After reading Bird's post about his father adding alum to aftershave I thought I'd try it. We'll see how it works tomorrow.
i bought an alum block in a holder and received it today...just used it a few minutes ago after my shave....slight sting, rinsed it off and applied proraso splash and balm. nice stuff. my face feels cleaner somehow...like a nice crisp type feeling. dont know if i will continue using it but for now i like it.
Just wanted to post this here, supposedly if you're the type that stretches your face while you shave, if you wet your fingers and rub an alum block you are able to stretch your skin even if its wet/has shaving cream on it... I dont have one so Idk if this is true but someone should try it and post their findings!!!
No I didn't. I put 1/8 teaspoon of alum block to the bottle (I'm guessing 4oz.) full of Stephan Bay Rum with a healthy dose of menthol crystals. I apply this to my face wet after rinsing off the soap, blot dry my face and fan with a towel. Very good skin care after application. I'm going to continue playing around with this (alum in after shave).
Very interesting...Thanks for the info. I may have to try this out too. I'm sold on the properties and usefulness of alum, might be good to add some to my AS splashes. Did it seem to change the scent at all?
I dug this up on about.com Types of Alum Potassium Alum Potassium alum is also known as potash alum or tawas. It is aluminum potassium sulfate. This is the type of alum that you find in the grocery store for pickling and in baking powder. It is also used in leather tanning, as a flocculant in water purification, as an ingredient in aftershave and as a treatment to fireproof textiles. It's chemical formula is KAl(SO4)2. Soda Alum Soda alum has the formula NaAl(SO4)2·12H2O. It is used in baking powder and as an acidulent in food. Ammonium Alum Ammonium alum has the formula NH4Al(SO4)2·12H2O. Ammonium alum is used for many of the same purposes as potassium alum and soda alum. Ammonium alum finds applications in tanning, dyeing textiles, making textiles flame retardant, in the manufacture of porcelain cements and vegetable glues, in water purification and in some deodorants. Chrome Alum Chrome alum or chromium alum has the formula KCr(SO4)2·12H2O. This deep violet compound is used in tanning and can be added to other alum to grow lavender or purple crystals. Selenate Alums Selenate alums occur when selenium takes the place of sulfur, so that instead of a sulfate you get a selenate, (SeO42-). The selenium-containing alums are strong oxidizing agents, so they can be used as antiseptics, among other uses. Aluminum Sulfate This compound is also known as papermaker's alum. However, it is not technically an alum.
For the past two weeks I've been using the Shavex 125g alum block post shave a as an underarm deodorant. I have been quite pleased with my results all around. I've had to be in Phoenix for work a lot this month, and I have yet to be able to generate body odor since using the alum block as a deodorant. I also enjoy the alum block after my shaves!
I only use the alum block on blood spots. It performs quite nicely, but it can boost razor burn if my skin's already irritated.
I use my Alum Block from time to time.Depends on my mood. Yesterday i bought an Alum Block that i use as Deodorant under my arms. And man,it works absolutely fantastic.I love it so much.
