Thread: Alum Blocks

Alum is an astringent, so you may want to avoid overuse of the same in your routine: Alum, Witch Hazel, Alcohol, all share the property of tightening your skin and calming the burn. But you can also irritate yourself if your skin is already a bit dry or sensitive.

I do a final cold rinse (VERY cold, straight from the tap in Canadian winter), pat lightly my face, then glide the alum block over my face. Before, I used to leave my face moist, and it was putting a lot of alum on my skin.

I let it rest while I cleanup the sink, and go back for another cold rinse. Pat to dry, apply a bit of AS or balm, or both, depending on my skin's mood, and I'm good to go before the cleaning lady arrives, as the other guy says.