Face burn post shave

[osix]

Newcomer to wet shaving would appreciate some help.
Most shaves are DFS with 3 passes and some minor touch ups, not aiming for BBS, don't think that would end.
Shave feels smooth and comfortable, for the most part barely feel the blade, I generally end up with a weeper round the mustache area but nothing else of note.
Very mindful of pressure and for the most parts just let the razor and gravity do the work.
Post shave face burns and the alum block stings all over, what am I doing wrong ?

I'm currently using a gamechanger 76, I'm finding the Astra SP are the most comfortable of the blades I've tried, the personna platininum and perma sharp are pretty good as well.
Pre shave warm water soapy wash; then apply Cella pre shave and face later with Proraso red.
Post shave I'll wash my face use an alum block rinse off and follow up with Nivea after shave balm.

 

[Alex Jr]

If everything else is indeed as it should be, try a different soap. I get that “burn” when my skin reacts to something.

 

[Kbbond]

I’ve only been doing this a couple of months in this fashion (coming from cartridges) but I don’t really think you’re doing anything “wrong”. My mild razors may sting me less on the aftershave but leave some grit behind. My aggressive razors leave less grit and are smoother but I feel a little more burn/sting on the aftershave. The blade is realistically pretty traumatic to the skin, perhaps even removing the top layer and exposing new bare skin, astringents are going to sting but that’s a good thing for protection and cleanliness purposes. So long as you aren’t getting a bunch of physical razor burn, ingrown hairs, or anything like that, I’d say you’re just fine. Take the burn as a sign of a really close shave

 

[AshleyC]

Well...

I wonder if you might be interpreting a sensation that is perfectly normal as a sign that something is wrong or done incorrectly.

A bit of tingle after a shave. I won't ask for the level of pain on a scale of 1 to 10, but is the "burn" just until the aftershave evaporates, or is it a lingering redness? Like having a bit of sunburn that you still notice 20 minutes after the shave?

A bit of temporary burn is common. For me, it is the lingering red warmth long after the shave that indicates something less than ideal.

 

[NorthernSoul]

If you are used to cartridge razors, you pretty much have to "bear down" on the razor to get a close shave with those. You might not be aware of how much pressure you are using if you are new to using DEs. Only a small amount of pressure is usually needed.

I get razor burn if I press too hard. That's the usual reason. You don't usually feel it during the shave, but afterward you will. You may even see your skin turn more red for a few minutes after shaving.

 

[AshleyC]

Something else I just thought of. And I'll try to write this without the weird British accent I just used.

If you are new to this, your face may not yet have adapted to a three pass DE shave. Before I got into DE shaving I had no concept of multiple "passes" in multiple directions. It was a cart or disposable, one pass, north to south, and done.

 

[osix]

Well...

I wonder if you might be interpreting a sensation that is perfectly normal as a sign that something is wrong or done incorrectly.

A bit of tingle after a shave. I won't ask for the level of pain on a scale of 1 to 10, but is the "burn" just until the aftershave evaporates, or is it a lingering redness? Like having a bit of sunburn that you still notice 20 minutes after the shave?

A bit of temporary burn is common. For me, it is the lingering red warmth long after the shave that indicates something less than ideal.

Feeling is lingering, no redness just uncomfortable, that's without aftershave.
I know I've had a shave for a couple of hours afterwards.
May not have adapted is a possibility

Would a milder or neutral razor be of value ?

 

[Letsgoalready]

I skip alum as I find it just hurts my face, look at a 0.68 plate for your gamechanger they are like $20~30, also just takes time and practice!

 

[Jayson74]

Spend a few days or a week only doing 2 passes rather then 3 plus touch ups. Seems like you might be over shaving.

 

[AshleyC]

Feeling is lingering, no redness just uncomfortable, that's without aftershave.
I know I've had a shave for a couple of hours afterwards.
May not have adapted is a possibility

Would a milder or neutral razor be of value ?

Milder than a .76 GC?

