Tinkle Razors Made Me Break Out
The morning after I dermaplaned at home. It stayed this way for months…until I found the solution.
At home dermaplaning is all the rage right now, and I’m all for it…but if not done correctly the consequences can be really unfortunate. Here’s my story.
One night I went to bed with clear skin…the next day I woke up with a rash all over my face. At first I thought it was from a new BHA product…I thought to myself, “My skin is purging!” But this was NOT purging…it wasn’t going away…my skin had a major reaction to the Tinkle Razors I had been using for years!
What the reaction looked like: Little red bumps that were not raised. These bumps weren’t in clusters and they weren’t too big…they were covering my jawline and cheeks.
After doing some research, I realized other people had the exact same rash as me the day after they used Tinkle Razors.
How I Got Rid of Tinkle Razor Rash:
Warning: The first two weeks are brutal..not only on your skin but on your self esteem. I’m so, so sorry for your journey. But don’t worry, I’ve been there. E-mail me if you need support!
Step 1: Minimize Makeup Use (Ditch it if you can!)
I know…this one is hard because the damage is so visible. If you have to wear a foundation, use an oil free, silicone free foundation. Using a foundation with oil and silicone is basically like wearing a thick mask all day, which doesn’t allow your skin to breathe.
My favorite foundation that matches this criteria is the Hourglass Vanish Stick. A little goes a long way. Another great option is a buildable CC cream like the IT Cosmetics CC Cream! Try a travel size of this, because hopefully you won’t need it for long. I also threw in a Glossier CC cream because of its raving reviews!
NOTE: If you are wearing makeup, make sure you’re taking it all off before your skincare routine. I have been loving my Makeup Eraser. It takes all of your makeup off super easily! Here’s a pack of 5 for $17!
Step 2: Use a Gentle Cleanser
Your face is obviously freaking out right now, so let’s not wake the beast even more. Don’t stop washing your skin, but use a gentle cleanser. Below are three of my favorite gentle cleansers. The Tatcha Cleanser is a high end, Glossier is mid-range and The Ordinary is budget friendly (AND AWESOME).
The Ordinary, $8: What is Squalane? It is something that our bodies make naturally to hydrate our skin. It is gentle and does little work under the skin. It won’t take off makeup because it is so gentle. I recommend using a Makeup Eraser before using this cleanser.
Glossier, $18: The Milky Cleanser is my absolute favorite face wash ever. It is super light, lacks fragrance and has only clean ingredients which will clean and condition your skin. This will help the healing process. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PRODUCTS EVER!
Tatcha, $38 for full size, $16 for travel : A mild cleanser with clean ingredients. I used the travel size of this while I was on vacation and that is when I started to see a change in my skin. It has a mild, mild exfoliant but is so gentle that it won’t further irritate your skin.
Extra Credit! Double cleanse with Farmacy’s Makeup Melter. I like buying it in the combo pack. You get a full-sized cleanser and two travel-sized bonus product.
Step 3: Promote Skin Cell Turnover
ATTN: Wait about a week before this step. Just let your skin breathe. Skip to the next step for days 1-7.
Chemical exfoliators are all the rage right now— rightfully so! They are magic. Chemical exfoliators are made with AHA, BHA and PHA. AHA is great for aging, BHA is great for acne and oil, and PHA balances out all skin types.
So what do they do? Chemical exfoliators speed up skin-cell turnover so your fresh skin can emerge and the damaged skin will shed off. Don’t expect skin to come off with the liquid exfoliant. It is not the same as a physical exfoliant with beads in it.
Do chemical exfoliants hurt? They don’t hurt. But, they will tingle. Just be sure not to use it on an open wound or zit and you will be fine. (If it does hurt more than normal, cease use IMMEDIATELY. It shouldn’t be unbearable, but a teeny sting is normal).
I truly believe that the biggest players in getting rid of my tinkle rash were the Glossier Solution (PM) and Murad Invisiscar Treatment (AM).
The Glossier Solution is made up of all those good things I talked about earlier: AHA, BHA, and PHA. Glossier says that it “uses a 10% blend of skincare acids to “unglue” dead skin and sweep it away, so your complexion appears smoother, softer, and glowier.” I can 100% stand behind this, it is one of the best products I have EVER used.
Murad InvisiScar Resurfacing Treatment In-Depth Review
InvinsiScar has Glucosamine and Salicylic Acid (A type of BHA, the magical acid I taught you about earlier): It also has naturally-occurring amino sugars which help skin turnover which will diminish scar texture, and reveal a smoother complexion.
It also has Tiger Grass, one of the most amazing things we have for skin care. When Tigers are wounded, they will rub up against Tiger Grass and it helps with redness and expedites healing. If you want a more intense Tiger Grass treatment for redness (especially Rosacea) try this magic serum. Last, it has Pure Vitamin C: and other antioxidants. These help even brighten the skin and visibly reduce the appearance of dark spots from Tinkle Razor scarring.
Step 4: Heal
I started using the Avocado Ceramide Redness Relief serum from Glow Recipe that helps with redness/skin barrier damage and it's been so awesome. A great alternative is the Krave Great Barrier Relief. Both of these reduce redness and expedite healing. Both of these items are so creamy and delicious. They have been so helpful and I love them so much!
Step 5: Moisturize
Keep that skin healthy by moisturizing + drinking lots of water. Here are my favorite moisturizers based on skin type.
Oily Skin and/or Combo Skin (Welcome to the club!)
Normal Skin (Lucky you!)
Dry Skin
Step 6: Patience
It’s unfortunately not going to go away over night. Be kind to yourself and drink a lot of water. Stick to routines and it will eventually go away.
Extra Credit:
If you have the means, there are a couple other things you can do…but they are not 100% necessary.
Visit an aesthetician to get a facial. Do a consult with them and see which facial will help you. I would go with microdermabrasion or microneedling, but they will know better than I do!
Use an at-home chemical peel once a week. My favorite is the Drunk Elephant Babyfacial ($80). I have had mine since June and I’m still not out because you only use it ONCE a week. The Ordinary makes a great dupe that is easier on the wallet, but a little harder on the skin. The Ordinary has a little more more acid in it, so buyer beware!
SLEEP ON A CLEAN PILLOW CASE AS MANY NIGHTS AS YOU CAN.
ICE ROLL BABY! Ice naturally helps with inflammation. One of my favorite beauty gurus launched an ice roller that she worked on for years to make it perfect. Not only will help with inflammation, but it also helps with lymphatic drainage and puffiness—oh and it’s PINK. Shop the Hot Mess Roller here.
As always, e-mail me if you have any questions. I’m happy to chat!
If you go back to using Tinkle Razors:
Make sure to follow these steps: 1. Clean blade with alcohol. 2. Cleanse and tone face (the toner is an important step, so you can use the one I linked from Glossier, or one you already love!) 3. Shave (You don't have to push that hard. Pushing harder than you need to can create tears in your skin. Think light and shave downward). 4. Wash your hands and moisturize. 5. Avoid wearing makeup for a few hours, I prefer to do it on a day/night I know I will be home. 5. Your pores are super open, so hook them up. Sleep on a clean pillow case.