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Anyone ever use cologne as hair tonic?

I want to try using Clubman aftershave and Pinaud Lime Sec as a hair tonic. You know, just rub it into the ole' scalp. Is this bad for my scalp/hair?
 
I actually did that with Citrus Musk the other day. I was half asleep and grabbed what I thought was my Pinaud Eau de Portugal. It was out of the bottle and on my head before I realized my mistake. Nothing bad happened--my crewcut is as robust and handsome as ever.
 
My understanding is hair tonic was a precursor to modern hair styling products - an oil or petrolatum based solution that helps make the hair more manageable by weighing it down. An alcohol based cologne wouldn't have this effect at all, since it would just evaporate. So, I guess I'm wondering, what function are you looking for a hair tonic to do that you think would be accomplished by putting cologne on your hair?
 
I want to try using Clubman aftershave and Pinaud Lime Sec as a hair tonic. You know, just rub it into the ole' scalp. Is this bad for my scalp/hair?

You know, they make a CLubman hair tonic. I believe it's under the brand name Jeris, but it's the same thing as Pinaud, as far as I know.
 
I've had a few olde tyme barbers do this to me with bay rum, but as far as cologne is concerned (or bay rum for that matter), wouldn't the alcohol content be damaging to your hair and/or drying to your scalp?
 
I don't know about the alcohol content, but I can say that natural fibers(hair included) are more porous and tend to hold smells better than synthetics. It could be a good way to carry a smell all day.
 
I have used OS and AV Sport among other to help tame the kids hair when I am combing it in the morning with no ill effects. The kids like it a lot and they smell good for a while. I haven't noticed any other benefits over water though.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
I want to try using Clubman aftershave and Pinaud Lime Sec as a hair tonic. You know, just rub it into the ole' scalp. Is this bad for my scalp/hair?

There is a Clubman hair tonic in exactly the same scent as the Clubman aftershave. (Much different than Jeris, BTW.)
 
LOL..never tried that before tho SWMBO remarked that my newly bought Tabac Cologne smelled like a hair product out of the bottle. :biggrin:
 
I've had a few olde tyme barbers do this to me with bay rum, but as far as cologne is concerned (or bay rum for that matter), wouldn't the alcohol content be damaging to your hair and/or drying to your scalp?

Yes, but then again, many styling products are also alcohol based and are damaging.
 
Let me point out that besides Clubman and Jeris hair tonics, there is also Pinaud Eau De Portugal and Eau De Quinine hair tonics, which in my opinion are the best tonics on the market today.
 
I use the greaseless hair tonics mainly for scalp health- fewer blemishes. So many colognes would be more or less the same as what I use- alcohol, water, scent, and a little glycerine. Depending on the cologne though, I would be wary- too much of some colognes will stink out a room in no time at all. For my purposes, this would be fine. If you want improved control, who knows? One way to find out...

I think most of the Pinaud aftershaves contain little if any glycerine, and I fortify them with some anyway.

Some say alcohol dries/ damages the skin. For some it may, but as long as there is some glycerine in the product, my skin does not dry out. YMMV
 
How do they smell?

The Portugal is on the floral/citrusy side and the Quinine is a bit medicinal and syrupy. Eau De Quinine seems to be one of those love it or hate it scents like Lilac Vegetal, and I'm one of the ones that likes it.

Since both are greaseless, I also use them as a splash from time to time.
 
As a barber I have to say that Hair Tonic is really a throwback to when soap was the only thing available to shampoo hair with so, because of their damaging nature to hair the process was not done very often, perhaps every few weeks. Tonics, with their alcohol base, were used to cleanse and refresh the scalp.
IMHO, this was fine for the 19th century but we are in the 21st century now and have better methods available to us.
 
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