Tips & Tricks: Itchy Skin After Shaving

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen a few of my recent tweets complaining about my incredibly itchy legs! It's been really uncomfortable and it always occurs a few days after shaving with a razor. I've tried various methods that I've found online and I've tried things that people in the beauty community have recommended on my Twitter. I'm going to compile a list of things that may help you if you suffer from this too, including the one thing that helps me. Many of these didn't work for me, but they might work for you so it's worth a try if it stops you from itching!

When I first complained about this, I got told to stop using a razor as I'm "obviously allergic to shaving with a razor". But I didn't want to stop as it's the closest shave I can get, pain free! That may be silly of me and sound like I'm causing it myself, which I guess I am to some extent, but I was keen to find a product out there that would give me some sort of relief, without giving up the razor and my smooth legs.

A fellow beauty blogger on Twitter recommended that I try Aveeno cream, as it's great for dry skin and eczema. It's a moisturising lotion with natural ingredients which helps soothe my skin when I apply it after shaving. The reason I like this is because it's full of natural ingredients, so it doesn't seem harmful to my skin and because it's fragrance free, it doesn't give me further unnecessary irritation. The lotion claims to "immediately relieve" the skin and moisturise it for 24 hours. It's formulated with shea butter and has a "unique active triple oat complex containing finely milled colloidal oatmeal, oat oil and oat essence" (which is one of the recommendations I found online; to find an oat-based moisturiser as it helps soothe and moisturise the skin.)

I'm not saying this has 100% made my skin better; I still get a little itchy, but it has dramatically improved the appearance of my skin - the red spotty rash has gone and the irritation is down to a minimum. It helps rehydrate my skin, providing moisture and has helped soothe my skin. Try this out if you have the same problem and let me know if it has helped you!

If this doesn't help, here are various other methods you could try to give your skin some relief after shaving:

♥ Try changing your razor - a blunt razor could be part of the problem, as it's dragging on your skin and catching it, causing dryness and irritation.

♥ Try swapping your shaving foam/gel for a conditioner, as you could find that it's more moisturising and easier to shave with.

♥ Don't use a scented soap after shaving, or a scented moisturiser as the added perfumes cause your skin to become even more irritated! Try to stick to natural ingredients, like aloe vera (which is supposed to be fantastic for your skin!)

♥ Try to shave at the end of your shower or bath, as your hairs have had time to soften and it'll help with a smoother shave.

♥ Exfoliate before and after shaving - it gets rid of dead skin and will hopefully reduce irritation. It unclogs your pores from the shaving foam/gel you've used and helps prevent razor bumps.

♥ Be gentle; use short strokes and don't press too hard - you don't want to get any cuts! You're only shaving your legs, not mowing a field of grass! There's no need to add pressure to the razor.

♥ You could try shaving in the direction of your hair growth; I know you don't get the same close shave as shaving in the opposite direction, but it could help reduce irritation.

♥ Rinse your legs with cool water afterwards, as this will help close your pores. Pat your legs dry with a towel afterwards - avoid rubbing!

♥ Try looking for lotions and shaving foams suitable for sensitive skin - they usually say on the bottle but if you're not sure, just ask a member of staff at Boots.

I'm in no way a skin expert, these are just some methods I found on the internet that may work for you. If you still get irritated skin, maybe it's time to ditch the razor and use an alternative method of shaving. You can also visit your doctor or dermatologist who'll be able to tell you what to do!

Let me know if any of these methods worked for you; leave a comment, as it may help someone else! Also let me know what you think of Aveeno cream - it worked wonders for me!

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 http://www.haveyouseen.com/4x43

Thanks for reading!