How to prevent or get rid of shaving rash?

sitstill

Whenever I shave, no matter what I do I always get shaving rash afterwards with those little shaving pimple that never go away, on my neck. Its really depressing. What can I do or what product can I use to help?

ntlbell

don't shave every day.

use a good pre and post shave product

clinque for men is very expensive but very good

CoachBoone

As Ntl Bell says, Use some sort of pre and post shaving moisurising lotion. Problem sorted.

Any kind of moisturiser would work for that matter.

jdivision

what they said, plus use King of Shaves shaving gel

idontknowmyname

I got my ex some Neal's Yard organic shaving oil- i picked it up in Clerys. He used to get shaving rash all the time and he said it worked for him.

noby

Have a look at the Safety Razor thread in the Facial Hair and Hats forum.
I feel like I've a new neck since I started shaving with one. Good pre and post products/preperation help too.

Gran Hermano

Here's a link to the large thread on safety razors and how to improve your
shaving experiences.

The rash you describe is most likely down to poor lubrication from the shaving gel/foam, using a dull blade or putting too much pressure on the razor.

There is no reason why shaving every day will cause a rash if you shave properly.

Try taking a shower/bath before shaving it'll soften the stubble.
Make sure you apply cream/foam between each pass of the razor.
Multi-blade cartridge blades cause more irritation than single blades.

MeMyself&I

King of Shaves do a great range, for both women and men..try it

Johnny Utah

sitstill wrote: »

Whenever I shave, no matter what I do I always get shaving rash afterwards with those little shaving pimple that never go away, on my neck. Its really depressing. What can I do or what product can I use to help?

I get this too- a really bad shaving rash, but only on one side of my neck. I end up looking like I've been attacked by Dracula. I've tried a lot of things so far, but none have made any improvement really. I've been to two doctors and a dermatologist, who have prescribed creams for me, but still no improvement.

Is there any product at all that might help?

Leprachaun

sitstill wrote: »

Whenever I shave, no matter what I do I always get shaving rash afterwards with those little shaving pimple that never go away, on my neck. Its really depressing. What can I do or what product can I use to help?

-Dont shave your neck area every day.
-Use a moisturiser on your neck after shaving.
-Be sure to change blades regularly (3-4 shaves per blade) if you're using disposable blade heades a dull razor can cause iritation.

You could also try using an electric razor just on your neck and use a regular one for the rest of your face. The electric ones shouldn't cause a rash.

Johnny Utah

Leprachaun wrote: »

-Dont shave your neck area every day.
-Use a moisturiser on your neck after shaving.
-Be sure to change blades regularly (3-4 shaves per blade) if you're using disposable blade heades a dull razor can cause iritation.

You could also try using an electric razor just on your neck and use a regular one for the rest of your face. The electric ones shouldn't cause a rash.

Tried all of the above. Only shave once every 3/4 days. Even if I leave longer between shaving (say a week to 10 days), I still end up with a terrible rash on my neck. I've tried loads of moisterisers, aftershave balm etc and I find they only tend to inflame the rash, rather than improve it. I even tried a product that a pharmacist recommended to me once- it was a lotion that was supposed to prevent ingrown hairs. Well, tried it morning & night for a month as directed, and it didn't work either.

Would really like to hear from someone who had a shaving rash and has managed to clear it up.

OldGoat

Johnny Utah, can you tell us your shaving regime. Without knowing what you do it's difficult to spot where you might be causing the irritation. For example, do you shave from the throat to the chin or from the chin to the throat? With the grain or against it? Do you shave before or after a shower? Do you use a lather shaving soap or a gel or a shaving cream foam? What kind of razer are you using? How frequently do you change it? Does your Wife/GF/partner or flatmate use your razor without telling you? Do you ever use hot towels? Do you always use aftershave?
And remember, if all else fails that a beard is a wonderful thing.

Jagera

Sudocream. It does leave your face looking like Bongo the clown so you need to shave before bed or with plenty of time for it to settle in.

But it is the be-all and end-all of ridding shaving rash.

