Does your face build up a tolerance to menthol?

Discussion in 'Shave Soaps' started by Robstreperous, Aug 30, 2018.

  1. Robstreperous

    Robstreperous Well-Known Member

    Hey all. So does your skin build a tolerance to menthol with use?

    I just started fooling around with Stirling Obsidian over the last 2 weeks. Both the AS and soap. The first 2 times the menthol rush came at me about at me hard as a top fuel dragster with a tail wind.

    The last 2 times it was still really intense (the soap's strong stuff) but was slightly less --- what's the word? -- incapacitating....

    So I'm wondering if it's an acquired tolerance to menthol or maybe something as mundane as my technique improving.

    Thanks....
     
  2. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    Paging Jeff @Yehuda D!
    If there's a shaver who knows mentholated products, he's the man.
     
  3. John Beeman

    John Beeman Little chicken in hot water

    It’s sort of like yanking nose hair with tweezers.
    It always hurts but some people get used to it.
     
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  4. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    I prefer trimmers for that job Just flip the switch, and..... zzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZ. But about menthol tolerance, I'd say you can get used to it after the first few shaves. That first one, though....yeeeeowwww.
     
  5. rbilly

    rbilly Well-Known Member

    Mine does, when i first used glacials from stirling i almost couldnt handle it, now they are fine, and normal AS like AV no longer has a cooling effect and crystals need to be added
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2018
  6. Dansco

    Dansco Well-Known Member



    The calmest I've ever seen anyone be... You can see in his eyes she just tore his soul though. Horrible...

    Normal service will resume shortly. Thanks for your time. (Back to the actual thread)

    Yeah, I think you probably can get used to it. Over time.
     
  7. Arnout

    Arnout Well-Known Member

    the cools sensation of menthol is a mental trick, mentolhol tricks the cold receptors to believe it is cold. A new sensation will be intense, but if the sensation keeps returning the effect is lessened.
    Its like taste, sour, spicy, bitter,... they are intense if you havent tasted them for a long time, if you taste them regulary they become vague.

    A second thing that plays is the fysical exposure to menthol.
    If the skin barrière is strong, on a cold, greasy skin with plenty of dead tissue, the menthol will have a hard time reaching the nerve endings.
    If the skin barrière is weak, after hot soaking and pealing, the menthol will reach the nerve endings easily.
     
  8. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    Short answer - yes.
     
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  9. RaZorBurn123

    RaZorBurn123 waiting hardily...............

    Yes. My eyes may disagree.
     
  10. john zeiger

    john zeiger Well-Known Member

    I definitely agree with those who say say your face can get used to menthol. Happened to me with Stirling Iced Pineapple. The first few time I used it it felt iced cold after that I just felt a little chill but nothing like the first few times I used it.
     
  11. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    The "coldest" aftershave I've used has been Aqua Velva, but something tells me that some of these others(Osage, Arctique, Polar Ice)are Aqua Velva on steroids.
     
  12. MntnMan62

    MntnMan62 Well-Known Member

    I would agree that your face can get used to menthol. I actually didn't like the feeling of menthol at all. Then I got a sample of Van Yulay Into The Woods, which has menthol in it. The first few times I used it I enjoyed the scent but felt the menthol made it one that I would not want to buy. I kept using it and finished the sample. By the time it was done I was enjoying the menthol. I then bought a tub of it and the more I use it, the less I feel the menthol. I guess this opens up a whole group of soaps for me to try now.
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2018
  13. Yehuda D

    Yehuda D Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    Ok, let me add my two cents. Yes, I agree that one's skin could develop a tolerance to menthol to a certain extent. I remember the first time I used a Glacial soap and I thought it would be impossible for me. However after the few times I started to really love the sensation. These soaps to me (and the Bundubeard Kameelperd's Kick from South Africa) are the coldest soaps legally available and whenever I use something either non-mentholated or less-mentholated and then use one of these icebergs again I definitely can feel the difference.
     
  14. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    I didn't know your S.A. buddies had any COLD items. They must be hard to find down there. Course now that I think about it, that's ALL you use isn't it?(the frozen stuff).
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2018
  15. rbilly

    rbilly Well-Known Member

    AV for a drugstore AS has a decent amount of menthol, i have not tried the others you listed, but the stirling glacials make your eyes water for about 10 minutes.
     
  16. battle.munky

    battle.munky Has the menthol.munky on his back!

    Yeah, I'm numb to it. I have to add menthol to stuff or else it is just "meh". I still like it and Osage Rub still makes my eyes water but it isn't like it used to be.
     
  17. rbilly

    rbilly Well-Known Member

    I cant find any osage here in CA, and because we dont get mail service where we live, even though the post office is literally across the street most people dont like to ship aftershaves to PO boxes, only the artisans and italian barber will ship to me. Supposedly you can sometimes pick it up at sallys, so I may check them out today.
     
  18. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    I've noticed my tolerance for Osage Rub has increased. By it's self the scent fades quickly. It can be splashed on (carefully - wash your hands before touching other sensitive areas of your body) followed by other AS. Works especially well with Florida Water.
     
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  19. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    How is Osage different today?
     
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  20. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    After a few times using menthol type after shaves, I needed to boost them up. Now they all have had menthol crystals added to them.
     
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