Okay. I can't sleep so I'm gonna relax a little by writing up my review of Gillette Series Aftershave Lotion and Gel. I'm hoping to sleep sometime soon, so I'll tell it like a bedtime story. Once upon a time, I shaved with cartridge razors and canned goop. I didn't know what I was doing. I used to hack up my face pretty bad and then make everything worse by using an alcohol based a/s. I grew to hate shaving. I even switched over to electric razors. (Boo! Hiss!) In the end I ditched shaving altogether and grew a beard. So then, one day, a little magic toad hops over (remember, this is a bedtime story) and says, "Hey stupid! Look up shaving on teh internets and find out how to do it right." So that's what I did. I found an article about wetshaving, discovered classicshaving.com, and ended up buying a DE, a mug + soap and a cheapo boar brush. I figured I would also need aftershave, so I mounted my trusty '95 GMC Sonoma Steed and rode down to ye Walmart. I have sensitive skin and I like simple, no frills products so I though the Gillette Series Aftershave Gel would fit the bill. [My home computer stinks. No pictures, sorry, but I'll attempt a text description.] The Gel comes in a small, plastic container that stands on its cap. You've probably all seen it. To quote Ray Stevens, "It's everywhere!" The gel is green, the lotion is white. There's no real difference between the two, except that the gel has a small amount of menthol. Thus, the green color. The menthol's barely noticeable. Also, both are very lightly scented. [back to the story] So I like no frills, straightforward products. The Gel delivered. I never had a problem with it. It is a lotion, so it doesn't run all over the place when trying to apply it to your face. This was important to me at the time. I just hadn't ever mastered the art of applying watery aftershave. And before you ask, yes, I know it's not hard and yes, I now use a "watery" aftershave. My technique had improved. I consistently enjoyed my shaves. I began to experiment and I moved on from the Gel to various other products. In time, I became dissatisfied with whatever I was using and decided to go back to the gel, except I couldn't find it on the day I looked. I found the lotion instead. I believe it's basically the same thing, just without menthol. I figured it would be even better than the gel, since it is labeled for "sensitive skin" and I suffer from that condition. I used the lotion for a week or so and I began having problems with irritation on my face. Also, the scent began to annoy me. Maybe I never noticed it with the gel. Maybe the formula's a bit different. In any case, turns out the irritation came from the lotion. I tried checked everything else first- the blade, the soap, the creams, but no, I am certain that the lotion was causing the irritation. I stopped using the lotion and went out and bought some Old Spice, which I had previously avoided because it's "watery." I fell in love and never looked back. But oh, the story doesn't end there. Oh no, I decided to step out on my True Love and check out an old flame. This one had menthol and names itself as "Skin Bracer." This is the classic green variety. I tried it and discovered that the Gillette Series A/S Gel, the one with menthol, didn't really have any menthol whatsoever. Skin Bracer shamed it horribly, like... like... I can't type it. I still love Old Spice, but I also love Skin Bracer. I have decided there cannot be only One True A/S for me. However, I can also say that the Gillette Series Aftershave Lotion and Gel aren't worth the money you pay for them. THE END.
The local Wally World here has both varieties of the stuff. Luckily, I wasn't silly enough to think it was a good idea. After all, what handsome prince in a fine white SUV would take me to the ball smelling like canned goo's cousin?! To make a long, but very hilarious, story short, I use A/S milk from JoAnna at TSD and I smell truely wonderful. Now, anyone see what way the prince in the SUV went? There was a nice bass boat on a trailer behind it...... dratted glass slippers, I can't run that fast. HEY, wait for me!!
the worst part of the story is that Ye Ole World o' Walls carries products that I like. I skipped over them to pick up this junk.
Thanks for the write up! Very entertaining.... sounds much like my experience with Nivea A/S Balm....
Nice write up! I think I used them back in college before I knew about the "good stuff" I will admit that I did like the scent though
Nivea A/S doesn't work for me, either. But that's just it, the lotion version of this product didn't work at all.
After smelling the wonderful aftershaves at TSD and SCS there will be no store bought splashes for me, save for the Osage rub if I ever go to look for it.
Thanks for the write up Mike. Your results don't surprise me much I suppose. I tend away from the lotions and gels as they're too greasy and sticky for my tastes anyway. Plus which they are designed with "medicinal" purposes in mind and don't much focus on fragrance. And I likes me a fine smellin' potion!
Thank you for this write up Mike. It was entertaining and a little bit of it was funny! I haven't used the Gillette aftershaves in a long time. I liked them! However I stopped using them when they stopped having Cool Wave, Wild Rain, and one other scent called Island something I can't remember. I loved Wild Rain. I was my favroite AS when it was out. The gel had a stronger scent than the lotion. It should come back! It was still avalible on Ebay not too long ago.
