Do you wear after shave?

I understand their traditional utility is to shrink/close the pores after shaving, and to disinfect any small cuts. This is a crude way of doing both, for alcohol is not very good for the skin. It also gives a good barometer of how well you are shaving, for any microscopic injuries will sting - making you more careful. But alum is a somewhat better choice, as not alcohol-based. in modernity, anyway, I think there is no practical purpose for aftershaves. I prefer to use an unscented aftershave balm (which, on the neck, happens to give a better basis for scents to cling to).

Which leaves aftershaves' possible purpose of scent. They are a very weak concentration. I think Habit Rouge is a scent whose aftershave is occasionally admired? Personally, I don't wear them.

Fragrance aftershaves are usually too expensive for what they are: alcohol with a little bit of fragrance. If I want my face to smell like my SOTD, I simply mix a couple sprays of my SOTD with some unscented after shave balm in the palm of my hand and apply to the face.

I mix three sprays into neutral balm to get that effect.

To the OP - aftershaves' strength vary wildly. Some barely last an hour. Joop Homme aftershave splash lasts about two days.

In some countries or areas of countries it is not perceived to be manly to wear EDTs, but wearing aftershave splash is perfectly acceptable.

Some aftershave splashes don't sting, like Mennen Skin Bracer, Halston Catalyst, and most of the Trumper aftershave splashes. But designers keep opting for the standard stinging concoctions.

Because many aftershave splashes are near half the strength of their respective EDTs, if one gets them in a gift set say, they can be used as splash-on colognes. No one says one has to apply them to the face.
Regards,
Renato

When they are received as part of a gift set, I'll try them out, but usually wind up giving them away.

I have found that aftershave splash is better for my skin than balm. I don't shave every day, but when I do I tend to use Kouros aftershave splash, followed by two sprays of Kouros edt to the chest. The sensation of applying the aftershave is invigorating and bracing but does not sting.

I always use a scented aftershave. I currently have and use Guerlain Vetiver, Cartier Roadster, and YSL L'homme.

I use L'Occitane aftershave balm which has a Hugh concentration of Cade.
It's more of a moisturizer. Very creamy and refreshing.

I don't. I found it causes me to break out. The only things I will use are body washes and colognes.

nope ... fade too quickly ...

Nope. Just a general lotion instead.

I'm using Chanel after shave products. Their balms are great.
I especially love the Egoiste one.
Pefumed nicely and it projects for an hour or two.
I tried a splash of Allure a while ago, as I always liked splashes years ago.
But the alcohol really hurts these days, so the next one will be a balm again.
Prolly Egoiste or maybe Antaeus / Bleu this time.

I find the concept of an aftershave a bit dated these days.

So has your face evolved now and doesn't require alcohol or similar to assist in closing pores now.

I've a couple of aftershaves (Knize Ten and CDG2Man Balm) that I use very rarely. Usually I apply an unscented moisturizing/refreshing lotion.

The purpose of after shave is primarily to sooth and disinfect your face after a shave. The scent is just a bonus.

Wearing such a wide range of scents, I prefer not to wear one that is heavily scented. I finish shave with witch hazel, and Trumpers Skin Food. While the Skin Food is scented, it is a very fleeting scent that doesn't interfere with EdT.

I personally prefer balms to alcohol laden shaves. Some guys wear AS matched to their EdT. But once you have several scents, that's a real quandary trying to buy two bottles for everything.

Aqua Velva Ice Blue on occasion, but as a cologne, not an aftershave.

I apply one of several Nivea Aftershave Balms post shave. They have a nice, light scent to them as well as being soothing to the face.

Yes I also have the ability to control Metal with my mind

I started using the Clinique 3 step products at the start of the year and would happily recommend them to anyone:
http://www.clinique.co.uk/cms/produc...ystem_mpp.tmpl

Unscented balm, in order not clash with the scent

I only get aftershave when it is part of a gift scent, and even then I rarely use it. Most AS splashes seem silly and pointless anymore, given the wide array of high quality beauty products available. I hardly even use the AS balms either, as they are generally mediocre moisturizers wedded to a fleeting scent. I tend to use those as a body lotions so I can use them up quickly and return to my normal routine of lotions and such.

Got two for free and I bought one.

