Shave soap skin reaction

[slim6596]

I’ve had a bad reaction to two different soaps now. Slight burning sensation after pass one, more after pass two, on fire after pass three.

Anybody else ever have this reaction? I’m trying to figure out what ingredient is causing it.

 

[J-MN]

What soaps are you using that caused the burning?

Here are the ones I've had issues with.

1. Boellis 1924 Panama - Caused a severe burning sensation that caused my face to get blotchy red and the burning lasted all day.
2. Stirling Sandalwood - Bad burning sensation that lasted about an hour after rinsing it off. I've never had problems with any other Sandalwood soap or cream.
3. PannaCrema PURE20 Vetiver - Burned while shaving, but then went away after rinsing.
4. LaToja - Slight burning sensation while shaving, but not so bad that it makes it unusable.

 

[demaro]

I have never had a burning effect, but t my skin broke out after using Mitchels wool fat . I loved the larger and the scent. I ended up giving it to my father in law. He enjoyed using it with no effect.

 

[NorthernSoul]

It could be several different things. Examples are benzaldehyde (almond fragrance), some essential and fragrance oils, lanolin and high pH.

 

[FarmerTan]

Yep. Almond fragrance can get me...

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Anything with menthol burns my skin badly. I also found La Toja sticks too uncomfortable to use, but it didn't have the longer lasting impact that menthol does.

Berry Fields O' Blair, made by Wickhams for Gentleman's Groom Room, gave me a prickly heat type reaction. I have not had problems with any other Wickhams soaps though.

 

[steveclarkus]

Any menthol
Cella burns
Tabac itches

 

[muzichead]

I've always found it useful to suggest alternatives to someone and you have no idea what brand or version of they're soap gave them problems!! Makes sense, right?

 

[Steve56]

Hungarian lavender burns me. I’ve also had the ‘tingles’ from some types of woody scents, Brutalt Bra and two Mystic Waters samples that had woody components - I suspect a spruce-like or evergreen component because woody scents usually don’t bother me.

 

[slim6596]

These locally produced products

Makes me sad because I wanted to support a local community based business

 

[Roy]

I'm always puzzled by irritation. Sometimes can go ages without any, then suddenly appears.

 

[RobD57]

Essentail oils, sandlewood being one, did the same thing to me.
I wrote it off as razor burn until I stopped using anything with a
list that included essential oils or lanolin.

Strange thing is that as toxic as some folks find Arko's scent to be,
my skin has cleared and never been better since I switched to it two
months ago.

It's cheap and it can't hurt to try.?

I don't have problems with Proraso Green either but the sandlewood burns
so,,,

My $00.02

 

[brucered]

Apply the soap and don't shave. See if it's the soap or a bad shave.

 

[RobD57]

But leave it on for 15 minutes at least to mimic the time it would be
on your skin during a shave and rinse like you normaly do as well.

The other thing is, until you make the micro scratches to your skin during
the first pass your skin won't react quite the same (strongly).

 

[Phoenixkh]

I have a very bad reaction to a great soap: Barrister and Mann's Passiflora. I love the scent and how well it works... but it took a full week for my skin to recover. I have no idea what I reacted to.

A good guy to ask about this is RayChem.... he has over 200 soaps and creams and has the records for skin reactions. A very good source here on B&B.

 

[RobD57]

I didn't realize that the redness and all that was the soap until recently.
I wrote it off to poor technique etc,,, I still can't rule that out but,

I've got a cabinet full of artisan soaps I like but every time I use them
I get varying degrees of discomfort.

So far: Arko, Proraso green, Proraso White and Stirling Unscented W/Beeswax,
(and maybe, Cella), are good for me.

Hope this helps a little.

 

[slim6596]

My reactions have only been with small batch soaps.

No problems with:

ToBS, Chiseled Face, Proraso, or LaToja

 

[RobD57]

I'm not a doctor but I have psoriasis, my skin reacts with extra sensetivity,
so I've been watching closely.

Small batch soaps tend to pride themselves on using "essential oils"
more than mass market soaps do. Not sayin' the others use bad ingredients.

From the reading I've done, you may not notice an allergy to something like
sandlewood/cedarwood/vetiver, and so on until it's concentrated in
an essential oil. Even then it can take a few uses until it shows.

The list above is what I've tried so far that hasn't caused a problem for me.

It's a journey of discovery. With occasional face discomfort.

 

[Steve56]

Since it’s small batch, get a little soap on your finger and touch your tongue, the ‘zap’ test. If it zaps you, there’s lye left in the soap.

 

[steveclarkus]

Since it’s small batch, get a little soap on your finger and touch your tongue, the ‘zap’ test. If it zaps you, there’s lye left in the soap.

Yep, lye soap needs to cure for at least six weeks for the process to complete.