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Ode to alcohol aftershaves

I love alcohol. Having an IPA now and had a bourbon earlier…. Wait, what were we talking about again? 🤪

I prefer alcohol based aftershave for sure, but I almost always match soap and AS scents. If an AS is alcohol free, I don't really mind, but I do prefer the alcohol burn.

If an artisan offered AS in witch hazel AND alcohol bases, I would always pick the alcohol base.
 
As long as it has alcohol in it, I'm a happy guy.
If I had to use non-alcohol balms, I would just get this really cheap aftershave balm.

View attachment 1371906
It could use some tallow. 😁
1638511266391.jpeg
 
I personally dislike being 'lectured' by others about how bad alcohol based post shave products are. Not too long ago, I read a particularly galling article on the ills of alchohol based aftershaves that was published by Business Insider. You know, those experts on shaving products. Well, it's proven itself for generations and I like it so that makes it good enough for me.
 
Besides doing its antiseptic job, I really appreciate a good alcohol splash for its feedback properties. It tells you how and - more importantly - where your shave went well or didn’t. Can’t tell you how many times I thought I had a flawless shave, but the splash would tell me if there was any irritation. Feeling good about my technique, that’s usually a sign for me to consider disposing of the blade on the next shave.
 
A great philosopher once said:

"Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you"

That in a nutshell expresses my affinity for alcohol based aftershaves.
I know.
There are guys out there who shriek in consternation at the concept of putting alcohol on their face.
"You're damaging your skin!" they say.
"You need a moisturizing balm!" they claim.
"Do these pants make my butt look big?" they inquire.
Ok, they don't actually inquire that, I'm just poking some good natured fun.

I like big burns and I can not lie,
some other fellas want to deny...

But the aftershave burn is not a painful experience to sweat and swear and struggle through.
No, indeed it is a pleasant experience for me.
It signifies a completion of the ritual. It's a part of my daily routine that I've become so accustomed to and look forward to so much so that the concept of using anything other than an alcohol based aftershave seems foreign, alien, and unnatural.

I rue the day that alcohol based aftershaves go away completely because, you know - our modern society trends to the insistence that we all be protected from what some feel is not "good for us", and the decision will be taken out of our hands.
We'll be left with nothing but nurturing, nourishing milk balms full of skin replenishing essential ingredients.
Go ahead, laugh. It's already happening. First you reduce, then you eliminate.

I accept our fate. I recognize that the modern man's demand for pampered skin is a path we are marching down.

But I shall not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
My stock of Everclear shall keep things right.
I am with you here. Rarely use balms. Back 10-15 years ago it was mostly balms.
 
A great philosopher once said:

"Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you"

That in a nutshell expresses my affinity for alcohol based aftershaves.
I know.
There are guys out there who shriek in consternation at the concept of putting alcohol on their face.
"You're damaging your skin!" they say.
"You need a moisturizing balm!" they claim.
"Do these pants make my butt look big?" they inquire.
Ok, they don't actually inquire that, I'm just poking some good natured fun.

I like big burns and I can not lie,
some other fellas want to deny...

But the aftershave burn is not a painful experience to sweat and swear and struggle through.
No, indeed it is a pleasant experience for me.
It signifies a completion of the ritual. It's a part of my daily routine that I've become so accustomed to and look forward to so much so that the concept of using anything other than an alcohol based aftershave seems foreign, alien, and unnatural.

I rue the day that alcohol based aftershaves go away completely because, you know - our modern society trends to the insistence that we all be protected from what some feel is not "good for us", and the decision will be taken out of our hands.
We'll be left with nothing but nurturing, nourishing milk balms full of skin replenishing essential ingredients.
Go ahead, laugh. It's already happening. First you reduce, then you eliminate.

I accept our fate. I recognize that the modern man's demand for pampered skin is a path we are marching down.

But I shall not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
My stock of Everclear shall keep things right.
You’re amazing, thank you.
 
After all the lapping, honing, lathering, and shaving, after all, the conclusion is ultimately the splash. And it is satisfying. We earned it!

If i ever have to quit drinking, if it comes to that, i won't stop splashing it on my face 😁
 
It was explained to me that balm vs alcohol is largely a matter of dry skin vs oily skin. If you have naturally dry skin then balms might be a better choice. Oily, acne prone skin will respond to alcohol better. After that, its all a matter of personal preference. But most the alcohol splashes I have also have pretty much everything that a balm has in it so you are getting the best of both worlds really. This is a good deal for me since my skin is more acne prone so benefits from the alcohol but also dries out easily and so benefits from the added ingredients common in balms.
 
Yeah I agree with the dry (balm) and oily (more alcohol based). I also feel like the weather/season plays a role a too and I prefer balms in the winter
 
I keep a special bottle of 99% iso, just in case. I also use it with distilled water to keep my LPs spotless and quiet.
 
A healthy splash of alcohol based aftershave is basically the final, quality control step in my shaving routine. Any feedback/burn is just empirical evidence of an error. Zero feedback/burn means a perfect shave.

Besides, balms just ruin my skin....
 
I love that burn that sometimes occurs with alcohol aftershave. I do have one balm somewhere in the bathroom and should probably check to see if it's still good. It's been years since I've opened it or used it.
 
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