I believe it was from Amazon, if I remember correctly. It was too long ago.
Can an Alum Block.......
- Thread starter bbobbdd
- Start date
51 years of shaving, I’ve never used alum. Not quite sure what it is. Never heard it associated with shaving until I came to B&B.
I also have never used witch hazel. I’ve seen it but never tried it nor wanted to.
Shave. Splash on any aftershave except the Veg, and get on with your day. Don’t futz around.
I also have never used witch hazel. I’ve seen it but never tried it nor wanted to.
Shave. Splash on any aftershave except the Veg, and get on with your day. Don’t futz around.
Same here, Matt.
I was using a witch hazel based aftershave, then changed to alum. Both work as an astringent and ant-septic. I don’t know how necessary that is.
I felt an antiseptic might be a good idea when there is a lot of irritation and scraping. However, I have improved my game and have no irritation at all anymore, so maybe I should just do without.
I have naturally oily skin and after a full shave of my head, no oils are left, so drying further seems unhelpful. Moisturizer and standard aftershave probably will be enough.
I felt an antiseptic might be a good idea when there is a lot of irritation and scraping. However, I have improved my game and have no irritation at all anymore, so maybe I should just do without.
I have naturally oily skin and after a full shave of my head, no oils are left, so drying further seems unhelpful. Moisturizer and standard aftershave probably will be enough.
are they not the same thing?
From poison.org:
"Styptic pencils stop bleeding by hardening or coagulating the surface of a wound, just like a scab. A styptic pencil is often formulated with aluminum salts like aluminum sulfate, potassium aluminum sulfate, or sodium aluminum sulfate. Sometimes these compounds are collectively called alum."
That sounds like ...............
Potash?That sounds like ...............
No. A styptic pencil might be, say, 55% aluminum sulfate and 45% titanium dioxide. An alum block such as Osma is 100% potassium alum. In my experience, a styptic pencil does much better at staunching the bleeding from a proper nick, whereas an alum block is good for treating tiny weeper or two.
TiO is insoluble in water, it is a colourant, 45%? I'm not a subscriber to "might" it is or isn't.
That sounds like ...............
Potassium aluminum sulfate is the same thing as potassium alum, just a more proper chemical name so nothing to worry about.
A styptic pencil and an alum block usually contain the same chemical. It's just the styptic pencil is made from compressed powdered alum and made softer so it will apply to small cuts, etc. A piece cut from a solid alum block (like Osma) is very smooth, like glass.
I concur!
I just went with two popular brands on Amazon. I didn't bother to look at more to see if they have different percentages.
Clubman Pinaud Styptic Pencil
Active Ingredient = Aluminum Sulfate 56%
Inactive Ingredients = Titanium Dioxide (Cl 77891)
Woltra Styptic Pencil
Active Ingredient = Aluminum Sulfate 56%
Other Ingredients = Titanium Dioxide
But potassium alum is not the only type of aluminum sulfate. There are also sodium aluminum sulfate and just plain old aluminum sulfate. I've read that all three are used to make styptic pencils, but I don't think it's usually stated on the label which type of aluminum sulfate was used to produce that particular styptic pencil.
So, for example, Osma specifies on its alum block packaging that it's made from 100% "potassium alum" (potassium aluminum sulfate). But Clubman Pinaud's styptic pencil packaging just says that it's 56% "aluminum sulfate" without specifying which type.
I guess I'm in the minority, because alum is as much a part of my shaving routine as lather. I like how it leaves my skin feeling after rinsing it off.
It's usually potassium aluminum sulfate used for shaving. There are other types, yes, like ammonium aluminum sulfate, but that seems to be most commonly used for water purification. Alum is used for lots of things.
The titanium dioxide in styptic pencils is basically filler material, it is inert. It is bright white, though, so I guess that helps people see where it was applied.
Are you sure styptic pencils don't use Al₂(SO₄)₃ instead?
If they use the same type of aluminum sulfate as alum blocks, but at a lower concentration, and if the other ingredient is just filler, then how come a styptic pencil is more effective than an alum block?
simples ..... it is ground up
titanium dioxide is just a waste of space, insoluble, bright white pigment, that does diddly squat but look good, you think you are buying a wonder product, when you can grind up you alum block and get Kosher Alum, no matter what form of alum that alum is/was//or shall be.
Thank you for quoting the %'s above, clarity is good.
I may be further in the minority.
I have a stronger preference is to shower AFTER (very rarely if ever before) the shave. This allows for a thorough rinse of the Alum as well as getting a good face wash in.
Do you know the answer to my first question, though? I think styptic pencils use Al₂(SO₄)₃, unlike alum blocks. But I can't quite pin down anything that either proves or disproves it.
K2SO4(aq) + Al2(SO4)3(aq) → K2SO4. Al2(SO4)3.24H2O(s) (Potash Alum)
A "Double" salt, so you have potassium AND aluminium, they both form a sulphate each, not a magic combined metal single sulphate.
So a block of Alum has aluminium PLUS potassium
and a stick if it is of pure Al Alum is the same as a block without the potassium.
A "Double" salt, so you have potassium AND aluminium, they both form a sulphate each, not a magic combined metal single sulphate.
So a block of Alum has aluminium PLUS potassium
and a stick if it is of pure Al Alum is the same as a block without the potassium.
I consider an Alum block a salt block. Salt water cleans wounds and promotes healing through osmosis, which forces liquid and bacteria out of cells. I keep it in my routine. JMTC.....
