In praise of Witch Hazel

Discussion in 'Preshave and Aftershave' started by Rusty blade, Apr 4, 2017.

  1. Screwtape

    Screwtape A Shaving Butterfly

    Like both of you, I use my Thayers varieties as my balm / aftershave. I'm sensitive to some strong scents especially when they're parked right under my nose, so I have never liked most aftershaves or colognes - Aqua Velva gave me an instant migraine, for example. I do like a splash of Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum occasionally in cold weather. I have Nivea Sensitive and a couple of other balms made by Supply Provision that I use if I screwed up my shave badly or am windburned. But otherwise, the WH is it for me.
     
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  2. crackstar

    crackstar Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    The Stirling Glacial witch hazels do it for me, but Thayer's is also pretty darned good!
     
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  3. DentonMajik

    DentonMajik Well-Known Member

    I like to mix a 50/50 mix of Chiseled Face Cryogen and witch hazel. Then I asd some ground up aspirin, Alum, and glycerin. I use this everyday right after a cold water splash and before using aftershave. I haven't had any problems with razor burn redness ever since using this.

    Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
     
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  4. banks741938

    banks741938 Well-Known Member

    Dickinsons for me after each shave unless I have a matching splash to go with it, I find the witch hazel a little eaiser on my skin compared to alcohol.. from all that I have found the main difference is dickenso. Has more of a smell than theayers I don't mind it though.... good stuff and cheap and I can get it in my town. Been thinking about taking some and putting some in a speerate bottle and adding menthol crystals to it to give me another option.

    I also like the idea of mixing some of my other splashes with it. Might try that with my clubman
     
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  5. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    I tried it, but it didn't really dissolve the crystals. Menthol drops would probably be better.
     
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  6. stingraysrock

    stingraysrock PIF'd away his custom title

    I never got around to trying the scented WH, and perhaps that is a shame. Plain WH smells like wet cardboard, and that was enough to turn me off of it.

    I tried the alum powder in the WH, as Lloyd mentioned, with the addition of menthol crystals. Still though, WH never became part of my routine.
     
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  7. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    https://www.theshavedenshop.com/the-shave-den-m-bomb-menthol-additive.html
    I've used TSD M-Bomb several ways

    4-5 drops in my palm with my shampoo
    2-3 drops in my palm with my PSO
    3-4 drops in my lather bowl with any soap or cream
    2-3 drops in my palm with any aftersave splash (to include WH) or balm
     
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  8. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    What is the purpose of the ground up aspirin?
     
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  9. banks741938

    banks741938 Well-Known Member


    Did you crush up the crystals or just chunk a few of them in. I thought about crushing them up really fine and trying it out. If it doesn't work no big deal. I've been using my bottle for about 3 months and have yet to even get it down to the top of the label.
     
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  10. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    From http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/surprising-uses-for-aspirin/

    The benefits of aspirin far exceed temporary relief from fever, aches, and pains. Most people know that it can protect you from a heart attack or stroke, if taken properly.Research suggests that it can reduce the risk of some cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. But aspirin has many other potential health, beauty, and personal benefits. Discover some of the amazing things that bottle in your medicine cabinet can do for you.

    1. Treats skin conditions. Used as far back as the fifth century B.C. by Hippocrates to ease aches and pains, salicylic acid, a derivative of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), is a powder extracted from the bark of a willow tree. It “helps remove excess oil and exfoliate dead cells on the skin's surface,” says Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, adding that it’s “extremely useful in treating acne.”

    By dissolving dead skin and helping to shed the skin’s top layer, salicylic acid reduces the possibility of clogged pores – the common culprit behind breakouts. It also clears up redness and decreases swelling, which can alleviate symptoms of rosacea. People withpsoriasis may also benefit from the salicylic acid in aspirin. “It can make psoriasis lesions thinner and can help reduce itch,” says Dr. Zeichner.
     
  11. DentonMajik

    DentonMajik Well-Known Member

    The aspirin helps to reduce any inflammation/ razor burn.

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  12. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    It was a mixture of both, they just seemed to stick to each other. It did work fine in my PSO though. I suppose you could crush some into powder and put some WH in a small container and see what happens. I was also thinking of making my own menthol drops by adding some to PG liquid, which I have for e-cigs, might work.
     
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  13. Spyder

    Spyder Well-Known Member

    I use the cheap stuff from Wally World. I add a few drops of lavender eo. I apply liberally, use a very small dab of Nivea cream and massage .I follow up with as or balm.
     
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  14. Legend In My Spare Time

    Legend In My Spare Time Well-Known Member

    Witch Hazel is an absolute perfect way of finishing off my shave. Refreshing, cleansing, and soothes any possible irritation I might have. I have used both the Thayers and Generic Drug Store Witch Hazel and have found little difference between the two - other than price.

    Even days that I don't shave, I will still take a cotton ball and wipe my face down with some witch hazel. Great stuff!
     
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  15. crackstar

    crackstar Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    Until a few years ago when I bought a bottle of Thayer's and shortly afterwards, a Glacial Wintergreen I had never used any witch hazel.
     
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  16. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    I started using witch hazel after reading some of the comments on this forum, especially after reading one particular post by @PLANofMAN. I usually follow up with an splash or a balm. To be honest, I'm not sure if it's accomplishing much. I guess that it helps to reduce razor burn a bit and it's very effective at stopping bleeding in the event that I get a weeper or a nick but apart from that, I can't really tell if it's doing anything else for me.

    I will continue to use it because I'm hoping that it will keep my skin looking fresh as I get older. It might also be in my head but I think that it has reduced the bags under my eyes a tiny bit, which is a welcome benefit.
     
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  17. LKLive13

    LKLive13 Well-Known Member

    Very interesting food for thought
     
  18. Spud

    Spud Well-Known Member

    I use Atoma brand. It's just a basic generic product. I use it as a splash after every shave.
     
  19. tazorac

    tazorac Active Member

    I use cheap dollar tree witch hazel and it works great for me.

    upload_2017-4-21_16-29-34.jpeg
     
  20. COMPNOR

    COMPNOR Well-Known Member

    I love Witch Hazel for touching up my shave. Amazing!
     
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