Johnny Utah

OldGoat wrote: »

Johnny Utah, can you tell us your shaving regime. Without knowing what you do it's difficult to spot where you might be causing the irritation. For example, do you shave from the throat to the chin or from the chin to the throat? With the grain or against it? Do you shave before or after a shower? Do you use a lather shaving soap or a gel or a shaving cream foam? What kind of razer are you using? How frequently do you change it? Does your Wife/GF/partner or flatmate use your razor without telling you? Do you ever use hot towels? Do you always use aftershave?
And remember, if all else fails that a beard is a wonderful thing.

Usually shave after a shower if I can. I wash my face with a soap-free cleanser in the shower, and I also leave a hot face cloth over the face and neck for a few mins before I shave. I'm using the Nivea for men sensitive shaving gel at present. I've tried many different shaving gels and creams, but I like this particular one so I've been using it for the last two years.

I use the Gillette Mach 3 Turbo razor, and I find it quite good. I've tried different brands in the past, but I find the Mach 3 the best. For example, I tried the Wilkinson Sword Quattro before, but I thought it was too sharp as it caused a lot of cuts all over my face. I've tried lots of other makes too, even the cheap disposable razors, but I think the Mach 3 is definitely the best I've used so far. It doesn't leave nicks easily or cause irritation to the rest of my skin. Actually, apart from the shaving rash on my neck, the rest of my skin is in very good condition.

I shave with the grain for the most part. The only place I shave against the grain is the sideburn area- ie. from the back of the jaw up as far as my locks (if that makes sense). As I said above, I don't have any irritation on the rest of my face, so that's not really an issue. In relation to the shaving rash on the side of my neck, I shave with the grain, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. The rash is about two inches square, and the area always bleeds when I shave, irrespective of whether I shave with or against the grain. For example, I shaved (with the grain) yesterday morning, after a week of not shaving, and the area bleed a small bit as normal. Now today, there are still lots on red dots/bumps on the rash area, which looks unsightly.

I always change the blades frequently. It depends how often I shave obviously, but typically I would change blades after 3/4 uses. Don't use blunt blades as I know they can cause irritation. Nobody else uses the razor, definitely not.

I don't use an aftershave at all. I use Nivea for men rehydrating moisturiser on my face after shaving. After about 30/40 mins, when the bleeding has calmed down a bit, I apply Fucidin H cream to the shaving rash. I obtained this on prescription from the dermatologist, and I apply it morning and night. As I said in a previous post, I have applied different moisturisers, creams, aftershave balms to the shaving rash in the past, but they don't really improve the area.

One pharmacist recommended a product for treating ingrown hairs, and she explained that it is better to treat the problem by getting rid of the ingrown hair altogether, as opposed to just applying a cream which will only cover up the problem to a certain extent. It makes sense, but I'm still looking for a product which will get rid of the ingrown hairs.





I'm thinking of trying this product from the States- what do you think?

http://www.bumppatrol.com/

Gran Hermano

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Tried all of the above. Only shave once every 3/4 days. Even if I leave longer between shaving (say a week to 10 days), I still end up with a terrible rash on my neck. I've tried loads of moisterisers, aftershave balm etc and I find they only tend to inflame the rash, rather than improve it. I even tried a product that a pharmacist recommended to me once- it was a lotion that was supposed to prevent ingrown hairs. Well, tried it morning & night for a month as directed, and it didn't work either.

Would really like to hear from someone who had a shaving rash and has managed to clear it up.

I had the worst shaving rashes possible as a teenager and in my
early 20s. Like most people I was never taught how to shave properly
and ended up with ingrown hairs and razor burn. It's like jumping in
a car without anyone even showing you which pedal is which.
With a little bit of knowledge and attention I now shave daily
(head and face) without any trouble - and that's shaving both
with and against the grain.

Moisturisers, balm etc are all POST-shave treatments. You need to work
on the PRE-shave treatment. You're working on fighting the effects
of a bad shaving regime rather than working on improving the shave

Razor burn and shaving rashes are mostly due to the razor digging into
your face. This can be due to several reasons:
- Not enough lubrication, you need to ensure the stubble is properly wet
and softened before shaving. Have a shower first, rub some hair conditioner
into your stubble when in the shower, make sure you use
decent and good amounts of shaving cream. Re-apply the shaving cream
between each pass of the razor.

- Blunt blade, make sure you change the blade frequently as otherwise it'll catch
and tug the hairs as your shaving and cause irritation.

