Why does AS take so long to dry?

No matter how good the shave, when I apply after-shave, it seems to remain sticky for a long time. I'm talking several hours. I have the same problem with both splashes and balms.

Take yesterday's shave, for example. I shaved around 11am, and it wasn't until almost 4pm that my face felt smooth to the touch, instead of tacky. Yesterday's software was Musgo Real splash followed by 444 balm, but I experience the same slow drying with any brand I try.

My general after-shave routine involves a warm-water rinse, dry the face, apply a generous amount of Thayers WH, then whatever brand of ASL or ASB I choose for that day.

Am I doing something wrong? I know that using too much is not a good idea, so I just use a few drops of splash and a minimal amount of balm.

Anyone else experiencing this?

Any ideas? comments? suggestions?

Try applying less

Why are you using splash AND balm? Sounds like they're layering up on your skin and not drying properly.

Sounds like you are bathing in it, mine dries out in 5 min or so. My preferred ASB is Pre de Provence and when it dries out there's not tackiness or oiliness...

Which are you applying first? The balm? Or, the AS?

Musgo Real is a little "sticky" on me (but it certainly works!) and it might last that way for hours. It contains glycerine, which probably gives it that consistency. For this reason, I wouldn't recommend a balm on top of MR or any other AS that doesn't evaporate quickly. Without knowing what other aftershaves you use, it would be hard to add any more specific help. However, of my other favorites: Alt-Innsbruk evaporates quickly (but only after its great menthol kick!) and Speick seems to have a little stickiness, but not quite as much as Musgo Real. Good luck!

Ruger Packer said:

Which are you applying first? The balm? Or, the AS?

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If I'm using both together, I always put splash on first, wait a few minutes, then apply the balm on top.

Go West Young Man said:

Why are you using splash AND balm? Sounds like they're layering up on your skin and not drying properly.

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I don't always use both together. Just sometimes.

texbilly said:

Without knowing what other aftershaves you use, it would be hard to add any more specific help.

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My other splashes are Tabac, Proraso, Aqua Velva, Floid Suave, Pinaud Bay Rum, and a few others that get little use.

My other balms are Proraso (sensitive,) Tabac, Realm, TBS old formula, Burt's Bees, and a few others.

The long dry time seems to happen with all brands, so I'm thinking its probably something to do with the way I'm applying it.

For today's shave, I'm going with a minimum of Musgo Real splash, by itself. I also skipped the Thayers WH today, for the first time in IDK how long. We'll see if that makes any difference.

I found something similar when I used Master's Bay Rum, because it has glycerin in it. When I mixed my Masters and Pinaud Bay Rums together it was much better. When I use a non-glycerin aftershave like Aqua Velva I use a ton of it and never have issues.

Is your face bone dry or do you leave it slightly damp before applying?

Sounds to me like your problem is the WH.

Sometimes I use Thayers Medicated Superhazel before applying AS (splash or balm). But I only leave it on for 5 minutes or less, after which it gets rinsed off w/cold water. Then I pat my face dry & apply whatever AS I want. It's dry within a few minutes -- more like within a minute or so -- and I still get all the benefits of the WH.

Try it & see if it makes a difference.

Evbo said:

Sounds to me like your problem is the WH.

Sometimes I use Thayers Medicated Superhazel before applying AS (splash or balm). But I only leave it on for 5 minutes or less, after which it gets rinsed off w/cold water. Then I pat my face dry & apply whatever AS I want. It's dry within a few minutes -- more like within a minute or so -- and I still get all the benefits of the WH.

Try it & see if it makes a difference.

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+1

It's always good to do a cold water rinse after the hot rinse, and a lot of people also do a cold rinse after the WH as well. Might want to give that a try.

With the high alcohol content in splashes I find that they dry in seconds. Balms, you should only be using like a dime sized amount

Sounds like you're using too much product. The WH you have is the most likely culprit, but you're using WH, a splash, and a balm, all of which can contain a variety of moisturizers that can lead to a tacky feeling. Honestly, you only need one AS product per day (maybe 2 if you count alum or styptic), that is, either witch hazel, a splash, or a balm; all 3 is probably overkill.

Evbo said:

Sounds to me like your problem is the WH.

Sometimes I use Thayers Medicated Superhazel before applying AS (splash or balm). But I only leave it on for 5 minutes or less, after which it gets rinsed off w/cold water. Then I pat my face dry & apply whatever AS I want. It's dry within a few minutes -- more like within a minute or so -- and I still get all the benefits of the WH.

Try it & see if it makes a difference.

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Thayer's Superhazel and some of their others take a while to dry on my face also. Not hours- maybe 15 minutes, if I put a good bit on. But, I also live in Nevada where it is quite dry. If you live in a humid climate it might take a long time. Usually, I add an ASB when it is a really hot and dry day after the Thayer's WH dries. I don't wash it off. I think if it soaks in you get more of the good stuff- but YMMV. On cooler or wetter days, the Thayer's is usually it.

After I clean the leftover lather off my face, I splash on my AS. I guess that I use more than a couple of drops but not really all that much. Splash it on and it's dry in well under a minute. I don't use balm unless it's the dead, dry heart of winter. Less is best is the conclusion that I've reached. If you're staying sticky, I think that layering more and different products are only going to make things worse

LinuxMintyFresh said:

Sounds like you're using too much product. The WH you have is the most likely culprit, but you're using WH, a splash, and a balm, all of which can contain a variety of moisturizers that can lead to a tacky feeling. Honestly, you only need one AS product per day (maybe 2 if you count alum or styptic), that is, either witch hazel, a splash, or a balm; all 3 is probably overkill.

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I think this is it ... I skipped the Thayers WH today, used Penhal BB cream to shave with ... warm rinse, cold splash, dried my face, put on Floid Suave ASL and it dried in about 5 minutes. Followed that with Realm ASB and it dried in about 10 minutes.

As much as I love Thayers WH, I think I'll have to modify my routine to at least wash it off after I apply it. It does seem to be the culprit that is making everything else take so long to dry.

If nothing else, at least I can leave it out of the aftershave routine, and just use it on days when I wash my face but don't shave.

It's the WH IMO. Is your skin very oily?

internet said:

It's the WH IMO. Is your skin very oily?

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No, its not ... I guess I have normal skin.

TheVez2 said:

When I use a non-glycerin aftershave like Aqua Velva I use a ton of it and never have issues.

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A) Can you quantify, somehow, "a ton"?

B) Regardless of 'A' above, by pretty much every measure, you don't need "a ton" of aftershave.

C) As my baking and pastry instructor taught me, "It is much easier to add liquid to something that is too dry than it is to dry something out that is too wet". Or, as my barber always says, "I can take more off, I just can't put it back on". All of which is to say, "start with a little bit. If you need more, use more."

Cheers!

-Greg

Another option you have with regards to the witch hazel, as opposed to not using it altogether, is to ust it in your pre shave. I always splash some Superhazel on while I make my lather, and it helps my shave quite a bit.

Evbo said:

Sounds to me like your problem is the WH.

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That's what I was going to say. Musgo has witch hazel and so does Ogallala and they give a shine to my face.

The ones without it don't.