Guys, any of you have extremely sensitive skin when shaving?

[Heisenberg]

Best thread I've ever started. Thanks everyone! I just ordered a Merkur HD 34C(blade included). I REALLY hope this helps. I'm SO tired of looking like Freddy Kreuger after I shave. The ingrown hairs a couple days later. The skin irritation, not only right after I shave, but the following days. It all sucks! I have a very coarse beard. Hope I don't cut the crap outta myself!

I went down this same path of Razor Burn and nothing helping. It sucks because everyone's skin is so different. What I would do if you can is let the beard grow for about a week so your razor burn can heal. Here's what I did:

Let my facial hair grow for about a week while applying moisturizing lotion and Bump Stopper-2. Best product I've found for razor burn out there.

After a week, use clippers to cut as close as possible without fully shaving. I use hairclippers without a guard and it cuts to where it looks like I have five o clock shadow.

Then I used a safety razor to finish the shave with Taylor of Old Bond Street Sensitive Skin cream, and it was like a knife through butter on my face. No irritation, no razor burn. Followed it up with lotion and that's how I shave every day now, and I have had zero irritation since I started using a safety razor and that shaving cream. They sell the bump stopper-2 at Walmart(4 bucks or so), and I got the shaving cream on amazon. It has lasted me for about 1.5 years now. You need so little to get a good lather going. An alum block is great for stopping small cuts/irritation as well.

I hope your find the relief you're looking for! I hated shaving before because it was so painful at times and my skin was so sensitive. Now it's a lot like detailing for me in that I have a routine and you know when you've done a good job. Plus with a brush and safety razor it's actually pretty fun/relaxing in the morning.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Then I used a safety razor to finish the shave with Taylor of Old Bond Street Sensitive Skin cream

Thanks for the info! I just bought the shave cream with a pure badger brush. How do you use these together?

[Rmd]

Awesome thread. Was actually researching this online yesterday after re-reading the shaving post here from around Xmas. Will probably swing by the west coast shaving brick and mortar store this weekend to check out some options. This thread has helped a lot.

[Heisenberg]

Thanks for the info! I just bought the shave cream with a pure badger brush. How do you use these together?

Some people prefer to lather in a mug/bowl, some lather directly onto the face. Wet the brush thoroughly in warm water, fling the water into the sink so it's damp. Then just swirl the brush around in the shave cream container a bit. Then just whisk it in the bowl or around on your face until it gives you a good lather, and spread it around.

Here's a really good video on the different techniques. It only takes a minute, and I do it right on my face because the lather is usually warm and it helps soften your whiskers.

It's like using a foam gun for your face!

How to Lather a Shave Cream - YouTube

[aim4squirrels]

Thanks for the info! I just bought the shave cream with a pure badger brush. How do you use these together?

Soak Badger Brush in hot water for about 3-5 minutes.

BE AWARE: a new badger brush will smell like a wet badger. No joke. It takes a week or so for the smell to go away completely as the shave cream and rinsing remove the oily smells.

Hold brush over sink and remove excess water by dobbing it straight up and down, eyedropper movement style. You don't want a dry brush, but remove excess loose moisture.

Take a dollop of shave cream a bit larger than a pea and put it into the bottom of a large coffee mug. I use one that looks like a soup bowl with a handle. Mix it with the badger brush using a circular whisking type motion and an up and down pumping motion to work air into the foam. If the foam is too thick and doesn't lube well, add a bit of water. If there's too much water in the mix, you can actually see the individual bubbles in the shaving cream, add more cream to balance it out.

Making shaving cream fresh is kind of a skill unto itself. You'll get it down.

Some folks don't use a mug, they actually just make it in their non-dominant hand. I usually do that when traveling, so as not to have to pack a breakable mug.


When you first start shaving, go as light as you can and make more passes. I think the first time I was so scared of cutting myself I think I went too light and had to make like 8 passes. Eventually, you learn how to manipulate the razor better.

If your face feels hot or a bit irritated after the shave, that's the first indication you went one too many shaves on the actual blade itself.

The tip about letting the current razor burn heal for a week before starting this journey is excellent, as is the one about NOT shaving against the grain, especially on the neck line. You're going to learn very quickly the direction the hair on your face grows.

Also, when safety razor shaving, you'll notice that what feels a bit rough on a hot face won't be rough at all when you put the aftershave on, so you don't have to keep going after that very last bit of rough.

[Hoytman]

If I shave too often, say twice a day, or consecutive days...I get razor burn.

If my razor gets dull, I get razor burn.

If I go too long between shaves, I get razor burn.

If going too long between shaves that I have to use electric clippers to shorten the beard before shaving, I get major razor burn.

The only way to keep from getting razor burn for me was to shave every-other-day, with the right razor, the right shave cream, and rinse the blade with cold water while shaving.

I think the cold water rinse has done the most for eliminating bumps after a shave. I quit aftershaves and lotions long ago. I do occassionally use a shave balm, Nivea brand from wal-mart. However, it's not like a lotion more like a white aloe that completly soaks in. Put it on thick and leave it alone to soak in on its own.

[aim4squirrels]

I too use the Nivea balm. Very good stuff.

[Hoytman]

Soak Badger Brush in hot water for about 3-5 minutes.

Doing the above will eliminate any chance of the brush irritating your skin further. Good point.

[Hoytman]

I too use the Nivea balm. Very good stuff.

Yes sirreee...

My mom used to spend big money on stuff at the shopping malls for me. All of it used to sit unused in my cabinets after finding it greasy or burning the heck out of me. She put me onto this Nivea balm stuff last year at Christmas time after noticing my dad liked it so well. Heck, I even put it on my entire face...forehead, ears and all. For me, this Nivea balm was like Burt' Bees lip balm...nothing better for dry skin.

[StockPolo6R]

So most of the solutions have been mentioned above but I have some that I've used with great success in the past.

Use an exfoliating scrub a few times a week. Ingrown hairs are caused by the hair not being able to pierce through the skin and as a result curling up under the surface of the skin and getting infected. Every day dead skin cells accumulate on the surface making the surface of the skin 'thicker" and more difficult for the new hair follicle to pierce through. Exfoliation removes the dead skin cells and makes it easier for the hair to pierce through. I use ClarinsMen Exfoliating Cleanser.

Now the next thing is a very, very cheap product called Vaya Smooth. I have no idea whether it is available to you guys in the US so I've checked and the active ingredient is salicylic acid. It comes in a little roller type applicator. You just roll the ball on the areas affected the razor burn/ingrown hairs, endure a 30s stinging sensation and no more ingrowns at all!

Thanks to this combination and using high quality shaving gear I haven't had an ingrown or shaving issue in years.

Edit* Quick google search found this: Magic Shave Bump Rescue Spot Treatment at Walgreens. Looks to be the same thing as Vaya