and I don't know what it is. In the past I've used some Ogalla Bay products and it didn't agree with me. Thinking maybe it was the lime and peppercorns in the product it maybe was too much for my skin so i gifted to a close friend. This past weekend I shaved as normal the only thing different was after my cold water rinse I splashed on some Dickenson's witch hazel before I applied my ASB. My face developed a reaction just as when I used the Ogalla Bay. Now the common link between those 2 occasions is witch hazel because Ogalla Bay has witch hazel in it. Dickinson's witch hazel has about 14% alcohol in it but alcohol by itself does not give me a reaction. I know I just will stop using witch hazel or products with witch hazel but does anybody else share this situation or care to suggest a reason why this may be happening.
Problem with witch hazel
- Thread starter shaveME2
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Try sone Thayers, it's made by a different extraction process, and may or may not react differently.
+1. Thayer's original alcohol formulation w/aloe vera is the one to try first. It is very calming and never burns. Just used Ogallala Bay Rum with sage and cedar for the first time in months today (I was out of the country) and the reaction was different to other aftershaves. It seems that the alcohol burn there is buried in the solution, and takes some time to arrive, then lingering longer. This differs from other aftershaves I have tried, where the alcohol burn arrives immediately and more intensely and then vanishes more quickly. From this, it could be that the witch hazel is actually delaying or modifying the alcohol flare up, rather than contributing to it. Personally, I have enjoyed the Ogallala bay rums in the past, but today, I also noticed the strong presence of the essential oils on my skin afterwards, and there was a slight lubricating effect like Thayer's--which aren't necessarily bad things.
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When you say reaction, do you mean an allergic reaction like a rash or hives?
I would just stay away from Witch Hazel (including Thayer's) if I were you. There are so many aftershaves out there that I know you'll be just fine. It's too bad that Witch Hazel doesn't work for you because it is a really cheap option and works well.
To the OP: if you would like to try Thayer's original, to see how you might react to it, PM me with your address (CONUS only please) and I would be happy to send you a small sample free of charge.
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