Hello everyone. I'm new to the forum, I've participated in other threads and lurked a lot before signing up, this is my official introduction. I've been DE shaving for just two months after reading a lot here and watching tons on videos on YouTube. As I said in another thread, I suffer from Dermatitis. My skin is oily around my nose, and dry towards my cheeks, jawline, sideburns and neck. This has put me in a tough spot since I was young. Started shaving with an electrical razor, which gave me terrible irritation specially in the neck. After many years I switched to cartridge razors which were more efficient and helped a bit with irritation. Finally I discovered DE razors and here I am. I'm quite new and of course need still tons of practice, but this is my hobby now. I have a Merkur Progress, a 20-dollar Rockwell brush (don't know the model), blades from different makes and several soaps and creams, a couple of post-shave balms and an alum block. When I started my idea was just to have a simple quick shave, so I began with Cremo since it just needed hot water and hand scrubbing. Got some decent results, with a couple of nicks and cuts, as expected. Then I switched to a Taconic soap, which I rubbed directly on my face and lathered. I'd say I got some of my best shaves that way, but the lime in my soap was a bit to much for me. I tried green Proraso twice, which gave me kind of a rash. Two weeks ago I started shaving exclusively with cold water and noticed a lot of improvement in my skin. Hot and warm water produced a lot of dryness and inflammation, cold water seems to have solved that. However, after a couple of hours or sometimes many hours, I get some red spots (not very noticeable) above my jawline, close to the sideburns and next to my mouth. Usually those three spots itch like hell. I sooth them applying water and a cream prescribed by a doctor for my condition (Nutradeica). I've read everything there is to read on the forum regarding irritation (The wanderer's guide and some others), but I can't pinpoint the reason. I've mapped my face, apply almost no pressure, the works. Only thing I avoid is hot shower and hot water, because it's literally poison to my face. I'll describe my shaving routine so you may help find the issue. I have fair, light beard by the way:
- Shave every day four times a week for work
- Prepare my face just splashing cold water and scrubbing for about a minute
- Face lather with Nivea sensitive shaving cream using my brush
- Do just one pass WTG and touch ups
- Rinse with cold water
- Apply alum block to my face
- Rinse after 30 seconds and dry face
- Apply Nivea sensitive skin balm
- I've only used Astra SP blades, 5 times tops each
Now I haven't shaved for over two days and the itchy spots are almost gone, so there's definitively something causing them during the shave. Strangely nothing happens to my neck, which is supposed to be the most sensitive place. What should I start testing, apart from technique? Quit the alum, change blades? I don't think it's the cream or balm, they are supposed to be for sensitive skin. Thanks in advance
- Shave every day four times a week for work
- Prepare my face just splashing cold water and scrubbing for about a minute
- Face lather with Nivea sensitive shaving cream using my brush
- Do just one pass WTG and touch ups
- Rinse with cold water
- Apply alum block to my face
- Rinse after 30 seconds and dry face
- Apply Nivea sensitive skin balm
- I've only used Astra SP blades, 5 times tops each
Now I haven't shaved for over two days and the itchy spots are almost gone, so there's definitively something causing them during the shave. Strangely nothing happens to my neck, which is supposed to be the most sensitive place. What should I start testing, apart from technique? Quit the alum, change blades? I don't think it's the cream or balm, they are supposed to be for sensitive skin. Thanks in advance