I am just curious how other people deal with soreness from a less than comfortable shave. My go to solution has been Nivea balm or if I was looking for something to smell nice DR Harris aftershave milk. Today I changed it up and used Lucky Tiger tonic which was soothing. After I let it dry for five minutes I used Clubman Pinaud aftershave. It gave me a good burn initially but after five minutes my neck is dry and I can touch it everywhere without feeling any irritation. I like the feel of my skin better than when using the balm or milk. I am going to have to try this method some more but I think this combo might be a winner.
Post Shave Irritation, What Works Best For You?
- Thread starter South Dakota Guy
- Start date
Alum block first. Lucky Tiger Aspen AS or Skin Bracer works for me. Try a thin layer of hydrocortisone cream too.
If I had a rough shave then Alum block, rinse with cold water, the aloe and witch hazel splash, allow that to dry. Finally finish up with a balm of sorts. I find, for me, that this clears shaving irritation up very easily.
Cold water, Thayer's, Nivea Sensitive ASB. If that doesn't cool things off I live with it.
Stop putting the cart before the mule and use better pre-shave prep.
But in case of emergency, I use (in order):
Alum
Witch Hazel
TBS maca root post shave gel
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For me, just a rinse with water and a splash of AS works fine almost all of the time.
On really rough shaves (few and far between), I have some balm that I use (Stirling, Poraso, Pre de Provence and Nivea). However, I find that balms leave my face a little greasy for a bit until they absorb into my skin - Stirling being the worst offender (but i still like it ..
)
On really rough shaves (few and far between), I have some balm that I use (Stirling, Poraso, Pre de Provence and Nivea). However, I find that balms leave my face a little greasy for a bit until they absorb into my skin - Stirling being the worst offender (but i still like it ..
)
Hyularonic Acid followed by a splash or balm. It's all the rage. 
Hyaluronic Acid Is Magic For My Post Shave Skin | It's A Game Changer | Badger & Blade (badgerandblade.com)
Hyaluronic Acid Is Magic For My Post Shave Skin | It's A Game Changer | Badger & Blade (badgerandblade.com)
Welcome to B&B, Sir South Dakota Guy!
Indeed, good advice above to focus on pre-shave moisturizing!
For post-shave, just about any moisturizing cream or lotion will work.
Even a Gold Bond skin cream or a coconut oil.
I also like shea butter creams.
And I like Lucky Tiger metholated balm.
FWIW, I'm not a big fan of 'skin foods' that contain alcohol.
For me, the first step is a towel dipped in cool or cold water and applied to the face, neck, and if a head shaver, the head. The next step is a good quality aftershave balm or skin product that acts as a moisturizer. At night, before retiring apply a good quality moisturizer to your face. I use CeraVe but there are other good ones out there, too. Look for a product that has ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
I use cold water splash and Witch Hazel. If I'm cut in any way, I use the alum block on it. It's hard to get away with no irritation or bumps at all. I always look at it from the perspective of minimizing it as much as possible. I generally am able to do a decent job with just those two or three things.
CzechCzar
Use the Fat, Luke!
B&M balm
Light years ahead of anything else I have tried
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Light years ahead of anything else I have tried
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Krampert’s Finest Frostbite aftershave. Great menthol kick, great scent (if you like fresh pine) and leaves your face feeling nice. It’s about halfway between a splash and balm so your face won’t feel “greasy” but it won’t dry out like with a lot of splashes. Top notch stuff!
Alcohol based product or alum block first. I don't use alum anymore as it dries me out too much. Just a little bit of brut aftershave and then follow up with either a face cream or nivea balm. That way, the alcohol closes pores, acts as a strong anti-septic etc. and then the balm calms the skin and moisturises etc.
I apply alum after a shave, irritation or no.
If I have irritation, I use a balm. Nothing fancy. Afta, usually. It's like $1.20 at Walmart. The stuff just works.
If I have irritation, I use a balm. Nothing fancy. Afta, usually. It's like $1.20 at Walmart. The stuff just works.
ShaveWorks’ The Cool Fix. Sure, using alum is fine and I’ve also got Nivea but, for me, the Cool Fix works wonders for irritation.
What's "post shave irritation"?
But seriously, my regular post shave, regardless of "irritation" is:
But seriously, my regular post shave, regardless of "irritation" is:
- Alum
- Rinse
- Pat dry
- Homebrew oil mixture
- Lightweight lotion
- Aftershave splash (usually alcohol-based)
- Thread starter
- #17
I want to thank everyone for their responces. I started this thread not so much just for myself but for the community as a whole. I appreciate your contributions to the collective knowledge of this forum, the very thing that makes B&B such a great resource for we who seek to make the chore of shaving something more.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
For me, the most important thing is knowing what went wrong. Chemical irritation? Poor lather? Problematic blade? Inept razor handling? Some other skin problem that shaving just exacerbated? With reasonably clear understanding, you can pick the right remedy, and take steps to avoid it happening again.
The first thing I do is chastise myself for allowing too much pressure to creep into my technique. After the self-flogging subsides I use cold water, followed by WH, followed by moisturizer/balm.
My favorite (and only for about a year now) is Clinique Moisturizer for Men (although I hear it's the same formula as the one for women). It's light, absorbs into the skin almost immediately - one of my favorite parts - and doesn't leave a greasy feel post shave. It also requires very little product, so a tube lasts a long time.
I have used Castle Forbes balm and it is a great product, but I found it hard to get only the two drops required out of the bottle. 3-4 drops and I was left with a greasy face for hours.
My favorite (and only for about a year now) is Clinique Moisturizer for Men (although I hear it's the same formula as the one for women). It's light, absorbs into the skin almost immediately - one of my favorite parts - and doesn't leave a greasy feel post shave. It also requires very little product, so a tube lasts a long time.
I have used Castle Forbes balm and it is a great product, but I found it hard to get only the two drops required out of the bottle. 3-4 drops and I was left with a greasy face for hours.
Cold water splash
Thayers witch hazel
Nivea sensitive aftershave balm
Thayers witch hazel
Nivea sensitive aftershave balm
