After shaving routine

[fly3k]

Hi All

This is my first thread after lurking for some time, joined up properly today!

I want to know what your post shave routines are. I have quite a few different products so often change the routine. Recently it has been warm then cold water, witch hazel then 3P cream. I have Skin Food, a few different AS and balms and the 3P (bought after my Proraso ran out).

So any suggestions.

Also I am using the Boots Witch Hazel with no alcohol, I'm about halfway through and wanted to know if the WH that contain alcohol are better / worse.

I also get ingrown hairs / razor bumps on the neck so have been dabbing tea tree oil neat on these.

Over to you, (I hope I have posted this in the correct part!)

 

[Niles]

My post-shave routine is simple: cold water splash, then whatever aftershave splash I choose for the day.

 

[pipskicks]

As far as the WH and alcohol question, I've never seen ones without something like 15-20% alcohol or so. I'm finishing up a bottle of Dickinson. I thought it was needed, I may be wrong though, I've seen higher alcohol content that people seem to discourage. Since the CVS brand, the Dickinson and all the bottles I've seen had some alcohol, I'm thinking only thayers would have it. Not sure how bad that low % is, I know it doesn't come close to the burn of a strong AS splash.

 

[fly3k]

As far as the WH and alcohol question, I've never seen ones without something like 15-20% alcohol or so. I'm finishing up a bottle of Dickinson. I thought it was needed, I may be wrong though, I've seen higher alcohol content that people seem to discourage. Since the CVS brand, the Dickinson and all the bottles I've seen had some alcohol, I'm thinking only thayers would have it. Not sure how bad that low % is, I know it doesn't come close to the burn of a strong AS splash.

Thanks for the reply, its says on the bottle 100% distilled WH, the link to the site is:

http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Pharmaceuticals-Distilled-Witch-Hazel-B-P-C-200ml-_1132125/

it does not sting when applied so I guess there is no alcohol in this one? I have seen one in my local pharmacy which does contain alcohol, I think about 20%.

 

[maxman]

I use a cold water rinse. As cold as I can get it then Thayer's No Alcohol WH Toner.
Just those two things are good for 99% of the time.
If I have a rough shave I still use the cold water and Thayer's I just might also use a moisturzier (fragrance free if at all possible) after my skin has settled down a bit.
I've only tried Thayer's WH and a generic WH from the pharmacy.
Thayer's is great stuff and I do feel that it helps my skin.

 

[sixsixty]

Dry and clean my straight razor! Those things are expensive!

 

[PugslyCat]

I usually do a warm water face wash, a cold water rinse, then an aftershave splash.

So far the AS has been a Dollar General or Family Dollar knock off of one of the drugstore brands, or maybe one of the actual drugstore brands. I am thinking about trying to move up market a little bit with the aftershaves. I'll probably start with getting some brand name AS that matches the many knock off colognes I have. Yea, there's a trend here. I'm cheap and admit it. If I like the real brand aftershaves enough I may actually splurge on the corresponding EDT or EDC.

 

[dpittman70]

I usually do a warm water face wash, a cold water rinse, then an aftershave splash.

+1 (and sometimes WH if the mood strikes me)

I love Pinaud Clubman AS

 

[mchad21]

Cold water splash, followed by WH without alcohol, followed by AS Balm without alcohol. My neck cannot tolerate alcohol-based splashes (tends to dry out) so I stay away from those. Sometimes I mix a drop of aloe vera lotion into the AS Balm (usually Nivea).

 

[bobfarvour]

rinse, dry, splash. I hate to over complicate the simple things of life.

 

[DICE]

-Use remaining soap in my brush to clean/exfoliate rest of face (forehead, under eyes, temples etc...)

-Cold water rinse/splash (although my whole shave is with cold water)

-Pat dry face with towel

-Thayers Witch Hazel (on whole face)

-Pinaud Clubman AS (on shaved parts of face/neck)

 

[banditman]

I prefer a simple post shave routine. Just splash on some Witch Hazel and go. Might use a bit of balm if it's needed.

 

[Speedwell68]

I just rinse my face and neck in lots of cold water straight from the tap. Pat my face dry with a towel and then apply my balm of choice. My choice of balm differs depending on what Aftershave I am going to follow with. If I am going with Boots Freshwood aftershave then I use the Freshwood balm to compliment it. If it is going to be anything else I use Eliven or Real Shave Co Balm as their scents are fairly neutral and wont taint my aftershave. Both Enliven and Real Shave Co balms are available from Poundland on a periodic basis.

 

[pipskicks]

Thanks for the reply, its says on the bottle 100% distilled WH, the link to the site is:

http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Pharmaceuticals-Distilled-Witch-Hazel-B-P-C-200ml-_1132125/

it does not sting when applied so I guess there is no alcohol in this one? I have seen one in my local pharmacy which does contain alcohol, I think about 20%.

I guess I need to look more because your link was a non alcoholic witch hazel it looked like to me.

So the one with alcohol is a rougher astringent. WH is an astringent, not sure how much "better" it would be either way. Some people say alcohol is bad for your skin, some people say it's just drying. I would think that the WH without alcohol is definitely useful, if you want more alcohol to throw on your face, an AS splash like the above mentioned clubman, is about as strong as you'll get in an AS.

 

[Lamar]

If I've nicked myself or got a bit of irritation I will do the alum block first. Then it's a cold rinse, with or without witch hazel (generic) and then a simple cheap aftershave (generic stuff). I could do just a cold rinse and be done with it, but I like the feel of witch hazel and the smell of an aftershave.

 

[mistercitizen]

I rinse off the remaining soap with warm water, then cold water rinse to calm my skin. Clean up a bit, then I apply Myrsol Metilsol astringent AS splash. Clean up some more and then I apply my AS splash of the day. Finish cleaning up and then if I feel I need it I will apply an AS balm. I'd say 75% of the time I apply a balm immediately after the shave and the other 25% of the time I will apply it an hour or two later (I shave in the evenings typically.... but I also keep a balm in my desk drawer at the office). I use witch hazel from time to time.... but not so much after I shave... mostly as a refresher. I keep it in a spray bottle and every so often I'll spray my face and neck in the evening. Before bed, I'll take a cotton round soaked with Myrsol Antesol and go over my face and neck and then apply a face moisturizer. It may all be overkill, but it works for me. I must be doing something right because I no longer have problems with razor bumps like I did when I first started using a DE about 9 months ago.

Ben

 

[sanuginz]

Warm water rinse,
Cold water rinse,
lightly pat dry on towel,
apply alcohol splash after waiting 5 seconds for some alcohol to evaporate on fingers.

 

[Johnny_Ludlow]

My usual routine: cold water rinse, dry gently, aftershave splash, wait for a minute or so, moisturizer/balm with no scent or mild and fleeting scent

 

[Elder Scrolls]

mine's pretty basic too.... cold water rinse => pat dry with towel and then comes my fav part of the entire shave ==> the aftershave splash...I used to do the alum block routine but now I've skipped that entirely, one too many steps for me

 

[CoventryCowboy]

I keep it simple. Warm water rinse. Cold water rinse. Generic W.H. After Shave of choise.