Aftershave worth it? Paired with the same shaving cream.

[IAMSPARTACUSRTY]

Newbie Question. As mentioned many times previously, I am new to this game.

I don't use after shave products normally. After adopting wet shaving, I got the Nivea post shave balm and like it, but my face has been breaking out. I am thinking of switching to an aftershave oil or liquid. There is a sale on the this soap I am interested in and the sale is offered with the aftershave.

I am wondering if aftershave is just a novelty of shaving now that deaths from shaving infections are rare or nonexistent. I would primarily be using it to make the stink stay on longer, like a cologne. I think most soaps' stink last long as is so is really that much of a value add?

 

[brucered]

It won't make the "stink" stay on longer. You will be adding new "stink".

You are better picking an aftershave that works for your skin and picking it the "stink" of your choice. Aftershaves are not a novelty, they serve a purpose. Whether they work for you, is another story. Some are better than others. Some are junk.

I choose aftershave wax from RazoRock and use it with whatever soap I am using.

Use a cologne if you want a "stink" to last longer than 15-20 minutes.

 

[silverlifter]

It really depends on the brand. I prefer aftershaves that make my skin feel great (Speick and Myrsol or Floïd, predominantly), and use a cologne if I want a fragrance for the day. Those aftershaves have fleeting scents, so don't clash with my cologne.

 

[johnnylighton]

If you find a soap you really like, both for its performance and its scent, then it’s usually worth getting the aftershave. You’ll get to enjoy a stronger version of its scent for two or three hours, and if the soap works well on your skin, chances are the aftershave will, too.

 

[PreachTheWord]

I use aftershave, but the truth is that no scent last very long on me. I still buy them, though.

 

[NorthernSoul]

I like aftershaves, but don't try to match the aftershave and soap. Aftershaves such as Speick, Proraso Green or Epsilon Blue, for example, perform well with most any soap. Matching soaps and aftershaves is mostly a scheme to sell you more products than you need, IMHO.

I even like inexpensive barber shop aftershaves. My last 16 oz. bottle of Stephan Bay Rum cost me less than $6 during a sale. The scent does not linger very long, but I like it that way.

 

[Wal59]

If you want to calm your skin down after a shave then an aftershave balm is what you are after. If you would like to have a distinctive aromatic presence, then you are in need of something which lasts longer than a balm.

In increasing levels of aroma you have aftershaves, colognes, eau de toilettes eau de parfums and parfums. How long each lasts is dependent on the concentration of essential oils in it and on your own physiological response to each. Just as the intensity increases, so does the expense! I have EDPs that can still be detected over 12 hours from when I apply them.

Hope that helps.

 

[DesertIguana]

Worth or value is personal thing, last time I used an after shave two or three day in row was over 20 years ago plus. I am not a collector of soaps as I do have a few, but use one until gone, then move on.

Smelling like a peacock to day, or horneytoad tomorrow is not my thing. People spend a tone of money on soaps, and after shaves. If that is important to you go for it.

 

[IAMSPARTACUSRTY]

Thanks guys. This lines up with my line of thought.

I think I'm going to stick with the practical approach. Use what works for your face, and that might mean not pairing an aftershave with the cream.

I think I'm going to go from balm to toner. My wife has heaps of toner liquid, it just smells like a woman for a few minutes. I was hoping with an after shave, I could find something a little more manly. I also kind of want something that is mine.

 

[IAMSPARTACUSRTY]

Worth or value is personal thing, last time I used an after shave two or three day in row was over 20 years ago plus. I am not a collector of soaps as I do have a few, but use one until gone, then move on.

Smelling like a peacock to day, or horneytoad tomorrow is not my thing. People spend a tone of money on soaps, and after shaves. If that is important to you go for it.

You wouldn't know it by this thread, but I am more or less the same. Since I'm new to wet shaving, I am finding it difficult to be patient with my soaps. I'm not a collector by any means, but I want to try a few things so I can see what works best for me. I only have two and one I bought because it was on sale and I was going to try it anyways.

 

[DesertIguana]

You wouldn't know it by this thread, but I am more or less the same. Since I'm new to wet shaving, I am finding it difficult to be patient with my soaps. I'm not a collector by any means, but I want to try a few things so I can see what works best for me. I only have two and one I bought because it was on sale and I was going to try it anyways.

Well I recall working in my cousins two old time drug stores in studio city & Sherman Oakes Southern California, he was in affluent area and sold a lot of high dollar Perfume, not the watered down Calone.

Back then 1958 ish rich ladies who lived in San Fernando Valley South of Boulevard would spend up to $100.00 for an ounce of Perfume all day long. That was a lot of money to me, as I was making 50 CENTS an hour.

If smelling like something like a Rose, or sunflower makes you feel good, you have the money, and kids and family are not suffering or paying price because of your Sent Fetish. Good, go for it.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Thanks guys. This lines up with my line of thought.

I think I'm going to stick with the practical approach. Use what works for your face, and that might mean not pairing an aftershave with the cream.

I think I'm going to go from balm to toner. My wife has heaps of toner liquid, it just smells like a woman for a few minutes. I was hoping with an after shave, I could find something a little more manly. I also kind of want something that is mine.

You might want to try a toner made by Dickinson's. It is based on witch hazel but has some other skin conditioning ingredients. It has a mild woody rose scent, which I would say is unisex. Available at stores like Target.

Also, consider a barbershop aftershave like Stephan Spicy or Bay Rum. You can get a large bottle for fairly low cost. The scent only lasts for a few minutes.