-Too much pressure/bad technique. Try not push the razor into your skin
as you shave, people do this with mach3/fusion type razors to compensate for
blunt blades and how easy the cartridges block up in use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjhIy9rgWQU

www.badgeandblade.com or the safety razor here on boards has loads of info.
There is even a section on Badge and Blade where you can ask for
help http://badgerandblade.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=55

Gran Hermano

Johnny Utah wrote: »

One pharmacist recommended a product for treating ingrown hairs, and she explained that it is better to treat the problem by getting rid of the ingrown hair altogether, as opposed to just applying a cream which will only cover up the problem to a certain extent. It makes sense, but I'm still looking for a product which will get rid of the ingrown hairs.





I'm thinking of trying this product from the States- what do you think?

http://www.bumppatrol.com/

The Bump Patrol or Tend Skin will work but you'll have to keep using it
for as long as you keep shaving, ie keep buying it for life.
As you said you need to look at the cause and not the after effects.

You seem to have a good shaving prep ritual, have you considered
a single blade razor? Some people find the multi-blade cartridges cause
irritation and rashes. A multi-blade is bad as the first blade removes
the lubricant from your face and 'tugs' the hair out before cutting it again.
The sharpened short hair can now retract beneath the skin where it continues to grow.
(Do a search on shaving hysteresis and rash).

I do not have this problem when shaving with a single blade, double edge,
safety razor. Using a facial scrub pre-shave will also help lift any
hairs trapped beneath the skin. Using a washcloth or face cloth pre-shave
helped me too.

OldGoat

Johnny.
You seem to be doing most thing correctly. I'd prefer to use a single blade rather then those cartridge thingies but thats just me. Have you ever gone for a professional shave? If so did you have the shaving rash after it? If you can get a recomendation for a GOOD barber then there are few things as pleasurable as getting a hot towel wet shave and you'll learn a lot technique wise. Hearing a cut-throat being stropped before being hauled across your neck is something viserally thrilling.
I know some in London but it's probably a bit far to go for a shave. :rolleyes:

I have to admit that I stopped shaving about 15 years ago. These days it's just the occasional tidy up around the edges. A beard and 'tash is so much more fun to play with.

EDIT: Beaten to the single blade recomendation by Gran Hermano. /Shakes fist/ Grrrrrrr

kmick

I used to have the same problem. A mate of mine who also had the same problem told me a barber said to shave the neck area sideways. Sounds weird but I tried it and it worked. The shave is much less close so every day I use two razors to shave. First i apply a cloth (as hot as I can bear) to soften the face and neck. Then I shave once (sideways on the neck) with a Mach 3. Then reapply shaving cream and shave again (sideways on the neck) with a much sharper razor Gilette Blue 2. I mainly do this for a very close shave but not all people want to shave twice which I can understand.

After a week my neck started to heal up. Have been shaving sideways on the neck ever since and its worked a treat.

Gran Hermano

OldGoat wrote: »

EDIT: Beaten to the single blade recomendation by Gran Hermano. /Shakes fist/ Grrrrrrr

Looks like we're at least giving similar advice

The safety razors scare most people who haven't used them but
there really is nothing to worry about, they're called safety razors
for a reason. Just look at the threads on the fora I mentioned above
and you'll see that once people try them they rarely go back to the
multi-blade cartridges..

Shaving for me is now some enjoyable 'me' time and not a chore.
You can shave with, against and across the grain as long as you
prep the area with lather first.

MediaTank

Johnny Utah wrote: »

I use the Gillette Mach 3 Turbo razor, and I find it quite good. I've tried different brands in the past, but I find the Mach 3 the best. For example, I tried the Wilkinson Sword Quattro before, but I thought it was too sharp as it caused a lot of cuts all over my face. I've tried lots of other makes too, even the cheap disposable razors, but I think the Mach 3 is definitely the best I've used so far. It doesn't leave nicks easily or cause irritation to the rest of my skin. Actually, apart from the shaving rash on my neck, the rest of my skin is in very good condition.

To add to GrandHermano's and the other replies. One of the most common reasons for ingrown hairs and hence the rash is using a multibalde razor as you do. Try switching to a more traditional shaving method i.e. using a safety razor, good quality shaving cream and a shaving brush.

