Why Aftershave - Serious Question.

[ouchyfoot]

A skin toner is good to use after washing your face to balance out your skins PH. There are lots of them out there, although men are probably most familiar with Thayers.
Toner can be scented or unscented. Aftershave is nothing more than skin toner with alcohol added to it.
Whether you want to put alcohol on your skin is a personal choice. Alcohol was originally added as a sterilizer, but is not really necessary in this day and age since we have running hot and cold water and don’t have cattle drives through the middle of town blowing dust and dirt over everything in a barber shop that has no running water.

 

[musicman1951]

I have dry skin, so I never use AS. I use WH, followed by moisturizer.

I like more complex scents, so I prefer cologne.

But shaving is a "whatever works for you" proposition, so do what makes you happy. But if you like the "burn" please don't talk about it - that always scares me.

 

[emwolf]

I have oily skin. During the summer particularly a high alcohol splash helps alleviate some of that greasiness. I also like the smell and it's the last rinse of soap from my face and head (there are times I get out of the shower and find a big glob of lather on the back of my head, or in my ear). I understand it was a disinfectant in the early days of people dying from shaving.

 

[steveclarkus]

Because I like to. Also use it in lieu of deodorant.

 

[razorhead63]

I almost always use an aftershave.
The slight sting and burn are part of the ritual. It completes the shave.

 

[South Dakota Guy]

I use it because my dad did. Growing up my dad always used something like Skin Bracer or Aqua Velma. Growing up it was what men did. You slap that manly smelling skin burning stuff on your face and take the burn like a man. When I was young and began shaving it was like a rite of passage. You could tell yourself that you arrived, you’re a man now. Now it just feels right.