Aftershave is not just about scent. It can help make your skin feel better after shaving.

 

[IAMSPARTACUSRTY]

You might want to try a toner made by Dickinson's. It is based on witch hazel but has some other skin conditioning ingredients. It has a mild woody rose scent, which I would say is unisex. Available at stores like Target.

Also, consider a barbershop aftershave like Stephan Spicy or Bay Rum. You can get a large bottle for fairly low cost. The scent only lasts for a few minutes.

Aftershave is not just about scent. It can help make your skin feel better after shaving.

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Thanks. I'll take a look at those.

 

[IAMSPARTACUSRTY]

Well I recall working in my cousins two old time drug stores in studio city & Sherman Oakes Southern California, he was in affluent area and sold a lot of high dollar Perfume, not the watered down Calone.

Back then 1958 ish rich ladies who lived in San Fernando Valley South of Boulevard would spend up to $100.00 for an ounce of Perfume all day long. That was a lot of money to me, as I was making 50 CENTS an hour.

If smelling like something like a Rose, or sunflower makes you feel good, you have the money, and kids and family are not suffering or paying price because of your Sent Fetish. Good, go for it.

Lol. You will never catch me paying $100 on a perfume or cologne. Any cologne I have ever owned was a gift and only one was something I asked for. Pi by Givenchy.

If it weren't for wet shaving, I wouldn't even have brought up this topic. B&B sucked me in. I wasn't strong enough to reject its pull.

 

[emwolf]

Some aftershaves, like Captain's Choice, are really soothing and healing for my skin.

 

[abies]

Lol. You will never catch me paying $100 on a perfume or cologne. Any cologne I have ever owned was a gift and only one was something I asked for. Pi by Givenchy.

If it weren't for wet shaving, I wouldn't even have brought up this topic. B&B sucked me in. I wasn't strong enough to reject its pull.

I'm mostly an unscented person. Some things with scents but only soaps, shampoos, and things that will wash off, and even then usually unscented, and if not pretty simple natural essential oils.

There's lots of aftershave products out there with all sorts of scents and lack thereof, that do different things. It depends on your skin type. I think if you look at some of the online shave vendors out there (Maggards, Bullgoose, Murphy and McNeil, The Razor Company, Top of the Chain, Pasteur, Smallflower, etc.; also specific brands of soap makers) you'll find all sorts of things.

I use fragrance free sunscreen and that's it. I think more than that and my skin wouldn't do so well. But I totally understand why people might want an aftershave for all sorts of reasons.

A lot of stuff in wetshaving is YMMV. I think that's part of the fun but also why people end up trying so many things and getting pulled in.

FWIW, you might be able to find sample-sized soaps from some places. You can also reuse soap as a bath soap or hand soap if you don't like them as a shaving soap, and can try to resell them in various places if they're not used very much and you don't feel like just tossing them (which is admittedly what I do if I'm in that situation and can't or don't want to use it as a bath soap; it's rare though).

 

[IAMSPARTACUSRTY]

You might want to try a toner made by Dickinson's. It is based on witch hazel but has some other skin conditioning ingredients. It has a mild woody rose scent, which I would say is unisex. Available at stores like Target.

Also, consider a barbershop aftershave like Stephan Spicy or Bay Rum. You can get a large bottle for fairly low cost. The scent only lasts for a few minutes.

Aftershave is not just about scent. It can help make your skin feel better after shaving.

View attachment 1783540 View attachment 1783542

I picked up some of the rose water today on Amazon.

 

[RRGGMM]

My lightly scented aftershave of choice for many years was DR Harris Arlington Aftershave Milk, and I still use it. It works well, and it stepped up my shaves. When I bought soaps from Saponificio Varesino, I bought the corresponding aftershaves, which work great. The SV aftershave fragrances do not last a super long time, but they are considerably more fragrant than the DR Harris Aftershave Milk. If you like SV soaps, I highly recommend their aftershave, but they will not be a good fit if you are into unscented or light fragrances. SV aftershaves are more about you and your shave and do not last long out and about. While I do have some SV EdP, I freely use whatever cologne I want in addition to the aftershaves, and it isn't an issue. However, none of that is relevant if you want something closer to unscented.

 

[Wal59]

My lightly scented aftershave of choice for many years was DR Harris Arlington Aftershave Milk, and I still use it. It works well, and it stepped up my shaves. When I bought soaps from Saponificio Varesino, I bought the corresponding aftershaves, which work great. The SV aftershave fragrances do not last a super long time, but they are considerably more fragrant than the DR Harris Aftershave Milk. If you like SV soaps, I highly recommend their aftershave, but they will not be a good fit if you are into unscented or light fragrances. SV aftershaves are more about you and your shave and do not last long out and about. While I do have some SV EdP, I freely use whatever cologne I want in addition to the aftershaves, and it isn't an issue. However, none of that is relevant if you want something closer to unscented.

I have the Arlington Milk and the Cologne. Individually great and an excellent combination.

 

[Shaving like a boss]

If I am using canned goo, I use Gillette Foamy lemon/lime. Its been discontinued in the U.S. but I layed in a supply. I use Pinaud Lime Sec aftershave with it....just because. For anything else, I mostly use the old stand by Skin Bracer. I like the menthol AND the smell will stay with you for awhile. It pairs well with Speed Stick deodorant. But the point here is that the menthol in the SB tends to cool any razor burn I may have from an over zealous shave. Aftershave does serve a purpose.