Aftershave is one of the few products that appeal directly to men about smelling their best. Yes, we know that shower gels and deodorants are there as well, but they are more of a cleanliness of the body and a lot of deodorants smell pretty similar.
However, with products like colognes and aftershave, it is not about just hygiene, but also giving your face a nice smell after freshening up. But is this all aftershave does?
The amount of times people have asked one another what exactly aftershave is for and been met with blank stares is a surprising amount.
People just don’t really know what it does. So, does it do anything? Why, yes. Yes, it does. What does it do? Well, keep reading to find out.
What Is Aftershave?
Aftershave is a cologne-type liquid that is commonly used after shaving or taking a shower.
Normally, this liquid is alcohol based and requires just a splash on the face or body for application, however some aftershaves come as a gel, paste, or lotion that needs to be smeared onto the skin and allowed to dry or to be washed off.
In a way, aftershave could be considered an alternative to cologne, which in America is the male equivalent to perfume, but in actuality is just a type of perfume that uses between 2 to 5% concentrated alcohol in the mixture. Due to this type of perfume originating in Cologne, Germany, it got its name from there.
However, this is a bit of a misconception, as aftershave is designed to be applied after shaving or washing a face, whereas cologne and perfumes are designed to be sprayed onto the face and body at any given notice.
The other difference is in why they are applied. A cologne or perfume is applied to the skin to give the wearer an attractive smell, different from the one they currently have.
Whereas smell is just a nice by-product of wearing aftershave. In fact, there are a lot of good benefits to wearing aftershave, particularly to the skin.
The Benefits Of Using Aftershave
We mentioned the benefits of wearing aftershave earlier, but they are far more numerous than we actually gave them credit for. If you were wondering whether you should buy aftershave, then the following list will give you a reason to:
- Antiseptic and antibacterial qualities: Shaving is normally a necessary endeavor to make yourself presentable. Yet, using a sharp razor to shave closely will always leave tiny cuts and exposed areas of the skin that you can’t feel. This will leave them open to potentially becoming infected or worse. Aftershave contains antiseptic and antibacterial qualities (normally from the alcohol inside the mixture) that, when applied, will stop those cuts and wounds from getting infected and prevent you from having a miserable time.
- Protects open skin pores: When you shave, you cut the hair follicle close to the pores of your skin. These pores are now open and exposed without the hair follicle. This makes them vulnerable to bacterial infection, which can result in spots or cysts. Aftershave not only gets rid of the bacteria, but it helps to dry out the pore, closing it up and stopping any potential sores from appearing on your face.
- Helps heal skin: Now, it should be noted that this only applies to aftershaves that use natural ingredients. With that said, your skin can be irritated after a shave. If you apply a natural aftershave, this irritation can go away. This is because they contain natural moisturizers, like jojoba oil and coconut oil, which soothes and heals the skin. This is also great for acne and other sores on the face.
- Pleasant smell: Aftershave can also give you a pleasant aroma. This is due to the properties of the alcohol in the aftershave acting as a natural diffuser and making them perfume like. As such, after a shave, you can spend the rest of the day smelling lovely.
As you can see, aftershave has many more uses than just making you smell nice. It is good for keeping your skin healthy and stops shaving from harming your skin and your body.
Ingredients In Aftershave
While you don’t need to necessarily score the supermarket aisles for particular ingredients in aftershaves, there are a couple of ingredients that you should be on the lookout for to make sure your skin is nice and fresh when shaving. These are:
- Shea butter – A moisturizer that is nut based.
- Aloe Vera – One of the best substances for moisturizing and soothing cuts or burns on the skin.
- Witch Hazel – An astringent made from a plant that is a good alternative to alcohol.
- Vitamin E Oil – An oil that helps maintain healthy skin and is good for immune response on the skin.
- Chamomile – Helps soothe the skin after irritation.
- Essential oils and natural scents – These are just for smelling nice really, but they provide a natural more pleasant aroma for your body.
- Glycerin – Soothes and aids the skin in recovery.
There are other ingredients that you could watch out for, but these are the main ones. The best bet is to look up the things you need and make a list of them.
You are unlikely to find an aftershave with every ingredient, but you could come pretty close.
Should I Use Aftershave?
You don’t need to use aftershave after your shave, but honestly it could really help you. Shaving is irritating to the skin for most people and many just simply forgo it, not because they don’t want to shave, but to avoid having a day or two of itchy skin afterwards.
Aftershave can stop this and help you to keep your skin healthy and feeling fresh throughout the day.
Conclusion
Aftershave has a ton of uses for the regular shaving, and it can make you smell very nice after shaving as well. It is a good way to be able to keep shaving, while not irritating your skin too much, and that is something not a lot of products do.
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