Thread: still having razor burn problems. can anyone help?

ok so now i am about three months in and it is still almost impossible for me to have a good shave with out getting razor burn. here is what i do so maybe someone can point me in the right direction. i have this is issue with both straigt's and DE's so i start with a very hot shower, followed by a mixing my cream which i think is very good not to thick, not to thin but good enough to the point that it does not dry out so fast. i have the pre-shave oil as well but i stopped using it because i was getting better results with out it. i then do my normal 2-3 passes depends on how i am feeling never using any preassure just letting the weight of the razor do the cutting. i then rinse off with warm water, pat dry and give a splash of cold, followed by some lavender balm, with no alcohol. and then i usally go to sleep because i usally shave at night(more relaxing). and throw on some more blam in the morning. also to add i have just recently tried the alum block and the the burn is not so intense. and i dont know what else there is to do to help get rid of the burn. but i think there is one more problem i do not get the burn right after or the next day. the razor burn shows up almost two days after. thanks for any help

If it's showing up two days later then I'd suspect it's not razor burn (at least as I understand it) but rather a skin reaction to one of the products you're using.

really? well as far as what i use most of the time i use the AOS lavender line. oil, cream, and balm. but i also have creams for truefitt and hill, and also geo F. trumpers. but i no matter what cream i use. so it could be the balm? because i no longer use the oil.

Personally if I get razor burn then spashing on regular aftershave stings like crazy, no burn means no or almost no sting. A skin reaction on the other hand will usually take me a few hours to show and stick around longer. If your redness isn't showing for up to 48 hours after you shave then I really doubt it's from shaving but rather the multiple applications of balm. Try backing off on the chemistry.
Another reason I don't think it's the shave; if you can successfully shave with just the weight of the razor and no additional pressure then I think the razor is probably sharp enough. Your stropping might be worth looking at, perhaps, but it can't be too far off if that's the edge you keep.

Check the ingredients on your balms, see if they are similar. I get a rash from a few balms out there as well. A good way to eliminate that is to try something like cornhuskers lotion which contains no oils, is relatively inexpensive and is locally available for many.
You could also be having a reaction with something else. If you use a blemish product salicylic acid causes problems with many people, even a loofah or facial scrub can cause problems with a straight razor by over exfoliating your skin.
These are just a small portion of what could be happening.

it does not burn though when i apply the balm. it hurt like hell though when i rubbed the alum block over my neck and face but i only get the redness on my neck never on my face.

I would almost guarantee it'll be the pressure you're using the razor with, i had the same problem until i had a eureka moment recently. Do you have any old school barbers nearby? go get a hot shave at one if so, it'll give you a lot of perspective

Originally Posted by tekbow

I would almost guarantee it'll be the pressure you're using the razor with, i had the same problem until i had a eureka moment recently. Do you have any old school barbers nearby? go get a hot shave at one if so, it'll give you a lot of perspective

I'd have to disagree, considering it's so long after the actual shave. Burn from too much pressure or incorrect angle always (at least in my experience) shows up immediately after the shave.

I'd still lean toward the balm, too. Judging the reaction of the skin to the balm when it's applied will only tell if your skin is burned or pores are open. If it burns to apply balm or A/S, then there must be something like alcohol/scents that are reacting with the damaged skin or open pores.

The moisturizing affects of the balm (lotion) will help soothe the skin immediately after application, but once that is gone and the scents are left over, that's when your skin is reacting to whatever is in the balm. Deighaingeal's (btw, I have no idea how to pronounce that) suggestion of corn husker's lotion is definitely something you want to try. There's no synthetics in it, so there's not much your skin can react negatively with. Also, it's an inexpensive way to rule out what's interfering with your shave.

At this point, it really doesn't seem that the angle/pressure is what's giving the irritation.

P.S. - The alum block is supposed to burn, IMO. The anti-septic qualities are sterilizing any minute nicks/cuts, thus allowing the to heal faster/cleaner, easing the shave on the next go-around.

That's fair enough, I'll explain my logic though:

I had a similar problem which is why i think it's too much pressure. That and a combination of too many passes and tired skin. Not everyone's face can take 2 - 3 passes everyday. Remember there's an exfoliating action with straight shaving as well, and if the pressure is a little too much and the angle is off a little you're going to strip the skin of moisture and, well, skin. It doesn't materialise straight away, it's more a cumulative effect, which is why i think you're getting the worst of the burn 2 to three days later. the skin gets irritated, becomes rough and that when you see the burn, and it's when it also becomes uncomfortable to shave. then you get dry skin which starts to lead to ingrowing hairs.

Try not shaving for a few days. Then on the 3rd day give your skin a go with a really good exfoliator, especially over the areas which were rashy but will hopefully have calmed down. but don't shave. give your skin a chance to recover from the exfoliation (make sure and get a lot of moisturiser on after, this is when you'll find if it's the moisturise or not).

The next day, use a face wash before shaving, a gentle one, and try adding some glycerin to your lather. Get a good lather on the the go and do one pass. forget about BBS for now, just try and get the best out of your one pass and touchups, you'd be suprised how close to BBS you can get with a single pass.

i really go for it with alum, but its alleviates the burn, doesn't solve it. I tend to use a styptic pencil on any redness then do my whole face with the block. I clean my razor, brush and bowl, then wash the alum off in cold water. then lots and lots of moisturiser, try body shop macca root, it's one of the few i've found that doesn't sting going on, it's pure cooling.

All i'm saying is give this a try, see what happens

I use alcohol based aftershaves. If I don't, sometimes I get a redness or at least an itch, particularily under my chin, and usually a while after the shave. Just tossing it out there.