Thread: closing your pours

so a few yeas back on my wedding day i went and got a straight shave before the ceremony. I enjoyed the whole experience, but other than the shave the best part was after the shave the barber took a smooth round stone of ice and massaged my face to close the pours i guess, anybody else have this kind of experience or do something similar at home?

this is called an alum block. It is an astringent like witch hazel to help close the pores. It also helps with razor burn and redness. A great addition to any shavers post shave routine. Check out the SRP wiki for more info here.

Nick.

Thanks, i will look for one of those.

He may have actually used ice. I rinse my face with ice cold water and then apply an iced towel to my face after the shave to close the pores. I then apply alum bloc to my still damp face.

Personally I do not believe it unusual to use ice to "do whatever the pores do when chilled to" the pores.

Actually, pores don't open and close - don't worry, I used to believe that too.

Discovery Health "Do pores open wider in hotter water?"

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Actually, pores don't open and close - don't worry, I used to believe that too.

Discovery Health "Do pores open wider in hotter water?"

Bah..you and your science..lol. Interesting read though..thanks

i feel like an idiot using the wrong usage of pores. Oh well im tired.

That reminds me when Cousin Festus decided to fix his razor burn. He went to the local shop and run market and got some dry ice and packed it all over his face. It didn't stop the burn but afterwards his skin just peeled right off and when the new skin grew back it was as soft as a baby's bottom.

Har har.

I use cold water splashes after every shave. It doesn't close the pores, but what it does do is diminish the blood supply to the skin and that reduces any blood flow that might result from weepers, nicks or an overly aggressive shave. Cold water application also can reduce inflammation, much as an ice pack might do for sprains, strains and skin inflammations. For my shaves, application of cold water after the shave is more functional and more important to me than applying warm water prior to the shave.