Nah. It'll come together.

 

[BigJ]

Good advice above!

For me, ‘burning’ or irritation is usually a technical issue related to;
#1. Pressure, I go for “NO PRESSURE’ or
#2. Suboptimal razor angle.

Keep with this and you will get the results you want.

 

[m949]

I went through that as well and it took me some time to figure it out for me. Try this:

1. Remove any exfoliating treatment from your skincare regimen. No physical or chemical exfoliants, especially before a shave. Or the evening before.
2. Try a different soap, Cella pre-shave might not be for you. Sandalwood can also be an irritant. A soap with a bit more skin food might be more suitable. You might also have a reaction to Almond.
3. Try less sharp blades, especially if your razor is a bit more aggressive and your technique is not down. Many people swear by Astra SPs, I can’t use them because they cause faceburn for hours on end for me. Try GSBs.
4. Don’t shave steep, you’re just scraping layers of skin off, maintain a shallow angle of about 30 degrees at all times. Ride the cap.
5. No more than 2 passes and WTG only. Skip any ATG/XTG passes. Map your beard to see in which direction your whiskers are growing.
6. No pressure, at least not until your technique is down and you know where you can apply or not apply slightly more.
7. Don’t shave every day. Give your skin time to heal.
8. Skip the alum. It might be the actual culprit here.
9. Invest in a repair balm or at the very least in pure aloe Vera gel. Apply after your shave. Aloe Vera is soothing and cooling.
10. If you face lather, don’t. Try bowl lathering and just “paint” the lather on your face. Depending what kind of brush you use you are exfoliating more or less when you face lather and/or splay your brush. You might give yourself brush burn if your brush is more scritchy or if you use too much pressure when lathering.
11. Use short strokes. Never shave an area which isn’t covered in lather. If you need to go over some place again, apply lather before the blade makes contact. Don’t buff or do too many touchups. Ideally, the blade only has the least possible amount of skin contact, meaning the probability of irritation increases the more strokes you have to do.
12. As your technique improves and irritation subsides you will be able to pull off very close shaves with very sharp blades and very aggressive razors. All without a hint of post-shave irritation. It is a journey though and will take time to dial in your own personal routine and your own personal setup.

Follow these steps before you make any changes to your hardware. Only if none of these bring you any improvement could you consider to change the razor.

 

[Alex Jr]

Feeling is lingering, no redness just uncomfortable, that's without aftershave.
I know I've had a shave for a couple of hours afterwards.

The way you’re describing it, and again, assuming your technique is correct, it is exactly how I feel when I have a mild allergic reaction to something.

The shave is comfortable, there’s no redness, nothing out of the ordinary, but there’s a lingering burn and the aftershave stings like hell.

Cut the cella preshave. Sandalwood is a known irritant as well. Do not face lather. Bowl lather instead.

Eliminate the allergy threat first. It’s the easiest to isolate.

If you still feel it then you can explore a technique issue.

I can not tell you how many times I misinterpreted a mild allergic reaction, blaming everything else instead.

 

[musicman1951]

Good advice above!

For me, ‘burning’ or irritation is usually a technical issue related to;
#1. Pressure, I go for “NO PRESSURE’ or
#2. Suboptimal razor angle.

Keep with this and you will get the results you want.

These are typically the two culprits. Often people who are using light pressure discover than they can make it even lighter, which is worth a try. I remind myself every morning to try a little lighter pressure and I've been shaving a very long time - almost older than dirt.

Razor angle takes some time to acquire. Don't be afraid to experiment a little, sometimes a tiny adjustment can make a big difference.

It's also possible that you're simply shaving too much. Three passes and touch-ups - which means four passes for some of your face - sounds like a bad idea to me. You might want to try two passes with absolutely no touch-ups for a couple of days to see how big a difference that makes. With good razor angle most people can get a pretty not too bad shave with two passes.

