Simple post-shave solutions

I thought I would start a thread that examines some of the simple approaches to post-shave splashes and balms. I tend to use unscented products as much as I can.

So here is my short list of natural and unscented (at least no artificial scents) salves. My most favourite is plain Witch Hazel...this is a daily regular for me. Soothes and calms. Thayers makes different scents, but I prefer the unscented. As for balms...most of what I use I find in the kitchen:

Coconut oil. A small dab will work just fine. Melt it in your hands and apply

Olive oil. Again a very small amount will work just fine.

Eucerin cream base (generally not found in the kitchen). This cream is inexpensive and can be found in most pharmacies (sometimes found behind the pharmacy counter). It works best when mixed with a bit of water and massaged into your skin. Great for winter weather when your skin is dry and feels like crackers. Very soothing.

[Late edit -- forgot to add unrefined shea butter...an excellent post-shave balm]

Aloe vera leaf. I cut off about one per week and use about an inch of it per shave.

I like the balms, and am currently attached to Mama Bear's Winter Balm and Em's balm.

But, Utopian keeps reminding me to get an aloe vera plant going, and this time I'm writing it down!

My wife makes a great moisturiser. It consists of all natural products. Coconut oil, shea butter, aloe vera, cocoa butter, vitamin E oil, bees wax, vegetable glycerin and some other stuff too. It's great and has a chocolate fragrance. Perfect if you want to avoid some of the harsher chemicals and alcohols common in most products.

Edit: It's very very soothing! Use sparingly though.

udder ointment works wonders ^^
similar to eucerin it adds a little protective layer which is especially nice in the winter months

After some experimenting I have found the perfect post shave. For me.

250g/ 8.8oz organic refined shea butter.
2 tbl spoons virgin organic argan oil.
2 tbl spoons organic rosehip oil.
1 tbl spoon organic almond oil.
Few drops of essential oil of choice.

Heat over a low heat in a double boiler and mix. Take care not to heat above 175°F/ 80°C otherwise you will ruin the benefits of the ingredients.

The benefits from the butter and oils are huge.

Shea butter. The moisturisers in Shea Butter are the same moisturisers produced by the sebaceous glands in the skin.
I prefer to use refined shea butter as the unrefined smells quite strong and takes away from the essential oils. Source of vitamins A and E.

Argan oil. Contains natural tocopherols (vitamin E), essential fatty acids and antioxidants to help protect from free radicals.

Rosehip oil. Contains vitamins C, A, and K, as well as the essential fatty acids - linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and oleic acid.

Almond oil. Contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E & is particularly suited for nourishing the skin and known to be effective at moisturising eczema.

For me I find this the most beneficial for my skin type, dry/sensitive, anything with alcohol dries my skin right out so most post shaves are a no go for me. A little goes a long way so you cant make up too much as the shelf life is 24 months.
All in all a perfect way to finish your shave.

Thanks for the recipe mark! I'm heading to the store with a shopping list. Exactly what I was looking for, a natural postshave moisturizer. Second ever SR shave today, and I'm gonna need some nourishing postshave treatments to keep my skin happy while I learn to shave correctly.

No worries.
I tried all ingredients individualy to see if they suited my skin and to be honest all would be more than fine by themselves.
As said only use a tiny amount warmed in your hands because too much will not be absorbed quickly.
This is free from chemical preservatives so store away from sunlight. Vitamin E is a natural preservative but it won't last forever, 18-24 months is a resonable shelf life to expect.

Have fun with the essential oil, my favourites are lavender, lime and a mix of cypress, bergamot and lavender.

Just got an alum block the other and seem to really enjoy that right after a rinse of cold water then some Thayers witch hazel. I've been having trouble finding a good AS balm or the like that my skin gets along with. I used some Nivea post shave balm the other day and to my surprise my face did not like that at all. I do actually enjoy the nice "burn" from those alcohol based AS but Im sure that cant be great for the skin. Mark that recipe sounds great thanks for sharing that, I think I will have to give that a try.

G

Quote:

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Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

After some experimenting I have found the perfect post shave. For me.

250g/ 8.8oz organic refined shea butter.
2 tbl spoons virgin organic argan oil.
2 tbl spoons organic rosehip oil.
1 tbl spoon organic almond oil.
Few drops of essential oil of choice.

Heat over a low heat in a double boiler and mix. Take care not to heat above 175°F/ 80°C otherwise you will ruin the benefits of the ingredients.

The benefits from the butter and oils are huge.

Shea butter. The moisturisers in Shea Butter are the same moisturisers produced by the sebaceous glands in the skin.
I prefer to use refined shea butter as the unrefined smells quite strong and takes away from the essential oils. Source of vitamins A and E.

Argan oil. Contains natural tocopherols (vitamin E), essential fatty acids and antioxidants to help protect from free radicals.

Rosehip oil. Contains vitamins C, A, and K, as well as the essential fatty acids - linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and oleic acid.

