Ask the Skincare Maker: How Do I Stop Acne Post-Shaving?
Straightforward answers from someone who has been formulating skincare products & treating skin issues for a decade.
Hi, I’m Adeline. I am the formulator and founder behind Sabbatical Beauty, Korean-inspired high-powered skincare with maximum amounts of quality ingredients. I’ve formulated effective products for a decade that have been featured in outlets like Elle, New Beauty, Forbes and more. In this Ask the Skincare Maker Series, I answer some of the most common questions I get from my Sabbatical community members.
Q: I’d love some advice for post-shaving skin care, I currently get such bad acne after shaving that lasts all week and I’m using a couple of different products to treat it that just don’t seem to do much.
First of all, ouch, I’m sorry to hear this. I can hear the pain and desperation in your question, and send you a virtual hug in response. Acne can be really debilitating to our self-esteem, and can feel so frustrating, especially when you’re doing your best to treat it.
But first: Why Are You Getting Acne After Shaving?
Shaving can cause what dermatologists refer to as a “skin insult,” or damage to the skin caused by an external agent or event. While it’s not as severe as a cut or a scrape, shaving can still irritate and compromise your skin barrier. When your skin experiences an insult, it responds with creating inflammation: a response by your immune system to a perceived threat. Inflammation results in symptoms ranging from redness, swelling, pain, itching, and in your case, acne.
Your post-shaving acne might also be folliculitis — an inflammation of hair follicles which causes small painful bumps, sometimes with hairs in the center. Additionally, bacteria introduced into hair follicles while shaving can exacerbate breakouts.
Okay, So What Should You Do To Treat It?
Here is my detailed advice:
Always shave with a clean, sharp razor.
A dull razor has the potential to damage your skin more as it is less precise, removing unnecessary skin along with hair. Using a sharp razor reduces this risk and minimizes inflammation. Making sure your razor is very clean also reduces the odds of bacteria entering your hair follicles.
Exfoliate regularly.
Exfoliation removes the top layer of dead skin cells, preventing buildup that could cause more irritation while shaving. Since shaving itself is a form of physical exfoliation, I think adding another physical exfoliant (like scrubs) may irritate your skin. Instead, I would strongly recommend chemical exfoliation (using acids and enzymes) as it is more well-tolerated by sensitive skin. It will also reduce your acne (and has a whole host of other benefits including improved oil control and reducing hyperpigmentation.)
Within the Sabbatical Beauty line I would highly recommend that you use the Botanical Acid Toner the day before you shave to clear out all the gunk. I formulated it with a potently strong combination of plant and fruit acids and enzymes, and paired it with a soothing, barrier-building base of aloe vera and fermented fruit extract. It will effectively clear buildup without irritating your skin.
Use a shaving cream or gel and shave in the direction of hair growth.
The shaving cream/gel should help to lubricate the skin while shaving which works to prevent skin irritation. At the same time, shaving in the direction of hair growth will minimize ingrown hairs.
Going from examining their ingredient lists, for you I would recommend trying the Billie Whipped Shave Cream (Ultra Gentle) and the Kitsch Solid Shave Butter. Note however that the Billie cream does contain coconut oil, which can trigger an allergic reaction in some folks.
Treat your skin after with high quality anti-inflammatory skin products.
Most big box drugstore aftershave products often lack high enough concentrations of anti-inflammatory ingredients to truly soothe inflamed skin, or contain irritants. Menthol, for example, is commonly added as a counterirritant for shaving but may trigger a reaction from very sensitive skin.
Some good rules of thumb while considering which aftershaves to buy: (1) look for a product with more than one anti-inflammatory skin ingredient, and (2) make sure that ingredient is high on the ingredient list. You can read more tips on ingredient analysis in my Substack post, How to Read an Ingredient List Like Someone Who Makes Skincare.
I would recommend that you apply the Sabbatical Beauty Chang E Serum as an aftershave — it’s made with a base of colloidal silver, which is commonly used in hospitals in wound dressings to speed skin healing. It’s my number 1 go to when someone comes into the Sabbatical studio with red, irritated skin — the redness goes down 30% on average immediately after application. I would then follow up with the Rose & Honey Cream as a soothing moisturizer to calm your skin down and repair it. This is based in rose and royal jelly extracts to nourish and soothe damaged skin, as well as niacinamide to repair a damaged skin barrier. You can also apply both of these products on any acne to speed it along.
If Sabbatical products are out of your price range, you can also try a more natural route, such as by getting an aloe vera leaf and directly smearing it over your skin post-shaving, or making a mask with honey and oats for a post-shave treatment.
I hope these tips help your skin recover faster and reduce your post-shaving acne significantly. Please let me know how it goes—I’d love to hear your feedback!
Have a skin question you would like to ask? Post it in the comments and it may become a future Substack!
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This has been a huge issue for me with getting my skin Derma-planed. I always get staph or what looks like it. I was an eczema baby and have had skin issues and damaged skin barrier my entire life. I get breakouts all over the place randomly.