About to give up DE shaving...

[RayClem]

DE razors exfoliate the skin. I don't think electrics do that.

Any razor (even your shaving brush) will cause slight removal of skin cells. If your DE Razor is causing significant exfoliation of your skin, you are either using the wrong razor, the wrong blade, the wrong soap, the wrong shave angle, or too much shave pressure.

 

[RayClem]

In response to the original poster:

1. For those with sensitive skin, Feather blades may not be the right be the right blade. I love the sharpness of Feather blades, but they deteriorate so quickly that I find them to be rough on my face after a couple of shaves.
2. For those with sensitive skin, Arko might not be the right soap. Arko irritates my skin, leaving it tight and dry. You might be able to compensate with an aftershave splash or balm, but there are much better soaps available.

As someone whose skin is so sensitive that I get brush burn if I try to face lather, I have found the following guidelines enable me to get a great shave with zero irritation.

1. Beard preparation- Your beard needs to be clean and well hydrated. If possible shower before you shave and use both a shampoo and conditioner on your face. If you can't shower, use soap and hot moist towels to clean and hydrate.

2. Use an excellent shave soap. You need one that provides excellent slickness so you blade glides across your face, excellent cushion to provide a layer of protection between the blade and your skin, and excellent post-shave moisturizing and conditioning. I bowl lather to minimize the contact of the brush on my face.

3. Use the right blade in your razor. I can get a great, irritation free shave from nearly any razor as long as I use the right blade. As I said earlier, Feather blades might not be the best for you.

4. Use the right shave angle. If you are shaving using a blade angle that is too steep (riding the bar, handle too close to your face), you will be scraping off skin cells along with your beard hair. A shallow blade angle (riding the cap) allows the blade to do its job with less skin irritation.

5. Always shave with minimal pressure. Only apply sufficient pressure to keep the razor in contact with your skin. Additional pressure will lead to irritation.

6. Although the normal practice is for a three pass shave: WTG, XTG, ATG, in those areas where you have specific issues, you might want to forego the ATG pass.

7. Be careful rinsing off your lather. My face is so sensitive that using a terry washcloth to remove lather causes irritation. I use a microfiber cloth for this purpose and try to blot the skin to minimize friction. Some people only use their hands to splash water on their face.

8. Post shave routine. You mentioned the use of Aqua Velva aftershave splash. It is an alcohol based product that also contains menthol. Both ingredients can irritate sensitive skin. I normally use plain witch hazel which is only 8% alcohol. Thus, you might want to try a different product to see if it helps.

Good luck.