Would this work?

andyjreid

andyjreid

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1,773
I've been thinking about how to get rid of my shaving rash and razor burn.

I never had it so bad before back when I was only shaving about once a week. For the last few months or so I've been improving my technique and have got a lot better at shaving. I can now shave every day/day and a half and have minimal irritation. This may not sound like a big deal to some but it is to me. If you'd told me I could be shaving this often about 3 months ago, I'd have laughed. However. I still get quite a degree of redness and burn and I wonder if it's because my skin isn't really getting a chance to heal between shaves.

My thinking is, if I left it a week or so to heal and for any stray hairs to grow through, I could then go back to square one with a non-irritated neck and properly gague how well my technique has improved.

Would it work this way OR would it have the opposite effect and make my skin more sensitive to the touch of the blade?
 
Andy...I think half the battle with this shaving lark can be finding the right products. I notice you like the balms, have you tried some good old fashioned high alcohol content aftershaves? Nothing works better as an antiseptic IMO, there is usually an initial sting as it gets to work but I always find them much more effect than balms at calming rash and irritation.

Assuming of course your not shaving like your scraping paint off a door.
 
The aftershaves I've tried are Boots Freshwood, Superdrug Forest Fresh and Aqua Velva.

Once upon a time I probably shaved like stripping paint off a door but I've been taking more and more care over blade angle to make sure Im getting the best from my gear.

The actual shaves aren't that bad at all I have a 2 pass and touch up shave today and the shave itself was good with no irritation till afterwards.
 
Hi Andy,

If I was to recommend one to you it would be the Speick after shave splash from personal experience.

Like you, if I have a bad shave and get red and irritated I give myself a few days in-between to rest the face and then have a week of daily one pass shaves.
 
Andy
On your last SOTD post you were using a Merkur HD and Feather. When I used that combination it was too harsh for me. Have you used less aggressive razors and blades? Your combo makes such a difference.
 
Fido said:
Andy
On your last SOTD post you were using a Merkur HD and Feather. When I used that combination it was too harsh for me. Have you used less aggressive razors and blades? Your combo makes such a difference.
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That razor and blade combo could well be your problem andy, the feather is a real sharp one, but not the smoothest.
 
Well todays shave was a Futur set to 1 with a red personna. Im gonna stick with that combo for a while. While I find Feathers sharp I noticed that they seem to die off a lot quicker in the Futur.
 
andyjreid said:
Well todays shave was a Futur set to 1 with a red personna. Im gonna stick with that combo for a while. While I find Feathers sharp I noticed that they seem to die off a lot quicker in the Futur.
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Can i ask what blades you have tried Andy :?:
 
Give your skin a chance to recover before the next shave. It does sound Feather and HD might be too much for daily use. I have a Tech if you want to try something mild.

Other than that are you doing the usual egg sucking with Alum and witch hazel?
 
antdad said:
Give your skin a chance to recover before the next shave. It does sound Feather and HD might be too much for daily use. I have a Tech if you want to try something mild.

Other than that are you doing the usual egg sucking with Alum and witch hazel?
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With Alum yes, not witch hazel (was looking for some in Boots today but couldn't find it). Alum I'm applying after cold water rinse and rinsing it off once I've tidied up. With your previous post, what aftershaves would you recommend? Also would a much less agressive razor help?

RB73 said:
Can i ask what blades you have tried Andy :?:
Click to expand...

In my Futur I've tried Feathers and Red Personna, In my HD I've tried Merkur, IP's, Astra, Red Personna, Feather, Wilkinson Sword, Gillette Bleue Extra and Derby.

I know a lot of you guys are probably shaking your heads about this but it's properly frustrating me that I keep getting burn because I enjoy the process of shaving an awful lot.

I just can't work out what I'm doing wrong.

P.S. I should also add to this that it is predominantly on the right side of my neck and less so on my left. In fact hardly any on my left. Was also wondering about prep as my shower packed in recently and am having to have a bath every day instead of showering.
 
I can only tell you what works for me Andy.

I apply the alum straight after the last pass, don't even rinse off bits of shaving cream. Give the block a bit of a rinse and then straight onto freshly scraped raw skin. I really work it in quite firmly and then leave it on for as long as I can so I might brush my teeth or something.
THEN I give myself a cold rinse.

I then wipe over with hazel then a liberal application of AS, I don't even use a towel to dry off at any point (who knows what's on it)
If your'e not going out chuck plenty of AS on, even go for a double application and see if it helps.
Most aftershaves work for me as should your aqua velva, put plenty on but you could try something off the shelf like Old Spice, if its too old man you could try one its variations like white water. My general rule is if its stinging keep applying till it stops, luckily I don't stink too bad.

Vintage gillettes I think are much milder than Merkurs in general so yes a Tech is a mild choice so I think it will help.

You can buy distilled WH from you local chem for about a quid, it has an "odour" but it soon subsides. I use Thayer's Original, not sure on top of WH and underneath an AS it really does much but I like using it.

Just one thing, I don't know what you do for a living but avoid faceturbating or propping you head/face up with your hand or touching your chops unnecessarily. Who know where your hands have been.
 
Thanks for the advice Tony. Im going to try that with the aftershave. I have some slush fund money so I might get a bottle of speick AS.

Could I take you up on the offer of the Tech? I'll gladly give you something/payment in return.

P.S. I am a faceturbator and I need to stop.
 
Funny you should say that Moody Mick. I'm right handed and the opposite applies. This phenomenon is actually mentioned in that old shaving manual I linked to recently:
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so it's nothing new or uncommon. The solution seems to be just to go easy and follow the grain.
 
Righty here and nicks and a weepers generally on the left. Not thought about that before!
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