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So we are collecting all kinds of shaving stuff, mostly soaps and creams. We all love the different scents and the type of lather each make. But what about aftershave balm?? Who out there is using more the 1,2 or 3 shaving balms??
How many do you have and what do you like????
Any thoughts gents??
My preference leans towards AS splashes - I currently have more than 15 AS's and only 3 are balms, though I've tried quite a few more. My favourite so far is Castle Forbes, which is fantastic but it's a bit pricey. I recently tried one of Proraso's new formulations and it's very nice as well.
I don't use balms, unless TSD a/s milk counts and that isn't too often. I do use a few a/s splashes though. Osage Rub, Pinaud Clubman, Ogalla Bay Rum, Aqua Velva Ice Sport, Barbasol Pacific Rush, and Old Spice. I have some Pinaud Lilac Vegetal but don't use it.
I love all of them and rotate pretty regularly. The Clubman and Bay Rum are for weekends, no scent policy at work. If I had to choose just one, it would be the Osage Rub!
Attachment 129804I too use AS splashes and tonics. I like alcohol based AS, personally I don't have sensitive skin so I enjoy the 'burn'.... I find alcohol based AS to e soothing and satisfying. I do have a couple balms, but I use them only on rare occasion. Out of all the fancy AS out there I find that the ones you can by at the pharmacy are the ones in my regular rotation. I typically pair my as choice with my soap/creme/EDT choice of the day which is usually based on my mood or the occasion. I also rebottle my AS in to smaller, vintage bottles that I find my appealing... For me all the details add to the overall expiriance
Here's my post shave products that I have in stock right now.
1- aqua Velva classic blue
2- aqua Velva musk
3- pinaud clubman
4- brut
5- old spice original
6- old spice 'fresh'
7- Nivea energy splash
8- stenson
9- Jamaican choice bay run
10- suavecito bay rum
11- givenchy
12- lucky tiger face tonic
13- several other home made blends
------- those are just the splashes, I have other after care cremes balms etc, including lanolin which I think is the hold grail of soothing if you need that sorta thing. Here some pics of my rebottle e AS splashes
I have unscented, lavender, and lemon balms from AoS. All work great and keeping my skin moisturized, preventing "bumps", and maintaining good skin health. I also have the lavender AoS after shave gel, which is nice on humid days. The lavender scents linger, which I enjoy. The lemon smells great but fades after a few minutes.
I have GFT extract of limes skin food. Nice scent, good moisturizer. Feels a bit oily for a bit after application. I use this when it matches soaps/creams.
I have Captains Choice Bay Rum. Feels good when first applied, and leaves my skin smooth. Good lingering scent, but not overpowering.
I have Musgo Real after shave lotion (its a splash). Like the Bay Rum, it feels good when applied. Leaves skin a bit "sticky", but feels smooth and no irritation. It has a unique scent that I really enjoy.
I have a Nice a Balm. OK moisturizer. Skin does not feel as good as with others after a couple of hours. I will sometimes use this followed by one of my splashes because I don't really care for the scent.
I have a bottle of Clubman. Good stuff. Not great at any particular category, but solid, and a great value.
Now for my favorite. I just got a bottle of Esbjerg Grapefruit after shave gel. This makes my skin look and feel great. No oily residue or stickiness. Great smooth skin. And when I use it with my TOBS Grapefruit shaving cream, I have the scent of fresh cut grapefruit with me for 10 to 12 hours. Not strong, but my wife can smell it when close and loves it. I have only had that and the TOBS for less than a week, but have used nothing else since I first used it on Saturday. Awesome stuff.
I have only one, Truefitt & Hill Trafallgar..splashes on the other hand..lol
I have two from Al's shaving which leave my skin fresh and rejuvenated after a shave. Nice scent that lingers for an hour or so and doesn't leave any residue or oil.
I also make my own form of aftershave milk (I think?) that has proven to be a great companion in my shaving line up. I just finished making two batches for family members I recently converted to wet shaving. It is heavy on the tea tree oil but soothes and nourishes my face and neck wonderfully after a great shave.
I tried using just an alum bloc today for the first time which was really interesting. It was kinda like the old joke that goes "ever see a match burn twice!" I was using a new razor and had a bad angle just around the ol' apple and that alum let me know it!