The brush and cream will provide a rich lubricating lather while the brush will gently exfolliate and raise the hairs. The big difference though is the razor, shaving with a single blade is much kinder to your skin than the multibalde ones. Multibalde razors use an array of closely places blades and cut by something called hysteris. Essentially the first blade tugs the hair out of it's follicle and cuts it, the next blade cuts agian before the hair retracts and so on. The net effect is tug, hack, hack.. And so the hair is cut _below_ the hair line. This is a major cause of ingrown hairs.

I know I suffered from this for 23 years before switching to a safety razor. After a few weeks you'll find that your skin will be much better.

MT

kmick

MediaTank wrote: »

I know I suffered from this for 23 years before switching to a safety razor. After a few weeks you'll find that your skin will be much better.

MT

I know there is a lot of debate on whats good, best and better but can you give me a linik to the best blade which combines, value, quality and durability. Is there some sort of starter pack you can buy with razor, blades, cream and brush?

OldGoat

Nicest shaving soap I have used is from Crabtree & Evelyn.
Best brush i have is still the one made with badger hair. I imagine that some of the synthetic bristle brushes are good.
I have always used Wilkinson blades and happy enough with the quality of their straight blades and of the cut-throat I bought on ebay a few decades ago.
Best shaving mug is still a battered old enamel'd tin mug I bought in the scout shop specially for the purpose.

Johnny Utah

Gran Hermano wrote: »

The Bump Patrol or Tend Skin will work but you'll have to keep using it
for as long as you keep shaving, ie keep buying it for life.
As you said you need to look at the cause and not the after effects.

Wouldn't mind using it if it actually worked.

Gran Hermano wrote: »

You seem to have a good shaving prep ritual, have you considered
a single blade razor?

I've considered it, but I've never actually used one for a number of reasons:
- Afraid that it would leave nicks all over my face.
- Probably quite time-consuming; as I understand it, you apply shaving gel/cream, then do one pass, apply gel again, and do another pass, etc. With a disposable razor, I just apply the shaving gel once, and one pass should suffice for a close shave.
- I glanced at the forum you linked, and it seems that it takes ages for a beginner to learn how to use the safety razor properly.
- Would it give as close as shave as a Mach 3 razor?

Correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm willing to try anything at this stage if it rectifies the problem.

OldGoat wrote: »

Johnny.
You seem to be doing most thing correctly. I'd prefer to use a single blade rather then those cartridge thingies but thats just me. Have you ever gone for a professional shave?

No.

MediaTank wrote: »

To add to GrandHermano's and the other replies. One of the most common reasons for ingrown hairs and hence the rash is using a multibalde razor as you do. Try switching to a more traditional shaving method i.e. using a safety razor, good quality shaving cream and a shaving brush.

The brush and cream will provide a rich lubricating lather while the brush will gently exfolliate and raise the hairs. The big difference though is the razor, shaving with a single blade is much kinder to your skin than the multibalde ones. Multibalde razors use an array of closely places blades and cut by something called hysteris. Essentially the first blade tugs the hair out of it's follicle and cuts it, the next blade cuts agian before the hair retracts and so on. The net effect is tug, hack, hack.. And so the hair is cut _below_ the hair line. This is a major cause of ingrown hairs.

I know I suffered from this for 23 years before switching to a safety razor. After a few weeks you'll find that your skin will be much better.

MT

My skin is in pretty good shape at the moment, apart from the shaving rash on my neck. If the ingrown hairs are caused by a multiblade razor, then why don't I get them all over my face?

Johnny Utah

OldGoat wrote: »

Hearing a cut-throat being stropped before being hauled across your neck is something viserally thrilling.
I know some in London but it's probably a bit far to go for a shave. :rolleyes:

Not sure if I'd make it back alive......... :eek::eek::eek:





The Demon Barber of Fleet Street :eek:

OldGoat

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Not sure if I'd make it back alive......... :eek::eek::eek:

Ahh the delicious Mr. Depp. He one of the very few men that could persuade me to 'Bat for the other team'

Gran Hermano

I've considered it, but I've never actually used one for a number of reasons:
- Afraid that it would leave nicks all over my face.
I also had similar fears - they were unfounded. I bought a styptic pencil
which will stop the blood flow from cuts, I've hardly used it apart from
one small nick on my lip.

