So before I found this great forum, all the reading I was doing says to avoid alcohol based aftershaves. Both Trumper and Jagger suggest this. But, it appears that in the wealth of knowledge that is the B&B forum, many people prefer them. I am looking at purchasing my first AS, and want some clarification. Alcohol based: Good or Bad, if good why?
AB/AS Good or Bad?
- Thread starter superpacker
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There is no simple answer to your question, as it really depends on personal preference and tolerance. Alcohol-based aftershaves (ABAs) got their start back in the good old days (really, the bad old days) of ye olde barbershop, when an infection from a nick inflicted by a communally used straight razor could kill you. Alcohol was the best way, at the time, to prevent such infections. So, back then, ABAs were definitely good, since they served a definite and important function; the adverse effects of alcohol on freshly shaven skin were a minimal consideration when compared to the risk death or disfigurement from infection.
Since in modern times risk of infection via shaving is greatly reduced, we now have different priorities in terms of what we expect from an aftershave. Current skin care wisdom advocates against using alcohol on facial skin after shaving because it is technically doing the opposite of what you want an aftershave to do. Shaving stresses skin in two key respects: 1) The blade removes the top layer of skin cells, which leaves your skin more potentially vulnerable to drying and environmental impurities; 2) Shaving removes the acid mantle. The acid mantle is a sebaceous layer your skin produces naturally to protect itself and seal in moisture. It has an acidic pH of around 4 or 4.5. Shaving removes this layer not only through the physical action of the blade, but also because lathering creams have an alkaline pH (i.e., above 7), due to the fact they are basically soaps. The faster your skin can restore its acid mantle, the faster it can recover after shaving. On average, skin will restore its own acid mantle after several hours, so as far as the need for post-shave care is concerned, were really looking at the period of time immediately following shaving to the time when the skin restores itself. Ideally, you want an aftershave to help restore the skin as much as possible to its pre-shave state. Alcohol not only does not help restore the skins pH level, but it further strips the skins natural protective oils that make up the acid mantle, thus potentially exacerbating post-shave stress to the skin, and delaying recovery.
This is the current wisdom. The problem with such wisdom is that it is generalized and does not apply to everyone. Some people genuinely like ABAs and experience no adverse effects from using them. Moreover, these people usually find balms or other alcohol-free applications heavy and sticky, and do not like them. The current wisdom does not apply to them. For others, the current view makes a lot of sense, as they dont tolerate alcohol so well. The only way to know how your skin reacts to ABAs is to try some yourself and see how you do. Keep in mind, there are many different kinds of ABAs. Some, like those by Trumper (and here I refer to their traditional splashes, not their skin foods), are literally composed of nothing more than alcohol, water, fragrance and coloring. They are about as drying and burning as an aftershave gets; if you can tolerate them (and a number of people do), you can tolerate anything. Others, such as those offered by Proraso, Musgo Real, and even Santa Maria Novella, offer lower alcohol content and use buffers such as hydrogenated castor oil or glycerin to help offset the alcohol burn and offer more moisturizing. (D.R. Harris Pink aftershave is another one, altough it is so low in alcohol that it is virtually unlike any other ABA on the market.) These tend to be considerably more skin friendly preparations and are tolerated by a wider range of individuals, although those with really dry skin or other sensitivities might still have a problem with them.
Thus, in the end, ABAs are neither good nor bad. They simply are what they are, and either you can tolerate them or you cant. If you can tolerate them, and you like them, then go ahead and enjoy them without worry. If you cant tolerate them, you have plenty of other options.
Since in modern times risk of infection via shaving is greatly reduced, we now have different priorities in terms of what we expect from an aftershave. Current skin care wisdom advocates against using alcohol on facial skin after shaving because it is technically doing the opposite of what you want an aftershave to do. Shaving stresses skin in two key respects: 1) The blade removes the top layer of skin cells, which leaves your skin more potentially vulnerable to drying and environmental impurities; 2) Shaving removes the acid mantle. The acid mantle is a sebaceous layer your skin produces naturally to protect itself and seal in moisture. It has an acidic pH of around 4 or 4.5. Shaving removes this layer not only through the physical action of the blade, but also because lathering creams have an alkaline pH (i.e., above 7), due to the fact they are basically soaps. The faster your skin can restore its acid mantle, the faster it can recover after shaving. On average, skin will restore its own acid mantle after several hours, so as far as the need for post-shave care is concerned, were really looking at the period of time immediately following shaving to the time when the skin restores itself. Ideally, you want an aftershave to help restore the skin as much as possible to its pre-shave state. Alcohol not only does not help restore the skins pH level, but it further strips the skins natural protective oils that make up the acid mantle, thus potentially exacerbating post-shave stress to the skin, and delaying recovery.
This is the current wisdom. The problem with such wisdom is that it is generalized and does not apply to everyone. Some people genuinely like ABAs and experience no adverse effects from using them. Moreover, these people usually find balms or other alcohol-free applications heavy and sticky, and do not like them. The current wisdom does not apply to them. For others, the current view makes a lot of sense, as they dont tolerate alcohol so well. The only way to know how your skin reacts to ABAs is to try some yourself and see how you do. Keep in mind, there are many different kinds of ABAs. Some, like those by Trumper (and here I refer to their traditional splashes, not their skin foods), are literally composed of nothing more than alcohol, water, fragrance and coloring. They are about as drying and burning as an aftershave gets; if you can tolerate them (and a number of people do), you can tolerate anything. Others, such as those offered by Proraso, Musgo Real, and even Santa Maria Novella, offer lower alcohol content and use buffers such as hydrogenated castor oil or glycerin to help offset the alcohol burn and offer more moisturizing. (D.R. Harris Pink aftershave is another one, altough it is so low in alcohol that it is virtually unlike any other ABA on the market.) These tend to be considerably more skin friendly preparations and are tolerated by a wider range of individuals, although those with really dry skin or other sensitivities might still have a problem with them.
Thus, in the end, ABAs are neither good nor bad. They simply are what they are, and either you can tolerate them or you cant. If you can tolerate them, and you like them, then go ahead and enjoy them without worry. If you cant tolerate them, you have plenty of other options.
I personally really LIKE the alcohol-containing splashes, but there are days where I also can't tolerate them. If your skin is sensitive, stick with a nice balm for a while. A good place to start is Proraso - their splash and balm are both KILLER and will give you a very good idea of how those things are supposed to perform in general.
