Hey guys.
So, I am about to go and pick up some alum crystals at an Asian supermarket later today. But, I highly doubt that it will be in a shape I want to use on my face! So, can it melt?
Thanks guys!!
Parker
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Hey guys.
So, I am about to go and pick up some alum crystals at an Asian supermarket later today. But, I highly doubt that it will be in a shape I want to use on my face! So, can it melt?
Thanks guys!!
Parker
Yes. Given a high enough temperature, anything will.
Hi Parker,
It'll melt eventually, but I don' know what temp.you'll need. You might be able to Google it. But unless you're using it to make pickles, why not just get an alum stick? They're not that hard to find.
Lets rephrase. In a microwave oven or o the stove?
Just found a random blog on Google from like 4 years ago. It says about 200 degrees.. I can do that on the stove!!
I wanna try so instead of odd shaped crystals, it can be the shape of either a bar of soap, like normal, or a puck of soap for easy face running!
Also, I've been looking for an alum stick in stores around here. I cant find one anywhere! Its all the same stuff right?
Try beauty supply houses or look at the deoderants at a natural grocers. Some of those are just alum sticks. Or barber supply places or just order one online. I don't like the idea of melting some on the stove. DEFINITELY don't try it in the microwave. M'waves work by jiggling water molecules (and other molecules of similar size) together, the heat is from friction. So either it wouldn't work or, by chance, it would, but you wouldn't have the boiling point of water to set an upper limit on your temperature.
If you try it on the stovetop, I'd recommend a steel pan, not glass or ceramic. Can't promise the melted alum won't react with the pan metal. and again, since you won't have the boiling point of water to fix your upper temp, a glass or ceramic pan might not be suitable. I know you're not supposed to melt sugar in those 'cause it gets too hot.
How about just moistening it a little, shaping it into what you want, and leaving it out to dry in the hot sun?
Look in first aid, too. Alum sticks are used to stop bleeding, after all.
Will melt at 200 degs as above,most of it will turn a black grey color when it re-hardens,I just use the chunks as they come from the store,$1.29/lb you cannot beat that.
If you do look in medical supplies for alum sticks (aka styptic pencils) make sure you don't confuse them with caustic pencils. Caustic pencils look a bit like long matches - the blob at the end is silver nitrate, used to cauterise tissue. It stops bleeding, but is used for serious bleeds like nosebleeds, where it is held agains the blood vessel to cauterise and seal it. It's also used to remove warts. It stains skin (I used to do wetplate photography using silver nitrate - my fingers were permanently stained dark brown, almost black) so you wouldn't want to spread it on your face!
Regards,
Neil
Cannot buy silver nitrate sticks over the counter in this country.
The Alum for your face is Potassium Alum. The one for deodorant is Ammonia Alum. The sticks for cuts are alum based but contain other things to stop the bleeding.
Dude you live in Vegas!! If you can't find it there - you're not looking hard enough!! Heck you have an Acca Kappa store in Vegas! Isn't there an Art of Shaving store there!!
I have two alum blocks, one is a milky white and the other is clear. Which one is which?
Parker, Sorry for thread hijack....couldn't resist with so many alum heads watching :)
Saving the world, an armpit at a time.
I was saying I couldn't find it in normal stores. Walmart, Safeway, Kroger etc. I never tried Asian markets. To today! I found some! I paid like 2 dollars for 21 oz. This will last forever! And it has quite a few uses, so ill be good for ages!!
Thanks for the help guys,
Parker
PS: can't potassium alum be used for both a deodorant and a AS?
Oh my gosh. That would be horrible. Touching it, hurt bad. Water, horrible pain! Alum, or any other astringent, don't even get me started!!!!
Parker....Addendum to what bigspendur said here. I have used my Cloudy alum(Potassium Alum)both for face and deoderant...works fine and I suspect back in 1800's or so that was what it was used for..both face and body.(I could be wrong,just deducing here).as for Ammonia Alum...Clear stuff...Whole foods sells it under the brand name Thai deoderant stick (for those of us who grew up in the 70's and 80's) I'm not makin that up , it really is called Thai stick heh! and as for styptic pencil againj,big spendur is correct..so there ya go ! ;)