If you haven’t shaved your face before you might have wondered “What is aftershave for?” as well as how should you apply it exactly? Is it just for the sake of adding a fragrance to your freshly shaved face or is there something more complicated to it? What is the purpose of an aftershave, in other words?
The simple answer to that question is that an aftershave is a soothing agent that’s meant to moisturize your skin and help it recover from the shave while also keeping your skin pores clean and hygienic. A lot of aftershaves also have a nice fragrance that can help you feel good and more confident during the day.
So, while the aftershave is not typically a must-have item in a man’s bathroom, it definitely has more than enough benefits that it brings to the table to be worth considering.
What are the benefits of using aftershave?
One of the most important things to do when shaving is to give your skin enough moisturizing and nourishment during and after a shave to keep it healthy, soft, and comfortable. The easiest way to slowly but surely ruin your skin over time is to not moisturize it properly. Preventing and treating direct cuts and razor burns is another vital part of shaving. Why use aftershave, however? Does it help with these things?
Here are the main benefits you can expect to get from using an aftershave:
- A good aftershave will have the soothing and nourishing ingredients to help arrest the bleeding from cuts and razor burns, as well as help your skin heal faster. Even if you are experienced and skilled enough to shave without any cuts, micro skin cuts and bleedings are a normal occurrence when shaving close to the skin. That’s why good aftershaves are invaluable for people who want close and clean shaves but are not that necessary for people that aren’t as focused on achieving a perfect smoothness after a shave.
- Good aftershaves also have a very noticeable soothing effect they give the skin. For a lot of men, applying the aftershave is half the reason why they shave in the first place – it’s just that pleasant of an experience.
- Aftershaves also bring a lot of hygienic benefits to the table. Quality aftershaves will keep your skin pores clean and bacteria-free. This is vital when it comes to avoiding bacteria, preventing acne, and the many other skin problems that can occur on your skin with or without shaving.
- A nice, scented aftershave will simply make you feel better. It’s not just about the immediate soothing effect the aftershave gives your skin – it’s also the noticeable and pleasant fragrances a lot of aftershaves have, the long-lasting refreshing effect they leave after, and the overflow of confidence they inspire. A great aftershave is simply a great way to start your day – it can make all the difference between going to work tired and already defeated or going there with the confidence and desire of overcoming any problem the world can throw at you.
If it has all these benefits, however, why does aftershave burn? And why do so many men not use aftershaves even if they shave daily?
There are reasons not to use aftershave, of course. For one, a lot of men don’t shave close to the skin which makes most of the aftershave’s benefits unnecessary. What’s more, aftershaves are not cheap so it’s normal for a lot of people to choose to omit this expense from their budget.
And yes, the burning is a factor, however, not every aftershave burns. The aftershaves that can cause burnings are the ones that are alcohol-based and we’d generally recommend avoiding them anyway. Additionally, burning is also more common if you’ve cut your face which is something you should avoid anyway.
How to choose the right aftershave?
The simplest advice you’ll hear most of the time, including from us, is to just avoid alcohol-based aftershave products. There are plenty of non-greasy and non-alcohol moisturizers and skin calmers that will help seal in the natural moisture barriers of your skins, thus giving you a smoother look and an excellent feel.
If you do want to use an alcohol-based aftershave splash, these have their positives as well – they help close your skin’s pores often come with a lot of very nice scents that are quite similar to those of a cologne. However, alcohol-based aftershaves also tend to dry your skin which is antithetical to what an aftershave is meant to do. So, if you want to use such an aftershave, we’d definitely recommend using a skin conditioner as well.
Aside from this main consideration, the rest usually falls to personal preferences – what fragrance do you like, what intensity, and so on.
How to use aftershave properly?
Getting the most of your aftershave is a great idea unless you’re just using it for its scent. There are many steps you can take to use an aftershave properly, with a lot of them being non-mandatory but smart anyway. Let’s go over them one by one:
- Rinse your face with cold water after shaving. Your face needs to be 100% free of any leftover hairs or shaving cream before you do anything with an aftershave.
- Towel dry your face carefully. If you want the aftershave to have any effect, your face needs to be well dried. Be gentle, however, as the skin will be easily irritated after the shave.
- Use witch hazel to wipe your face. This is not a must-do but it’s a great thing to consider nonetheless. A cotton pad dipped in witch hazel is great at getting residues that the water rinse could have missed.
- Apply a moisturizer to your skin. Especially if you’re using an alcohol-based aftershave, this step is not to be skipped.
- Rub a few drops of aftershave between your hands. Let a bit of it evaporate for a couple of seconds if it’s too much. Then rub it carefully onto your face. Massage your face with it to distribute it evenly and fully on your skin.
And that’s about it. If you’ve chosen the right aftershave for your skin and your needs, and if you apply it adequately with enough moisturizer, you should achieve an excellent feel and hygienic effect.
