sensitive skin problems

[thegreatest]

I know my technique needs work and I'm hoping when it gets better my irritation will get better and I'm still trying blades
That works for me and I did not know that about proraso malon but that's good to know

 

[mswofford]

Welcome; Lots of good advice above! I can only reiterate watching 2 things; Pressure (the less, the better) and angle (shallow blade to face) both of which have been mentioned. I also suggest that experience will show progress in your technique and you will be getting effective and enjoyable shaves sooner than you think.

 

[thegreatest]

ya i know technique is a big factor and i know mine needs more work with angle and especially pressure. I find that i a still applying too much pressure but trying to correct it. im hoping by improving my technique, it will get better

 

[molon_labe]

ya i know technique is a big factor and i know mine needs more work with angle and especially pressure. I find that i a still applying too much pressure but trying to correct it. im hoping by improving my technique, it will get better

One thing that helped me figure out the proper amount of pressure (or lack thereof) is to grip your razor way down at the bottom of the handle with your thumb and 2 fingers. Keep your grip fairly light and just focus on maintaining the proper angle all the way down your stroke. Keep the strokes short, and keep your angle very shallow (handle farther away from your face).

Same thing on the neck area, although it's a little more tricky because gravity wants to pull the razor away from your face but at some point it will just "click" and you will be getting great shaves.

Another thing I read that helped me out is to imagine you have really bad sun burn on your face.

 

[FireDragon76]

I don't think the 34C is the best beginner razor. I just like milder razors.

You should try Derby blades if you have not done so. Be sure you buy a sampler pack. The blades all feel very different. Another brand I like is Dorco, these are found at dollar stores and they are made in Korea. But some people hate them. It just shows that everybody's experiences will be different. But you should at least give a mild blade a shot and not automatically jump into Israeli Personnas, Crystals, Astras, and Feathers.

When I went shallower in my angle that helped a lot. You won't be cutting very close in your first pass but it's all about beard reduction.

There are other single-blade razors besides DE's. I find Bic Sensitives quite good. You can also look into injectors and GEM razors, I've shaved with all of them, but I prefer injectors and the Bic's. Injectors are usually mild, except for the older ones from the 30's.

 

[AJ123]

WOW, I started DE with 34c, TOBS Sandlewood and Proraso sensitive skin line! I too have sensitive skin - easily get reactions, irritations and if not careful even an acne pimple from irritation. I've gotten such bad reactions from shaving/chemicals used that My doctor gave me a steroidal cream (maybe not much better than OTC Cortizone). My two cents....

I'd keep a tube of Cortizone handy to use instead of After Shave Balm if you feel irritation.

IMO Proraso is not that great AS and could even contribute mildly to irritation. Alternative is essential oils. Neutrogina is one after shave balm for sensitive skin that is available in drug stores. Even Nivea may not be sensitive enough for you.

Avoid shave creams and stick to soaps. Even then, number of soaps are irritating in conjunction with the normal irritation of shaving.

I found TOBS Sandalwood after shave gel to be one of the worst sources of irritation.

Try concentrating on shaving with shallow angles as much as possible -- dragging the razor at steep angle may shave o.k. but it irritates the skin and the hair follicles.

Don't forget cold water rinse (very cold water if you can stand it) - it reduces the reaction of the skin.

Experiment with what works for you.

Hello everyone,

I am new to B&B and wet shaving with a safety razor and i love everything about it, but i unfortunately have the curse of sensitive skin. I am currently using taylor of old bond sandlewood and entire proraso sensitive skin line(pre shave, shaving tube, and after shave balm) and they seem to be helping but i just wanted some advice from others with sensitive skin that maybe found success with different products and also with blades as well. I am currently trying out different blades with my 34c. I know it is different for everyone, but I am just wondering if someone with the same problem can help point me to another product that might be awesome for me

thanks everyone and i love the site and the community

 

[VW_ninja]

Lucky Tiger. Get some. Night and Day difference. That one product helped me a ton. I don't use it everyday. But, when I need it it does the trick. As far as soaps. My experience with Proraso is it needs more water then you think. Don't be afraid to play around with some in a mixing bowl from time to time. As for blade angle. Try to hold just the bottom of the razor. The higher up you hold the more pressure you put on the head. A line of products that I found to be great is Soap Commander. Both their soaps and Post Shave Balm. They offer sample soaps. They are cheap and ship fast. I don't think they have Balm samples but if you email they might be able to get you some. Awesome products and awesome customer service. Worth Checking out. I have the unscented balm works really nicely. Also, another thing you could try for free is cold water shaving. Helped me a lot too.

 

[thegreatest]

cool i just purchased a bottle of lucky tiger so i will see if that helps when it comes in. also what are some good pre shave creams other than proraso preshave cream and some soaps or creams for everyday use outside of shaving to help as well?

 

[molon_labe]

cool i just purchased a bottle of lucky tiger so i will see if that helps when it comes in. also what are some good pre shave creams other than proraso preshave cream and some soaps or creams for everyday use outside of shaving to help as well?

