Fighting the 'burn'

[woodbane]

Oh boy, Andy's on a roll with asking questions, so here we go.

After my 3rd wet shave this morning (which went rather well actually, damn near BBS, not quite but almost!), I do have a question about the "what should I be putting on my face after my shave" kind?

I currently use 'Paupers choice" Nivea sensitive after shave balm and its fairly good. However, I keep reading about after shaves, bracers, splashes, hydrosols, alum, witch-hazel and all sorts of weird and wonderful things.

My question is this: I have had a smidgeon of neck irritation after every shave so far. I know my neck may be adjusting but I was wondering what the recommended products were for taking away the burn, soothing, healing and moisturizing ones face?

Answers on a postcard please!

 

[Scotto]

There is another recent thread regarding after shave treatments, you may want to refer to that. For razor burn, first try to fight the fire at its source - no pressure during the shave. If you are confronted with burn after, there are many options, and the choice becomes somewhat personal. Here are a few:

Alcohol-based splashes. This falls into the category of "more pain first, then relief". There are some excellent products out there if your skin can tolerate alcohol, such as Musgo Real, L'Occitane Eau de Bergers, etc. Again, these can sting quite a bit, but generally leave relief in their wake

Hydrosol sprays/splashes. This is a better option if you can't take alcohol. QED DaVinci water (rose/lavender) is probably the best known product. Quite soothing, and smells nice as well. I can also heartily recommend Thayers Witch Hazel in its various formats

Balms. The T&H unscented balm is very soothing if you are not allergic to lanolin. If you like cooling, Baxters is inexpensive and effective. L'Occitane CADE is rich, thick, and very nice.

 

[woodbane]

I guess I'm also wondering if there's something you put on your face to 'seal' or close up the pores (besides cold water) before applying aftershave balm/moisturizer?

 

[Scotto]

I do hydrosol (or witch hazel, or splash, or...) followed by balm.

 

[woodbane]

What about witch-hazel from the drugstore?

 

[guenron]

I do hydrosol (or witch hazel, or splash, or...) followed by balm.

Ditto on most occassions.

 

[Scotto]

What about witch-hazel from the drugstore?

Thayers witch hazel is very nice. You can generally find this at health-food stores, and (rarely) at a pharmacy. Dickinson's is another brand, but that is best used for thinning paint.

There are online vendors (notably Em) who provide a variety of witch hazel-based splashes (with other goodies for the face) which are also quite nice.

 

[woodbane]

Cool, thanks. Could someone try and explain hydrosol a bit better for me.

Sorry if this sounds horribly cynical but reading between the lines I'm getting the idea that's it's: "basically distilled water which we add a little bit of nice whiff to and then charge you an obscene amount of money for what is, to all intent and purpose, water!".

 

[Scotto]

Nothing wrong with a bit of cynicism....

Hydrosols are the byproduct of the steam distillation process to produce essential oils. The contain "the essence of the plant" for what it is worth. They smell nice, are soothing on the face, and (some say) provide a mild moisturizing property. Are the essential? In no way. Are they very nice to spritz on your mug? Oh, yeah, baby. They are generally quite inexpensive as well.

 

[woodbane]

Thanks Scotto, that helps. So, it sounds like something like witch-hazel or a hydrosol would certainly help cool the face and perhaps help alleviaet redness? Or are there better / other products more dedicated to just this job?

 

[PoshRichM]

Andy:

I wanted to chip in as a fan of both hydrosols and witch hazel for hotter days, but I've also recently discovered Proraso Crema Liquida Dopobarba (available at your local Target store, most likely), which is very moisturizing and burn-soothing, and yet fails to block my easily-clogged pores.

We have a whole aftershave subforum, too, and review section which have more info on aftershaves than you can shake a stick at!

-Rich

 

[greenerock]

This stuff has worked wonders for me. It's expensive but it takes very little. You can get it from e-bay a little cheaper.
http://www.origins.com/templates/pr...?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY8470&PRODUCT_ID=PROD8852

 

[vputz]

Andy:

I wanted to chip in as a fan of both hydrosols and witch hazel for hotter days, but I've also recently discovered Proraso Crema Liquida Dopobarba (available at your local Target store, most likely), which is very moisturizing and burn-soothing, and yet fails to block my easily-clogged pores.
-Rich

Another vote for Proraso aftershave (besides the fact that "dopobarba" is just a plain fun word). It has a VERY mild sting but feels great afterward, is available at your local Target in the "spa" aisle (so it's easy to get) and works well.

Myself, I do follow it up with a couple of drops of jojoba oil because I'm a weenie and I like the way it makes my face feel afterward (if I just use the proraso my face tends to feel very "tight"). But it's good stuff.

