what are the most popular aftershave products? 30s-70s

[szabolcstth96]

Hello! I would like to ask a few things, I ask that only those who live in the United States answer. (I'm writing from Europe with the help of google translate, sorry if I didn't write it perfectly)


My question is, what kind of after shave products did people use in the United States from the 1930s to the 1970s?

on internet forums, they talk about 3 products the most that were used at that time. Old Spice, Aqua Velva Ice Blue and Skin Bracer.. which of these did people prefer between 1930 and 1970?

In Europe, Old Spice is available everywhere, but it does not contain any skin care ingredients. it dries my skin painfully dry.
Aqua Velva contains Glycerin, which hydrates, and Skin Bracer contains Glycol. Which is the best moisturizing after shave?

 

[Doc Dan]

Popular aftershaves were Mennen Skin Bracer (green was the most popular, but there were several other scents), Brut, Old Spice (which started as a woman's perfume), and Aqua Velva (which started out as a mouth wash). Aramis was also popular and originally could be found on grocery store shelves until the craze for better class perfumes for men came into vogue. Other popular varieties were English Leather, Stetson, Hai Karate, and Copenhagen.

None of these are or were particularly good for a person's skin. They are all drying because they are all alcohol based. There were and are balms available that moisturize the skin and smell good in the process. Several artisan companies make balms in the scents of yesteryear. Barrister and Mann and Phoenix Artisan Accouterments (Mennen = Star Chaser) come to mind.

 

[Jan Sobieski]

I am happy to try to assist you. The products you mention were all very popular from the 1930s through to 1970 and still are with many men today. I would say that yes, Aqua Velva, Old Spice, and Skin Bracer, and to an extent, English Leather, were very much in the top sellers of the time, especially 1930s-1950s, but there were also a variety of other popular brands from that time that did not survive until today (for example Seaforth, Yardley aftershaves, Courtley, King's Men, and some others that are mostly forgotten now). Lilac Vegetal by Pinaud was also very popular in the 1930s-1950s and beyond, especially as used in barbershops. Canoe is another fairly popular aftershave from the 1930s that's not on your list, similar to Clubman, and is still made today. By the middle of the 1960s, there were new popular products, such as British Sterling, and for the younger crowd, Jade East (also very similar to Clubman and Canoe), and as another person noted, Aramis (only after 1965), but that one was never among the inexpensive, ordinary drugstore-type aftershaves. I don't think alcohol is as drying as many think, but if that bothers you, you could try to also use a balm of some kind. I think it's been discontinued, but the balm called Afta, from the early 1960s, is similar in scent to Old Spice.

 

[sarimento1]

hands down, imho, most popular USA aftershave in this time frame...

 

[Hu3ir0 Hu3Hu3]

Which is the best moisturizing after shave?

forget about lotions with alcohol, as they dry the skin.
if you want something moisturizing you have to go for the balms.

 

[NorthernSoul]

The big ones were Aqua Velva, Skin Bracer and Old Spice. Others became popular later (too many to list).

The original Aqua Velva (not Ice Blue, just plain Aqua Velva) was a Williams product from the 1930s.

I wouldn't expect a lot of moisturizing from any of these. You can just use an unscented face lotion or face cream for that.

 

[BigJ]

I humbly suggest Pinaud Clubman!! That’s what barbers used in my home town in the 50s and 60s! Great juice!!

 

[JimmyJoeMeeker]

forget about lotions with alcohol, as they dry the skin.

Summoning @luvmysuper.

 

[luvmysuper]

Summoning @luvmysuper.

 

[Gamma]

The trademark for Aqua Velva was filed in 1917, as a face lotion / after shave. Not mouthwash.

Aramis was the first 'posh' frag for men, mid 60s, was sold in department stores, as opposed to the typical stuff men found in drug stores and supermarkets.

Too many popular aftershaves to count. Too many no longer in production.

Brut was out in the 60s, very popular stuff then, still around today.

Myrsol had aftershave products on the market in the 40s/50s, some of it was moisturizing.

 

[OkieStubble]

View attachment 1706641

This was funny.

 

[OkieStubble]

Hello! I would like to ask a few things, I ask that only those who live in the United States answer. (I'm writing from Europe with the help of google translate, sorry if I didn't write it perfectly)


My question is, what kind of after shave products did people use in the United States from the 1930s to the 1970s?

on internet forums, they talk about 3 products the most that were used at that time. Old Spice, Aqua Velva Ice Blue and Skin Bracer.. which of these did people prefer between 1930 and 1970?

In Europe, Old Spice is available everywhere, but it does not contain any skin care ingredients. it dries my skin painfully dry.
Aqua Velva contains Glycerin, which hydrates, and Skin Bracer contains Glycol. Which is the best moisturizing after shave?

If the Old Spice is drying out your skin? Fix it! You can add a few drops of your own vegetable glycerin, aloe vera juice or gel, a bit of witch hazel and maybe even a drop or two of vitamin E?

Also, if your avatar pic of what appears to be a young handsome man is you? You should try and acquire some good ole, old fashioned Bay Rum aftershave! Pretty girls can't resist!

 

[Tanuki]

I wasn't shaving in the 30s, got started in the 60s.

Of those three, I am calling Aqua Velva as the top, but with Old Spice and Skin Bracer close behind. Let's not forget that Barbasol and Gillette were in there fighting for drug store aftershave shelf space too.

Guys who bought their AS at the barbershop were taking home brands like Gabels, Master, Stephan, and of course Pinaud, in various scents.

 

[Marco]

What we nowadays call classics were the novelties of the early years. Names like Aqua Velva, Pinaud Clubman, Mennen Skin Bracer and Old Spice immediately come to my mind.

 

[EdT]

Aqua Velva, Old Spice and Yardley in the 60's and 70's and Skin Bracer in the 80's and Lavoris red for mouthwash ! ...LoL