Aftershave + Moisturizer?

I'm curious what you guys think about combining an aftershave and a facial moisturizer, or using one then the other following a shave. My skin is tricky (part of what led me to the world of DE shaving in the first place): it gets greasy easily, but after a shave or a face wash I always have to moisturize or else it will dry out, forming flakes, and getting pretty itchy. From what I gather its a form of light dermatitis.

So upon joining TSD i put my coupon to use and ordered a bottle of TSD aftershave milk (no menthol, but w/ fragrance) hoping it would work as both an aftershave and a moisturizer. But sure enough, using just the milk left my face dry and parched. So I've been experimenting with neutral scented facial moisturizers used immediatedly after the TSD milk, as well as combining a few drops of milk with the moisturizer (didn't work out that great, made the moisturizer smear everywhere rather than soak in).

I'm curious if others have similar issues and how you handle it? I could just stop using the aftershave altogether and return to moisturizer only, but i really like the aftershave fragrance, and the TSD milk seems like overall it'd be good for my skin. Any ideas?

 

That sounds like a tricky problem. I can't do more than suggest possible solutions. So here are a few:
-After shave balms
-After shave gels
-Skin food

 

Thanks, that was a pretty informative thread. Before getting back into the wetshaving world very recently, I had been using mostly oil-free moisturizers, and for the most part, stuff not necessarily meant for use after shaving (products probably marketed towards women), and they actually did a more than adequate job for my face. I forget the name, but a basic Oil of Olay moisturizer (bout $11) actually was the best for my face, the only problem... the fragrance didn't do much of anything for me. Not particularly girly, more of a bland baby powder type of smell. Besides that I've used some Kiehls products, some meant as aftershaves or face cream for men, and others just general moisturizers, all of which worked ok.

Going by the info in that other thread, it seems i'm more of the balm type of guy. I think i'll experiment with using a few drops of the TSD milk rubbed into my face, followed by an unscented kiehls facial moisturizing cream for men. If that doesn't work I might have to abandon the TSD milk, although darn if it doesn't smell good.

What's the deal with skin food? Haven't heard much about it, other than a few casual mentions on here.

 

Skin Food is a glycerin based thick liquid that most use as an aftershave, but can also be used as a preshave. The easiest to find is Trumper's Skin Food, though it's somewhat expensive up front. A little goes a long way and you can get a sample pack with skin food to try cheap before laying out for an entire bottle. In terms of moisture, I find it somewhere between milk and balm.

 

I use both after every shave

I have dry skin, and i have yet to find a one-step AS balm that quenches my dry skin

Sure, it will restore a little moisture, or restablishes the PH at a more neutral level, but that's it

 

I also think the soap/cream you use to shave with matters a lot. I've noticed that my face always feels softer after using Mitchells Wool Fat shaving soap as opposed to other soaps and creams. It's more expensive then most soaps but the puck is huge and it last several several months. I've had mine 2 months (edit: actually more like 4 months now that I think about it) using it about half the time and I've hardly made a dent in it so i think it's worth it.

C. S. Budzi

 

I found a sample jar of Coral (rose) scented skin food last night. If you PM me your address it's yours.

 

That's actually interesting... I hadn't really thought of the shave soaps and creams as actual soaps, but of course they are. I had fallen out of wet shaving and into the permanent stubble look (maintained with beard trimmer) for the last couple years, and during that time the only thing i ever used to wash my face were ultra-gentle oil-free, soap-free face cleansers... now that i've gone back to the brush and lather i bet it could also be the soaps drying out my face. Interesting, i'll have to keep track of how different soaps affect my skin. Typically i CAN use soap on my face, so long as i thoroughly moisturize after. Maybe that's just the trick for me, use whatever i want, and end with moisturizer.

 

I agree with CSBudzi about the MWF. Its only 12 dollars shipped from connaughtshaving.

When finished applying your aftershave try putting some rosehip seed oil. IMO that is the best facial moisturizer around. I got mine on ebay from an artisan for 6 dollars shipped.

 

I use both aftershave a real facial moisturizer. The key is to let whatever after shave you use DRY on your face before applying the moisturizer. If you don't have time to wait at least 15 minutes for your AS to dry, take a bottle of moisturizer with you to work and apply it in the restroom.

This is the moisturizer I use, which is fragrance free and non-comedogenic:

http://www.danielkern.com/category-s/23.htm

FYI this moisturizer works great even for people who do not have acne.

I've tried it after applying it aftershave balms, alcohol based aftershaves, witch hazel, etc. and I have never had a problem with "smearing" or clumping or anything like that. The key is to let your AS, whatever you use, fully dry before attempting to apply the moisturizer, then apply the moisturizer a little bit at a time and massage it gently into your skin until it is absorbed.

+1 on Taylor's Avocado shaving cream. I also have found LEA shave cream to do particularly well in the moisturizing department because it has a high glycerin content.

 

Did it this way last night... let the AS dry first. Only took about 2 minutes for me, maybe that says something about my skin. Applied my unscented Kiehls men's face cream and my skin turned out just about right. I am curious to try some of these other moisturizers though... i'll keep my eyes peeled for rosehip seed oil and the one mentioned in the post above.

 

FYI, Daniel Kern products can only be purchased direct online, not in stores.

 

Something that I found during my earlier trials of find my routine was that I I could use much more then a splash, balm or milk after a shave. But if I waited and applied it much later that it helped greatly. I.E. I shave at night and in the morning apply a moisturizing lotion or cream to my beard and gave me little to no irritation and helped my skin. I don't know if that will help you any.

 

I think witch hazel is the only thing that comes to mind here.