Here's what's really happening: Every time you shave, your skin naturally produces sebum (oil) and sheds dead cells. Those collect right at your follicle openings and form a plug—like a cork in a bottle.
That plug blocks new hairs from breaking through cleanly. The hair grows, hits the plug, can't penetrate, and curls back under your skin instead. That's what creates those painful bumps that look exactly like acne.
And here's the problem: That plug stays there for weeks. Face wash can't dissolve oil. Scrubbing can't reach inside the follicle. Alcohol aftershave actually tightens your pores over the plug, sealing it in.
You're not doing anything wrong. Your follicles are just clogged with something face wash can't remove.