- Probably quite time-consuming; as I understand it, you apply shaving gel/cream, then do one pass, apply gel again, and do another pass, etc. With a disposable razor, I just apply the shaving gel once, and one pass should suffice for a close shave.
Not as time consuming as you would think, you mix up the lather with the
brush and bowl so you're just dipping the brush again between passes.
Most of the lather is held in the brush head. Whilst the disposable is
quicker it's also the reason you have the rash Mantic has a youtube
video showing a '10 minute shave'.

- I glanced at the forum you linked, and it seems that it takes ages for a beginner to learn how to use the safety razor properly.
It'll take a week or two to get used to the different technique. A lot
of what you see on the shaving fora is guys striving to ever improve
their technique, like a golfer trying to drop his handicap. There is also
a lot of discussion on collecting different creams, soaps, blades and brushes which you don't need to indulge in.


- Would it give as close as shave as a Mach 3 razor?
I'd say as close if not closer - with a lot less irritation/razor burn.

MediaTank

Johnny Utah wrote: »

My skin is in pretty good shape at the moment, apart from the shaving rash on my neck. If the ingrown hairs are caused by a multiblade razor, then why don't I get them all over my face?

If your skin is in good shape then it is very likely the razor. Good question though, and the reason is that the hairs on your neck grow in wildly different directions, couple that with different skin tension etc. and voila. Almost, everyone who gets ingrown hairs gets them somewhere in the neck area. If not the neck then there is another issue to deal with.

Try a safety razor.

MediaTank

kmick wrote: »

I know there is a lot of debate on whats good, best and better but can you give me a linik to the best blade which combines, value, quality and durability. Is there some sort of starter pack you can buy with razor, blades, cream and brush?

As always, it depends. My advice would be to pick up a Merkur Progress razor (set to 1), and a pack of sampler blades coupled with a herbal/fruit cream (Taylor's Avocado for example) and a brush. Connaught do the sampler packs check out the Facial Hair and Hats forum for more info.

Johnny Utah

Ok, I'm willing to try a safety razor for a few weeks, but I'd be grateful if you could answer acouple of questions for me.


(1) How long do you think it would take before I see an improvement?


(2) Is there any one in particular I should buy bearing in mind I have a shaving rash?

(I had a look over on the Connaught Shaving website, and I'm a bit confused about what the numbers and letters mean beside each safety razor. Why are there so many differnt variations? I thought they were all much the same)

(3) What else would I need in terms of shaving cream, aftercare etc?

(4) And, can I buy them in a shop in Dublin?






(5) Also, what do you think of the products I use at the moment: Nivea for men soap-free face wash, sensitive shaving gel, and the rehydrating moisturiser afterwards.


Interested to hear from all three of you, as you seem quite knowledgeable on the subject.

Gran Hermano

(1) How long do you think it would take before I see an improvement?

I shave daily and noticed after a week. After a month the condition of
my skin and stubble is much better.


(2) Is there any one in particular I should buy bearing in mind I have a shaving rash?

Some razors are more aggressive (the blade is more exposed to the skin)
Media Tank recommended the Merkur Progress which I really like as well.
You can adjust how aggressive or close a shave you get.
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/merkur570.html
Reviews here: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1627
http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/showthread.php?ltr=M&t=5153

Start off on a low setting, even now I tend to keep mine around 2
and it's a great shave. You don't need it set high, enough passes with
proper lathering will give as close as you need/want.

Get a sample pack of blades here:
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/samplepack.html
Different people find different blades work better for them.

(I had a look over on the Connaught Shaving website, and I'm a bit confused about what the numbers and letters mean beside each safety razor. Why are there so many differnt variations? I thought they were all much the same)

(3) What else would I need in terms of shaving cream, aftercare etc?

Next on the shopping list is a decent brush and shaving cream.
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/brush.html

For cream, I'd suggest either of these:
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/prorasoshavecream.html
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?ltr=P&t=2306 reviews

http://www.connaughtshaving.com/taylorcream.html especially the sensitive one.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?ltr=T&t=76119




(4) And, can I buy them in a shop in Dublin?

Knights Barbers in Stephens Green Centre, couple of other places on or just off Grafton St but your best bet is online for price and delivery.
Details in the Safety Shaving thread in 'Facial Hair and Hats' forum






(5) Also, what do you think of the products I use at the moment: Nivea for men soap-free face wash, sensitive shaving gel, and the rehydrating moisturiser afterwards.

