The irritation may be your using too much pressure and angle , your setting yourself up for disappointment if your looking for instant results . It takes weeks of shaving to start to master this. Most say around 100 shaves to build the muscle memory and develop a technique and which angles to shave in. It's a constantly changing routine till you achieve a system that works for you , now really the short story , pressure is your enemy , also a properly honed razor will give a smoother shave , and as stated maybe it will need some adjusting to a new routine.mmine did not , I have been DE shaving for 40 years so maybe mine was already used to a blade. Good luck , go slow , get comfortable with each area on your face before you move to the next , I shaved my cheeks for a week before I moved to the neck , Tc