Thread: Adios Alum

Gentlemen,

I had used alum for post shave for years. Alum has been around, in various forms, for centuries as a good astringent. Last week I stopped after using alum finally admitting that, although it did its job in repairing the usual microscopic nicks after every shave, alum also irritated my ultra sensitive skin.

My post shave routine was: warm water rinse, cold water rinse and then alum. About a minute or so later I rinsed off the alum with cold water and dried my face, applied witch hazel, balm and finally a fragrant aftershave. By then, no matter how efficient and comfortable my actual shave, I felt some sort skin irritation afterwards. To make sure nothing else was causing this irritation, from time to time I would eliminate fragrance, which usually contains alcohol. Yet often the results were the same.

Since dropping the alum in my post shave routine, I have eliminated my post shave irritation. Now I go from warm water rinse to cold water rinse, and then after drying my face, I apply witch hazel, balm and then fragrance. My Hollywood face loves me for it.

Gentlemen, have you made peace with alum, or made significant other changes in your post shave routine for a more irritation free shave?