DE Razors for very sensitive skin

[Blackland Razors]

My biggest question is why do you want to do three passes when you are prone to irritation? The more time you spend with a blade on your skin, the more likely you are to experience irritation.

The common advice for sensitive skin is to use a super mild razor. I think that is bad advice. A super mild razor will make you add excess pressure, excess blade buffing, and excess passes. That means your skin is going to spend a lot more time with the blade on it and you will get more irritation. This is partly why cartridge razors so often cause irritation.

Users who heed this advice often experience more irritation for the reasons mentioned above and then they seek an even milder razor. My advice to you would be to use something more efficient. It's counterintuitive, but if you can accomplish in one or two passes with an efficient razor what would take 3+ passes with a mild one, then you are saving your skin some trauma. I can't begin to tell you how many customers we've had with sensitive skin who have realized that efficiency is the best relief for irritation.

 

[StewB]

My biggest question is why do you want to do three passes when you are prone to irritation? The more time you spend with a blade on your skin, the more likely you are to experience irritation.

The common advice for sensitive skin is to use a super mild razor. I think that is bad advice. A super mild razor will make you add excess pressure, excess blade buffing, and excess passes. That means your skin is going to spend a lot more time with the blade on it and you will get more irritation. This is partly why cartridge razors so often cause irritation.

Users who heed this advice often experience more irritation for the reasons mentioned above and then they seek an even milder razor. My advice to you would be to use something more efficient. It's counterintuitive, but if you can accomplish in one or two passes with an efficient razor what would take 3+ passes with a mild one, then you are saving your skin some trauma. I can't begin to tell you how many customers we've had with sensitive skin who have realized that efficiency is the best relief for irritation.

^ This +1

I'm fairly new and this seems counterintuitive but it coincides pretty much exactly with my experience.

 

[LRod]

I have numerous razors in my collection but the only two that reside on my bathroom sink are the SCS and a Merkur 33c.

We're pretty darn close.

UM fans think alike

 

[smudge]

It's not often that I have a rough shave, but on the odd occasion that I do I use my Merkur Progress on setting zero the following day. Not quite BBS, but close and very comfortable.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Most irritation problems are related to insufficient lather, too much pressure, dull blades, things like that. Two passes with a little touch-up may be enough.

There's many mild razors you can try. Razors like Henson Mild, Razorock Mamba, Feather AS-D2, for example. For vintage, something like an early 1950's Gillette Tech. Use a sharp blade. Using a dull blade doesn't really improve anything or tame a razor down.

 

[DriftKing79]

My biggest question is why do you want to do three passes when you are prone to irritation? The more time you spend with a blade on your skin, the more likely you are to experience irritation.

The common advice for sensitive skin is to use a super mild razor. I think that is bad advice. A super mild razor will make you add excess pressure, excess blade buffing, and excess passes. That means your skin is going to spend a lot more time with the blade on it and you will get more irritation. This is partly why cartridge razors so often cause irritation.

Users who heed this advice often experience more irritation for the reasons mentioned above and then they seek an even milder razor. My advice to you would be to use something more efficient. It's counterintuitive, but if you can accomplish in one or two passes with an efficient razor what would take 3+ passes with a mild one, then you are saving your skin some trauma. I can't begin to tell you how many customers we've had with sensitive skin who have realized that efficiency is the best relief for irritation.

That is exactly my experience after more than 4 years of DE shaving.
Currently, I can achieve a BBS result in just two passes with almost any aggressive/blade foward razor.
First pass with and second past against the grain, with only a little bit buffing on the neck.

 

[Tomo]

I have found the “Gillette Slide” technique to be the silver bullet for eliminating irritation. This have been equally effective with DE razors as it has with straight razors. Naturally pressure and shaving angle still need to be on point. The “Gillette Slide” makes a huge difference. If you struggle with the execution, you could try a slant razor.

