Alum block, aftershave, or both?
- Thread starter wormspank
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #42
All I can say for sure that the alum block did for me was cause me burning. I guess it's good for measuring my technique or lack there of, but overall, I'm not sure it accomplished much more. Actually, to be fair, it did seem to tone/tighten my head and face.
I've also seen that rose hydrosol is another substitute for witch hazel and alum. It's used in some aftershaves or balms. Something else to consider I guess.
I've also seen that rose hydrosol is another substitute for witch hazel and alum. It's used in some aftershaves or balms. Something else to consider I guess.
Last edited:
I only use alum if I see blood (cut, weeper) otherwise my face recovers just fine without. As for AS, I only use wound antiseptics
Same here, I only use it on the rare occasion if I get any nicks. However, I do use after shave, after every shave.
I also rinse the alum off after a few minutes with cold water when I do use it.
Different people have different reactions to pretty much everything shaving related I've learned.
I found alum block irritating so stopped using it
I only use alum after a rough shave, which isn't often. Yeah...I use an AS in conjunction.
I rinse after final pass and apply alum. I let it sit while I put away my gear then I rinse it off, pat dry my face and apply AS. Works beautifly
My routine is:
Alum Block
cold water rinse
path dry
moisturizing after shave balm
Alum Block
cold water rinse
path dry
moisturizing after shave balm
I used to use alum block first thing after a shave. I found it dried my face and didn't provide any noticeable improvements so i ditched it completely. I think if anything it causes more irritation because you're swirling a that abrasive thing over freshly scraped face. Now i use witch hazel every time directly after a shave. I let the witch hazel air dry while i finish up the whole routine. When my face is dry i use aftershave or balm or sometimes both.
- Thread starter
- #50
This was my old routine, but I replaced the alum block with witch hazel and don't rinse afterwards. It certainly doesn't seem to feel as harsh as the alum. However, I guess even this step could be skipped if using an A/S like Lucky Tiger (which I haven't ever tried, but from what I understand, has witch hazel).
I wasn't a huge fan of Lucky Tiger when I first tried it, but it grew on me quickly, and now I wouldn't want to be without it. And yes, witch hazel is one of the primary ingredients:
.....
There's also a supply of Thayer's in the house as both my wife and daughter swear by WH for their skin care. Like @Barbarian80 I use WH immediately post-shave, wait a few minutes, then apply an aftershave balm like Nivea Sensitive or Proraso White.
My issue with using an alum block wasn't dryness, it was getting angry red splotches pretty much all over my face, but particularly on my neck; even after a perfectly comfortable shave. There was (strangely) no irritation from this, but wow it was ugly. Once I got away from using the alum block, the issue disappeared.
jackgoldman123
Boring and predictable
Speick deodorant may be for you
- Thread starter
- #53
Oh wow! I can't say I've had that issue, unless I was attributing that to my razor burn. However, I'm fairly certain my technique and blades (I think they are too mild for decent BBS head shaves) are the cause.
When I first decided to wet shave, I read that an alum block was a trusted and very excellent addition to a shaving kit. That's the reason I purchased it. I'm not saying this isn't the case, but from many of the posts here, it really seems as it's either useless or has some undesirable side effects. For me, it really doesn't help stop bleeding either, I have to use a styptic pencil.
Since the start of this post, I switched to WH, and I'm glad I did. However, now I wonder if even the WH needed. I decent A/S may actually have it as an ingredient, and if not, the alcohol would work as an astringent. Other ingredients could help with the irritation and redness (aloe vera, tea tree oil, etc). If more help is needed, then a good balm could be used.
Will this stop me from using WS and/or a balm? Probably not, at least until my technique is good enough to produce an irritation-free head shave. Could be a long while.
A splash of 4711 cologne most of the time, rarely a bit of Guerlain Vetiver or Habit Rouge.
I don't know where you source your alum, but if you get a block meant for aftershave use it is smooth as glass. I use Osma block. Maybe a bit on the expensive side, but no problems with abrasivenes or crumbling...if you don't drop it in the sink that is
I do notice less irritation wo the alum so i skip it now for the most part. Only use it with a new setup to see how much burn i get.
I’ve been rethinking the whole aftershave thing. I did use alum, Hyaluronic Acid then moisturizer. I’m thinking the alum is not necessary unless I cut myself up. Since I rarely cut myself up, I ditched the alum this past week and just did the Hyaluronic Acid and moisturizer. My skin still feels the same, and there is no sign of any infection, so I think I’ll adopt that routine after I finish up the aftershave that Captain’s Choice sent me to test.
My journey with alum was similar to yours... when I started wet-shaving I used alum after every shave, as GeoFatBoy recommended that in his YT videos (which I enjoy BTW). And so... there I was, a newbie shaver with R41 and Feather blades (my first razor)... man was I red like a tomato and it sure stung like hell
So, after a while I ditched it and never used it again, except to rub my fingers, as it helps with the grip when I'm stretching my skin.
BTW, many good quality moisturizers will already contain the Hyaluronic Acid, so you don't necessarily need to apply both.
I prefer an alcohol based splash, sometimes followed by Nivea sensitive moisturizing face cream.
I don't recall the brand. An italian barber gave me a few. It's pretty glassy though sometimes really tiny chunks detach and will cause some abrasion but that could also be my fault for not doing a great job rinsing the alum before using. Either way, i don't notice any improvements use it, instead it removes moisture from my face. Many Artisan soaps we buy have ingredients specifically for post shave purposes so i don't quite get why alum block would be used if it negates that purpose.