Almond oil. Contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E & is particularly suited for nourishing the skin and known to be effective at moisturising eczema.

For me I find this the most beneficial for my skin type, dry/sensitive, anything with alcohol dries my skin right out so most post shaves are a no go for me. A little goes a long way so you cant make up too much as the shelf life is 24 months.
All in all a perfect way to finish your shave.

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That recipe sounds awesome! Been making my own preshave oil for a while now and it is great for my skin and improves my shave very well. The wife even threw away her canned shaving cream and uses it all the time. She loves it too.
Going to have to give this a try. Was worried about the ingredients but a Google search revealed they are all available at the Vitamin Shoppe right up the road!!
Thanks Mark, look forward to trying it!

Yesterday, I got such a good shave I was halfway through the day as I remembered I had just hot-toweled off and forgot anything.
Never any thought about it. Besides being senile, Not too shabby! :D

I've been getting on really well with Lab Series Post Shave Razor Burn Relief balm. I've used it for well over a year now and I'm about to purchase my third bottle of the stuff. Totally unscented and full of healthy ingredients for the skin - no alcohol, no witch hazel, no parabens and no menthol.

Sometimes I use straight rubbing alcohol after a shave just to see where my honing is at. No burn=good honing, some burn=almost there, feels like fire ants attacking my face followed by bright red patches=back to the hones. If that happens I usually follow the rubbing alcohol with a witchazel wash and then some alcohol based aftershave with menthol (like Aqua Velva blue ice) to punish myself so I don't make that mistake again. That's just me and what I like though. :tu

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Originally Posted by Steel

Sometimes I use straight rubbing alcohol after a shave just to see where my honing is at. No burn=good honing, some burn=almost there, feels like fire ants attacking my face followed by bright red patches=back to the hones. If that happens I usually follow the rubbing alcohol with a witchazel wash and then some alcohol based aftershave with menthol (like Aqua Velva blue ice) to punish myself so I don't make that mistake again. That's just me and what I like though. :tu

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Agreed! I check the smoothness of my new edges with Afta blue and/or AQV.
Nice feeling as a freshly-honed blade produces a shave with no burn! :tu

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

Yesterday, I got such a good shave I was halfway through the day as I remembered I had just hot-toweled off and forgot anything.
Never any thought about it. Besides being senile, Not too shabby! :D

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It's interesting that someone with a lot of experience with a straight razor still mentions 'good shaves.' I know the feeling, but thought that the Ancient Ones (experienced) would have a very limited number of OK shaves and mostly superlative shaves. I actually find this encouraging. The endeavour wouldn't be as much fun if it was too linear.
Post shave: I'm for a lot of blast...I especially like the feeling that my top layer of skin lifts off and separates from the layer underneath then turns to vapor and drifts down into the sink. Unfortunately I have to execute a substandard shave for this to happen.

I made up a batch of my "Whizbang Winter Balm". Very simple recipe: 1part coconut oil, 1part unrefined Shea butter. I put it in a Pyrex dish, microwave it just until it is melted, make sure it's mixed well and then pour it into my glass container. At this point you can add a few drops of EO, eg rose or lavender or frankensence. Make sure it is mixed well and then put it in the fridge until it solidifies. Then you can put it on your den shelf and it's ready to use. Feels great on my skin. Perfect for dry winter days.

4-5 drops of tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil to about 6 oz of witch hazel or 4-5 drops of tea tree oil to full bottle of aqua velva blue or reduce to 2-3 for aqua velva musk.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Castel33

4-5 drops of tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil to about 6 oz of witch hazel or 4-5 drops of tea tree oil to full bottle of aqua velva blue or reduce to 2-3 for aqua velva musk.

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Man that Aqua Velva musk is some strong smelling stuff!!!!!

I'm looking forward to trying this out, it sounds like it's going to be a lot nicer to my face then the alcohol or witch hazel based post shave I have been using. I'll let you know what I think after I try it.

This week its - after the witchhazel, Jergen's Shea Butter moisturizing lotion with about 5 drops of Shave Secret shaving oil mixed in the palms and applied generously.

Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray works well for me and doesn't cost too much for 75cl. I keep them in the fridge and the smell vanishes fast enough to not interfere with parfum/cologne.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Steel

Man that Aqua Velva musk is some strong smelling stuff!!!!!

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It can be at first. Disappears pretty quick though.

Plain, old Witch Hazel works well for me and it's good on hemorrhoids, too.

I add a few drops of lavender or lemon oil into a bottle of plain witch hazel. That is my usual.

For dry, winter months I tend to use balm or lotion aftershaves.

Lately I've been trying straight jojoba oil. I had it stored away, and haven't used it since when I used to make my own pre-shave oil. It works great as an aftershave so far.

