SMF

Hi
I haven't tried a soap before, just been using shaving gel. Is it easier for your skin to be irritated and dry if using a soap rather than gel?

That would depend on the soap used, but good shaving soaps in general are not designed to dry the skin. They are 'tuned' to make thick cushiony lather rather than for brutal degreasing, and to do that they have relatively high superfat percentages (ie fat that has not been saponified by alkali) which actually makes them good for dry skin!
Welcome to SMF, BTW.

Chris