Why do some shave soaps burn and others don't?

[weaz12]

I was curious if someone could shed some light on why it is that some shave soaps burn a little bit while shaving.

Basically, once I get to passes 2/3/4, some of the soaps that I use will start to burn a little bit. Different soaps will burn at varying degrees, but I haven't been able to pinpoint a recurring ingredient in the ones that do.

Some of the soaps that I experience this burning effect with are Martin De Candre, Razorock Classic, Art of Shaving Sandalwood, Mitchell's Wool Fat, Taylor of Old Bond, T&H, & Poraso White/Green.

Some of the soaps that I do not experience any burning effect with are Cella, Razorock Artisan, Tabac, P160, & Poraso Red.

The only glaring difference between these two groups are that the majority in one group contain Tallow and the other does not.

Are there any other ingredients or reasons that could be causing this?

Thanks.

 

[Mad Man]

Could be allergies to certain ingredients. Some guys are allergic to additives, colours, chemicals etc etc...

I test each new product by applying a small amount to the crook of the elbow; leave it on for 20 minutes and then rinse. If red, itchy skin appears then yep, I'm allergic to it and PIF it.

Youre not alone friend, a few of us are restricted to what we can/can't use.

 

[rxonmymind]

The worst I got was from RR soaps. Otherwise all others have been tolerable with minor tingling. It's tough to say. Not only is it the ingredients listed but the concentrations of it.

 

[chilliman64]

shave soaps with menthol may tingle a little

if you are new to wetshaving I'd say it could also be a problem of too much pressure or wrong angle during the first pass scraping your face neck a little so the lathering action then irritates your skin. on each pass it will get worse. is this what happens to you? is your face and neck red/sore/burning after your shave? maybe you have a reaction to tallow.

 

[mharris127]

Some people have reactions to the essential or fragrant oils used in the scenting process. It is possible that other ingredients could cause a reaction in a few people but most of the people on here that have had problems have found that the scenting oils caused it. As Mark said technique (or an incompatible blade) could be an issue but if that is the problem you should also be having issues with weepers bleeding after a shave.

 

[weaz12]

This.

Once I get two the 2nd and 3rd pass, I start to feel the burn as I am face lathering and it just continues for the rest of the shave.

One thing I forgot to mention was that I started using the Razorock Alum stick about a month ago, and that was when I started to really notice the burning. In fact, on the day that I shaved, as well as the next day or two, my face felt super tight and would burn if the skin on my face and neck was touched or stretched from turning my head or something. So when I would go to shave again the next day or the day after, my face would feel a little raw already. I also noticed that my face would have a bunch of red blotches all over it, and this definitely did not happen before I started using the alum stick.

Ill have to see if things get better once I stop using it.

shave soaps with menthol may tingle a little

if you are new to wetshaving I'd say it could also be a problem of too much pressure or wrong angle during the first pass scraping your face neck a little so the lathering action then irritates your skin. on each pass it will get worse. is this what happens to you? is your face and neck red/sore/burning after your shave? maybe you have a reaction to tallow.

 

[branford]

Some people have reactions to the essential or fragrant oils used in the scenting process. It is possible that other ingredients could cause a reaction in a few people but most of the people on here that have had problems have found that the scenting oils caused it. As Mark said technique (or an incompatible blade) could be an issue but if that is the problem you should also be having issues with weepers bleeding after a shave.

+1

 

[Galengwath]

Another possibility, besides angle and technique, is that your lather is too dry, thus causing irritation. MdC doesn't have tallow, so it can't be a reaction to just that ingredient.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

Some people have reactions to the essential or fragrant oils used in the scenting process. It is possible that other ingredients could cause a reaction in a few people but most of the people on here that have had problems have found that the scenting oils caused it. As Mark said technique (or an incompatible blade) could be an issue but if that is the problem you should also be having issues with weepers bleeding after a shave.

+2...FOs being a culprit in a large number of cases...

 

[Cerbul13]

When your face stings in the moment you apply the lather for the second time, means that you are most likely allergic to one ingredient of the product.I am in the exact same boat as you are, by being allergic to those: Dr. Harris Naturals (aggressive reaction), proraso white(very mild reaction, but is there).


BEA stick doesn't cause any reaction at all. I also ordered mile's natural soap unscented and a few samples. I will also try mystic waters. Hope those unscented ones will work better.


Either way, here is a website you can check in detail every ingredient of a product. If an ingredient shows strong allergenic reaction and is tagged as strong evidence then is best to stay away from that product.
www.ewg.org/skindeep/


However, the most aggressive ingredient of them all seems to be the fragrance, who's composition is not being written on the ingredients list, resulting in the possibility that the manufacturers can add any type of ingredients to that fragrance.
Is a nice thing that I can see a list of products that work for you, but is not a rule that they will work for me, since I might be allergic to other stuff then you. However, your list shows clearly that those products contain aggressive chemicals, so there is a chance won't work for you as well.


One question though: can you describe the products that you get burn reaction from as being either far from real scent or too strong scent?

 

[Ru4scuba?]

I'm a huge believer in limiting your variables between shaves until you see what does/doesn't work. If you change soap/cream/brush/blade/razor/AS every shave (assuming you're relatively new and havent used them before) then if you get irritation, you'll never know the root cause.

Unfortunately the B&B AD train doesnt help.

 

[brothers]

I've decided that in many cases, it's a pH issue. Only one soap I've ever used that literally burned (blistered) my face was an old tub of now extinct Crabtree and Evelyn Sweet Almond Oil cream. I thought I could become immune to the burning if I just rubbed it on my face and left it on there a while. Bad plan! That resulted in blisters. Bummer, but I did learn one thing --- if it burns going on, and only gets worse, then I've got to wash it off and forget about it.

Almost every new soap or cream I use seems to have a very light burn the very first time only, that I chalk up to the pH issue. All except the C&E SWO!

 

[blzrfn]

The first suggestion I would give you is to stop using the alum and revisit the products again to see if the irritation goes away.

 

[Reckoner]

I can't do mentholated products like Proraso. My skin burns, lips get tingly, and eyes water up. I had very minor reactions to RazoRock XXX, usually if I kept product on my face for too long. Good luck finding what works for you.

 

[Brio1]

For me I believe that it is palm oil. The same stuff that was used to produce napalm during WW II!

 

[RaiserLiebe]

I assume you rinse the alum off after a brief minute or two?

 

[shakin_jake]

I can't do mentholated products like Proraso. My skin burns, lips get tingly, and eyes water up. I had very minor reactions to RazoRock XXX, usually if I kept product on my face for too long. Good luck finding what works for you.

~~~RRXXX burned me too!, and I love the scent. I tired leaving the lid off, didn't work=:-(

Arko Shave stick burned me big time but I found if I unwrapped the stick, let it sit out in the open for a few days, whatever in there causing me problems dissipated and I was good to go...no problems using it from that point forward, but I have to unwrap each stick before using, which I do, and I use that soap a lot

Trumper's Rose latest version burned as well, so I traded that one, as well as the triple X RazoRock



Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.