I usually shave my head and neck all at once, then after i shower i use a couple squirts of Aveeno and a few drops of Castor Oil and rub it all over my entire head, neck and face. I'm not sure how many people here have beards but i work it into that as well. Helps tame it a bit and thicken it up before i oil and wax it. I also add a drop of tea tree oil to the mix as well.

I started using the castor oil in the winter because just Aveeno wasn't cutting it. The castor oil lasts all day.

I like the Aveeno daily moisturizing lotion. Have used it for years. They also make an after shave lotion which is very similar but also contains shea butter. It's great also.

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Originally Posted by ddh7

They also make an after shave lotion which is very similar but also contains shea butter.

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I'm gonna check that out.

I've been experimenting with some recipes I found on the web for simple aftershave balms. This one is particularly easy. for a small batch: 1 oz (30 ml) aloe vera gel and 1 oz (30 ml) witch hazel (the kind without alcohol) and 1 tsp vegetable glycerin. Feels great on dry skin. You can add some EO for a scent...but I leave mine just plain.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Whizbang

I've been experimenting with some recipes I found on the web for simple aftershave balms. This one is particularly easy. for a small batch: 1 oz (30 ml) aloe vera gel and 1 oz (30 ml) witch hazel (the kind without alcohol) and 1 tsp vegetable glycerin. Feels great on dry skin. You can add some EO for a scent...but I leave mine just plain.

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I'll have to try that one.
During summer I use an aftershave splash made of 1 part aloe vera juice, 4 parts witch hazel (no alcohol), and a few drops of EO.

Not homemade but after 47 years of shaving I,ve found the one aftershave nourishment product, after only one week my dry skin that I always battle in the winter is all good now, it's been the only one all these years Myrsol Milk or Emulsion I believe it's called , really great stuff, I've given away my stock of Nivea, and will be buying more of this stuff. Tc

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Whizbang

I've been experimenting with some recipes I found on the web for simple aftershave balms. This one is particularly easy. for a small batch: 1 oz (30 ml) aloe vera gel and 1 oz (30 ml) witch hazel (the kind without alcohol) and 1 tsp vegetable glycerin. Feels great on dry skin. You can add some EO for a scent...but I leave mine just plain.

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Thats pretty much the same as Thayers witch hazel with aloe vera. If you look on their website its almost exactly the same, although yours is without all the preservatives :)

Since I started using Noxema as part of the prep I have not needed Nivea ASB.

My after shave bit is Thayer's and a AS or ASB(only a couple).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Whizbang

I've been experimenting with some recipes I found on the web for simple aftershave balms. This one is particularly easy. for a small batch: 1 oz (30 ml) aloe vera gel and 1 oz (30 ml) witch hazel (the kind without alcohol) and 1 tsp vegetable glycerin. Feels great on dry skin. You can add some EO for a scent...but I leave mine just plain.

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Thanks for sharing this recipe. I used it after today's shave and it worked very well. I added a little E.O. to spice it up a bit but what a great feeling on my face.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Whizbang

I thought I would start a thread that examines some of the simple approaches to post-shave splashes and balms. I tend to use unscented products as much as I can.

So here is my short list of natural and unscented (at least no artificial scents) salves. My most favourite is plain Witch Hazel...this is a daily regular for me. Soothes and calms. Thayers makes different scents, but I prefer the unscented. As for balms...most of what I use I find in the kitchen:

Coconut oil. A small dab will work just fine. Melt it in your hands and apply

Olive oil. Again a very small amount will work just fine.

Eucerin cream base (generally not found in the kitchen). This cream is inexpensive and can be found in most pharmacies (sometimes found behind the pharmacy counter). It works best when mixed with a bit of water and massaged into your skin. Great for winter weather when your skin is dry and feels like crackers. Very soothing.

[Late edit -- forgot to add unrefined shea butter...an excellent post-shave balm]

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Thanks for this post. I am definitely going to try some of these. :)

Post shave routine for me:

1/ Cold water splash and apply alum, normally common deodorant type alum roll up stick.
2/ Cold water splash and pat dry with towel.
3/ Apply aftershave and done.

Bob

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BobH

Post shave routine for me:

1/ Cold water splash and apply alum, normally common deodorant type alum roll up stick.
2/ Cold water splash and pat dry with towel.
3/ Apply aftershave and done.

Bob

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Ha! you must have much tougher skin than me, if I did what you do my grid would feel like an old leather boot, even my years spent out in the field in the Army my skin is still like a girls.
Quoting Obie I need to pamper my Hollywood face!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

Ha! you must have much tougher skin than me, if I did what you do my grid would feel like an old leather boot, even my years spent out in the field in the Army my skin is still like a girls.
Quoting Obie I need to pamper after my Hollywood face!

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Yea, must have been the salt air and ocean breezes that tanned this old matelot's face into rhino hide. ;) Senior service don't you know. :angel:;)

Bob

I like to mix my own after shave lotion, it's honestly just two parts coconut oil, one part argan oil, and I have added a couple items from time to time over the last few years, but that is my staple.