I dont rate the Nivea face wash or gel. The Niveas post shave moisturiser in the white bottle is good and I used it myself for years and noticed it
helped. I switched to the Clinique post shave balms and found them
better for my skin (like most shaving products different people have
different skin and different results).

Johnny Utah

Apologies about the delay in replying to this thread. Unfortunately, I'm still using the Mach 3, so I still have the shaving rash on my neck. However, since my last post, I have changed my shaving regime slightly: I am now using an exfoliating scrub before shaving. I also started to use a new shaving cream- Palmolive for men shaving cream (it comes in a green tube, green packaging). I saw it on connaughtshaving.com, and seeing as it was handy enough to pick up at the supermarket, I said I'd give it a try.

I've been using the palmolive cream for the last couple of weeks and, although it seems to provide better lubrication and a closer shave than the goo in the can which I had been using previously, it seems to result in little white spots around my chin area the day after I shave. I never experienced this before when I shaved with shaving gel from a can.... Is it a case that the palmolive cream is a poor quality, or perhaps it shouldn't be used with a Mach 3 razor?

I also notice that the palmolive cream seems to leave my skin feeling a lot tighter immediately after the shave. Is this normal?










Anyway, I've decided that I will give DE razor a go. Is connaughtshaving the best site to buy from?
I also came across this other website, but they don't seem to have a great selection.....

http://www.theenglishshavingcompany.com/

Gran Hermano wrote: »

(2) Is there any one in particular I should buy bearing in mind I have a shaving rash?

Some razors are more aggressive (the blade is more exposed to the skin)
Media Tank recommended the Merkur Progress which I really like as well.
You can adjust how aggressive or close a shave you get.
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/merkur570.html
Reviews here: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1627
http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/showthread.php?ltr=M&t=5153

Start off on a low setting, even now I tend to keep mine around 2
and it's a great shave. You don't need it set high, enough passes with
proper lathering will give as close as you need/want.

I saw a DE safety razor in Boots recently. I think it was a plastic Wilkinson and it was fairly cheap. I was thinking of buying this razor instead of the Progress for the moment as it's inexpensive, and furthermore in case the safety razor doesn't shift the rash on my neck I don't really want to spend 50 quid on a razor which I may only use a couple of times.

Can you tell me; will the blades from the sample pack fit the cheaper Wilkinson razor?






I also need to get a shaving brush. I was thinking of getting the Omega 48 Professional Pure Bristle......... Is this a good brush?

I don't mind spending a bit more on a shaving brush as it's something which I will probably always use, irrespective of whether I continue with the safety razor.

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Get a sample pack of blades here:
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/samplepack.html
Different people find different blades work better for them.

Ok, I plan to buy the popular blade pack. Would this be the best choice to start off with?

Gran Hermano wrote: »

(3) What else would I need in terms of shaving cream, aftercare etc?

Next on the shopping list is a decent brush and shaving cream.
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/brush.html

For cream, I'd suggest either of these:
http://www.connaughtshaving.com/prorasoshavecream.html
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?ltr=P&t=2306 reviews

http://www.connaughtshaving.com/taylorcream.html especially the sensitive one.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?ltr=T&t=76119

Ok, I will buy both of those creams.



Would I need anything else in terms of aftercare/post-shave care or is a Nivea moisturiser sufficient for the moment?

I notice they have this razor burn repair liquid on connaught shaving- do you think it would be any good?

http://connaughtshaving.com/repairliquid.html





Finally, where can I buy a styptic pencil? I can't seem to find it on the connaughtshaving website.

Gran Hermano

The Palmolive cream really needs to be used with a brush to lather it up
properly. It's a good budget cream and used with a brush it'll help soften
the beard and provide a good lather. If you want extra cushioning and
protection try a cream in the next price range up, something like the
Taylors of Old Bond St range.

The white spots on the skin can be due to too much pressure or too little
lubrication. Again if you're not using a brush an re-applying lather between
each razor pass this might be the cause.

