New Shaving kit gift set causing skin irritation?

Aloha!

SWMBO got me a very nice gift for Christmas. An Acqua Di Parma travel shaving set. It came with shaving cream in a tube, aftershave balm in a tube, and matching cologne, all in a nice carry case.

Attachment 342710

I used this for the first time last week on a trip to Kentucky. And it definitely caused skin irritation. A few things before you jump to a conclusion as to why:

1.) I have never experienced this kind of skin irritation before. Bumps of irritation like pimples. Only a few on each side of my face, but persistant, itchy and sustained. It's only on my lower cheeks (both sides) just above my jaw line and back toward under my ears. It started a few days after my first shave with this kit. I still have some irriation even though my last shave with this kit was last Monday, so 4 days ago.

2.) I used my normal travel DE razor and normal DE razor blade. I travel with a Baili Razor and Suprmax and Lord blades. I've been shaving with this razor and blades while on the road for years, and never had a problem. Same with the Omega synth brush that I travel with. And I sterilize both razor and brush before each use with alcohol and then rinse with hot water. I always have with no issues until now.

3.) After my shave, I used 50 percent wintergreen alcohol as a primary aftershave, then put on the Acqua Di Parma aftershave balm. I have used 50 percent wintergreen alcohol as a primary aftershave for over 10 years with no irritation.

To be honest, the shaving cream is incredibly superior. Smooth as silk. Goes on very well, lathers nicely, and is almost greasy in application. The shave seemed very comfortable. The aftershave balm seems soothing. Of course, I never put the spary cologne anywhere near my face, so it can't be the cologne.

My theory is that I'm slightly alergic to something in either the shaving cream or the after shave balm or both. I'm waiting for the irritation to go away. I've shaved now at home three times with other razors and product that never gave me irritation like this, but the irritation remains - slightly. I think I'll have to abandon the Acqua Di Parma cream and aftershave balm. The cologne can stay. A pity.

Your opinions? Thanks in advance.

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Originally Posted by ZipZop

Aloha!

SWMBO got me a very nice gift for Christmas. An Acqua Di Parma travel shaving set. It came with shaving cream in a tube, aftershave balm in a tube, and matching cologne, all in a nice carry case.

Attachment 342710

I used this for the first time last week on a trip to Kentucky. And it definitely caused skin irritation. A few things before you jump to a conclusion as to why:

1.) I have never experienced this kind of skin irritation before. Bumps of irritation like pimples. Only a few on each side of my face, but persistant, itchy and sustained. It's only on my lower cheeks (both sides) just above my jaw line and back toward under my ears. It started a few days after my first shave with this kit. I still have some irriation even though my last shave with this kit was last Monday, so 4 days ago.

2.) I used my normal travel DE razor and normal DE razor blade. I travel with a Baili Razor and Suprmax and Lord blades. I've been shaving with this razor and blades while on the road for years, and never had a problem. Same with the Omega synth brush that I travel with. And I sterilize both razor and brush before each use with alcohol and then rinse with hot water. I always have with no issues until now.

3.) After my shave, I used 50 percent wintergreen alcohol as a primary aftershave, then put on the Acqua Di Parma aftershave balm. I have used 50 percent wintergreen alcohol as a primary aftershave for over 10 years with no irritation.

To be honest, the shaving cream is incredibly superior. Smooth as silk. Goes on very well, lathers nicely, and is almost greasy in application. The shave seemed very comfortable. The aftershave balm seems soothing. Of course, I never put the spary cologne anywhere near my face, so it can't be the cologne.

My theory is that I'm slightly alergic to something in either the shaving cream or the after shave balm or both. I'm waiting for the irritation to go away. I've shaved now at home three times with other razors and product that never gave me irritation like this, but the irritation remains - slightly. I think I'll have to abandon the Acqua Di Parma cream and aftershave balm. The cologne can stay. A pity.

Your opinions? Thanks in advance.

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I've never used that shaving cream or balm but if it were me and the cream and balm were the only things that I'd changed. I would probably think they be the culprits too.

It would be a shame if you couldn't use that nice Christmas gift but even if you removed the cream and balm, it's still a nice bag for your own shaving stuff.

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Originally Posted by STF

I've never used that shaving cream or balm but if it were me and the cream and balm were the only things that I'd changed. I would probably think they be the culprits too.

It would be a shame if you couldn't use that nice Christmas gift but even if you removed the cream and balm, it's still a nice bag for your own shaving stuff.

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Thanks, Steve. I agree.

I was also thinking, since this is the first time I have used that razor since Covid began (I stopped traveling then), perhaps I was a bit too aggressive with it and that caused some irritation. But I don't think that holds water because the irritation is only on the lower cheeks, and, I shave quite a bit with a Merkur Sledgehammer. That's a fairly aggressive blade reveal DE razor. I suppose it could be the fact that I'm subconsciously trained to take it a bit easy with the Sledgehammer, and forgot about this while shaving in a hotel bathroom with the Baili razor. Just a thought.

Because the irritation has stuck around for a while after I stopped using the Acqua Di Parma, I think it's something in the cream or aftershave balm.

What I could do is try that Baili razor at home with a few of my standard soaps/creams and aftershaves and see if I get irritation. Or I could try the Acqua Di Parma with another razor. I could not have been a dirty razor or blade. Brand new blade, and as I posted, I disinfect the razor and synth brush before every shave.

Oh well, I think it's the Acqua Di Parma product. Such a shame, but like you said, the travel bag is very nice.

You never know when something might cause issues out of the blue and as you age things change too. I would suspect one of the Aqua products or maybe all.

I use Mistral Bar Soap in the shower and I've used most of the scents with no issues for years and all of a sudden the Royal Cypress makes me itch all over.

So, who knows? The shadow knows.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

You never know when something might cause issues out of the blue and as you age things change too. I would suspect one of the Aqua products or maybe all.

I use Mistral Bar Soap in the shower and I've used most of the scents with no issues for years and all of a sudden the Royal Cypress makes me itch all over.

So, who knows? The shadow knows.

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So true. I remember my father, in his 60s, suddenly developed an irritation to shaving from just about anything. So in despiration, he tried growing a beard. That idea didn't work well and he had to finally shave it off, and eventually the irritation subsided. As you say, when it comes to alergic reaction and irritation, only The Shadow knows. Could be diet, age, immune system reaction. So many variables.

It could even be that, since this is the first time in over 2 years I have shaved with my Baili Travel Razor, the slightly agressive blade reveal got me on my jaw line because I was a tad too agressive with the razor. Again, I normally use a Sledgehammer DE slant bar, and that's not exactly a mild blade reveal (with the same Lord blades I used when traveling), but it's possible I was careless around my jaw line and that caused irritation.

To be safe, I'm ditching the Acqua Di Parma. I just won't tell SWMBO I tossed out her Christmas gift. But better safe than sorry.