Can aftershave cause headaches?

[Phoenix997]

The last couple of nights I splashed on some A&E before going to bed (shaved in morning but wanted to smell good for the night).
Both mornings I woke up with a big headache that lasted most of the day.
Last night I didn’t splash anything on before bed and woke up today feeling fine.
Could it be the aftershave or something else like stress ?

 

[mikey517]

Has it ever given you headaches other times you've used it?

 

[JustJames]

Very unusual IMHO. Maybe try a splash a couple of hours before going to bed and see if it persist - just a thought. Hope you are better.

 

[Frito Ray]

If you‘ve used it before without any problems then it’s probably not at cause.

That said, I’ve has sinus reactions to an Adidas(Pulse?) and a Stetson aftershave, both coincidentally made by Coty. Washed my face and that was the end of it. Tested them again a few months later and got the same reaction, so I just gave them away. I must have tried two dozen different aftershaves over the years, and these two were the only ones I reacted to.

 

[Hair Scraper]

If you're up for it you could try to recreate the effect off and on to see if there's a pattern to it. If you're able to reproduce it then you'll know. Also, could it be dehydration, that can cause headaches. (Drink more water later in the day, or before bed?)

I find that lotions on my face, whether they're an aftershave balm or even sunscreen, will make my eye muscles feel tired like I've been squinting all day long. And they can make me feel very sleepy. If I rinse off around my eyes and upper cheeks with plain water it can prevent it or it goes away. Also, if I'm outside moving around, or if it's windy out, it doesn't do it. I noticed it would start up later in the day many years ago after wearing sunscreen on my face all day. Now it starts up much earlier in the day.

 

[Fordfather]

Every time I would splash on some aftershave before bed, my ex-wife would get a headache....

The current GF has the opposite reaction. Thankfully...

 

[Phoenix997]

Has it ever given you headaches other times you've used it?

I haven’t used the A&E that much. I only used after shaving a few times. Normally before bed I put on PAA harvest moon. My girlfriend loves it.
Maybe a couple times I woke up with a slight headache after but was for maybe half an hour not the whole day.
It could be stress as well. A lot going on with work

 

[EclipseRedRing]

Aftershave can cause headaches, as can many other things; if the headaches persist then be sure to consult your doctor

 

[Phoenix997]

If you're up for it you could try to recreate the effect off and on to see if there's a pattern to it. If you're able to reproduce it then you'll know. Also, could it be dehydration, that can cause headaches. (Drink more water later in the day, or before bed?)

I find that lotions on my face, whether they're an aftershave balm or even sunscreen, will make my eye muscles feel tired like I've been squinting all day long. And they can make me feel very sleepy. If I rinse off around my eyes and upper cheeks with plain water it can prevent it or it goes away. Also, if I'm outside moving around, or if it's windy out, it doesn't do it. I noticed it would start up later in the day many years ago after wearing sunscreen on my face all day. Now it starts up much earlier in the day.

Yes, sometime I don’t drink that much water during the day. I’m going to make sure I do. I used it again this morning after shaving. I’ll see if that has any rection. Overall, scents are nice and it feels like a quality product with nice ingredients. So if I don’t have any more reactions I’ll keep it.l

 

[ChriWilson]

The last couple of nights I splashed on some A&E before going to bed (shaved in morning but wanted to smell good for the night).
Both mornings I woke up with a big headache that lasted most of the day.
Last night I didn’t splash anything on before bed and woke up today feeling fine.
Could it be the aftershave or something else like stress ?

If the A/S has never bothered you before, I would say it's stress or neck/pillow positioning (could also be salt intake).
For example, I cannot wear Sunrise on LaSalle nor Tabac Splashes as they lead me to migraine each time I've tried them.

 

[njpaddy]

Even I can't stand strong aftershaves. In my working years I always shaved at night, to free up the bathroom in the morning for wife and daughters. A good bay rum at night, like Captain's Choice or Ogallala fades within an hour or so, plus my wife liked the scents.

 

[mikey517]

If the A/S has never bothered you before, I would say it's stress or neck/pillow positioning (could also be salt intake).
For example, I cannot wear Sunrise on LaSalle nor Tabac Splashes as they lead me to migraine each time I've tried them.

I second the neck/pillow position. I get headaches when I wake up if I've fallen asleep while propped up on a bigger pillow than usual. I normally use a very thin, "beat up" pillow or none at all to sleep. But if I'm reading or watching TV and fall asleep on a bigger pillow, the neck angle just kills me!

 

[Toothpick]

Headaches can be caused by 9,000 things. How can anyone on the internet say "yeah, that aftershave caused your headache" ?? Just the same anyone here can easily say "no it's not the aftershave you have high blood pressure". "it's not the aftershave, you're just dehydrated".

Go see a doctor if you are concerned about recurring headaches.

 

[MarquesSnow]

Fragrances and alcohol in aftershave can sometimes cause headaches, especially if applied before bed. This is because the strong scents or chemicals might affect your respiratory system or cause irritation, which could lead to headaches.Another possibility is that the alcohol in the aftershave might have dried out your skin or disrupted your sleep. If you’re sensitive to strong scents or chemicals, that could also be a factor.Stress can contribute to headaches, but given the pattern you described, it seems more likely that the aftershave might be the cause. You might want to avoid using it before bed and see if your headaches stop. If they do, then you’ll know it’s likely the aftershave. Perhaps, by the way, autosuggestion played a role here

 

[CzechCzar]

I suppose if you hit your head hard enough with a glass aftershave bottle, aftershave could conceivably cause headaches.

 

[JesseL26]

They sure can, Brut gives me headaches since it smells so bad.