Definitely a balm guy here! :D
I have a few:
- Roger & Gallet L'Homme ASB, great in warm weather
- Castel Forbes Lavender ASB, great in winter and paired with certain creams/soaps
- L'Oreal Paris MenExpert HydraSensitive 24hr Hydrating balm - works a treat with just about anything!
- I also have some Trumpers Coral Skin food which once finished I won't buy again
- Among others I have Nivea Creme which is used as an after shave moisturiser sometimes and Korres' Borage Anti-Shine Moisturiser for Men.
Lots of different splashes for me, but currently no balms. I don't enjoy them much, prefer the aocohol based aftercare.
Al's Shaving Products....various scents to match the shaving cream: Al's Shaving Products
Escential Lotions and Oils Aftershave Moisturizing lotion: http://store.escentialonline.com/shave-c1018.aspx
Woody's Post Shave Rescue: Woody's Grooming - Shave Relief Balm
Three balms at the moment. T&H 1805,Trafalgar, and Proraso White.
AOS, proraso, nivea, and shea butter, coco butter and my new fav is jojoba oil. Scented stuff irritates me.
Three splash AS's and one balm.
For balms, I only have T&H unscented balm, and Razorock after-shave wax, if that counts as a balm. I prefer lotions when it comes to scent but I need the moisturizing, so I end up using both.
Four that I can think of right now. I use them mainly if my skin is tender after the shave. Otherwise, my face feels greasier than clean which is why I much prefer alcohol-based aftershave.
I have:
- Truefitt and Hill 1805
- Nivea Sensitive
- Nivea Regular
- Arko Sport (aftershave gel, don't know if it qualifies as a balm)
For tenderness, good old fashioned Original Avon Moisture Cream has kind of a sporty scent to it and is the very best when it comes to healing up the face before the next time the razor gets a whack at it.
I can't get enough of Weleda's Aftershave Balm. I use GFT Sandalwood Skin Food afterwards. I love the two separately or together!
Oh I have a few - big fan of the balms. Lets see - I have to have about 7 or 9... plus the creams to go with them. I like to layer too :).
I find that when it starts to get hot though, the balms like to have a little water added so they don't bog down. But come the height of summer here in KS, I haven't found a one yet that doesn't bog down and just feel sticky. That's when menthol anything gets the nod lol!! Oh how I love menthol :).
But all joking aside. I do like splashes too. I just find the balms the most soothing.
I like my splashes, but have the following balms
Nivea
L'Occitane Cade - this needs to be available in a splash!
RazoRock Wax
I like RazoRock best, for a balm type product. Would love it even better if it was available unscented too.
This stuff calms any irritation hands down the best, compared to anything else I've tried.
But I still like the splashes best of all
EShave lime verbena
Proraso sensitive skin
Giorgio Armani - attitude extreme
Dove men's
Really like them all, but the lime verbena is my fav
As for balms/creams, I currently have Brut, Body Shop, and Nivea. I like to use them when either my face is dry, or I have a bad shave with some irritation. Mostly, I like to use an aftershave splash.
Like most here, I have a bunch of different balms and have been using them interchangeably. That is, until:
Recently I have found myself trying to see how close a shave I could get, especially because I have two years into this, have a bunch of shave ready razors and shave at night, and I want to look as good as I can the next day. The result, of course, has been considerable razor burn at night, sometimes lasting two hours. I've alternated balms, applying several during the evening and really saw little difference in results, that is, until I tried:
JACK BLACK COOLING SHAVE GEL
The result was near-magical. I shaved as closely as I usually do, finishing up with a firm ATG pass, applied the Jack Black Gel and then, NOTHING AT ALL. I sat on the couch waiting for it to start as it always had, but it never did.
I'm well aware that I could "back off" on my shaves a bit, but now it appears that with the aid of the Jack Black Gel I don't have to. I can get as close as I want to and the gel fixes me right up. It really has been a revelation for me. It is not cheap, leaves a bit of a sticky finish, but the relief of razor burn is phenomenal. I highly recommend it!!!
I'm definitely a balm guy. Let's see, here are what comes to mind:
Art of Shaving - Scent-free (which isn't really)
Art of Shaving - Sandalwood
Nivea Sensitive Skin Post Shave Balm (New Active Comfort Formula)
Jack Black Gel
Kiehl's
L'Occitane Cade
L'Occitane Bavx
AoS has to be my favorite...
