Hello, I am in the process of helping someone who is getting started wet shaving.. The last week, he has had some problems with Razor Burn.. I have told him to use very little pressure, and have sent him links, tutorials, and pretty much everything I know to help him learn the proper technique. I have an abundance of soaps and creams, and am going to send him some, as well as different blades to try. My question is, Does anyone have an opinion on which soap, or cream would help him cut down on the burn he get's?? I am going to send him some Bluebeards Revenge Shave Cream, because for me, it produces a very slick lather, which I think would help him, as well as some RazoRock Alum for a post shave healer. Any opinions, or suggestions would be appreciated..Thanks..
I find that when my face needs some TLC, if I use the Proraso soap in the white tub (aloe and green tea) or palmolive stick my face feels better. Try something with a mositurizer in it to help heal up, and take a few days off to let the face heal. When I really went wild I would put corn-huskers on my face during the day or some of that aloe lotion. You look weird if you have to go out before it dries, but it helped me. I hope that helps, some of the other guys should have some good responses. Good question.
Funny. I may just be me, but I don't recall changing soaps or creams to reduce razor burn. Personally I think there are only three things that cause the burn: 1) Too much pressure b) Going over the same area repeatedly without re-lathering III) An overly aggressive razor fourth) A blade that just doesn't agree with you
Steve, I don't swap soaps for that reason either, but I made my suggestion since its nearly impossible to not get a good lather from Bigelow/Proraso... A thin or dry lather will cause plenty of burn.....
Good point. I meant to agree with the Bigelow/Proraso recommendation in my post. A "can't go wrong" choice.
I never changed my soap/cream... however I did change my aftershave routine. I would go with WH then a balm. To be an astringent and then moisturize and packed full of "good vitamins"
The alum is a good idea. However, like was suggested, a can't go wrong cream like C.O. Bigelow would be a place to start. Keep drilling in the no pressure + good lather mantra!
I concur with others here. Not so much the soap but taking the time to get good lather and working it in. Face lathering forces this, so this might be my first suggestion. For chronic irritation I find using my preshave oil blend (half castor oil, half grapeseed oil) does add some measure of skin protection. It will not cure problems associated with too much blade pressure, but it does add a measure of forgiveness. Shifting to more forgiving blades would be my added suggestion, at least until technique improves.
I would recommend a post-shave splash of Dickinson's Witch Hazel, the Pore Perfecting Toner in the bottle with the yellow label. Most would advise your friends not to use after-shave's with alcohol, and I agree. This version of Dickinson's has a low percentage of alcohol (perhaps 15%), but it's a really great face astringent. Some find the aroma a bit funky, but it fades in a few minutes and it doesn't overpower the aroma of your favorite soaps. I love this stuff for my weekday shaves and it soothes so well, I don't have to use it every day. It's made a big difference in reducing even mild "burn." There are other non-alcoholic witch hazel products that work well, too. Thayer's makes an alcohol-free WH with no aroma and aloe. You can usually find it in Whole Foods and sometimes GNC, and all over the place on line.
I've found that regardless of the soap (unless it is utter garbage), it's in the lather and technique. In other words, the soap/cream itself is not important.
If he is producing a good lather, then I don't think the soap is going to make a huge difference, unless it contains ingredients that he might be sensitive to, like SLS which would be found in some creams such as Proraso, and many glycerin soaps like VDH. Lanolin is also a culprit in some irritations and can be found in several soaps & creams (MWF soap, Musago Real cream to name two that I can think of off the top of my head.) The fragrance in a soap could also cause problems for a few people. Personally, one thing I've found that helps with (eliminates) razor burn for me is cold water shaving. It's worth a shot.
