Why does your face burn after shaving?

What does shaving do to your skin?

As the blade cuts the hair, it also passes over the skin's surface and takes cells from the top layer. In lab models, even a single dry pass disrupts the barrier and raises markers of irritation.

Where does the burn come from?

When the barrier thins, your skin loses more water and becomes more sensitive to whatever it comes into contact with. That's why the alcohol-based lotion you put on after shaving stings.

Before shaving

• 1Soften your face with lukewarm water; the hairs cut more easily.
• 2Don't dry shave, use foam or gel.
• 3Use a sharp blade, and don't go over the same spot again and again.
• 4Shave in the direction of hair growth.

After shaving

• 1Rinse with lukewarm or cool water.
• 2Instead of an alcohol-based lotion, apply a non-greasy moisturizer.
• 3If redness lasts for days, or bumps that look like pimples appear, see a dermatologist.

In studies, using shaving foam and moisturizing after shaving reduce the disruption to the barrier. Your routine has two steps: foam and cream.