Alum instructions?

S

simmo3801

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Edinburgh
I used an alum bar today for the first time. I rubbed it over my wet face after rinsing in hot water then cold. I probably rubbed it on for a while longer than necessary as I hadn't used one before. Anyway my face was mostly dry afterwards and I applied ASB.

Now for the stupid question - are you supposed to dry your face after applying the alum or rinse it again?

I noticed later on that I had traces of a fine white powder mainly on my neck which I assume came from the alum bar.

Yours confused...........

Simmo
 
Horses for courses mate.

I apply after a cold rinse then cold rinse the alum off then leave to air dry.

Some people won't cold rinse and apply the alum and leave it. I find it dries the skin if left too long but Im pretty sure there isn't a right way or wrong way.
 
Don't know the definite.

I warm water rinse, alum, then cold water rinse.

Only been using it the past couple of weeks and haven't felt anything, or noticed any difference. So I'm probably doing it wrong :p .
 
There is no right or wrong here, well apart from "Don't lick the alum or stuff it in your eye"

I never used to rinse the Alum off, I just hit it with Witch Hazel and/or an after shave splash, I then tired rinsing it off and find this work better for me. How I use it now is I rub it over my face after the last cold rinse then go do "stuff" for a few minutes and let it dry, I then have another cold splash and pat it dry before going using some WH and after shave splash. I leave this and go eat breakfast and only then decide if my skin feels dry (or perhaps even a little bit irritated) this dictates if I use DR Harris Milk when really dry/irritated or a just light moisturiser or balm required from using a soap like Proraso.

Each days requirements are slightly different but the alum routine is constant. I tried doing without it for a week or two and it just was not the same to me. For me a shave just isn't a shave without alum. Mess around with it, there are no rights and wrongs here. Some guys make an Alum type spray, others prefer not to use alum at all, try them all and see what works best for you, but you do need to try it for a few weeks to see if it is doing any good.

Having said that I recommend you discontinue use straight away of you get an adverse reaction from anything, but the Alum took a while for me to notice, perhaps it is just habit now but I know when I have over shaved because those bits sting like hell, when I have had a good shave there is a slight even tingle all over my face. It is sort of like a litmus test for me, tells me how good my shave was.
 
Audiolab said:
There is no right or wrong here, well apart from "Don't lick the alum or stuff it in your eye"
Click to expand...
Nah I love the taste of alum in the morning :cool:

I'm not a rinser. When I finish shaving I wipe any remaining lather off with a towel, wash my face in cold water, wet the alum block and rub over my still wet face. I then pat dry with a towel and apply ASB/AS etc.

I have quite oily skin and I suspect that is why I don't find it drying like others do.
 
The alum i am currently using has instructions on the box which says"wet bloc with warm water and rub the bloc all over the shaved area and leave on for a few minites before drying your face with a towel"
 
:lol: :lol: :lol: mainly because I am the same.

I threw out two travel sized cans of Gillette Gel which my wife found in a box in the loft, must have been there for at least 5 years, that will do as penance for this week. Do I need to start licking the Alum next week?
 
Jeltz said:
I'm not a rinser. When I finish shaving I wipe any remaining lather off with a towel, wash my face in cold water, wet the alum block and rub over my still wet face. I then pat dry with a towel and apply ASB/AS etc.
Click to expand...

nederman63 said:
The alum i am currently using has instructions on the box which says"wet bloc with warm water and rub the bloc all over the shaved area and leave on for a few minites before drying your face with a towel"
Click to expand...

I do similar to the above. I purchased my hugely expensive alum from Trumpers and asked the guy there how to use. He basically said wet the bloc, rub over face. Leave to air dry, then apply some skin food (which he gave me samples of-although I had some anyway) or your ASB. I don't wet the bloc, I just rub on my face which is already wet.
 
Similar to NatJ, I pat my face damp dry after final rinse in lukewarm water following shave, then splash few drops of water on the alum block before applying over the shaved areas. Then I just leave it to take care of itself before finally applying MB aftershave balm by which time the skin is dry. Sounds to me as if too much alum had been applied (perhaps over dampened block ?) if there were whitish deposits left on the skin.
JohnnyO.
 
Throw it in the bin.

I've tried using mine with various combinations of rinsing/not rinsing/cold rinse/warm rinse, and I absolutely cannot see the point of putting one of these things anywhere near your face.

Ian
 
Ok thanks for the opinions, every little helps me!

I did find my face very dry now that I think about it. To the point that after applying the Nivea ASB I reread the bottle to make sure I had bought the right thing as my face appeared to immediately soak it up! I will try rinsing after applying alum tonight.

Cheers

Simmo
 
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