Aftershave is literally that - anything youapply after the shave. It's traditionally taken to mean some kind of liquid you splash on, but there are so many variations and ingredients that there's no one answer to your question.
The simplest answer would be "Generally yes, more or less. Depends on what your specific skin reacts best to after a given shave.'
Although AS provides similar benefits, for me, the alum establishes a baseline for face feel. I like the antiseptic and astringent properties of the alum and its feedback (audio to determine if it was a close shave, and irritation to determine if I was too aggressive). The AS is the icing on my prepared face.
I apply an alum stick on my freshly shaved and cold-water rinsed face, then clean my razor & brush, and comb my hair. I rinse away the alum with cold water, pat my face dry and apply an AS.
Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks. Whether you want an alum block, witch hazel, alcohol splash, or some other AS without alcohol, it's a matter of what you enjoy and what works for you.
Try them all, in every combination, and see what floats your boat. Keep in mind that some AS products contain alum or witch hazel.
Although AS provides similar benefits, for me, the alum establishes a baseline for face feel. I like the antiseptic and astringent properties of the alum and its feedback (audio to determine if it was a close shave, and irritation to determine if I was too aggressive). The AS is the icing on my prepared face.
I apply an alum stick on my freshly shaved and cold-water rinsed face, then clean my razor & brush, and comb my hair. I rinse away the alum with cold water, pat my face dry and apply an AS.