The first shave with most blades is a little rough for me, after that they seem to be smoother until the become dull.
Besides dipping your razor and blade in alcohol after and before your shave your post shave ritual can make a big difference. Rubbing your freshly shaved skin with an alum block kills bacteria, closes the pores and works as an astringent, an alcohol based aftershave kills bacteria too and makes you smell good, if you use a balm/moisturizer after that your skin will stay soft and well protected. It's best to rinse of the alum with cold water if you have a sensitive skin, some don't but I found that it dries my face if I leave it to dry on my face.
Post shave routine that works best for me is: warm water rinse > alum block > time to clean my razor and brush and let the alum do it's work on my skin > rinse of the alum with (very) cold water > dry face with towel > alcohol based aftershave splash - let air dry > moisturizing cream or aftershave balm. YMMV
A good prep work and shaving technique can also prevent a lot of skin problems, your post shave routine is just a way to recover from the trauma on your skin.
Besides dipping your razor and blade in alcohol after and before your shave your post shave ritual can make a big difference. Rubbing your freshly shaved skin with an alum block kills bacteria, closes the pores and works as an astringent, an alcohol based aftershave kills bacteria too and makes you smell good, if you use a balm/moisturizer after that your skin will stay soft and well protected. It's best to rinse of the alum with cold water if you have a sensitive skin, some don't but I found that it dries my face if I leave it to dry on my face.
Post shave routine that works best for me is: warm water rinse > alum block > time to clean my razor and brush and let the alum do it's work on my skin > rinse of the alum with (very) cold water > dry face with towel > alcohol based aftershave splash - let air dry > moisturizing cream or aftershave balm. YMMV
A good prep work and shaving technique can also prevent a lot of skin problems, your post shave routine is just a way to recover from the trauma on your skin.