Thread: order in which to layer post shave..

i know quite a few of us have a long drawn out shave system.. so i wonder.. when using both aftershave balm and splash.. which one do you use before the other..

example.. if using both nivea replenishing balm and pinaud's bay rum.. who applies the balm first and who out there prefers to apply it after? what are the advantages to either method?

Victor,

For me :

1) Alum block
2) Witch Hazel
3) Alcohol based after shave
4) E45 Moisturiser

Water solubles first, 'oilier' product last.
Have fun !

regards

Russ

thanks.. that's what i feel i'm going to start doing.. i generally skip the alum and witch hazel these days.. but had been applying balm after my initial rinse and dry.. and then finishing with my alcohol based splash..

that's just the way i had seen everyone else doing it.. but i was missing out on my enjoyable bite i get from the alcohol based product. so i'm going to switch it around.. my only concern now is i'll be masking my beloved bay rum scent with that distinctive nivea smell.

What I do is wash my face with first warm and then cold water, then apply Trumpers sandalwood skin food to the areas I've shaved, then I apply whatever aftershave I'm using that day to the sides of my neck. I never actually apply the AS to the areas I shaved.

I actually use balm then aftershave. I recall that on another forum recently there was a barber shave demonstrated and the barber used this routine with the rationale that there was less sting and therefore damage (?) to the skin. There may be some merit in this and I prefer it myself.

For me it's:

1. Alum
2. Witch Hazel (only sometimes)
3. ASB (all face)
4. AS (shaved area of face and side of neck)
5. EDT (front and back of neck)

I do the following:
1) Alum
2) Alcohol Based Aftershave
3) Balm

I just rinse & dry my face and splash alcohol based A/S on. I haven't tried a balm. Do you have to worry about greasy stuff filling pores or anything ? Is the benefit of the balm that it sooths ?

Cold water
Witch hazel
Traditional aftershave

That's it for me. No balm, moisturizer or other overpriced oil/water emulsions for me. I do, however, use conditioning oil of my own formulation on my face in the evening (I typically shave in the morning). And as my sig says, I don't splash.

My routine is:

1. Warm water rinse
2. Alum, cleaning up mug, drying razor while the alum does its thing
3. Cold water rinse
4. Nivea ASB of some kind, strop razor, brush teeth while the balm is balming
5. Dominica Bay Rum AS

I was thinking the balm might smother the Bay Rum...don't know, but decided to do the Bay Rum last