What shaving actually does to skin
A blade does not only cut hair. It scrapes off the top layer of dead cells that sits on the surface and holds moisture in. That layer is your barrier, and after a shave it is thinner than usual.
This is why a product that feels fine on your arm can sting on a freshly shaved face. Nothing is wrong with your skin. You have just removed its cover.
Three habits that cause most of it
Shaving dry, or nearly dry
Hair is far easier to cut when it has been soaked for a couple of minutes. Shaving straight after a hot shower, on a wet face, with something slippery on it, does more for irritation than any product you buy afterwards.
Going against the grain
It gives a closer shave, and it cuts the hair off below the surface of the skin. When it grows back it can grow into the skin instead of out of it, which is where the bumps along the jaw and neck come from. If you get those regularly, this is usually the reason.
Aftershave that stings
Alcohol-based aftershave was designed to disinfect nicks, and the sting was marketed as proof it was working. On a barrier that is already open it does the opposite of helping. If it burns, that is damage, not cleaning.
What to do instead
- Shave after a shower, on skin that has been wet for a minute or two.
- Use a sharp blade. A dull one drags, and dragging is what irritates.
- Go with the grain, short strokes, no pressure. Let the blade do it.
- Rinse with cool water and apply a plain fragrance-free moisturiser while the skin is still damp.
- Give the skin a day off when it is angry. Irritation compounds.
When it is not the shaving
Persistent redness on the cheeks and nose that does not settle down between shaves may not be razor burn at all. Ongoing bumps that look like acne along the beard line can be several different things, and they are treated differently.
If it has been going on for weeks and none of the above changes it, that is a question for a dermatologist rather than a better razor.