 

[someguyontheinternet]

A simple combo of Mühle R89 and Personna Platinum works well for me and my skin is very prone to irritation and ingrown hairs. Blades like Feather, Bic and Astra are pretty much no-gos for me. I can get good shaves with them, but I need to pay a lot of attention and go slow. If I don't, my skin gets irritation all over.
I can swap the blade to a Dorco ST-300 or the razor to a Rocca and get by with a 2 pass though.

In the end no two individuals will have the same combination of skin and hair though. So finding out what works for you is important. You might want to stick with one razor and blade initially to have at least some consistent variables why you figure out the rest. Trying to change everything all the time will make it more difficult to figure out what exactly might be going wrong.

 

[Fiddler]

Get a DE razor with 0 blade exposure...like Lambda Athena or Karve Overlander.

But for OP's needs, I would recommend a Gillette Skinguard Sensitive cartridge razor:

SkinGuard Razor, 1 Handle and 4 Razor Blade Refills

Gillette SkinGuard is our first razor specifically designed for men with sensitive skin. Gillette SkinGuard is designed to stop skin irritation.

gillette.com

 

[John Stetson]

Everyone here has offered good advice. As to your question about the razor, I have a number of DE razors. I have senaitive skin. My favorites are probably the Rockwell 6S, the Razorock Game Changer .68 and .84. The Karve CB and Chiseled Face Legacy Ti. But the one razor that has NEVER caused irritation of any kind-never a nick, cut, zero burn-is the Henson AL13 Mild. I can easily do 3 passes daily with it if I wanted to. It just doesn't ever irritate.

 

[tm3]

I'd lean towards an adjustable, like the Progress, so you can experiment and find what works best.

I'd also consider trying a multiblade like the Skinguard mentioned above, or a Mach 3 or a Leaf.

 

[Ckmaui]

want to try the tatara still as I heard so many good things
for me my final razor is the timeless Ti 68 SB and from hearing others who have the tatara quite close so I do agree most likely other things

technique yeah comes with time practice a light touch and that works with all gear dialing in the soap is kinda unique to each one so do think it takes a few times to dial in a new soap to try but worth it

but for me blades and soap were HUGE in finding comfort and what works with each razor is NOT the same as some razors did better with other blades the soap I found was more it was the soap or not and again really made a difference in comfort in not only the post burn from the razor but the post feel in conditioning not drying out than trying to throw something up to compensate ! and same thing with splashes
the one thing that has worked for me and their is a thread on it is the Neutrogena Hydro Gel Cream ! and truly helps with that post irritation feel calms and just leaves the skin so nice that was another game changer for me

blades try like 40 blades from a huge sampler and narrow those down to your favs going to take a while but I tend to break it down into the during shave is it tugging etc. and the post feel or burn of did I scrape a blade across my face and find that balance that works

also the soap or cream you use my fav was SV and 2nd was Caties and I tried the Captains Choice cream and WOW did it change the post shave feel of the irritation or burn feel from shaving and is now my number 1 so again this is all personal to what each of us find works and we like

and this journey of finding might take a year or more IMHO
and you might come back to some of your first choices but I am the type that has to know and try for sure and glad I did that testing of so many products as I truly get irritation free 3 pass shaves daily with sensitive skin and 59yr old red/grey hair

 

[Joezamboni]

I’m re-evaluating some of my razors and have been surprised by how good a post war “etched” cap tech is with a Polsilver SI blade. Very mild, low irritation and a close shave. I do a single pass ATG with touch up and this combination has been the first pleasant surprise. With a 7 O’Clock yellow its a bit disappointing though.

 

[Major Overkill]

Looking for a DE razor which will limit irritation on my skin to a minimal degree.

I think that, of all my razors, the mildest are my Gillette Slim + Fat Boy adjustables, my Super Speed Blue Tip, + my Viking's Blade Chieftain Jr.

-Z

 

[Breen]

FWIW I also have irritation issues. 3 pass shaves will never be a part of my routine, and I'm ok with that. I stick to mainly vintage Gillette.

Super Speed Blue Tip - Can't really mess this up.
Fatboy - Setting 1-3
Slim - Setting 1-3

Honorable mention - King C Gillette, even though I hate that handle.

