... XTG for P1, Wet, re-lather, ATG for safe areas (XTG again on my lower neck), wet, re-lather, buff areas like chin and jaw.

Lopyswine said:

everything I tried didn't work until I tried Feather blades.

Feathers require no pressure at all to cut. I also think they leave "blunter" stubble that has less tendency to become bumps.

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Agreed...Don't rule out using alkahol based post shave just because you have sensitive skin.

My prep consists of a very warm towel for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Too hot of water does not work well for me.
I was using Tabac for a good while and have been noticing some stinging. I actually have been using VDH and it seems to do well. I also make sure I bowl lather as this is less irritating and I get a better lather. I have just come to accept that scented soaps or creams are just not gonna happen.

Razor: Merkur Futur because I can let the weight do all the work. Set at a 1 to 1.3.

Blade: Derby or Crystal(cant use Feathers they eat up my skin no matter what razor I use or how easy I shave)

Soap: VDH for now I'd like to get Conk's amber.

AS: Plain witch hazel and EM's unscented ASB. Seems to be a good tandem. I can also tell that in the warmer months a splash is an option.

The Real McCoy said:

1. Wash cloth with hot water to beard
2. MWF to face with boar brush (badger lifts hair better) Maybe add some Nomad C&E cream.
3. Let the MWF marinate for about a minute
4. Shave with stainless steel straight razor
5. Two passes WTG only.
6. Rinse with cold water. Apply Alum block.

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What do you think the alum block is doing for you? How long on the wash cloth to face?

Blade: Derby or Crystal(cant use Feathers they eat up my skin no matter what razor I use or how easy I shave)

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Have you tried Astra Superior Platinums? Nice and sharp, however I find them very smooth as well.

I am in your boat too my friend, but I have found a routine that works for me:

1) Warm shower
2) No prep
3) Tallow based soap (I use Arlington mostly, but SCS Bay Rum too)
4) Bowl Lather
5) Really spend some time (one to two minutes) working the lather into the beard
6) Heavy razor (slim adjustable or fatboy) set to 8 with a feather blade. I find it is better to go lighter pressure with a sharper blade than heavy pressure with a duller blade.
7) WTG, XTG, and ATG pass
8) Thyers Lemon WH splash
9) Alcohol based ASB (SCS Bay rum or Masters Bay rum)

Now, I also wash my face at night and use Anthony's Ingrown Hair treatment. I think this stuff works pretty well. I will also use this AFTER the ASB if I have had a rough shave. It burns like hell if you do it before ASB!

dobs57 said:

Have you tried Astra Superior Platinums? Nice and sharp, however I find them very smooth as well.

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+1

I've only been using a DE for about a month now but of the blades I've tried I absolutely love the Astra Superior Platinums. Very smooth, very sharp, and as of right now, probably my my blades. BIC Chrome Platinums aren't bad either. Again very smooth, but not as sharp. I would like to try some Feathers, but I think some some more experience is needed before I try the sharpest of the sharp.