Okay, this is me being confused: how dry should your face be?

[dixarone]

I'm losing my mind...and everytime I think I have it figured, it seems a new variable enters the equation. My question is simply this: When do you apply aftershave (balm or splash)? The thing(s) that have me confused is how dry should one's face be? and further to that the whole witch hazel question...

I first heard that aftershave balm/lotion should go on when your face is slightly wet so that it "seals" the moisture in.

Then I saw somewhere that if you're using witch hazel, it should dry before putting on a balm/splash/lotion.

If you are using a balm/splash with witch hazel in the ingredients, I would assume you could skip a witch hazel step post shave...in which case, should you wait for your face to dry, or apply wet/damp? Actually, when you apply the witch hazel (if you are using that as a step), should your face be wet/damp/dry?

My skin is relatively oily. I'm prone to acne/ingrowns at the bottom of my neck (where my facial hair ends). I've been using Thayers WH, followed by a lotion (Every Man Jack Mint), which seems to be working a bit better now that I'm letting the WH dry before hitting the lotion...but now I'm wondering if I wouldn't be better served with an alcohol based aftershave (of whatever consistency) that has some other good natural ingredients in it. Was looking at the Razorock waxes, actually.

The oily skin thing, I'm feeling like it's a bit of a red herring for me. I was originally scared to death of putting lotion or balm on my face, but I've been doing it post shave now for a number of years without incident, and my face has been relatively free of blemishes...that said, it doesn't take much to cause an outbreak that takes a week or more to calm down completely. I feel like there may be a better routine to follow.

Now I've probably confused all of you, but I'm welcoming input of any and all types...

 

[Dusty1]

I try not to over-think things and take the simple approach, but when in doubt try experimenting. For aftershaves I use a balm on my face after a shave in the winter when your skin is dry, and a splash in the summer. For the in between seasons I use just witch hazel. Works for me! YMMV

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

I find a dry face means you get the full effect of what ever aftershave you are using. I recall a post that a fellow was just not getting the sting out of an aftershave that everyone else loved so much. As it turns out he was first applying witch hazel to his face and immediately applying the (now diluted) aftershave.

 

[John Von Wuggz]

I pat my face dry before applying anything.

 

[SiBurning]

Only thing I can add is I like to use a simple alcohol-based after shave to help clean off the soap, applying it after a warm water rinse, before the cold rinse, while I'm waiting for the tap to cool. I'm pretty generous with it, and sometimes don't use anything after. If I use witch hazel or a milky cream, it's after my face is patted dry. I might do a second alcohol splash instead (usually one heavy with glycerin) before patting dry, or after. Not sure how that helps--just a few more options.

 

[Mick]

Alcohol based after shave will dry your skin out as the alcohol evaporates and leaves the rest of the product on your face.

If you have oily skin after shave can be beneficial.

You will just need to try different things to see what works best for you.

If you look around you should be able to find several brands of alcohol based after shave in pharmacies near you

 

[Saxman11290]

I use witch hazel after washing my face or coming out of the shower when I'm not shaving. I keep my face wet and then apply, let it evaporate. In the winter, this is followed by a moisturizer, in the summer, just the witch hazel does it for me.

For aftershaves, I thoroughly rinse my face with warm water after my last pass to remove any soap / stray hairs, then thoroughly rinse with cold water. I apply either alcohol-based after shaves or after shave splashes first (depending on my mood) with my face still wet, and I let it evaporate while I do some clean up. Then I apply an aftershave balm, and my face is probably still a little damp from the splash.

That's just the way I do it, and it seems to work for me. Don't worry about what's "correct". Just find what works for you through experimentation and stick to it.

 

[Chadao]

I follow my shave with an alum bar. Then aftershave (Right now Dominica Bay Rum). My face tends to get dry, so I always finish with Witch Hazel, which works perfectly, for me. For a while I tried Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream as recommended by my dermatologist, but it left a residue. I feel very comfortable with Witch Hazel as a finish.

 

[Viseguy]

I usually let the WH dry before applying AS. Usually, but not always. Don't sweat it.

 

[takeshi]

I'm losing my mind...and everytime I think I have it figured, it seems a new variable enters the equation. My question is simply this: When do you apply aftershave (balm or splash)? The thing(s) that have me confused is how dry should one's face be? and further to that the whole witch hazel question...

There's no one answer for everyone (like just about any topic here on B&B). I towel dry my face when applying my AS but I generally don't want it full strength so I slightly dilute my AS with some water. That said, that doesn't mean that it should be that way for everyone. AS can be applied to wet or dry skin. If in doubt about what works for you then try the options out and see how they work for you. "Should" is really irrelevant. What actually works for you is what matters.

Same goes for witch hazel. Not everyone uses it in the first place.

Alcohol based AS may help with oily skin. Again, try and see.

Already said multiple times but don't sweat so much over it all and enjoy the journey instead of fixating solely on the destination.

 

[dixarone]

Great intel gang. Very much appreciate all the input. I'm going to try out an alcohol based AS next.