 

[Joe Lerch]

Aftershave is not the way to treat irritation. At that point, it's too late. In fact irritation is cumulative, so by the time you feel it, it's too late. You need to avoid it when you shave.

If your balde angle is flat and you shaving with no pressure, the likely cause of the irritation is over aggressive shaving. Trying to take off too much too soon. Since the rest of your face seems to befree of irritation, I suspect that you're not accounting for the grain direction on your neck. On most guys the grain reverses on the lower neck, so NS may actualy be against the grain. When you take an aggressive first pass NS on the neck you may actually be going against the grain, introducing irritation very early. Fomr there it can onl get worse. So, learn the grain on your neck and work gently with it until you get down to a fine stubble. Then, go gently across or against the stubble to remove it.

One other thing on the neck is that stretching makes a big difference. As a minimum create a flat area for the blade. More extremem stretching may get better results.

 

[woodbane]

Aftershave is not the way to treat irritation. At that point, it's too late. In fact irritation is cumulative, so by the time you feel it, it's too late. You need to avoid it when you shave.

If your balde angle is flat and you shaving with no pressure, the likely cause of the irritation is over aggressive shaving. Trying to take off too much too soon. Since the rest of your face seems to befree of irritation, I suspect that you're not accounting for the grain direction on your neck. On most guys the grain reverses on the lower neck, so NS may actualy be against the grain. When you take an aggressive first pass NS on the neck you may actually be going against the grain, introducing irritation very early. Fomr there it can onl get worse. So, learn the grain on your neck and work gently with it until you get down to a fine stubble. Then, go gently across or against the stubble to remove it.

One other thing on the neck is that stretching makes a big difference. As a minimum create a flat area for the blade. More extremem stretching may get better results.

You're certianly right about the grain on the neck, it rarely goes in the same direction as the face. Luckily I am blessed with fairly straight stubble and only slight changes in direction on the neck.

I'd agree that I was perhaps a little too aggressive on my neck those first couple of shaves, I was also getting a feel for the grain as well I think. This mornings shave went far, far better, virtually zero irritation. Practice makes perfect, as they say!


Rich, thanks for the information on the other forums, I have checked them out and there's a lot of interesting bits and pieces. I guess I was being partly lazy and wanted to post if anyone had a 'miracle cure' on hand!

Also, no Target's here in Vermont unfortunately Actually, not a whole lot of anything here, except tress and cows!

Thanks guys for the responses.

 

[Marcus83]

Thayers witch hazel is very nice. You can generally find this at health-food stores, and (rarely) at a pharmacy. Dickinson's is another brand, but that is best used for thinning paint.

There are online vendors (notably Em) who provide a variety of witch hazel-based splashes (with other goodies for the face) which are also quite nice.

In searching ebay last night, I happened on this store "HEAVENLY HARVEST INC", http://stores.ebay.com/id=1911916&ssPageName=STRK:MEFS:MESST ,which carries Thayers Witch Hazel in 6 flavors ( Orginal, Lemon, Medicated, Peach, Alcohol-Free Rose Petal with Vitamin E, and Alcohol-Free Toner with Original Fragrance). They also have a sampler pack with 2 oz. samples of these,
with a note saying there was now a 7th sample which is the newest Thayer's Witch Hazel, Lavender.

 

[woodbane]

In searching ebay last night, I happened on this store "HEAVENLY HARVEST INC", http://stores.ebay.com/id=1911916&ssPageName=STRK:MEFS:MESST ,which carries Thayers Witch Hazel in 6 flavors ( Orginal, Lemon, Medicated, Peach, Alcohol-Free Rose Petal with Vitamin E, and Alcohol-Free Toner with Original Fragrance). They also have a sampler pack with 2 oz. samples of these,
with a note saying there was now a 7th sample which is the newest Thayer's Witch Hazel, Lavender.

I'm just experimenting with some witch hazel after reading good things about Thayers. I managed to find some in my local 'granola' store. They had the original and lemon varieties. I opted for lemon..................d'oh!

Can we all say "Lemon Pledge furniture polish?"

I think I'll try the original but am hoping it's also not going to be a disappointment!

 

[Scotto]

Andy, I have never tried the original or Lemon Thayers, but the Rose is sublime.

 

[woodbane]

Hi Scotto,

Ya, typically the store only stocks original and Lemon and it would be nice to be able to buy some locally rather than have to purcahse everything I need for shaving from the internet.

I haven't used 'normal' witch hazel for many years but as I remember the smell isn't actually too bad, maybe slightly herby but it fades real quick?

Anyone else care to comment on the 'Original Thayers'?

 

[Kyle]

As Scotto points out, the Rose is excellent.

I have used normal and it gets the job done, but the rose (and from what I've been told, the lavender) has a little something extra.