"Razor burn". Tried everything I can think of.

Hi There,
I agree with some lots of the above comments, it's all about prep and hydration. When the hairs are hydrated they expand in size and become more brittle, thus making them easier to shave and should cause less irritation to the skin.
I also highly recommend using a post shave balm after you've shaved to help avoid the red marks and bumps you mentioned. The BBA do a great Post Shave Balm, that actually was voted as the Best New Male Shave and Beard product in 2016.

http://britishbarbers.com/shop-product/shave-care-9/post-shave-balm-54

It contains several key ingredients, one of which is mentioned above - Witch Hazel. Along with Dragon's Blood, closes the pores & protect the skin immediately from the elements.

For sensitive skin, shave with the grain, and use less pressure.

Hope this is helpful.
 
i have not read all the replies but my suggestion would be to try a gillette guard. it is very light and mild - a single blade only. use minimal pressure, don't go against the grain, do one pass only. add to that good prep - decent soap and brush, thick lather followed by witch hazel splash should do the trick. when i get spots on my chin i grow a goatee until they go - no need to irritate your skin further
 
rubmail96 said:
On the days that I do shave (1 per week), I'll wash my face and neck in the shower with hot water and soap, wait some time, go to the sink to shave and then apply cold water. I also never shave against the direction of hair growth.
Despite all these measures, I still get these frustrating and very noticeable marks. I don't know why they keep occurring?

Hope some people could give me some advice as to what I can do to prevent them, treat them or just general advice regarding this matter.
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I think post #5 nailed some of the problem. I have heard a change to a DE razor will improve things. The cartridge first blade pulls on the hair as part of the hysteresis action and the stubble is getting cut too short by the following blade. It seems you are getting ingrowing hair in places as a result.
Switching to a brush and soap or cream will be good preparation. Proraso do a cream for sensitive skin. The brush exfoliates the skin as well as building a slick lather which coats the stubble ready for shaving. Face lathering might be advantageous for you in lieu of any aggressive pre-shave wash. The Omega 49 pro would be a good boar brush to start of but it will need time to break in. Perhaps a badger brush may be less of a problem as they do not need breaking in.
As has already been mentioned, the DE razor should be applied, at the correct angle, lightly and with the grain. The EJ89 DE or Merkur 34C combined with a sharp blade should be a good combination. Blades are such a difficult choice and I can only suggest you try a few (Feather, Astra SP, Gillette Silver Blue, 7 o'Clock Yellow to name a few). Blades are cheap so single use will not be a problem.
Finish with a good post shave balm to heal the skin as suggested in post #17. Trumpers also do a selection.
 
Lots of good responses. I would also recommend the following:

1. Let your skin rest - wait a few days before your next shave.
2. Relax when shaving - if you are tense, from experience you rush and make mistakes in technique.
3. Less is more - don't try for the perfect shave - go for one pass, and see where you end up.
4. I would also recommend watching some of the shaving tutorials on Youtube.

Hope all goes well.

Chris
 
Ferry-shave said:
Lots of good responses. I would also recommend the following:

1. Let your skin rest - wait a few days before your next shave.
2. Relax when shaving - if you are tense, from experience you rush and make mistakes in technique.
3. Less is more - don't try for the perfect shave - go for one pass, and see where you end up.

Chris
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Some great advice above - the recommendations by @Ferry-shave (Chris) particularly resonate with me.
Sometimes you've just got to let your skin calm down if you have existing irritation and problem areas.
My go-to products if my skin is in need of "first aid" are Myrsol Emulsion and Thayers Medicated Topical Pain Reliever.
 
Some great suggestions above.

Switch to using a soap or cream, it doesn't have to be exotic or expensive, Palmolive is great and widely available.

Invest in and learn to use a brush, again a cheap synthetic or boar is a good starting point. I've got a cheap synthetic that I picked up at the Body Shop. I still use it as a travel brush.

Distilled witch hazel as a soothing aftershave.

If you use cartridges, the Gillette Guard is a great razor. Single blade with a comb and very smooth and forgiving. Gillette make them for the Indian market, so you can probably only find them on Ebay. The Bic metal is another good single blade disposable but is more aggressive.

When you get a good technique down your razor burn will get better. And watch some Mantic videos on Youtube!
 
Reducing the passes works. I just do one down on my neck and see how I go as it is a trouble spot. An alum block helps a lot. You can get them for about 2 quid on ebay and they will last at least a year. Apply after you have dashd face in cold water after a shave,leave on a few minutes and then rinse off. A dab of pure distilled witchazel from Boots (no need for more expensive Thayers) afterwards when skin has calmed and some witchazel gel (also from Boots) for applying throughout the day helps too.Bluebeard's Revenge Postshave balm with aloevera and witchazel clears up blemishes too though it also has alcohol which I don't like.
 
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