Thread: Leaving Alum On

Gentlemen:

In the past two days I have tried something new with my alum after the shave.

Ordinarily I gave my Hollywood face a warm rinse, applied alum (run under cold water), rinsed face in cold water after a minute or so, applied witch hazel (Thayer's Super Medicated with Aloe Vera) and aftershave balm. Following the shave den cleanup I applied the aftershave of the day.

Now I have decided to keep the alum on. My routine after the shave is this: warm rinse, cold rinse, alum (leave it on), pat the face dry, witch hazel, aftershave balm, and later aftershave of the day.

I cannot explain the benefit of one method over the other, if any, but being exceptionally fond of alum, I thought I might as well let its touch linger.

Any thoughts, especially from you learned chemists and skin specialists?

Regards,

Obie

Sorry to say that I'm not a chemist or skin specialist (well, specialist of MY skin perhaps), but the part of applying the alum I like the best is the cold water rinse after the fact. Leaves my face feeling like a million bucks, especially after my Trumpers Skin Food and my AS of the day

I'll have to try leaving it on, although I suspect that prolonged exposure might have a drying effect on skin.

Hello, Ryan:

Thanks for your note.

You do make an excellent point about the pleasure of the cold water rinse after the alum application. I did miss that in my shave the past two days.

Also, I thought of the drying effect of the alum might have if not rinsed off. Right now my face is slightly irritated, although I blame my soap and the razor for it. The soap lacked cushion (I add a touch of Arko shave cream and glycerin to some of my lower grade soaps and did not today), and the razor was sharp but not smooth.

I might as well follow through with my experiment for another day or two. I have a feeling I will return to my old ways, especially since like you, I do miss that cold water rinse after the alum. Sometimes I also add a gentle rub of an ice cube to complete the pleasure.

Stay well.

Regards,

Obie

I left alum on my face a few times before I realised you are supposed to rinse it off.

All I can say is in my opinion it was a very uncomfortable feeling that I felt all day. Skin felt very tight & I seemed to be pulling funny faces all day

I leave the alum on until it dries then rinse my face by rubbing an ice cube on it. I think by the time it dries the skin has benefited enough from the alum and getting rid of the excess would be a good thing.

Oh my Obie, you don't want to do that. Over time that alum accumulates and begins to leach into your face and begins to transform the epidermis. Ever see that classic Hollywood Movie "The Hideous Sun Demon"? Well, that actor wasn't wearing makeup. It was the alum left on over years that did that to him. We'd hate to see you turned into some monster.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Oh my Obie, you don't want to do that. Over time that alum accumulates and begins to leach into your face and begins to transform the epidermis. Ever see that classic Hollywood Movie "The Hideous Sun Demon"? Well, that actor wasn't wearing makeup. It was the alum left on over years that did that to him. We'd hate to see you turned into some monster.

Hello, thebigspendur:

Oh, no, my Hollywood face turned into that of The Hideous Sun Demon. That's a crime against all the beautiful ladies who fall over when they see my Hollywood face.

Most of all, though, as I told my friend Ryan earlier, I miss that cold water rinse after the alum. I usually leave alum on for about a minute or so to do its job and then rinse with cold water, sometimes with an added ice cub rub.

Well my experiment was educational, and two days of it, I have plenty of education. I think I'll go back to my old ways.

By the way, yesterday I ordered half a dozen alum blocks just in case the world comes to an end.

Stay well.

Regards,

Obie

Based on what I've read in previous posts, I now rinse the alum off -- although previously I left it on. Honestly can't tell a difference,

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Oh my Obie, you don't want to do that. Over time that alum accumulates and begins to leach into your face and begins to transform the epidermis. Ever see that classic Hollywood Movie "The Hideous Sun Demon"? Well, that actor wasn't wearing makeup. It was the alum left on over years that did that to him. We'd hate to see you turned into some monster.

Well that explains my mother in law...I thought it was just from smoking and having seven kids...and then I saw the alum block on her night stand.

Obie,

i too have experimented with leaving the alum on.. perhaps it was all in the mind.. i just kinda felt a bit gritty throughout the day.. almost as if a layer of salt were left behind..

i now remove my aloe with a frozen washcloth.. (i have a stack of damp washclothes kept in the freezer)