Balm vs aftershave splash

Hi , I am still learning the in's and outs of DE shaving and my question is do you have to always use balm and aftershave splash or can you use the one without the other. So in essence in winter use witch hazel and balm and in summer use witch hazel then aftershave splash with no balm ? Hope you can provide some guidance ?

For me...
Alum
Witch Hazel usually generic unscented but I have some Thayer Lavender (teetotaler version)
Then either a Balm or an AS but not both.
Although I occasionally use my Stirling Unscented Balm and toss some of The Veg on when I'm feeling particularly frisky.

Winter or Summer same routine.. I'm boring, I know.

Thanks YKMV , think im on the right track then , will use aftershave lotion in Summer cause I live in SA and its hot and in winter it tends to get very dry here in the highveld so then balm

I use splash only. Bought balm when I first started and found that I didn't need it. Do whatever you want, It's your shave.

For me it's just AS in the summer, and an unscented lotion followed by AS in the winter, as needed. My skin is weird, can go from oily to dry overnight, and vice versa.

I just use whatever feels best for me, which is always splash. I enjoy the sensation at any time of year, and my skin is such that it doesn't get dry. I find applying balm doesn't provide any great benefit, and is pretty much a waste of time. But YMMV.

My balms provide healing/soothing for post shave irritation, regardless of season. So if my shaves are less than comfortable, I add a balm.

For dry skin I moisturize.

[MENTION=112298]carant[/MENTION] you really have to figure out what is best for you. I myself will only use a balm if I absolutely must. Like when I wasn't paying attention to my shave and my open comb took off a layer of skin...or if my skin is so dry that I am peeling it off by the sheets. It is always summer her in Louisiana so splashes are what I use. Balms make me sweat. I know it's weird, but that is what happens. I have been in Pennsylvania in the middle of the winter when it was near in the 20s and the balm still makes me sweat. But anyway...just find what works for you and what combination. There is nothing wrong with using a balm and then the splash after it dries.

Thanks for all the feedback and recommendations , I also battle with acne and this is the reason I moved over to DE shaving. I noticed that now it is spring the balm tends to make my skin oilier and my acne flair up.

I use both balms and splashes, using splashes exclusively in the hot summer more balms in the dry winter months. Sometimes in the drier winter months, I use both balms for moisturizing and a splash for the scent.

Like Dangerous Don, in the summer balms make me sweat.

Here's my routine .... Warm water rinse >> cool water rinse >> Alum block all over >> cool water rinse >> Towel dry >> Pinaud Clubman splash >> wait a few minutes >> Balm all over (Nivea with night shaves, Kiehl's with morning shave.) Works quite well for me.

carant said:

do you have to always use balm and aftershave splash or can you use the one without the other

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Try it and do what feels most pleasant to yourself. It is after all meant to be setting a pleasant last touch to what should be an enjoyable activity.

Welcome! As we say here YMMV! My preference is an after shave splash, but whatever works is just fine.

I like balms okay, but I generally use the splash year around

Hi, welcome to B&B
YMMV covers a multitude of sins

IMHO an aftershave splash, balm or gel does what it says on the label, but balm reminds me too much of gunk and gel reminds me too much of slime.
I wear glasses, so the way I see it, anything resembling gunk, slime or grease anywhere near my face is just asking for smeared lenses !!

Consequently after every shave I only use a cold facecloth, alum block, another cold facecloth 5-10 minutes later and a generous amount of aftershave splash.
As a rule...
Leathery, tobbaccoey, musky or spicy aftershaves work best for me in winter
Citrusy or mentholated aftershaves tend to work best in summer

But having said all that, there's nothing like the tingle of Proraso Green Cream/Soap as a heart starter on a cold winter morning, and the menthol tingle from Aqua Velva Ice Blue or Floid Vigaroso makes me feel alive when the cold, fresh air hits my face when I set foot outside the door at 8am !!

I've never tried witch hazel, but alum and alcohol based aftershave splashes always hit the sweet spot for me, so as they say..........

If you do what you've always done - you get what you've always got !!
So why try to fix something that isn't broken ?

carant said:

Thanks for all the feedback and recommendations , I also battle with acne and this is the reason I moved over to DE shaving. I noticed that now it is spring the balm tends to make my skin oilier and my acne flair up.

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If you have acne then don't for goodness sake use any balm at all, by definition a balm (pretty well any balm) works by amonst other things blocking pores and the overwhelming majority of them add further oil to your skin blocked pores are precisely the opposite of what you need. Get an alum block and find an aftershave you like - I recommend La Toja which does have a mild rehydration effect. It also has what I consider a very nice masculine scent that you can wear all year round.

Great advice from all

Welcome to B&B! Great question and the answer is: anything goes. Post shave I use Witch Hazel and then a balm. I prefer balms...because my skin tends to be dry.

Welcome to B&B. As you can see, almost anything goes in the wet shaving community. It comes down to personal preference and what works best for you. Keep us posted!

Yep! Do what feels good! There's no prescribed stuff or order of stuff. I never use a balm, and I love my splashes. Sometimes, I only use witch hazel. There's no telling what I'll do. I just a maniac!