I use them not very often, usually when I don't want wearing long (equal to or more than 6 to 8 hours) or mid lasting ( less than 4 hours) scents because of a whim or any particular circumstances.

Thats interesting to know thanks, I'll look into it when I've used my current lot.

Hahahahha good one

I've been using this the past year.
It is suitable for my skin. Highly recommended.

I use Floris Eau de Santal aftershave splash, but only when I am wearing the edt (or the eau de parfum version) as well. Otherwise I use an unscented blam from Anthony Logistics and sometimes mix in a couple sprays of my SotD.

You have an odd sequence - since most of the exfoliating scrubs say to use them only a couple of times a week. I always treat the A/S balm as a moisturizer, and only apply moisturizer with sun protection factor if I know I'm going to spend two or more hours out in the sun.

The Aqua di Parma A/S balm you mention is the richest, most luxurious feeling one I've come across.

Renato

As my skin tends to be more on the oily side, I prefer using an after shave splash to a balm. It never stings me, but is rather bracing.

I currently have about 20 that match my EDT or EDP. My favourites are the YSL's, Chanel's, Dior's and Guerlains.

I use clinique fragrance free aftershave and I wear my fragrance after. I figure it is hard to own the aftershave for each fragrance I own. I really recommend the clinique "post shave soother" or whatever it's called.

I prefer the balm.....I use AS as a body splash.....Gary

I don't shave

i dont use aftershave splash, and the general advice I have received is that putting alcohol on your face straight after shaving causes irritation. I use cold water to "close my pores" lol. And then I use an unscented aftershave balm

I use Gillette splash aftershave only because I like the scent. In other words I use it as a cologne.

Right now I am using nivea for men after shave balm and while it is good for my face I sometimes do not like the scent. I also have and love the American Crew post shave cooling lotion with eucalyptis and love it, I am thinking of getting an everyman jack unscented lotion though any thoughts?

i do not wear any but i wonder if it is worth it

I don't. I prefer other face lotions instead.

I use unscented face lotions with SPF15 or better. They are basically moisturizers. I put them on my face just like I would an aftershave balm.

Well I do use some. I prefer Balms. Sometimes I use the after shave splash as a body Splash..huh!
Still, I've few aftershaves like Narciso Rodriguez for Him, john Varvatos Original, Gucci pH, Gucci Envy, Bleu De Chanel & TdH.

unscented balm here, as well.

I do not. I have been using a trimmer (5 o'clock shadow all day, every day!) and find no use for aftershave.

I have a couple of AS from Escada Magnetism and Herrera for Men and a balm from Dreamer, which I apply strictly with the matching EDT's (and not necessarily after shaving) because I noticed they enhance the lasting duration and projection of the scent. Sometimes I use only AS when I stay at home. Usually, after a good shave, I combine an unscented balm with 1-2 sprays of desired fragrance and that's enough for me. Is it worth to buy an aftershave from a known house? I think no...the price could get you to a nice 25-30-50ml of that fragrance. Just my two cents.

Do I wear aftershave? Yes, when I can get it! I love the bracing feel of it and it it the best way to layer the same fragrance-- Yess Guerlain's are great (I use Vetiver as all the time) but so are so many, others

no, I was born after 1936.

I used to, but these days I don't because of their alcohol content. Is there any alcohol-free aftershave/balm that you folks would recommend? Thanks!

Taylor of Old Bond Street Jermyn Street.

I prefer to use an alum block, although I have a bottle of Habit Rouge AS which I use when I wear the EdT/EdP/Extrait.

Yes, I often use them as colognes.
There are a few plus factors for me with aftershaves.
1. They can be found incredibly cheaply sometimes, especially on ebay
2. They can sometimes smell qualitatively better than the equivalent edt even though they usually have less staying power.
3. They can add a subtle difference to ascent if layered with the edt.
4. some, particularly old school aftershaves are more powerful with better longevity than the average edt. |Someone did a comparison which is still here on Basenotes somewhere which was quite interesting although still only included a relatively small number of frags.
I would like to see a bit more discussion of this in the forums.

I tend to use a light after shave balm that is alcohol-free. My face just can't take the alcohol and breaks out. Some notable good ones though that have quite a bit of 'oil' in them are Acqua di Parma Collezione Barbiere after shave lotion, Eau Sauvage and Tabac Original. The latter stings like hell though. The first two are very good and contain only a little alcohol.

