extremely bad razor burn, how to avoid it?
I completely decimate my neck every time I shave. It seems like I just straight up cannot shave. Here is my neck after shaving tonight, with a safety razor. Any advice?
8 Replies
Used to happen to me frequently and would nick myself occasionally too. A decent electric shaver works much much better for me, doesn’t need shaving cream etc. Have never looked back.
Could you tell us more about your current shaving routine? What products and razors do you use? Do you shave with or against the grain?
with the grain, then sometimes when I need a super clean shave I'll go against. I use shave gel from a can, and this shave was a safety razor, normally I use a Harry's cartridge razor
Def looks like a technique thing. You may want to reevaluate the angle you’re shaving at, shorten the length of your strokes, and try to use less pressure.
Do you get razor burn with the same cream and a cartridge? And are you using a generic razor & blades, or named stuff from vendors?
But, generally, the angle of attack on your razor should be pretty shallow - I believe the typical guidance is to start with the razor totally perpendicular to your face, and slowly reduce the angle until you juuuussstttt start to cut hairs.
Stroke length should be pretty much as short as possible. Longer strokes give more opportunity to have less optimal angles as your face changes, as well as slipping side to side - which is responsible for a lot of nicks.
Should also be using stupid light pressure. Basically letting the head of the razor press against your skin with only the weight of the razor itself. You should basically never be pressing it into your skin - just gliding it.
Practically no reason to go against the grain imo, especially if you have sensitive skin. I’ve got eczema and against the grain is a hellish experience for basically no gain. Across is totally sufficient.
I agree with everything @jarmul22 said. Other things you can try are: using an exfoliating scrub beforehand, using a hot towel or showering before shaving, applying your shave gel by brushing against the grain to make your hair stand high, pulling your skin taut while you shave, and dipping your razor in hot water frequently to keep it warm.
Nvm I missed that you already use a safety razor
You can also try using lather and applying it with a lather brush--I don't do this but I've heard it helps
I’d def take a shower first or use a hot towel. Of the above, that generally makes the largest difference.
Shaving sans shower never makes me a happy camper lol
Second the hot towel/shower suggestions. I personally love getting a shave from a barber just for that reason alone. As a long time DE shaver, there’s usually a fair bit of discovery that needs to happen to find the best blades for your beard/skin. Additionally, a lot of the benefits of that traditional method stem from the prep & cream, not the razor itself. I use Proraso myself. Green, usually. You might give that a go over the can goop.
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into it