Thread: Gillette Fusion Prolide or DE Shaving, Skin way too sensitive!

No matter what shaving product I use, my neck ALWAYS breaks out, wheather it's skin irritation, razor burns, bumps, you name it I got it. More with Proglide, less with a DE. BUT, there is one pro and con to using the Proglide and a DE razor,

Fusion Proglide Power (being turned on) the shave is quick and convenient, no cuts, but the neck skin breaks out after shaving.


Wilkinson Sword Classic razor with Astra SP or WS DE, the shave is a bit slower, less irritation on neck than the Proglide, but going ATG.. the cuts!! the cuts and nicks are horrible, 45 degree angle, 40 degree angle, warm water, hot water, cold water, any angle, any water, the cuts and nicks WILL happen!

So, I don't like having irritation on my neck therefore I use the DE. But then I get cuts.. which I don't like.
I don't like the nicks and cuts, so I use a Proglide, But then I get irritation, which I also don't like.

ALSO, I use a soap to make lather.

Can anyone please tell me what other techniques I can use. Thank you!!

- Peter

Sounds to me like you are using too much of an angle and too much pressure with the DE. You can put the DE with the handle straight out and the head flat on your face, then slowly rotate the handle down till you just feel the blade and that should be you starting point for angle. You do slight adjustments from there. It should not be anywhere near a 40-45 degree angle. For pressure just let the weight of the blade rest on your face and guide the razor with the handle. It only takes a very, very light touch.

Bob

Do you use, or have you thought of using a pre-shave product, like the Proraso Pre-shave...might work for you?

Hey Phrank, I actually never used a pre shave oil, I was thinking about making a home made pre shave oil from olive oil I saw on the internet.

Or, it's like $7, try some of the Proraso pre / post shave cream.

When I first started straight shaving, I definitely got a lot of irritation on my neck area, a big red blotch on both sides of my neck.

Two things I figured out, 1) at first, the pre-shave cream really helped, and 2) and this might apply to you, I realized that I was lathering far further down my neck than I needed to, when in fact, my beard ended further north. So I adjusted where I put the blade on my neck, stopped shaving so far south, and that immediately improved my shave. So have a look at where your beard line in fact ends, and only shave that area.

Could be a combination of #1 and #2 for you, but for me, the big one was #2, shaving farther down my neck than I needed to go...YMMV.

Good luck and let us know how it works out!

Have a read of this, and go easy with the DE's. Consider an adjustable DE, so you can set the blade harshness to how you like.

To some this will be sacrilege, but just dont to the pass that cuts you up. I sacrificed some smoothness for comfort a while back, and slowly my technique is improving so that it doesn't matter.
Phrank is right about proraso, it definately soothed my neck and face in the early days.

Of course Ed hits Occams Razor on this, simplest explanation/answer is the best...just don't do the pass till you improve.

Hanging head down in shame, feeling small and minimized, thank-you Ed....

Originally Posted by Phrank

Of course Ed hits Occams Razor on this, simplest explanation/answer is the best...just don't do the pass till you improve.

Hanging head down in shame, feeling small and minimized, thank-you Ed....

Phrank, I've been on the receiving end of one or two of Ed's 'Occam's Razor Comments' as well, so I know from where you speak! LOL

Amazing how in this hobby, there are times we tend to over think.
I Really Dig This Forum!!!!!!

Originally Posted by ColonelG

Phrank, I've been on the receiving end of one or two of Ed's 'Occam's Razor Comments' as well, so I know from where you speak! LOL

Amazing how in this hobby, there are times we tend to over think.
I Really Dig This Forum!!!!!!

Really...I started shaving with what they call a DE razor, I have a Gillette Aristocrat razor, had it for weeks now, can't bring myself to use it. For one, don't want to "lose" a straight shave and still have memories of cutting the crap out of my face, having my good old Dad show me how to put little tiny pieces of toilet paper on all the nicks and cuts.

Pathetic, I know, at the store I get some supplies from, they sell straights and DE's, and they get this puzzled, baffled look on their face when I tell them I'm terrified of DE's but love straights...they don't seem to understand, for me at least, you have far more control over a straight.

One day, maybe, I'll use the DE...haha!

Cheers!