Thread: alum before or after alcohol based AS

oh yeah gotta have that burn!!!!!

My post shave routine:
Cold water rinse.
Rub face with Alum Block.
Let it sit for a while and clean out my brush.
Cold water rinse.
Thayer's superhazel
Aftershave splash

I never skip the alum block. I agree that it has some antiseptic properties and is a good nick closer. Maybe using the alum, witch hazel and AS is over doing it, but it's become a habit and it works for me.

I'm a firm believer in the alum block.

Cold water rinse, wet alum block, two passes of the block over the face, and an air dry.

It seems like the alum does a much better job at reducing/elliminating the visible razor irritation if it's left to dry on your face. My razor burn is *very* visible; any irritation at all, and the skin turns cherry red. It looks far worse than it feels, actually. Alum puts out the light, but again, only if left to dry. I leave it on all day, actually. For those of you with oily skin, it helps keep the oil at bay. I don't really have too oily of skin, so it does tend to get a bit drying on some days.

i usally do cold water rinse, alum block, clean brush and stuff, rinse then after shave. this works for me


-dan-

Whoah, I would never put nivea in my face.
Anyway, I am new to straight razoring but I generally use cold water to rinse of foam and then I use Weleda Iris Toner as aftershave. I never actually had a feeling of needing more than that and I do have a dry and sensitive skin. Oh, all their products are made biodynamically and organically and it has this as ingredients:


Ingredients (INCI): Water (Aqua), Alcohol, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel), Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon), Iris Germanica, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Linalool*, Citronellol*, Geraniol*.

Does not burn, sting, or make you ugly!

Originally Posted by sinnfein

i usally do cold water rinse, alum block, clean brush and stuff, rinse then after shave. this works for me


-dan-

Yeah, for me too.

alum block lets you know how close your shave was,
i love the burning feeling of alum in the morning

Alum IS aftershave so I don't see the point in using aftershave at all after the alum.

Originally Posted by cotdt

Alum IS aftershave so I don't see the point in using aftershave at all after the alum.

Alum has no scent...

As many other guys, I do a cold water rinse, than run the alum block over my wet face, leave it on for some time, while I dry the razor and clean up the mess, then wash away the white powder that the alum left, and apply some AS, usually a balm.

Before for me.

Al raz.