 

[headshvr]

Rookie headshaver here. Been at it less than 2 months. First DE shave ever was my head on November 8. FWIW, I have the 6S and a Henson mild.

The Henson is brilliant. I may never touch my 6S again.

The Henson allows 3 pass daily shaving with lots of mistakes and zero irritation, at least for me. The 6S, even with the 2 plate, leaves me with razor burn and bumps.

 

[CANES]

Rookie headshaver here. Been at it less than 2 months. First DE shave ever was my head on November 8. FWIW, I have the 6S and a Henson mild.

The Henson is brilliant. I may never touch my 6S again.

The Henson allows 3 pass daily shaving with lots of mistakes and zero irritation, at least for me. The 6S, even with the 2 plate, leaves me with razor burn and bumps.

Glad you posted this. I just got a 6c yesterday in the mail and was already debating on using the 2 plate for my head. I've been head shaving for about 15 years now and always try a new DE that I get in but ultimately go back to carts for the head shave. It's just quicker and I have a bunch that need to be used up regardless. I'm sure I'll try the 2 plate eventually, but won't expect nirvana on the head.

 

[headshvr]

Glad you posted this. I just got a 6c yesterday in the mail and was already debating on using the 2 plate for my head. I've been head shaving for about 15 years now and always try a new DE that I get in but ultimately go back to carts for the head shave. It's just quicker and I have a bunch that need to be used up regardless. I'm sure I'll try the 2 plate eventually, but won't expect nirvana on the head.

I’ve had less than 10 head shaves in total now but the 6S wasn’t too bad on plate 3 or 2. I have 3 shaves in now on each of the 6S and the Henson. The Henson is brilliant. The 6S just isn’t as plug and play for me.

I got a little carried away above - I’m still going to use the 6S every second shave. I just think it may have a bit of a learning curve, relative to the Henson. It’s not that the 6S was bad, just not quite as easy to use (for me) as the Henson.

Bear in mind that my first wet shave was a month ago. And my first wet shave, which was a head shave, was with the 6S. It was almost drama free, except for some abrasion in spots. That was because I couldn’t find the right angle, and I was using my left hand, plus the prep of my shaving cream was kinda suspect.

I haven’t drawn blood any on of my shaves yet, and they have all been great actually. That Henson though - you really have to try to screw up, to screw up. It’s a beginner’s dream.

This is all from a rookie’s perspective. I suspect you would be off to the races, in a good way, with the 6C.

 

[DriftKing79]

My biggest question is why do you want to do three passes when you are prone to irritation? The more time you spend with a blade on your skin, the more likely you are to experience irritation.

The common advice for sensitive skin is to use a super mild razor. I think that is bad advice. A super mild razor will make you add excess pressure, excess blade buffing, and excess passes. That means your skin is going to spend a lot more time with the blade on it and you will get more irritation. This is partly why cartridge razors so often cause irritation.

Users who heed this advice often experience more irritation for the reasons mentioned above and then they seek an even milder razor. My advice to you would be to use something more efficient. It's counterintuitive, but if you can accomplish in one or two passes with an efficient razor what would take 3+ passes with a mild one, then you are saving your skin some trauma. I can't begin to tell you how many customers we've had with sensitive skin who have realized that efficiency is the best relief for irritation.

I have always looked for the mildest Razor because of my sensitive skin, only to find iut that a 2 pass shave with an more efficient/ slightly agressive Razor, brings the same / or better result without razor burn. Mild Razor that brought me razor burn in 3 pass shave:
Muhle R89, RR GC .68, Merkur 34C HD, ATT R1 and M1 and way more.
2 Pass Razor for BBS without burn: RR GC .84, Rockwell 6S R6, Merkur Progress @4 and above.
Finally, an SS Blackbird is currently on its way to me.

 

[StewB]

The Henson works similarly to a cartridge razor--it's very light, and it needs at least some pressure to work effectively (that was my experience, FWIW). If the Henson works well for you, that's great My thought, though, is that if you use other DE razors you will need to adjust your technique not to use pressure. In my experience pressure is one of the main factors in causing irritation.