Thread: Technique or just sensitive skin?

I have been SR shaving for 3-4 months. Before I had tried all the different types of cartridge razor and even a couple electrics. I have never, EVER, been satisfied with the results. No matter what my neck would break out into bums and I could only shave about once a week. I always assumed I had sensitive skin or I was just giving myself ingrowns or something. Then I started to read up about it and come to find out that multiple blades are bad. Basically the first one or two blades remove all of the shave cream, which used to be canned crap, and the rest were basically wet shaving only, no soap or cream. I kept reading different sites and eventually wound up here. I found out that one of the best SR honers lives in my backyard, gssixgun. I bought some razors, only one was worth honing and drove out to see Glen. He got me all set up and I have been shaving with a straight ever since.

Now to my reason for posting. I still get irritations on my neck, but I never get anymore bumps. I am using a badger brush and soap that came in a kit, though I do not remember the name, it was the $30 kit, not the $10 one. I just ordered some sample soaps from Mamabear to test out. I am trying to figure out if I have a technique issue or something else. I am hoping that using a better quality soap will help, but I do not think it will be the cure all. If I just have sensitive skin then what is best to use post shave? What have any of you done with similar issues?

LIGHTEN UP!
I assume you are going against the grain on your neck? That is from your adams apple towards your chin?
FLATTEN the razor to your skin....STRETCH your skin and go LIGHT.

I am also assuming you are stropping your blade.
Maybe your stropping has dulled it a little?

Worse case see if Glen will look at your edge.
Maybe he would even give you some tips on your technique...

For post shave products to help reduce the issue, Geo F Trumpers Skin Food is regarded highly around here. It did work alright for me, but my skin gets just as good results from cheaper products. Works great for others, though. Dove Men after shave and Nivea Sensitive skin after shave both work good for a budget.
If you have a Body Shop near you, the Maca Root shave cream is nice to skin.

There are a lot of levels to the sensitive skin problem. Here is my experiences with it. I am sensitive to several of the ingredients that are favored in many soaps/creams: menthol, eucalyptus, Shea Butter and alcohol. And within that group it depends on where on the list they are. The closer to the beginning of the list the more sensitive I am. I basically avoid ant soap/cream that has those ingredients. I favor MWF, Maca Root, Kiss My Face and any others that are free of those ingredients. Most scents, essential oils are ok, but with a lousy sense of smell I just tend to go with unscented product.

That's one level of sensitivity. I have another that is, as far as I can tell, not too common. I no longer use an alum block after shaving and a bumpy skin condition is receding now. Alum, short for aluminum, is a toxic element when ingested and not normally a problem on the skin. It is used widely as an anti-perspirant. My skin has cleared considerably since I've stopped using it.

I also have a mild case of Rosacea which is more annoying than serious. It is not adult acne as some believe and not every one develops it. Heat aggravates it. So, by switching to cold water shaving that too has been brought under control. Which leaves technique. I cannot stress more strongly than the more you are aware of the pressure you put on the razor to face the more problems you will have. An old saying, "Shave the lather, not the face." I'll add to that stretch the skin tighter than you have and that also helps to avoid problems.

I hope this will be of some help to you.

I shaved for the third time tonight with the freshly honed razor. I have stropped it twice. Possible I rolled it, but I do not think so. I am using one of Glen's table top strops as I am still learning the strop technique and did not want to cut the crap out of an expensive strop. As for the grain of my beard, under my neck it is a maze. From just above my adams apple down the grain runs up, above that point it runs down. Directly under my jaw the grains run back. I have been trying to shave with the grain as I am not too concerned about the baby smooth face, just a nice clean comfortable shave. It is possible that I am still using too much pressure. Those stupid cartridge razors nearly force you to. I will try to lighten up on my next shave.

Use less pressure if the razor is just in contact that's what you want. I also recomend vitamin e cream, it is soothing and has healing properties.

Something else to try in addition to less pressure: if you are prepping with hot water, try using lukewarm or slightly cool water instead.

Ever notice how after getting out of a hot shower or tub you skin is a bit more pink than usual? It's mild irritation. Granted, it's not like we're talking sunburn here, but it is that much more of a head start toward shaving irritation.

I have a very course beard... the growth grain under my jawline goes in 3 directions (up from the bottom, down from the top, and toward the ear in the middle)... and the skin in the shallow spots of my neck is a bit sensitive...

I used to love the feeling of a hot shower followed by a hot brush for face lathering - until I gave a cool water shave a try. Couldn't believe the difference it made in preventing that last, little, seemingly-inescapable bit of shaving irritation just under my jaw...

Pressure is of course the primary thing to focus on, but a little change in water temp may help too.

It could be your technique and it could be the products you're using . It would help if you posted your preshave/postshave routine (including all products you use) as well as a description of how you shave - it will help narrow down some factors.

If the straight is sharp you want just enough pressure to wipe the shaving soap or cream off of your face this will take the whiskers with it. And remember shaving with a straight is about beard reduction not taking everything off in one swipe. Go for comfort over closeness, a couple of passes with the grain WTG or an extra across the grain XTG my be all you need.

Also you'll want to spent enough time to generously work the lather into the the whiskers. That is why I face lather. The lather unites with the oil in the hair, neutralizing and removing it which makes the whiskers easier to cut. With some people hot water strips their own protective oils off of their skin causing irritation, cold water seem to ease this problem. You want the oils removed from your whiskers not your skin.

These things have worked for me and made my straight shaves a lot more enjoyable. Good luck, you'll get there

I want to thank all of you. I just shaved again, I don't shave on the weekends as I am usually out on the farm with the wife and kids, only time I get to see them is weekends. I ordered a bunch of mamabears samples. The scents are amazing. Anyway, since they were only samples I was not sure how to try to lather up, so I tried to lather in my hand, just to try to load the brush. Then I wet my face with luke warm water and rubbed the sample on my face. Then I face lathered. Seemed to be a lot better than bowl lathering. I was able to get a much thicker, richer lather. I shaved with a lot less pressure. Amazing how you do not think about how much pressure you are putting on, but I sure was before. I always only shave with the grain as I am after comfort, not closeness. For my post shave I used AXE post shave lotion.

After all of this I am still able to feel a slight burn, but not near as bad as before. I might still be using too much pressure. It is just really difficult to get the hairs in certain parts of my neck, those parts seem to burn the most. I might be using too much pressure trying to get to these spots better.