New Shave soap/Acne Problems

[WooPigSooie]

I recently purchased a non-badger hair cheap shave brush from my local drugstore along with a puck of Williams bar soap. I know both are cheap products, but I'm awaiting a nicer DE Merkur razor and badger hair brush and some higher quality shave cream for X-mas.

I've been using the cheap brush and Williams mug soap for about 2 weeks now shaving every other day using a Mach 3 razor (new blade change every week). I'm loving using a brush and soap to make lather and have better results with my cheap brush and soap than I ever did with canned gel shave "goop". However, my face has been breaking out with Acne. I'm 28 yrs. old and have never really had a problem with acne (except when going through puberty). I've not changed my diet either.

Has anyone ever experience this soap making your face break out?

Thanks for all the thoughts and comments!

 

[BigFoot]

First off welcome to B&B! It could be an allergy to the soap or brush. SWMBO has to take her own soap and shampoo if we go somewhere as she will break out if she changes. We also have to use tide for laundry, again anything else causes her to break out. Maybe try a different soap or a cream. Bath and Body Works sells Bigello cream, which is basically Prorasso very reasonable. If your face clears up you then know it was a reaction to the soap.

 

[Go West Young Man]

Are you face lathering? What's your prep routine? Maybe you're putting too much stress on your face and it's breaking out?

Also, just to be pedantic, if you had acne, you'd need to see a doctor. It sounds like you just have a breakout of pimples or shave bumps, much less serious and much easier to solve.

 

[franstjohn]

I've read a lot of negative comments about Williams soap but almost all of them are about how difficult it is to lather. That is not to say it cannot happen. Why not try some KMF cream and see if that helps?

Williams is more difficult to lather. Just because you are getting more lather doesn't mean you are getting good lather. Soak your Williams puck in hot water along with your brush while you shower. After the shower, dump the hot water from the soap cup and squeeze out the brush. Whip up a slurry of soap with the brush in the cup and move the brush to a separate mixing bowl. Whip up the soap in the bowl adding water a few drops at a time until you get a "good" thick soap. Brush that onto your face and work it in to your beard. You will be rewarded with a great cushioning slick lather which I think will go a long way to correcting your irritation.

let u know if that helps.

 

[WooPigSooie]

Thanks so much for the feedback (and welcoming me).

I shave every other day always in the morning after a shower. I don’t have much hair growth to have a whole lot of stubble for a 5 oclock shadow. My pre shave routine is to shower first. My preferred face soap is Nivea for men Face Scrub. It's an exfoliating face wash/scrub. I've been using it for years now before I started with the brush and soap before I shave and have never had problems. I really like this product.

After showering, I make sure my face is still wet with hot water while I get my brush wet with hot water and put a little water in a mug with my soap puck. I’ve gotten the hang of how much water ratio to use to get a nice lather. I get the brush soapy by swirling directly on the puck. When the lather starts to form, I massage it into my face for a good minute or two. By this time, my face is very soapy/slimly/lathered. I then take my Mach 3 razor (which I run under hot water before ever pass) and start to shave. The Williams soap makes your face very soapy, so I rinse well with hot water first after the shave to get rid of the soap residue. Then when my face feels squeaky clean, I splash with cold water. This is very chilly and gives a really nice cooling feel and closes the pores.

After shaving, I use Nivea for men after shave balm. It’s a creamy milky lotion that doesn’t make my face dry. (I should note that I don’t really have oily skin. Especially in the winter, my hands and face get dry and ashy). I have also been using this after shave balm for years before using the brush and soap.

Even though I have noticed that I’ve gotten a few pimples the last couple weeks, I have noticed that I have considerable less neck burn and red neck, face bumps, and ingrown hairs. From what I have read, the hot water, brush and lather are responsible for this nice change of pace.

Like I said. The only thing different in my routine is a few pimples here and there on my face that I’ve recently had. I haven’t had pimples or Acne for at least 10 years or so. I think I am going to pick up some shave cream and switch to it to see if I see a change is results. (Until “Santa” brings me my better quality gifts, I’ll have to stick with what I have for now.)

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

[twoods]

maybe the scrub followed by some more exfoliation with the brush is just too much for your skin. I have sensitive skin and I never use a scrub before a shave.

just my own 2 cents.

 

[OUFINNY]

I am no expert here, see post count(!), but I used that Nivea and I would break out from it. Even though I get dry skin in Houston once the humidity dies down, I have to use AS splashes or I break out. Not saything that is the cause, could be your technique or maybe just irritation. I used to get what look like bad acne on my neck and then I slowed down, made sure to use a good witch hazel after I rinsed off followed by an after shave splash (Adidas Dynamic Pulse is great and $4.50 at Walmart). It took about a week of using the witch hazel to clear up my neck and jaw line but I hardly get irritation and I face lather with soaps as you do. You can find witch hazel at Target, probably Walmart but I can't say if you will get one alcohol free though; if you can, get that as opposed to one with alcohol. Good luck and welcome to B&B.

 

[WooPigSooie]

Follow up: for nearly two weeks now, my face is finally starting to clear up a bit. I finally threw away that Williams Soap junk and quit using my Nivea after shave balm. I realized that by the end of the day, my face was very oily and greasy. I believe that my face was being moisturized way too much and never really had a chance to “dry out” or breath.

I now use C.O. Bigelow’s Shave cream (can find at your local Bath & Body Works) instead of the soap. After soaking my cup and brush in hot water while I shower, I am still using my Nivea for Men Face Scrub before shaving. It really cleans my face and makes me feel refreshed. Then, I use the shave cream and it works wonders! It also smells a lot better than the soap did too! I am still using a Mach 3 razor for now. I get an even better shave with the cream (personal preference I guess). After rinsing with hot water to remove the cream and lather, I then splash and rinse with cold water still to close my pores. I am now using an alchol after shave. I figured that the new shave cream and the alcohol based after shave with let my face dry out a bit. I’m using Clubman Pinaud after shave.

So my face is finally starting to clear up a bit, AND I’m getting a better shave! That’s what good quality shave cream will do I guess. Now it’s time to get my new Merkur and badger hair brush!.

 

[WooPigSooie]

Oh yes, and I forgot to add. At night before I go to bed, I clean my face with Witch Hazel (advice from a dermatologist). It's an astringent and restores my face to it's natual pH levels.

It helps as well!

 

[WooPigSooie]

Wow, what a difference just a month makes! Here's an update...

I've been using a Merkur Heave Duty with Derby Blades and also a Simpson's Special Pure Badger Hair brush for about a month now. I've been using better shave products like Tabac shave soap, Cyril R Salter Sandlewood shave cream, and C.O. Bigelow shave cream. I've been using a Razorock alum on my neck and face for aftershave before using a splash aftershave or talc powder.

No more problems!