Thread: what purpose does aftershave serve

wow i feel dumb asking this. should i really get some aftershave...does it matter? what types do you gents perfer

depends on your skin and shaving skill.
in principle with a good soap/cream you probably don't need aftershave.

the razor exfoliates the skin - meaning strips the top layers of cells, most of them are dead anyways. the aftershave usually provides disinfection and moisturization to the newly exposed skin.

And I use various things as the mood strikes me, mostly based on the smell, the weather and how rough my skin feels.
alum block - that's basically antiseptic and tightens the pores
coral skin food - i like it, it's decent rose smell
yardley original - that's alcohol based, old-school scent - lavender bergamot and musk
penhaligon's douro aftershave balm
pre de provence aftershave balm - this is shea-butter based, herbal smell
alt innsbruck lotion - pure tobacco and a bit menthol
czech&speake 88 - hella complex and fancy, that definitely is for special occasions

i think i may have few others, but can't remember right now

I suggests these links from the that I think would help you:

A Short aftershave comparison - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Aftershaves - Straight Razor Place Wiki

I personally prefer the old fashioned alcohol-based aftershaves but newer formulas that contain skin conditioners some times work better.

Al raz.

I think you should give it a try. You don't have to spend a lot for the first splash/balm.
Cheap skin bracer is €3 in here and althought it's a drugstore classics it is a good basic stuff.
If you want to try balms catch a basic nivea balm and it gives you an idea of lotions.
I prefer all kind of aftershave treatments. IMO it finishes the shave and gives my skin a much better feeling. Splashes closes the pores and balm or cream moisturises the skin better.

As far as I'm concerned the only purpose of typical aftershave is fill the pockets of the makers. Most are just alcohol some water and some EO so outside of you smelling nice they do nothing. The balms depending on the brand and ingredients sometimes are beneficial but lets face it if you get a crappy shave with a lot of irritation really nothing is going to help. About the best product I've found is the Thayers medicated witch hazel. It actually helps. There are a few balms that help dry skin and help protect from sun damage.

+1 with TonyJ. Without AS, my skin feels dry and irritated. I have oily skin, so I prefer alcohol-based AS. If your skin is dry, you might prefer a balm. There are plenty of inexpensive AS out there to experiment with, Old Spice is a good choice. I also like Pinaud Clubman, but many (including my wife) do not like the smell.

Citrocol and Dominica Bay Rum are also good choices and inexpensive.

I really like Taylor of Old Bond Street No. 74. It's more expensive but not outrageously so. It is alcohol-based for the pore-closing effect, but it also has oil in it that is very soothing, without being greasy.

Try something like Old Spice and begin your collection of AS.

For me AS is essential as the coup de grace of a good shave - it's refreshing, seals in the pores, and makes your face that much smoother post shave. Personally I prefer balms (I find them more moisterizing), and have stuck with the Nivea line for the past few years.

For me alcohol based A/S works the best.
Balm feels kinda itchy for some reason.
I really like Bay rum, try it out

Originally Posted by Tonsor

I really like Taylor of Old Bond Street No. 74. It's more expensive but not outrageously so. It is alcohol-based for the pore-closing effect, but it also has oil in it that is very soothing, without being greasy.

I have the Mr. Taylor scent. It runs around $29 + shipping. It has a light, masculine, nice scent. What I really love about it is that it doesn't linger for more than a few hours. Here are my others: Brummel (get it from Leon, great price); Caswell-Massey Newport (from the Shave Shop, runs about the same as TOBS); and Ogallala Bay Rum (from the source, nice scent with the slight burn that sneaks up on you).

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

About the best product I've found is the Thayers medicated witch hazel. It actually helps.

Like Tonsor, I have oily skin. By happenstance I picked up some Thayer's witch hazel, lemon scented. The very first time I tried it I thought it smelled like Lemon Pledge furniture polish but it's grown on me. I really like the witch hazel, as it's clean and non-oily, and the lemon scent is refreshing without being overpowering. The stuff is fairly cheap, so you can't go wrong.

For dry skin I've seen a few posts recommending the Kiss My Face brand. It's really inexpensive and apparently does nice things to the skin.