SCS Avocado balm -- irritation, anybody?

[Shavely Manden]

Admittedly, I've got pretty sensitive skin, but I usually get along OK with most balms, especially if they don't have crazy scents in them. So, I'd gotten some SCS Avocado-oil balm, gave myself what I thought was a pretty decent shave, and spread a few drops on. There was the little methol tingle, nothing big...till I looked in the mirror a few minutes later to discover my neck was suddenly solid red! Well, a bit of cold water & ice helped it out, but, not thinking about what'd caused it, I decided to put some more balm on...and it flared up again!

Now, I'm not positive the balm was the issue (since it didn't seem to burn, unlike, say, T&H Grafton), but I'm sure suspecting it. Has anyone else had a reaction to that ASB? I don't especially want to risk showing up to work looking like a meat-packing plant again.

 

[invizable]

Its so weird, I just had the exact same reaction!
I ordered several samples from SCS, but was most excited about the Avacado. When I applied...ouch! My face burned like crazy and got rather red. I even tried on a day when I hadn't shaved and still had the same reaction, so it wasn't my shave.

After checking the ingredients, the Avacado does not seem to be low alcohol and I can only assume that was my problem because the low alcohol Bay Rum didn't bother me.

Side note: today I received my full bottles of Blue Line Balm and Bay Rum Balm which are awesome and very kind to my somewhat sensitive skin. I'm now a huge fan of SCS but I'm glad I tried samples before full bottles.

 

[LinuxMintyFresh]

Never had an issue. Actually I don't know what you're talking about with regards to the "menthol tingle." Also, for what it's worth alcohol really is pretty low on the ingredients list.

 

[invizable]

SCS does state in the description, 'Moisutrizing Avocado Oil and cooling methol'

I could smell a bit of menthol in it, but didn't feel it. I would have loved a bit of cooling menthol to offset the BURN.

 

[Shavely Manden]

Good to see someone else had the same problem! I doubt it's the alcohol for me, though...I can do alcohol-based splashes just fine, without that kind of redness. The Sahara aftershave I got at the same time is amazing, though...feels great, zero irritation, and smells like an earthy fudge shop.

There is menthol in the Avocado, incidentally...third from the last ingredient, but it's there. I usually don't use mentholated products, so I guess even a little bit's noticeable to me.

 

[LinuxMintyFresh]

Guess I just never noticed the menthol. By the by, Sahara really is some great stuff too.

 

[craig87c]

Someone else had this problem a while back, and the general consensus was to use as little as possible. I only touch the tip of my finger to a drop and spread this over a cheek or side of the neck- anymore and it does seem to burn. Using this little bit makes it a great ASB for me, though.