Thread: Face on Fire!

Originally Posted by Fbones24

I'm using mamabear's aftershave milk and it burns something fierce when it is applied. I might try the nivea as it is readily available and I have seen numerous positive reviews of it.

No burn whatsoever from the Nivea. Make sure you get the Replenishing Balm version. It feels like it kind of seals the skin, but there is no film. It sinks in quickly and kind of forms a protective layer that really soothes the freshly exfoliated skin. I bought an extra bottle to keep in my desk at work in case I need a re-apply.

Something I started doing is to apply some before I go to bed. It helps get your skin ready for the morning's shave.

Originally Posted by jhenry

Yes, you may be applying too much pressure to the blade against your face. If this is your first full shave as a newcomer to straight razor shaving, however, some burning might be expected as our face adjusts to the new/old shaving technology you are now using. ...

Your post doesn't mention any post-shave procedure. Consider applying a splash or more of cold water to your face after shaving. Then follow that up with some aftershave balm to your face after shaving to cool the burn.

Originally Posted by Alembic

Yep - those are my top three picks.

BTW, what is your post shave treatment. This is just as important as any other aspect of the shave.

I just started using Nivea Replenishing Post Shave Balm as a final treatment. This stuff is the cat's behind. And for $6.00!

+1 on what JHenry and Alembic said. Many things are probably at play here:

1. Pressure
2. Face adjustment, and
3. Post shave treatment.

As a noob to str8 shaving, I was having exactly that same problem. Lay off the pressrue...Let the weight of the blade do the job. Also, my face has more or less adjusted. Aside from that, I suggest the following post shave regimen to reduce the burning:

1. Warm water wash: Wash face with warm water and get "stuff" off (creme residue, pre shave oil, etc, etc,...).

2. Cold water wash: Wash with cold water to reduce inflammation and slow irritation.

3. NO ALCOHOL AS: Do not use alcohol AS after your shave. Even though it gives you the feeling of cooling and soothing, it is not...alcohol will irritate your skin as it causes dehydration and will lead to inflammation. This results in itching/burning. Instead use AS with moisturizers. I use NancyBoy Replenishing AS, it has Aloe Vera, and natural moisturizers.

4. Moisturize face: I use Trumper SkinFood + NancyBoy facial Moisturizer (you are good to go all day)

Just my 2 cents, but don't give up...it's a new method and your face doesn't know what to make of it yet. Give it ~2-3 weeks and you will be surprised.

Cheers,
-Robert

My first experience was similar. I had a freshly honed but not stropped blade. They can be killer without edge alignment on leather. MikeB

Students barbers in the old days shaved a balloon to learn how light the pressure of the blade on the face had to be. Try to keep this in mind as you try your next shave. If the razor doesn't cut smooth with a light touch than the razor needs to be sharper.

There is a direct relationship between blade angle and pressure. There is a Wiki that shows all of the angles to use for each pass direction.

Notice that ATG is only 5 degrees. That is nearly flat to the skin. Myself and others start withthe blade flat, and lift as you make the stroke, adjusting the angle as you go.
Stubear posted a Lessons Learned for his 2000th post anniversary. He pointed out that in almost all aspect of this art, from mixing lather to shaving to honing and stropping, pressure is the key. Very true.

The only pressure you should be using is the amount you need to keep the razor between your fingers, that's it. If you're using anymore, especially to cut hair, you're damaging your skin and developing razor burn. I can splash on after shave when I'm done and not have burn at all except for a sting for maybe a few seconds, that's all. PM me if you need help!

Were you wetshaving before you went to STR8? If you are a newbie to wetshaving this could be it. If not, keep in mind a DE shaver buffers the blade quite a bit preventing too much pressure and room for lots of mistakes. A STR8 allows total freedom of pressure and angle, so I would lighten up a bit and see what happens. You can always go back over the same area again.

As others have said, that blade really needs to be shave ready.

Wow! Thank you for all of the suggestions. I will be shaving tomorrow again so I will update on how it goes. I am going to let the blade do the work and try to apply very little pressure and be more conscious of the angle. Like I said, the right side of my face felt fine actually, but the left side was burning. This leads me to believe it was my technique with my non dominant hand.

I'm not completely comfortable yet, but it's getting there.

absolutely make sure you hit your face with cold water before you put on any AS.... if forgot ONCE...... and thats all it took.... Also Alum or witch hazel are good astringents.

Everyone posting above is correct. I too am new to the wonderful art of straight razor shaving, having only done about 10 so far. I had the problem of razor burn too but somehow managed to overcome this obstacle.

Let me give you a run down of my current poor-mans shaving ritual.

First, hot shower to get those whiskers nice and soft. Dry face and lather up with a cheap tube of lather I bought at the supermarket (I do have the soaps but the brush I ordered is still coming in the mail).
I make do with a feather razor until my two straights come back from being restored and honed, so its best to change out the blade after the third shave. The third shave will always be best with the feathers, after that, they are usually too blunt and dont feel smooth at all.

Now I do the whole three directional shave process as everyone else, with the grain, sideways and against while pulling at the skin in a way that reveals the most hair. Its all you really need and gives that wonderful baby bottom feel, though you should re-lather with every direction.

For the neck its the same process, pull shave lather repeat. But I realised what was giving me razor burn was my technique. I was not angling the blade in a correct way since the curve of my neck isn't as flat as my cheeks. I thought I was doing it at about a 35o angle but was more along the lines of 90, and I could feel every hair clicking at the blade as it scraped across the skin.

It has taken me a while to get used to shaving my neck, sometime I still have to remind myself mid-shave to tilt the blade back into the proper position to avoid the horrid rash. I hope my pain and anguish will help you as it has helped me.