Despite the world's highest living standards, the average American remained vaguely discontent.
There was something missing. You’ve probably seen a lot of videos about
shaving. But what about after the shave? There is a surprising amount of variety in aftershave
products, and many widely available aftershaves are pretty good--probably because many widely
available razors and shave creams are so bad. But that wide variety of aftershave products
can be confusing, especially with all the different terminology that gets spewed out
without much explanation. It all kind of makes you wonder who’s in charge.... So lets look
at a general overview of aftershaves with some rules of thumb. Details can be covered
in later videos, based on your questions and feedback.
But first let me clarify what I mean by “aftershave” because it can mean different things to different
people. I’m not talking about products you might use after shaving that are mostly alcohol
and some kind of scent component, almost like a cologne. I am talking about the products
that are applied immediately after shaving to provide some combination of irritation
relief, skin moisturizing, and protection from the elements. Select an aftershave based
how that combination addresses the needs of your skin.
Aftershaves can be divided into two broad categories, balms and splashes. Balms are
heavier-feeling on the skin and typically provide more irritation relief and more moisturization
to the skin, particularly in cold or dry climates. Splashes are more watery feeling and generally
contain a combination of toners, astringents, and hydrosols to cleanse and provide a degree
of anticeptic or antibacterial protection to the skin. They’re more popular with those
with oily skin or in hot, humid climates. Both balms and splashes often use some kind
of humectant to increase the effectiveness of other ingredients. There are also some
other “cross-over” ingredients that might be used in a balm or a splash. By the way,
I’m often asked whether a moisturizer is the same as an aftershave balm. No, an aftershave
balm contains additional ingredients, which I’ll get into in a moment.
A Humectant is an ingredient used to increase the skin penetration and activity time of
another ingredient. They’re also used to minimize the dehydrating effect of some other
active ingredient. Examples of humectants include glycerol, propylene glycol, sorbitol,
lactic acid or urea. Moisturizers are ingredients specially designed
to make the external layers of the skin softer and more pliable by increasing the skin’s
water content. It does that not by putting water into the skin, but by reducing evaporation.
A moisturizer is not a single ingredient but a combination of ingredients like oils and
humectants working together Toners and astringents are designed to cleanse
the skin and shrink the appearance of pores. Astringents are the strongest form of toner,
containing a high proportion of alcohol, 20-60%. Mild astringent solutions are used in the
relief of minor skin irritations like superficial cuts, rash from allergies, insect bites, or
fungal infections like athlete's foot. They can also help heal scars. They are commonly
recommended for oily skin as they are drying, but keep in mind that the removal of oil from
the skin can lead to excess oil production as the skin tries to compensate and prevent
moisture loss. Topically applied astringents cause mild coagulation of skin proteins and
will dry, harden, and protect the skin. Astringents are best applied only to problem areas of
skin to prevent excessive drying. [except pure witch hazel distillate which can be applied
broadly to the skin.] Some common ingredients include alum, oatmeal,
acacia, yarrow, witch hazel, distilled vinegar, and alcohol. Astringent preparations include
silver nitrate, potassium permanganate, zinc oxide, zinc sulfate.
Hydrosols are the product of essential oils usually obtained by steam distillation from
aromatic plants. Hydrosols go by other names including floral water, herbal distillates,
hydrolate, herbal water and essential water. Hydrosols are produced in the same manner
as essential oils but essential oils will float to the top of the distillate where they
are removed, leaving behind the watery distillate. In the past, hydrosols were considered a byproduct
of distillation, but now they’re considered an important co-product. The science of distillation
is based on the fact that different substances vaporize at different temperatures.
Hydrosols contain diluted essential oils. Because hydrosols are produced at high temperatures
and are somewhat acidic, they tend to inhibit bacterial growth but they’re not sterile.
Hydrosols can also help the skin get back a normal pH by being more acidic, where shaving
soaps and creams may be more alkaline. The traditional hydrosols most associated with
shaving are rose and lavender. Rose distillates are known to be mildly antibacterial, while
lavender distillates are mildly anticeptic. Sometimes these two hydrosols are combined
into a single product, such as QED’s DaVinci water. By the way, its a good idea to keep
hydrosols refrigerated, like milk. They’ll last longer, and they can feel nice in the
heat of the summer. Now that you have some background on what
aftershaves are composed of, how should you use them? The answer to that depends partly
on what kind of skin you have. How do you know what type of skin you have? OK, here
are some guidelines. Dry skin appears rough, dull or cracked and
is prone to peeling, lines and wrinkles. A moisturizing shave balm would work well here.
Using a moisturizer just before bed might be useful here too. Be sure to use a gentle
face wash and if you use a facial scrub, use it only a week. Make sure you drink plenty
of water. Oily skin looks shiny, particularly on the
T-Zone of the forehead, nose and chin, and feels, well, oily to the touch. The skin appears
to have large or open pores and is it prone to blackheads, whiteheads, spots and pimples,
and even acne. An aftershave splash with a toner would probably be your best bet. Oily
skin attracts dust and dirt so it might also be useful to use a facial cleanser twice daily,
a facial scrub 2 or 3 times a week and use an oil-free moisturiser.
Sensitive skin will itch, sting or break out in a rash when you use certain shaving and
skincare products. You’ll need to try to use products specifically made for sensitive
skin. Combination skin will have a central greasy
area around the forehead, nose & chin but dry around the cheeks. Its also prone to blackheads,
especially around the nose. The best way of dealing with combination skin is either to
use products designed specifically for combination skin, or to simply apply the relevant products
to the relevant area of your face - dry skin products for the dry areas, and oil-free products
for the T-Zone. Normal skin appears evenly-textured, smooth,
clear and healthy, with barely visible pores and without blemishes or spots. You could
probably use any mild splash or balm in this case. To maintain clear skin be sure to use
a good quality facial wash with a facial scrub once or twice a week.
OK, you have finished your shave and now you are ready for your aftershave. Two things
to keep in mind. First, keep your face wet--you do not need to keep it dripping wet but at
least moist. That way you will use less product and it will cover more evenly.
The second thing is if you use more than one product, like first a splash and then a balm,
apply the most watery product first and then the balm afterward. You want the lighter products
closer to the skin and the heavier stuff after. �