What am I allergic to?? (Shaving content)

[Edward]

So, I've come up with a nasty shaving rash this week. What I've been using:

Merkur Progress with Merkur blades
Badger shaving brush
shaving cream

Evderything I've used before (been DE shaving for about three months), except for the badger brush. Surely I can't be allergic to that?? I've changed the blade for tomorrow to see.... really hoping it's not that brush, it's so much better than the cheap bristle one I was using before (and now can't find!!). Would a blunt blade cause rash?

 

[Feraud]

A dull blade will require more work to shave. Perhaps that is the culprit?
You can try switching each item in your routine and see what happens.

 

[rmrdaddy]

Edward,
How long have you been shaving with the Merkur razor?
How about the Merkur Blades?

Merkur blades have a bit of a bad rep, as they are notoriously dull, but, this works for some fellas. Feraud has a point. A dull blade will cause you to apply more pressure to cut the whiskers, which often leads to serious razor burn. Then, the next day, we do it again, and only make matters worse.
I have heard that the regular blades from Tesco are actually a re-branded blade from a very good manufacturer. Have you tried these?

OH..
And if you just received that badger blade, depending on it's country of origin, you may want to shampoo it and let it dry thoroughly before the next use. Could have been some funk in there as well.....

Good Luck!

 

[Edward]

The badger brush is from Shaving-shack.co.uk - their own brand, and stamped 'made in England.' I'm so hoping it's not that!! I've been shaving for around three months, using the DE and with the original Merkur blades. It may be that they're a little dull.... I'll maybe try some others. I'm still getting the same effect since I changed to a new Merkur, but must try another brand.

Here's a thing.... should I maybe be storing my spare blades somewhere other than in the bathroom?

 

[Feraud]

Here's a thing.... should I maybe be storing my spare blades somewhere other than in the bathroom?

No, I do not think this is necessary.
I have always left my blades in the bathroom with no ill effects.

Just as an fyi, I inherited a huge supply of DE blades from our family business when my parents retired (10+ yrs. ago). The blades have always sat in a bathroom cabinet. Never had a problem with a rusty blade.

 

[Rider]

How often are you changing your blade? I get four shaves out of a Merkur blade before changing. Might you be trying to stretch a blade too long?

 

[Edward]

Could be.... initially, I was getting two weeks out of one blade. Maybe i need to be thinking of trying just seven days?

 

[Feraud]

Two weeks might be a bit much depending on how often you shave and the quality of your beard.
Try cutting it down to a week.

 

[Edward]

I'll give that a go and see. I'm still getting it at the minute with a new blade, but I wonder if that's because it hasn't had time to settle down yet...

 

[rikrdo]

The longer you use a blade the duller it gets.
The duller it gets, the more pressure you must use to cut the whiskers.
The more pressure you use to cut the whiskers, the more irritation will be inflicted upon your face.

Therefore......
dont use the blade as long.

And try some different brands.
Merkur blades aint the best you can do

 

[Baron Kurtz]

What on earth is DE shaving?

Sounds like you might be allergic to badger dander. Do badgers get dander? The only razon burn i ever get is from an old blade = blunt = everything everyone else has said.

Watch out for the TB.

bk

 

[Edward]

Double edged blades.... safety razor... I'm sure I'm using incorrect terminology, but there you go....

FWIW, this morning I used everything as normal but went back to the solid shaving soap instead of the shaving cream, and all seems to be fine. I also made a concious effort to lean less heavily on the blade which I'm sure helped. Hopefully this is just a blip...

I did also wonder whether I might be in a period of readjustment back: I briefl had to use modern aersol gunk on my chin for a week or so recently. No chance that might have affected me so it is taing a little while to readjust back to quality product?

 

[rmrdaddy]

I know if it would be so much of a quality of the product issue, or more of a matter of the makeup of the product. Some folks do have negative reactions to certain ingredients, especially some of the stronger essential oils.
Which cream were you using at the time?

Combine a reaction to a cream with a dull blade and I imagine I'd have a problem too!

What hard soap are you using now?

 

[Edward]

I know if it would be so much of a quality of the product issue, or more of a matter of the makeup of the product. Some folks do have negative reactions to certain ingredients, especially some of the stronger essential oils.
Which cream were you using at the time?

Combine a reaction to a cream with a dull blade and I imagine I'd have a problem too!

What hard soap are you using now?

Yes, that's the lines I was thinking along too. Cream was the Shavingshack.co.uk's own brand stuff - which I didn't have any problem with before, oddly enough. The soap is a cheap Turkish one that I bought via eBay to experiment with a while back. I do have sensitive skin on my face - can't use regular facial soap without craving itch on my nose all day. Just seems odd I had the problem with the cream but not before.... unless I didn't rinse out the brush properly when it arrived (I think I just went straight to using it) so it's just bedding in now and the cream / soap usage is coincidental.... might be, as the Baron suggests, a Badger Dander allergy....

 

[Rider]

If you haven't already, please check out the wet shaving series on youtube.com by mantic 59. You may find it helpul. There are a series. Here is the link to the first:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xjhIy9rgWQU

 

[Edward]

Rider: thanks, yes, I saw those - definitely very helpful. Surprised me, actually, how much useful information there was on Youtube about this sort of thing.