You're making good progress! Agree on swapping your blade out sooner. It is not helpful at this point if you're trying to learn technique while compensating for a dying blade edge. I was a "2 and out" guy when I first started learning mainly because blades are relatively cheap and I was trying to eliminate one variable.
If I may offer some humble advice, I'd put that Slim on 3 or 4 and leave it there until you can complete a full shave with no irritation. It's not as fun as running it wide open, but I think you'l progress faster that way. Stretch your skin, ride the cap, and just wipe the lather off your face with every stroke. As best you can, stick with WTG strokes on you lower neck until your technique improves. The shave will look good, but it will not be especially close. More importantly, you should see the redness and bumps eventually go away.
A Tabac shave stick is a really good soap. Use three times (yes, I said 3x) as much soap on your properly hydrated face next time you shave and keep working in water slowly with brush. Initially, your lather will be thick and pasty. Keep adding water until it is slick and shiny. If you overshoot that water, just add a little more soap. Don't be surprised if you need to add more water to your soap or re-lather a portion of your face as the shave proceeds. (Soap is cheap, so don't worry about making too much and having to rinse what's left down the drain. Most of us here have so much soap that we throw a party when we finish a container.) If you spend 5 minutes on the lathering portion of the shave, your skin will appreciate it, you'll have an explosion of lather, and your results will be better. If your lather continues to be thin, try making some practice lathers until you get the hang of it. You'll eventually get it figured out.
I love shaving every day when I'm using a DE. My shavette is telling me right now to shave every other day or so....still working on my technique with it.
Keep rolling and enjoy the learning process! You'll eventually be getting consistently close and comfortable shaves with little or no irriation. I'm glad you are here with us.
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