Aftershave
Aftershave, the perfect care for shaved skin.
Aftershave, a nice finish for your shaving ritual. But what exactly is an aftershave? Nowadays you have aftershaves in many different scents and types. In this article you will discover more about what an aftershave is, what it does and why you use an aftershave, so that you can easily choose your next aftershave.
Contents:
- What is an Aftershave?
- History of Aftershave
- Different types of Aftershave
- Common Fragrances Aftershave
- What does an aftershave do to the skin?
- How do you use an Aftershave?
- Top 10 Aftershave
- Frequently Asked Questions about Aftershave.
What is an aftershave?
An aftershave is usually a liquid product that you use, as the name suggests, after shaving. An aftershave ensures that the pores of the shaved skin close again, so that razor burns and irritations are prevented. An aftershave also prevents redness and a burning sensation after shaving. Besides that it can be used as a care, it can also be used as a perfume. Nowadays, aftershaves are available in almost every scent you can think of. They can therefore also be used as a perfume.
Features of Aftershave:
- Repair razor burns
- Calm the skin
- Close the pores
- Hydrate the skin
- Give a wonderful scent
History of the aftershave
The aftershave was only invented in the 18th century. In the past, most beards were shaved by barbers. Also, the knives of that time were not as good and sharp as they are today. It was therefore not surprising that after shaving you had many razor burns and irritated skin. In the 18th century, barbers began to realize that shaved skin needed better care. That is why in the south of Europe they started treating shaved skin with a mix of cobwebs, oil and vinegar. A little later, the Hungarians started experimenting with mixes of scented water, alcohol and lotion. This quickly spread across Europe. Around 1770, treatment of the skin after shaving was quite normal and since that time aftershaves have become an integral part of our shaving rituals. Around the 1980s, people also started to see the disadvantages of the high alcohol content of aftershaves. They improved the recipe into the aftershaves we know today.
Different types of Aftershave
Although there used to be only aftershave lotions, nowadays there are also aftershave balms, gels and creams. The difference between these aftershaves is minimal and choosing the right aftershave is nowadays more a matter of taste. The difference used to be bigger, because the lotions still contained a lot of alcohol, which dried out the skin. Nowadays these formulas have been improved. The type of aftershave is now purely personal.
Common Fragrances Aftershave
A men's aftershave is usually a liquid product that you use, as the name suggests, after shaving. An aftershave ensures that the pores of the shaved skin close again, so that razor burns and irritations are prevented. An aftershave also prevents redness and a burning sensation after shaving. Besides that it can be used as a care, it can also be used as a perfume. Nowadays, aftershaves are available in almost every scent you can think of. They can therefore also be used as a perfume.
- Bay Rum, a masculine scent that consists of a mix of rum and spices.
- Menthol, a refreshing mint scent.
- Sandalwood, a wonderful classic scent.
What does an Aftershave do to the skin?
After shaving, the pores of the shaved skin are more open than usual. An aftershave therefore consists of organic acids and astringent substances, which contract the pores of the skin again. Aftershave also contains antiseptic substances, which disinfects shaving wounds and prevents a burning sensation after shaving.
How do you use an Aftershave?
Now that you know what an aftershave is, you naturally also want to know how to use an aftershave. As the name suggests, you use an aftershave after shaving. Below you can see the steps you need to take to apply an aftershave.
- Take an appropriate amount of aftershave in your hand. For a lotion, 3 to 5 large drops apply and for other forms of aftershave a small layer.
- Divide this aftershave over your hands.
- Apply the aftershave to shaved skin in the direction of the shave to avoid irritation.
- Let the aftershave soak in.
When you use an aftershave as a perfume you can apply it to your fingers and 'splash' it onto the skin in the places where you would apply a normal perfume. (On warm (behind ears, neck, wrist) and cold (neck and chest) spots)
Top 10 Aftershave
Now that you know everything about aftershaves from history to usage, here's the fun part… picking an aftershave! To make the choice even easier for you, we have prepared a list of the top 10 most popular aftershaves for you:
- Lucky Tiger Aftershave & Face Tonic
- Floid Aftershave Menthol - Vigoroso 400 ml
- Abbate Y La Mantia After Shave Lotion - Isacco
- Saponificio Varesino Aftershave - 70th Anniversary
- Proraso Aftershave Balm - Wood and Spice
- Saponificio Varesino After Shave - Cosmo
- The Goodfellas' Smile Aftershave - Chronos
- TFS Aftershave - Vecchia Torino - 100 ml
- Barber Mind After Shave Balm
- Proraso Aftershave Lotion - Green Eucalyptus & Menthol 400 ml
Frequently Asked Questions about Aftershave
Q: What is the difference between an aftershave and an eau de cologne, eau de toilette, eau de parfum and a perfume?
A: The difference between them is the strength of the fragrance. A perfume has a concentration of 20-40% perfume. An eau de parfum has a concentration of 10-20% perfume. An eau de toilette has a concentration of 5-10% perfume. An eau de cologne has a concentration of 2-3% perfume. And an aftershave contains a concentration of 2-4% perfume.
Q: How often do you use an aftershave?
A: You use an aftershave after every shave or every morning to carry a wonderful, light scent with you.