Keep up the prep of hot shower and exfoliation scrub before shaving, then
lather up with a good cream and brush. Shave one direction, rinse, reapply
lather, shave other direction. Keep the face warm, wet and try only shaving
with the grain in your troublesome areas (parts prone to whitespots).
Check this link for the bible on shaving:
http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59

And if you check the shaving thread you'll notice as of last week Mantic59 is
now a boardsie


A relatively new UK based shop has some decent pricing on starter kits,
works out cheaper than Connaught if you need a razor, brush and cream.
The Traditional Shaving Company
For GBP £ 58.50 delivered you can get:
Starter Kit - Cream

• Ebony black badger
• Taylor of Old Bond Street avocado
• Crystal Super Platinum (10x)
• Merkur Progress

The above will cover all your needs to get started, just pick up some Nivea
Sensitive Aftershave balm. I haven't used the Proraso balm you linked but
I have used their normal balm and it's no better than the Nivea Sensitive.
If you find the Nivea too heavy on your skin try Clinique's Post Shave Healer balm
-it's the only Clinique product I rate, forget about their two other soother
balms but the Healer balm is non greasy, light on the skin and works great
to ease any razor burn or nicks.

I haven't used the Wilkinson/Boots DE razors, I'd just be wary that it'd
like comparing a shaving with a Mach3 compared to a disposable.

I have the Omega brush you're looking at and the first thing I will say is it is
MASSIVE! It's the largest brush I own and not bad value but it's not the
easiest to lather with. I tend to use mine for my head shaving only.
A smaller brush either an Omega or Semogue would be better if you aren't
going for a starter kit brush as above.



All safety blades are interchangeable and the sample pack is worth trying.
Start with either a Red Personna, Derby or Israeli Crystal.

Don't worry about the styptic pencil, unless you've four thumbs and are shaving blindfolded
you most likely will not cut yourself enough to need one. I've used mine once.
Now if you were buying a straight razor.....

Johnny Utah

Thanks for the detailed reply Gran Hermano.

I think I will order most of my stuff from connaught shaving as they seem to have the best selection.

I am now thinking of getting a Semogue shaving brush instead of the Omega I listed in my previous post. Is the Semogue 2015 Shaving Brush (€30) fairly decent?

Is it a bit smaller than the Omega 48?

http://vintagescent.com/shaving-brushes-c-5/semogue-2015-shaving-brush-p-13

Gran Hermano

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Thanks for the detailed reply Gran Hermano.

I think I will order most of my stuff from connaught shaving as they seem to have the best selection.

I am now thinking of getting a Semogue shaving brush instead of the Omega I listed in my previous post. Is the Semogue 2015 Shaving Brush (€30) fairly decent?

Is it a bit smaller than the Omega 48?

The Semogue 2015 is a much better size, my 2015HD is my favourite brush
http://img27.imageshack.us/i/03082009159.jpg/
Above is a quick pick I just took on phone camera showing
(left to right) the Omega 48, Semogue 2000, Semogue 2015HD

wanado

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Tried all of the above. Only shave once every 3/4 days. Even if I leave longer between shaving (say a week to 10 days), I still end up with a terrible rash on my neck. I've tried loads of moisterisers, aftershave balm etc and I find they only tend to inflame the rash, rather than improve it. I even tried a product that a pharmacist recommended to me once- it was a lotion that was supposed to prevent ingrown hairs. Well, tried it morning & night for a month as directed, and it didn't work either.

Would really like to hear from someone who had a shaving rash and has managed to clear it up.

you seem to have a rash similar to mine, I've tried every cream/shaving gel/aftershave..etc, the only thing that cleared completely my rash was prescription tablets from my gp, he said rash is caused by bacteria and the razor-no matter what quality-helps spreading it, so I either take the tablets forever or I stop shaving,
however i should say that some aftershaves with strong alcohol help reduce the rash, desinfect ur razor with alcohol spirit if you use more that once

tcawley29

Johnny Utah, any update on this?

eviltimeban

Maybe go back five years ago and ask him?

tcawley29

eviltimeban wrote: »

Maybe go back five years ago and ask him?

Maybe he might actually respond. Maybe dont respond to me if you're not going to help...sound

dudara

@eviltimeban - if you have a problem with a thread, please use the Report Post function. Do not reply on thread in an unhelpful manner.

Johnny Utah hasn't been online since August 2014 and this particular thread is over 5 years old. Therefore I am closing this thread. If Johnny Utah wishes to respond, he can contact a mod via PM to request a re-opening.

dudara