Thread: Burning skin

Evening gentlemen,

Ok, I just finished my second shave with a straight. After I finished showering, I didn't dry my face, and before I lathered up, I actually re-wet my face with hot water. I lathered up real good and shaved, lathered up again and made another pass in the opposite direction. I rinsed with cold water and applied some Nivea after shave balm. I have no complaints about the shave-it's very close. But my skin feels very tight, irritated, and, according to my wife, red. Any idea what I can do to alleviate the irritation?

In the interest of thoroughness, I used a Hoffritz 5/8 round tip, stropped before use, of course, that was purchased through this forum and came shave ready. I'm also using bay rum sweet orange shave soap from the Gentleman's Quarter, and a Tweezerman badger hair brush.

I have an alum block, Proraso shave cream with wheat germ (the red tube designed for sensitive skin), Proraso pre-shave cream, and some Clubman's original after shave from ClassicShaving.com on their way to me in the mail.

Your guidance is much appreciate.

Chad.

It could have been sensitivity to one of the products or more likely shaving technique like too much angle or too much pressure.

Does it really sting when you apply AS? If so, then you're probably using too much pressure. Other users have compared it to just "wiping the lather off w/ the razor". BTW I was super guilty of this @ first! Try w/ less pressure and see how it works for you.

TGQ is the best shaving soap I've ever used! One or two of her soaps use fragrance oils instead of essential oils (Cavendish Black is the only one I can think of) and some people get irritation from those. I think the bay rum is all EOs though, so you should be good there.

And welcome to SRP!

I know I've been using too much pressure and I have the burn as well. I guess I'm greedy to attack the hairs the way I do

Besides the pressure, which as everyone else has already stated, I am
re-reading yer post as "opposite direction" is that 'ATG' against the grain of the hair????
If so you want to lay off that for awhile,(some say forever) until you get way more proficient with the blades..
One pass 'WTG' with the grain and one pass 'XTG' across the grain is more than adequate for the time being.... In fact you might wanna go just 2 passes WTG for about the first month until you feel way more comfortable ....

Welcome to SRP also

+1 What Glen said.

You are just starting so some burning will be natural. From the very closeness you get from a straight and pressure. I would say wait a day or 2 before your next shave, just to let your face heal/recover, then try again. Also perhaps just try your cheeks before attempting your entire face and also give the balm a miss, just to rule that out as a possibility.

Remember, all good things take time.

Glen,

Yes, I went against the grain. I think the fact I have sensitive skin and am not completely adapted to using the razor also has a lot to do with it.

Chad

Could you elaborate more on the proper pressure? I don't quite understand what you mean by "wiping the lather of your face with the razor."

Originally Posted by PilotSports

Glen,

Yes, I went against the grain. I think the fact I have sensitive skin and am not completely adapted to using the razor also has a lot to do with it.

Chad

You will find that when you are farther along you can do ATG passes. It takes really great razor control to be able to do ATG. When everything in the shave is tuned up, you should be able to shave and not have any irritation. Hang in there and take it slow. I too, tried ATG way to early. The reason some of the other guys here know so much about it is because...... they too, tried it before they were ready.

Take care,
R

Originally Posted by PilotSports

Could you elaborate more on the proper pressure?

Basically as little pressure on your face as possible, its not like a mock3 where you need to press real hard to get the desired shave.