Safety razors and sensitive skin
Let's start by saying that the disposable or cartridge razor you might be using right now is pretty bad for sensitive skin.

This is because it probably has an excessive number of blades.

Modern disposable and cartridge razors have tons of blades; 4 blades, 5, 6? We've lost count, to be honest.

You have to ask yourself, why all the blades?

We're not cutting a tree down here, we're cutting a human hair.

Hair is on average 0.05mm thick. Even the thickest hairs are only 0.12mm or so.

The reason modern razors have so many blades is for marketing and competition. It gives the major brands something to market to the consumer, a feature that can be compared to other brands to distinguish their products as different or better.

In reality, you really don't need all those blades, and they can actually damage your skin.

Why disposable razors are bad for your skin
When a razor blade moves across your skin and cuts a hair, it makes some contact with your skin. This is unavoidable. For truly smooth skin, hairs need to be cut as close to the skin's surface as possible.

This contact causes friction between the razor and your skin. This is a major cause of irritation, razor burn, ingrown hairs, and other shaving related skin conditions.

So essentially, when you add more blades, you're just adding more friction and contact. These blades aren't needed to cut hair - a single razor blade can do that just fine.

Instead, multiple blades just increase the friction and contact between the blades and you.

This is made worse when the blades lose their sharpness.

A dull multi-blade razor becomes ineffective, and you'll probably have to aggressively pull it back and forth to shave.

We've all been there!

Of course, these problems are compounded for those who suffer from sensitive skin. Shaving can be a real problem, causing acne breakouts, extreme redness and itching, soreness, and more.

Safety razors for sensitive skin
Safety razors offer hope.

Instead of using multiple razors, safety razors use a single, ultra-sharp, standard razor blade. This is more than enough to cut hair.

With only one blade, a safety razor has minimal contact with your skin, greatly reducing the risk of razor burn and other skin problems.

Yes, you do need to practice using a safety razor properly (we have a guide here), but honestly, it's pretty easy and it's like riding a bike - you need to learn once and only once.

From then on, you can go out and enjoy the wonderful benefits of a safety razor!

Other things to consider if you have sensitive skin
If you have sensitive skin, it is important to prepare for shaving.

Always wash thoroughly before shaving, using warm soapy water.
Make sure you're using a good quality shaving soap or cream.
Be careful when shaving, learn how to shave with your grain
Make sure you cleanse your face well after shaving, then apply a quality shaving balm and moisturizer if needed.
Re-moisturize an hour later