Like vw ninja said, check out soap commander. Their after shave balms are great as a moisturizer too. It's the only balm I've been able to use that doesn't leave my skin oily or greasy.

 

[VW_ninja]

cool i just purchased a bottle of lucky tiger so i will see if that helps when it comes in. also what are some good pre shave creams other than proraso preshave cream and some soaps or creams for everyday use outside of shaving to help as well?

A lot of people are going to tell you pre shaves don't work. Most people just wash their face in the shower and then shave after the shower. That being said the one that comes up a lot is Mr. Glo. (Musgo Real Lime Glyce Soap) here is an article with some comments of other suggestions. http://sharpologist.com/2012/01/get-ready-5-pre-shave-soaps-that-really-work.html Me personally I have found that Proraso works best if I do not shower before shaving. Here is a thread on Mr. Glo http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/258640-What-s-so-special-about-MR-GLO

My opinion is a quality soap will not need a pre shave. That being said learning to create the correct lather goes a long way (I'm currently trying to work on this). The way I see it is I rather buy a quality soap that I can use then gamble on a pre shave.

Don't change too much at once. Focus on technique first. Then if you want to change do one change and stick with just that one change for a week or so.

 

[ugadawg]

I have sensitive skin and cold water shaving really helped me. I also stay away from soaps and creams with scents. It's been mentioned several times and I agree that witch hazel is a really good after shave.

 

[thegreatest]

cool ill look into witch hazel as well

 

[Highspeedlane]

Sorry I haven't gone over each response but another couple of tips I'd like to throw in if it's not been mentioned is to minimize the number of passes on the most irritation prone areas, keep your pressure light, and at least until your technique and irritation problems seem to be under control, don't keep blades in service if they're showing signs of dulling.

The sides of my neck are where I have the most problems. I can use all the preps in the world but if I over-do it there, I will have half day long irritation. One single pass there, ensuring I keep a good angle on the blade (not too steep, which for me is less effective cutting stubble), keeping my touch light and the strokes short, and I get a great, irritation free DFS. Good luck.

 

[thegreatest]

ya i think my biggest challenge is going to be finding the right blade. i have a thick beard growth to go along with the sensitive skin which doesnt help. I have tried Derby and it is good but i found it skipping and pulling my second shave so ill have to keep trying with my sample pack

 

[molon_labe]

ya i think my biggest challenge is going to be finding the right blade. i have a thick beard growth to go along with the sensitive skin which doesnt help. I have tried Derby and it is good but i found it skipping and pulling my second shave so ill have to keep trying with my sample pack

Yes try a sharper blade like an astra sp. I also have a coarse beard and sensitive skin and have also found that going with a slightly more aggressive open comb (parker 26c) has helped out as well. It is more efficient than a de89 so I do less passes and dont subconsciously apply too much pressure. Just some food for thought after you get the technique down.

 

[Shiloh]

Yes try a sharper blade like an astra sp. I also have a coarse beard and sensitive skin and have also found that going with a slightly more aggressive open comb (parker 26c) has helped out as well. It is more efficient than a de89 so I do less passes and dont subconsciously apply too much pressure. Just some food for thought after you get the technique down.

Indeed.

That's a little counter-intuitive, but true. While I sometimes find that I nick myself more with a new/sharp blade, the sharper the blade, the less pressure and fewer (re)strokes are needed -- both of those lead to irritation.

 

[VW_ninja]

If you are thinking about trying a new blade. http://www.shaving101.com/index.php/education/double-edge-shaving/48-choosing-the-right-blade.html I use the Gillette Yellow 7 o'clock in a EJ89.

 

[Crispycrunchy]

I'm not that very experienced when it comes to after-shave lotions or the likes, but I've had your problem with irritated skin after shaving, and might be able to help.

For me the solution was a better prep, and more importantly, a better finish, like som other gentlemen already have stated. When you're shaved and done, wash off remaining lather with warm water, then get some really cold water and shock your skin with it, splash multiple handfuls of very cold water on your face till you almost fell numbed from the cold. Make sure you don't ease into it, you must shock your skin or else the effect won't be as good. Don't know exactly why this workes for me, I think it closes the pores in a very natural mild way (as oposed to alcohol-based lotions), but since I started doing this my skin as never feels irritated, and those times I've skipped this step the irritation shows up again.

This might not solve your problems alltogether or at all, maybe it's the technique when you shaves that need to be fixed, or maybe you really need good skincare products, but it solved my problems! I'd recommend you trying this thoroughly before bying a load of soaps, lotions, splashes etc. so you don't spend a ton of money on something that just cold water from the bathroom tap could fix

And you gotta love that Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream, awyiss!

 

[alex2363]

Don't forget proper prep too, hydration is vital.

 

[thegreatest]

Ya I have done the cold water after the shave and it does help I am working on my technique and it is starting to get better. I also want to prep soaps for better skin anyways so it helps even more and keep the skin healthy and iI purchased some soaps Mr glo and musgo real to help as well