This is the place to ask beginner and simple questions. Some examples include:

  • Soap, scent, or gear recommendations
  • Favorite scents, bases, etc
  • Where to buy certain items
  • Identification of a razor you just bought
  • Troubleshooting shaving issues such as cuts, poor lather, and technique

Please note these are examples and any questions for the sub should be posted here.

    • sgrdddy
      6·
      1 year ago

      I feel like the alum block followed by the aftershave should be enough

      I agree with you. Except I do you one better. I submit that if you use an alcohol aftershave, the alum is redundant and doesn’t offer any extra benefit, other than stinging skin and some extra dryness.

      But the four you mentioned… that is definitely not standard. Likely folks who just like to buy stuff, or who watch too many videos of shave “influencers” who just want to sell stuff.

      I ditched the Alum a long time ago. Witch Hazel or splash or balm … can all stand on their own, if you want them to.

      • merikusMA
        3·
        1 year ago

        Sir I was wondering if I could share the Word of Osma with you.

        • sgrdddy
          5·
          1 year ago

          Sure. What perks do you get from your Alum use?

          • iamsms
            2·
            1 year ago

            EDIT - link to post downstream with links and such

            Alum does a thing called Vasoconstriction (google or ask your doctor what it is) that a splash or balm doesn’t. It repairs/closes the small cuts (even invisible ones) we get from shaving. Alcohol or which hazel aren’t as good a vasoconstrictor as alum is.

            Do you need it? Depends. It is all about how much you want to treat your face - even aftershave isn’t mandatory. You can skip the tylenol if you have a little fever - does it mean tylenol doesn’t do anything? No.

            But you guys really should look up this a bit before saying alum doesn’t do anything, we are at the point of spreading misinformation here.

            • gfdoto
              1·
              1 year ago

              I’d be interested in seeing some kind of scientific paper on this. Do you have a link?

              • iamsms
                1·
                1 year ago

                the links I can give you are the ones can be found on google (alum + vasoconstriction). Better to talk to some folks on the sub like u/rdthedo and such who are actual doctors, and my original source.

                • gfdoto
                  1·
                  1 year ago

                  I googled and I couldn’t find anything that relevant. I just don’t think it’s fair to say people are spreading misinformation when what you said isn’t backed by scientific data either. It’s not good enough for me to hear, “Oh, a doctor told me this so it must be true”. I’ve never heard of alum blocks being used in a medical setting and Google isn’t turning up any results either. To me this is the same as the videos going around at the beginning of COVID where a doctor put out YouTube videos telling people how to disinfect all their groceries and he was called out by a actual food microbiologist for spreading misinformation.

                  I’m in the camp of alum doesn’t do much for me (and yes, I have Osma), but I’m happy to be proven otherwise. So far everything I’ve seen has been anecdotal. It might have some effect at stopping minor bleeding, but in my experience it doesn’t work as well as styptic. To me, alum is just one of those things that you try and you use if you like the way it feels, don’t use it if you don’t like it or if it irritates your skin. Definitely don’t use it just because someone tells you it’s great.

            • Tetriside
              2·
              1 year ago

              How does it compare to slapping oneself in the face?

              • merikusMA
                1·
                1 year ago

                Some people like being slapped in the face, they’re into that sort of thing. If you were one of those people, then it is much like being slapped in the face.

    • merikusMA
      2·
      1 year ago

      I agree with you there, it’s probably not necessary. I do alum followed by a balm and then finished off with an alcohol based splash. If someone didn’t want to use alcohol, they could probably just substitute Thayer’s witch hazel there.

        • merikusMA
          2·
          1 year ago

          For me, it’s because I find that balm feels too thick on my skin. My approach is shave, alum, shower, balm, dry off and stuff, splash.

    • bmac92@lemmy.world
      2·
      1 year ago

      I recently stopped using alum and I think my skin is better for it. I do witch hazel and aloe (currently using Stirling’s mentholed version), then aftershave (either splash or balm), followed by Neutrogena hydro boost gel cream extra dry. The Neutrogena is phenomenal after a shave.

      I know it’s a little redundant to use the witch hazel then the aftershave since most have those ingredients, but I like using it.