Hang on -- what are we talking about here? After-shave isn't meant to be taken literally -- they are just watered down perfumes. Balms should be used to heal the skin or just good old water. Using after-shave directly after shaving is just wrong and potentially painful.

That's funny (as in I think that's clever).

My father-in-law (born in 1945) still wears AS, and my dad (1941) just switched to balm.

...no; my skin tolerates only cold water after shaving...!

I don't have that many, but I do enjoy collecting the various supporting products to my favourite scents, including aftershave splashes and balms. I only shave irregularly so don't get huge use out of them, but I enjoy them when I do.

Off the top of my head, I currently own a/s splashes for Polo and Acqua di Parma Barbiere, and balms for Polo, Polo Crest, AdP again and a couple of Tom Fords.....

....and how could I forget, Paul Smith London!

No way. I use Cereve unscented moisturizer.

Regards,
Steve

I only use balms and I'll only wear the aftershave balm that matches my SOTD. I get way more projection with aftershave balms which I love. I like the idea of the unscented balms and spraying your SOTD and mixing it. I need to try that!!

"Do you wear after shave, and if so, is it only when wearing the matching fragrance?"

Yes, I wear it, and no, not only when wearing the matching fragrance. I sometimes use after shave splash or balm by itself, and sometimes with the matching EDT/EDP (Tom Ford Men, Tom Ford Extreme, and Terre d'Hermes to name a few.)

I've also been using the Nivea after shave balms for years . . . they soothe, moisturize and protect the skin and are generally inoffensive scentwise.

Zegna makes most of their after shave balms without alcohol. I have Essenza and Z . . . both smell and feel quite nice.

Cheers . . . Wally

I have around 100 bottles of after-sha..oh wait.

+1 no and lotion.

Only aftershave I own is Joop! Homme. That stuff is probably more potent than the EDT. I decant mine into an atomiser.

As people have stated above the purpose of aftershave (alchohol) is to disinfect the skin and close the pores. Some also find it has a cooling or bracing effect. If you suffer from razor burn or rash then it can serve as an analgesic, but it's also likely to sting for some time first depending on how oily or dry your skin is. On the negative side alchohol can potentially dry out the skin, and some even say it can cause it to become scaly or tough. The bottom line though is millions of men used these products everyday for most of their lives and did not find them wanting. There's no reason to avoid it because it's old. It gets the job done. Of course if you prefer a balm of some sort that's effective as well and probably less painful. You really need to work out your own routine when it comes to these things. Something that suits you.

As far as fragrance is concerned others have covered this. An aftershave will be weaker than the corresponding EDT or Cologne, but that doesn't mean it's useless. Some EDTs are incredibly strong, even prohibitively so, which means the corresponding aftershave might actually have servicable longevity and projection. I own a few 220ml bottles of vintage Givenchy Gentleman aftershave for example and they are as strong and long-lasting as most of my modern EDTs. Though not as strong, or long-lasting as the vintage EDT itself. The scent is also a little deeper in the EDT which makes the aftershave more wearable in certain situations. Simmilarly the Obsession, Coriolan and Joop! Homme aftershaves are all viable fragrances. There are others I've come across, but I won't go into detail listing them all.

I use aftershave after shaving on occasion. It depends entirely upon my mood. Other times I use a splash of cold water followed by a post-shave balm. Sometimes I want to feel that stinging sensation and get a nice whiff of scent, but generally speaking I don't buy aftershaves for all my fragrances, and the ones I enjoy as fragrance are not for splashing on willy-nilly. For me the ideal aftershave is something with a limited longevity so I can splash it on and enjoy it, but not have it last too long and interfere with my fragrance of the day. It's something I might use on a lazy Sunday morning, or when on holiday when I have the luxury of time. I don't want it to last beyond midday.

That said generally I use EDC's instead of actual 'aftershave,' because the alchohol content is not that important (above 60% there is little difference in reducing bacteria count, and that's only relevant if you cut yourself and I use a stypic pencil on cuts which disinfects anyway) which at the moment means either CDG's Citrico, Vetiveru or Anbar, Eau du Coq, English Leather, Roger & Gallet's Vetiver or one of a few cheapy colognes by Mont St. Michel: Ambree, Rose, or Naturelle (Bergamot) which I like because they only last for about a half-hour, and they smell nice.