Face stings for an hour after every shave since the heating went on. Same razor, same soap. What changed?

This is getting silly. All summer I had the neck sorted, two passes, no burn, felt like I'd finally cracked it after all the help on the neck thread back in spring.

Then about three weeks ago the heating came on and the cold mornings started, and now my whole face stings for an hour after every shave. Cheeks feel tight and a bit papery by lunchtime and there's flaky bits round my nose. Neck is red again too.

Nothing has changed in the kit. Same razor, same blade brand, same soap. I tried a fresh blade early on in case that was it, no difference. Is this just winter or am I doing something different without noticing?

It's winter. Same thing happens to me every year around now. Indoor heating dries the air out and your face dries out with it.

Quick question though, how long and how hot are your showers now it's cold? Because mine go from five minutes lukewarm in August to fifteen minutes scalding in October without me ever deciding it.

Graham B said:

how long and how hot are your showers now it's cold?

Ah. Long, and hot. I stand there until I'm awake. Then I shave at the sink afterwards, by which time it's been ten minutes and the bathroom is cold.

Graham's on it. The razor hasn't changed, the skin has, and winter is the time of year I see it most in the chair.

Cold air outside and heated air inside both dry the skin, and a long hot shower strips more oil off on top. So you're putting a blade across a surface that has less give than it had in August. Three things I'd change, roughly in order of how much difference they make.

First, the shower. Shorter and warm rather than hot, and shave at the end of it while your face is still soft, rather than at a cold sink ten minutes later. If the sink is where you shave, put a warm wet flannel on for a minute or two right before you lather.

Second, drop a pass. Two passes in summer can be one and a touch up in winter. Every pass takes a little of the skin's surface with the stubble and dry skin has less to spare. Make the lather a bit wetter and slicker as well, it should shine.

Third, aftercare. Cool rinse, pat dry, and a fragrance free balm or cream on while the face is still slightly damp. If you're using an alcohol splash, put it away till spring.

Tom's guide to shaving sensitive skin is worth a read for the aftercare side, especially the bit about fragrance and high alcohol products. The flaky patches round your nose are the one thing I'd keep an eye on. If they crack, weep, or spread, that's a pharmacist's question, not a shaving one.

The one fewer pass thing is underrated. I go to with the grain only from about November to February and nobody at work has ever noticed. My face notices though.

Two weeks on. Shower is shorter and I shave in it now with a little mirror on the tiles, which felt weird for a few days and now I prefer it. One pass plus a quick touch up on the chin. Splash is in the cupboard, plain balm instead.

Stinging has basically gone and the tight papery feeling is mostly gone. Flaky bits round the nose cleared up in a few days once I stopped scrubbing my face with a hot flannel, which I hadn't even mentioned because I didn't think of it as part of shaving. Thanks all.