Thread: Witch Hazel....Where have you been?

+1 on the Lavender Thayers. Smells great, works great. What's not to love?

I've used witch hazel for years. I fill up a small plastic squeeze bottle and add a few drops of spearmint oil...just the ticket!

Gentlemen:

Witch hazel and I go back a few years. I am never without it. This is the one I prefer:

Thayers Medicated Superhazel with Aloe Vera -- 12 fl oz - Vitacost

The fragrance is barely detectable, so it will not interfere with your aftershave balm or aftershave. Great stuff, this.

Regards,

Obie

On witch hazel...I have a bottle mainly cause I heard it is great on the skin. I tried it and well it seems to dry me out...tightness and so on and this was after my balm, though I have since acquired better after care products and balms, I am hesitant on trying the witch hazel again. Is this common or might I have a type of skin that doesn't tolerate things like this well?

Originally Posted by TomBoyRed79

On witch hazel...I have a bottle mainly cause I heard it is great on the skin. I tried it and well it seems to dry me out...tightness and so on and this was after my balm, though I have since acquired better after care products and balms, I am hesitant on trying the witch hazel again. Is this common or might I have a type of skin that doesn't tolerate things like this well?

Try witch hazel first then the balm. WH is and astringent and is probably counteracting the affect of the balm. I use it in that order.

Thanks for the advice captp, I did just that yesterday morning and it worked very well and no drying out. I thought I was doing some thing wrong so decided to reverse the regimen, it was a real "DUH" moment rofl.

Makes the skin feel nice and refreshed, especially when I followed up with Proraso post balm felt really nice and cool and no tightness or drying. Hooked now, glad I got it down and didn't waste my money on this TN Dickensons WH, it was rather expensive from the mart.

Originally Posted by TomBoyRed79

On witch hazel...I have a bottle mainly cause I heard it is great on the skin. I tried it and well it seems to dry me out...tightness and so on and this was after my balm, though I have since acquired better after care products and balms, I am hesitant on trying the witch hazel again. Is this common or might I have a type of skin that doesn't tolerate things like this well?

I had the exact same experience, but then again I used it when I started shaving and had lots of razorburn.

I've had inch long cuts that stopped after dunking my face in an ice cold sink of water for a minute or as long as you can stand it. It seems to work better for me. If I can use water in place of a bottle of stuff I will. It closes the pores without drying my face. If you still have problems with witch hazel try that, but make sure its cold - you'll know its cold enough because usually after a minute I have to pull my head out as it gives me an ice cream headache

good luck

When I'm done shaving I rinse with warm water and then use the alum block. I then rinse several times with cold water and dry off, applying Thayer's Lavender or Rose Witch Hazel. After my face is completely dry I apply D.R. Harris Aftershave Milk. Depending on time of day I may put on some aftershave later on. This routine works well for me.

John

Originally Posted by kerryman71

When I'm done shaving I rinse with warm water and then use the alum block. I then rinse several times with cold water and dry off, applying Thayer's Lavender or Rose Witch Hazel. After my face is completely dry I apply D.R. Harris Aftershave Milk. Depending on time of day I may put on some aftershave later on. This routine works well for me.

I follow almost the same routine, and use the "between" time to clean my equipment, dry the razor, and put stuff away. I tend to go alum->Thayer's->Trumper's Lime->Ogallala Bay Rum. If using Pinaud's AS, I skip the Trumper's.

After 25 years of shaving (first with a Norelco that lasted 4 years, then a variety of Gillette cartridge razors) I switched to DE, SE, and Injector.
Soon to be using a straight.
I discovered witch hazel last year and now I use it after every shave. I apply about a half cap full and let it dry before using AS. I'd hate to be without it.