Thread: Burning when lathering

Hi,

Just thought I'd give my 2p worth as I've had similar problems in the past.

Basically, try the following:

- Make sure you thoroughly wash your face with water before doing anything else. Do not do anything until your face is dripping wet with water! Hot water is essential - I cannot stress this point enough.

- I would cease using any menthol-based cream or soap as these can cause complications to certain skin types. My personal favourite right now is Trumper's Rose cream (don't think I'd ever change it!). I haven't used the soap yet, but the cream is fantastic and is ideal for preventing burning sensations like this. Don't know the best place to get this if you're in the US, but there are loads of online places.

- I use a Badger brush and have never used a boar hair brush. Basically make sure that also soaks thoroughly in water as you are preparing your face. When applying cream or soap to your face don't press too hard - gently massage the cream into your face and just don't apply any more pressure than necessary. Perhaps the brush hairs are too thick for you face?

I don't it's your razor that's to blame, as you mentioned getting this while putting the cream on, but in any case it's always good to use a new blade if you get a problem like this. With Gillette, I was getting ingrown hairs (even while shaving with the grain) and a rash all too often. I can't tell you how smooth and clean my face looks like now.

Rum, I agree that I don't think it is my razor. I have been shaving with the cartridge razors for a long time (about 12 or so years) and have not experienced this before.

Maybe it was going back to going against the grain (but of course, after I went with the grain). Maybe it is the brush. I don't know. I will for now, stop using the Proraso and try the Williams Mug a bit more. I will even try to use it with my hands applying to the face vice the brush and see how that works.

Just kind of concerned because I haven't even gotten a straight edge yet and am already feeling stinging/burning on the face which I have yet to ever truly feel with the normal way I was shaving.

It sounds to me like a major allergic reaction. Try applying some of the lather to the inside of your elbow and let it sit for a few minutes and then wash it off. See what happens and report back.

RT

Well, I kind of combined everyone's suggestions and things were much better this morning shaving.

I spent a while last night cleaning my brush and making lather with both, proraso cream and williams soap. I think I have the lather making process down pat now. Each time I did so, I tried some of the lather on my skin (not my face) to see if it would react. Neither one did.

So, this morning, I made some lather from the mug soap and tried shaving. This time, I barely used the brush on my face. I mean, I just lightly brushed it over my face to get the lather on my face. This was a bit different from how I did it before. My face felt much much better. I did not have any of the stinging or redness feeling anymore. I did get a bit of stinging and irritation when I put the aftershave on but I guess it is a little expected since I am switching the way I am shaving.

Looks like it was my technique with the brush! I am sure that is how most of this learing process is going to go. I will still take it slow and shave with cartridge razors for a bit until my straight razor arrives. Even then, I will start really slow and think I will shave with that only a portion of the face at a time and work my way up.

Thanks for everyones' help. Already my face feels better than the last few days. I guess it will just take a little bit of time to get used to this new type of shaving (and I haven't even used a straight yet!!!)

AAAAhh. Bought my first shavingsoap today and shaved. It was a crabtree and evelyn, sandalwood i bought. And i experienced the same problem as the first guy. I have never had any problems with burn or anything. And I have dryshaved with mac3 in the field while i was in military. But today i had to wash off the gel i usually put on after shaving. Couldnt take the burn. And it started before shaving? I use i badger brush and i did as i always does. No† very gentle but it works with gillette creme.

I will try to be really gentle next time but i thought that it shoul be a better shave with soap. Or is the classic shaving cream not as good as Gillette .

FWIW I had this problem too.
My skin is sensitive, and I have a history of allergic reactions to a lot of stuff.

When I used wilkinson soap, it started itching the minute I put it on.
I had to hurry on the second pass because the lather started to burn on my face after the first pass.

To this day there is only 1 soap that I can stand without any reaction at all, and that is colleen's soap.
I requested unscented soap because I know that a lot of perfumes irritate my skin.
I still have a number of scented samples that I have not gotten around to testing.

With the unscented soap, I can leisurely take my time to shave because my skin is not affected at all, unless I use too much pressure of course.

Ok, so for about a week now, i have been using the brush and some soap or cream. Seems I like the Williams mug soap better than the Proraso cream. The cream betters a bigger lather, but the soap is a bit nicer on the face.

Anyway, realized that a bunch of my problems were coming from technique. dI was pushing too hard on the face with the brush and not building up the lather properly prior to putting it on the face.

Still using the Gillette Fusion razor. Havent' gotten a straight yet (in the mail) and haven't gotten a strop yet (not sure which one to order from Tony yet).

Seems my burning, for now, has ended. Hopefully it stays that way.

I have a silly question for both of you. Did you wash the brushes prior to using them? If not, try soaking them in a boraxo solution.