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Hi all,
I've been on here for a good few months now and it has been a great source of information and help etc... I have experimented with quite a lot of hardware and software, as well as honing technique but I still intermittently struggle with flare ups which don't necessarily seem to be shave related (although I am not 100% certain that this is the case).
Basically I have tried isolating soaps / razors / blades / post shave / pre shave but it has been inconclusive. Something that works brilliantly at one time may not be great the next. The shave itself can feel extremely smooth and great but a couple of hours later things can start to flare up but not always.
I am now wondering if I may be sensitive to something else altogether. I have noticed that without shaving my face can seem worse after a shower and when I am in a hot environment, it can also affect it. Witch hazel and aloe based products do appear to help.
Basically, I was wondering if anyone else has suffered from anything like this and if you have any tips?
Much appreciated.
Thanks Steve,
I agree with all of your comments - they all seem to match up to my experience, especially on the lather quality. I now always bowl lather which helps.
I will also try mild first pass. I think the thing that seems odd is that the shave can feel great but it flares up a couple of hours later, especially in a hot environment.
Someone on ATG has mentioned that badger could also be affecting it which I had wondered about but then written off. Does anyone else have any issues with badger brushes?
They are smllish red areas that look like a rash, no pustules, although I will occasionally get a spot. If I don't shave for a few days, the skin in those areas goes a bit flakey, especially after a hot shower. I have also just been swimming and it is stinging a bit, probably just the chlorine though.What do the flare ups look like? Are they rash like with pustules?
That's interesting, the thought of badger had crossed my mind but I had written it off. I do have a couple of synths but my badger is much better quality. I'll try shaving exclusively with synths and see if it does make a considerably difference.I didn't ask about the brush!
I used a badger once, and once was enough. It made my face feel like it was on fire, had the worst irritation I've ever had.
Do you have a synth?
I generally prefer cold shaves and I think it makes it better too.It might have been coincidence, but any irritation I had problems with completely disappeared when I began to use cold water, a few years back. Cold water prep, cold water to wet my synth brush, cold water to rinse my razor and my face between passes and (predictably) cold water rinse to finish. From then, I continue as a dedicated cold water shaver.
Thanks mate. The main soaps I am using are p&b, oatcake, SV and MWF. I do use others occasionally too but I can't say that it is definitely a soap issue. I have been using more of a variety of post shave though and I think that could have something to do with it. Nivea sensitive has been good so I'll stick to that for a bit and vary less. Thanks for the thoughts."Smallish red areas that look like a rash" could be a sign of dry skin, further irritated by shaving soap or blade. What soap or cream do you use?
Painting lather from a bowl will be more gentle than face lathering, especially if you are using a quality synthetic brush.
Do you use any aftershave or balm? Aloe Vera gel is very mild and effective, and unlikely to cause any issues with sensitive skin (unlike alcohol-based aftershaves).
Judging from your original post you may already be doing this, but try not to experiment with too many different products. Stick with 1 soap/cream and 1 razor/blade combination for a while, then only change 1 item at the time and see how it goes.
Good luck. With some perseverance I'm sure you will find what works best for you.
Thanks mate. The main soaps I am using are p&b, oatcake, SV and MWF. I do use others occasionally too but I can't say that it is definitely a soap issue. I have been using more of a variety of post shave though and I think that could have something to do with it. Nivea sensitive has been good so I'll stick to that for a bit and vary less. Thanks for the thoughts.
Thanks mate, I'll try answering each of these points in turn.
I have mixed up shower. On balance I think that after a shower is worse.
I usually go for 2 passes, both with the grain, I sometimes go for a third to tidy up but not usually necessary. Last night, my face didn't feel the best before shaving so only went for 1 pass but it wasn't great (I think because the starting point wasn't great).
I have used a variety of razors. I think that more aggressive is better as they require less pressure and are more efficient. One of my current razors is a RW 6C and overall the 5/6 plate seems to work better for me than the 1-3 plates (4 is ok too).
I try to apply as little pressure as possible which is why more aggressive razors seem better.
I try to apply a shallow angle, especially for the 1st pass.
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