Purpose of the aftershave? ?

I was reading some of the reviews on aftershaves such as aqua velva. I've never used any type of after shave splash like this because they contain alcohol which of course will burn right after a shave.. What is the actual purpose of these after shave liquids? I thought the goal of shaving was to keep any kind of burn to a minimum while still trying to get a close shave. After I finish shaving, I splash cold water on my face and neck and then dry it. Then I apply the corn husker's lotion which seems to work OK at keeping irritation low.

Seems like no matter what I do, after about 5-6 hours after the shave, I start to feel the irritation as the hair is already growing back. And then I have to wait 2-3 days to shave again which stinks.. And this has been the case since I started shaving 13-14 years ago. It's impossible to shave again when my skin hasn't "recovered."

If you need to wait 2 or 3 days between shaves because of irritation it could be due to improper blade angle, too much pressure, too many passes, or inadequate beard preparation. Are you going for BBS every time you shave? If so, that could lead to irritation especially if one or more of the variables I listed are out of whack.

Personally, I don't get that much razor burn, and sometimes I actually manage to get BBS shaves with no irritation whatsoever. I think it's a matter of technique. If I get razor burn, I know I must have been using the wrong blade angle and/or too much pressure, or maybe the lather wasn't slick enough.

As to the "purpose" of the aftershave... Alcohol is an astringent, so it will help close the pores and stop minuscule nicks from bleeding and it also helps to sterilize the skin until the nicks have had a chance to close (which might or might not help prevent infection), and the scent in the aftershave makes you smell nice. That's about it, I think. Oh, and the evaporation of the alcohol will cool your skin too, which will be somewhat soothing.

Slickness of lather is one issue I'm dealing with right now with this Mama Bear's cream and soap. So I'm doing the research on another cream to try. I'm thinking about trying the Arko brand as it got some great reviews.. I have my Merkur HD, an old Schick Krona, and an even older Ever-Ready from the early 1900s. I had a sampler pack a while ago, maybe I should get another one with a Gillette Tech that a lot of people are suggesting to try instead of the razors I have...

dax702 said:

What is the actual purpose of these after shave liquids? I thought the goal of shaving was to keep any kind of burn to a minimum while still trying to get a close shave.

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I think alcohol is used for disinfection purposes to make sure no nasty bacteria or fungi are introduced into the wounds created by shaving. Because alcohol has drying properties, one would need to follow it up with a moisturizer.

Best - MM

I can't imagine even putting alcohol on my skin after a shave since it's so sensitive already. Common sense tells me not to be using an aftershave as it will make my problem worse.

I find aftershave splashes are great for soothing and clearing razor burn. Yes there can be an inital firey sensation but once that dies down my skin is left feeling toned and refreshed. Some splashes also have pretty good moisturising properties as well - AV, DR Harris etc

Irritation will be less and less as you gain experience. Vary your technique, direction of shave, and pass patterns to find the one that gives you the closest shave, with the least amount of actual shaving. Since I've started, I've reduced the amount of strokes I need to use by about 30%, my blade life has increased one or two shaves, and my irritation with a BBS shave is finally becoming negligible.

Blade angle, pressure, and direction of the stroke in comparison to the whiskers is the key to efficiency. I'm actually using atoner containing alcohol, witch hazel, salycilic acid, and menthol. It stings and tingles a bit, but really helps keep the skin clear! I follow with a good balm or facial lotion twice a day. I make sure to use one in the morning that contains SPF protection, to prevent incidental sunburn.