Alum Residue?

[firstfloorfront]

Morning All,

After I'd finished shaving this morning I rubbed my face with an Alum Block as normal. I then tidied up my bits and afterwards put some Proraso Pre/Post Cream on.

At this point things started to get a little strange; the Cream wouldn't rub in, it stayed on the surface, dried out, went powdery and then lumpy.

I washed it all off and reapplied the Proraso and things were fine after that.

I'm assuming that the alum block had left a residue on the skin. Has anyone else had this happen?

 

[Laz]

You are right - alum blocks will leave a residue.

After I use one, I give it about a minute on my face then rinse with lots of cold water to remove the residue.

 

[dpmtherrien]

You are right - alum blocks will leave a residue.

After I use one, I give it about a minute on my face then rinse with lots of cold water to remove the residue.

+1 on this. What I do is after I use the alum block, I leave the alum on my face while I clean up after my shave. I wash out my scuttle, give my brush a through rinse and dry, rinse razor, etc. All this takes approx. 5 min. then I rinse the alum off my face with cold water. As stated above, this removes the alum residue, and then I apply any AS or balm. To leave the alum on, without rinsing it off, leaves a barrier that prevents the AS or balm from being effective.

 

[Wingnut]

You are right - alum blocks will leave a residue.

After I use one, I give it about a minute on my face then rinse with lots of cold water to remove the residue.

+1 to this: it's exactly what I do, and then it's on to witch hazel (which I let dry "in situ") and whatever AS or cologne I'm using that day.

 

[GoldenMonkey]

+1 on this. What I do is after I use the alum block, I leave the alum on my face while I clean up after my shave. I wash out my scuttle, give my brush a through rinse and dry, rinse razor, etc. All this takes approx. 5 min. then I rinse the alum off my face with cold water. As stated above, this removes the alum residue, and then I apply any AS or balm. To leave the alum on, without rinsing it off, leaves a barrier that prevents the AS or balm from being effective.

No, +1 to THIS! Lol...

 

[mkevenson]

Rinse rinse rinse

 

[firstfloorfront]

Many thanks; been using the stuff for ages, never happened before

 

[Drubbing]

Yeah, I like to use proraso post and this happens with Alum. So I don't bother using it, I just stick with an AS or WH. Then no problems with adding a balm, which I do, just to put some moisture back.