 

[spacemonkey42]

Lots of great advice above, @osix. I was where you are now and it took me a while to further improve my technique. Amplifying some of the thoughts:

• You think you are using light pressure. You are not. You can go lighter. The shaves will be better and your skin will feel much better.
• Only go over each area once, use barely overlapping strokes, do not put the razor on skin without soap on it. Finish out that pass, re-lather, then do it again.
• Just do 2 passes (or even 1) until you lower the feedback, then add another pass.

You've got this. This is a skill you are learning. It takes time and patience. Neither of which I have, so I got pretty frustrated in this phase, but you can do it!

 

[Jay21]

If everything else is indeed as it should be, try a different soap. I get that “burn” when my skin reacts to something.

This. Certain soaps set my face on fire. Try shaving the same way you have been but use canned foam to see what the cause of the burn is. If canned foam produces no burn, it’s the soap. If canned foam produces burn, it’s your technique. It’s a cheap $2 experiment. You can’t even buy a cup of coffee for that anymore.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I have only been at this traditional wet shaving thing for 3 years now.... I think the above advice is spot on. I would add that I too had to allow time for my face to adjust, coming from a Fusion Power for years... and various Gillette cartridge razors previously for 50 years...

It takes a while to develop sound technique, but you'll get there... I'm getting great shaves, but for the life of me, I don't understand how anyone can shave and have zero feel from alum... I get a nice, but slight, tingle when I apply the alum... I only get a long lasting burn if I've overshaved.... but I can always feel the alum when applied.

The thing that hit me hard when I was first starting out? A severe reaction to a popular soap here... I had a bad burn, like sunburn, that lasted for 3 weeks.. and I started getting little red bumps on my face..... Like measles... That sent me to the dermatologist.... She told me I was likely reacting to the fragrant ingredients added to scented soaps. I started using unscented soaps and I've never had those reactions since....

 

[DesertIguana]

Good advice above!

For me, ‘burning’ or irritation is usually a technical issue related to;
#1. Pressure, I go for “NO PRESSURE’ or
#2. Suboptimal razor angle.

Keep with this and you will get the results you want.

Ditto too much pressure could be problem.

Practice & Time is best way to build Skill.

Also do not ovrr use Blades, again time will teach you when it’s time to go to NEW SHARP BLADE.

A Dull Blade will cause irritation.

 

[Goblin]

Newcomer to wet shaving would appreciate some help.
Most shaves are DFS with 3 passes and some minor touch ups, not aiming for BBS, don't think that would end.
Shave feels smooth and comfortable, for the most part barely feel the blade, I generally end up with a weeper round the mustache area but nothing else of note.
Very mindful of pressure and for the most parts just let the razor and gravity do the work.
Post shave face burns and the alum block stings all over, what am I doing wrong ?

I'm currently using a gamechanger 76, I'm finding the Astra SP are the most comfortable of the blades I've tried, the personna platininum and perma sharp are pretty good as well.
Pre shave warm water soapy wash; then apply Cella pre shave and face later with Proraso red.
Post shave I'll wash my face use an alum block rinse off and follow up with Nivea after shave balm.

I suggest:

• Trying to get by with 2 passes
• Making sure you have a nice, efficient angle - too steep can be scrapey
• More pre-shave prep - my whiskers need about 4 minutes of exposure to hot water to soften up and maybe yours do too
• Leave off the alum at the end
• Leave off the post shave balm at the end (or water it down before applying it - you only need a tiny bit)
• Try a different soap and preshave - personally, Cella makes my face light up like Christmas tree

If you just started it is possible you think you are using no pressure, but in fact you are still using too much pressure. We all go through this when coming from cartridges - it just takes time. With better prep and a sharper blade, you may find it easier to lighten up and discover what "no pressure" really means - it worked for me many years ago but YMMV.

You will get lots of different advice here - keep checking in to let us know how you are getting on and what works for you.

Edit: I just read @m949's post. What he said!

 

[blade08]

Lots of good remarks about razor, blade and technique.

But also consider 'brush rash'.