Since I have gotten into wet shaving I have often thought about the layering we do with products, and how this impacts the other products we use, if at all? For example, some of us will apply witch hazel, balm, lotion, aftershave, 'bump patrol', moisturizer, etc etc. At what point does the layering stop impacting what is actually being put on your face/neck? Do products that are put on towards the end of your 'process' have less impact than the one that is put on first? I'm sure there's some chemistry that goes on here that is far beyond what I know, but I'm just curious if anyone has any insight to this. Maybe there is an impact layering has, and maybe not. Maybe they all just mix together on your face/neck to create the desired outcome...? I've also wondered about this regarding medications...some people take a handful of meds for breakfast and I've wondered how those medications impact each other and their effectiveness once they hit the bloodstream...but that's for another discussion I guess. Does anyone know about this? More importantly, does anyone think/care about this? (Or am I crazy? :ashamed001)
from what I have read some things may have adverse reactions. It all depends on your skin. what affects me, may not affect you. you may get acne, rash or burning. I have noticed pimples after using a product.
The leftover shaving soap/cream rubbed in real good, warm water rinse, cold water rinse, witch hazel cleanup, and after shave balm. That's it for me. I don't think there is too much rocket science behind why I use this routine, except that it works for me. v/r Oscar
I see this in three key aspects: 1) Moisturizing. Different products provide different levels of moisture or dry and the moisturizing oils vary. I need the overall effect of the products used to provide the correct amount moisture, which for me and my oily skin isn't very much. 2) Scent. Scents interact and the results can be great or terrible. Plus the result is open to each person's opinion. I try to keep any lasting scents to two products maximum. 3) Interactions. This could be between two products, but most often is between the person's skin chemistry and a product. Typically a sensitivity or allergy. Not something that will be encountered often, but can be serious.
Ive heard it on the internet that if you mix axe body spray, brut , aqua velva and club Lilac Vegetal in the correct amounts the shaveapoc will happen ........
One of the joys of our little hobby is the volume of products and techniques to explore and experiment with. I have experimented with all kinds of aftershave treatments. I was heavy into the alum for awhile, followed by witch hazel on top of the alum, followed by a cold water splash, then some balm /gel / cream / balsam and then some alcohol based aftershave. I have put alum powder in my witch hazel, both with and without menthol crystals. I have tried glycerin, baby oil, run of the mill skin lotion and all manners of combinations between all the above. I cannot recall if the layering was beneficial or not... Eventually, I have just settled on a cold water rag, followed by a aftershave cream or gel or balm because alcohol based aftershaves while having a delightful burn, really irritate my face. The main source of the irritation is a couple patches of skin under my lower lip that are darn near permanently red due to my experiment with using Nair to rid myself of the nasty business of shaving everyday prior to finding out little hobby here. The alcohol increases the redness exponentially. All of the aftershaves I have collected are pretty much used as cologne type splashes on my neck, chest and shoulders.
I was heavily into as products for awhile like Jeff minus the alum. Now it's just a cold water rinse, bump patrol let that dry down while I clean everything then I use Nivea sensitive balm followed by Aqua Velva Classic. Once a week I use Pinaud Clubman instead of AV. The Nivea is scent free and feels great but not really necessary but I like it so I use it.
So would Witch hazel actually strip something added previously? I've seen it strip the Mrs face of pretty much of everything when removing makeup but not sure if it would "clean" strip a balm, moisturizer or a vitamin oil that was applied previously... After my last pass I switch to a boar and glycerin facial soap, warm rinse ,cold rinse, Witch Hazel, nivea unscented balm then a AS. (Clubman 90% of the time.)
I asked Jeff on the same thing .. I used Dickinson's Witch Hazel when I was a teen because it stripped EVERYTHING from my face, I wasn't sure if that was what he was looking for ... I have oily skin, but that's another story ... I layer everything .. SC, lotion and cologne BUT I know what smells good on my skin and I take into account what activities I will be doing that day. If I know I'll be smothered in a lab coat all day, I bump up the antiperspirant and go for the body spray that matches ... if it's an office day, then my favorite :love029 combo is my "Candy, Baby" lotion and Pe-Re-Ja cologne ... but YMMV! Either way, know what works for you and how you process products and you should be golden!
That's pretty much what I'm asking about...but also taking it further than that. Do some products limit the usefulness of other products if they are already applied to the face? Does say moisturizer become less effective if the face/neck is already caked with WH, balm, and other products?
