My recent post on aftershave balms that have a cooling effect on the face was popular enough for me to continue researching products. Here are three more cooling aftershaves that I’ve tried and like:
Shaveplace “Minty Menthol” is described as a “… stimulating blend is especially good at the start of the day, during hot spells and anytime a lift is desired. Has a mentholated minty aroma with an herbaceous undertone.” I find the cooling effect relatively mild fairly long-lasting. I give it 2 ice cubes.
Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis (Organic Aloe) Juice, Cocos nucifera (Organic Coconut) Oil, Emulsifying Wax NF, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Hamamelis virginiana (Witch Hazel), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Phenoxyethanol, Palm Stearic Acid, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum (Polysaccharide Gum), Mannan, Salix nigra (Black Willowbark) Extract, Azadirachta indica (Neem) Oil, Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) Oleoresin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid (natural preservative) and essential oils as applicable.
Baxter of California After Shave Balm was recommended to me by several people and I find it really nice. I find it has an ever-so-slight medicinal scent and very good performance. This balm was the longest-lasting cooling feeling of the products in this post. 2 ice cubes.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cyclomethicone, Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Benzophenone-4, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Menthol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Polysorbate 80, Tetrasodium EDTA, Triethanolamine, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Fragrance (Parfum), Green 5 (CI 61570)
Mama Bear “Summer Ice Aftershave Milk” is normally “unscented” (however scents can be added) though I thought there was just a bit of a menthol-like note when I tried it. In any case I got a nice icy feeling from it. It stayed with me for a decent amount of time too. Combined with Mama Bear’s “Awakenings” menthol shave soap you have a combination that will put you in the middle of the Antarctic. I give it 3 ice cubes.
Ingredients: menthol, hydrosols, aloe vera gel, witch hazel, collagen, natural vit e, glycerin alcohol
I’ve been shaving about 48 years and my ead for the lst 7.
I use “Aloe 80 Organics” and buy it through Vitacost for under $5. for an 8oz bottle.
Hands-down the vERY best product I’ve ever used and it’s non-scented. One btl. lass about 3 months.
I’ve been using Mama Bear’s summer milk AS for 3 years, now, and love it. In fact, I use it all year round, not just in the summer. I like the cold 🙂
Definitely. That Proraso product is one of my favorites too (among the many great ones they make). I am well aware that their products aren’t as natural as for example the Village Barber’s, they are still far better than Baxters and some of the famous English names for overall large scale use of chemicals.
Thanks for the reviews! I always find it amazing just how much chemicals Baxter’s always seems to feel they need to use in their products. I always try to find something that has less rather than more of that stuff. Though I’m not militant about it, I just think too much weird chemicals and preservatives can’t be good for our skin or us.
You’re absolutely correct Attila.
Chemically laden products are a significant reason for a lot of our ills.
When you consider that around 60% of whatever we lace onto our skin is absorbed into the body, it beggars belief that many today who remain ignorant of the damage that such chemicals are doing, both short and long term, are still fed a propogandist diet of “for sensitive skin” nonsense.
More and more discerning consumers are waking up to the various skin (and many other) problems that are becoming sadly prevalent in modern society as a direct result of the modern obssession with the man-made cocktail of chemicals being passed for “cosmetic use” – including shaving products.
Natural ingredients, particularly in shaving products, are gaining momentum as more and more guys are waking up to the real difference chemical-free brands are making to their skin.
Sensitive skin or Sensitized skin? the more you expose your skin to irritants the more chances you have of actually developing an allergy to them.
If you’re involved a wet science (bio or chem) or health and safety, the risks of absorption of hazardous or irritant substances into your skin are drilled into you. Yet many people are ignorant to the effects chemicals can have on their skin, or ignore these facts when in a home environment. The more stuff that’s packed into a product the more chances you have of coming into contact with something that can irritate your skin.
Also; thanks for the reviews Mantic I’m really enjoying shaving with menthol creams and these reviews are helping me to narrow my search for the perfect AS to follow them up with.
Attila: I hear you! There is a lot of exposure to stuff on a daily basis that needed be. As far as after shave balm, even though they call it a pre-shave, I like the old classic Proraso Eucalyptus which has been a favorite among the Barbers. I’ll use it more so after shaving by placing just a little on the finger tips and wetting my other hand and combining the two and on the face it goes. It has a definite cooling effect that lasts. Also, Proraso just reformulated their products taking some of the “Nasty Stuff” out. Salute! https://www.joe-barber.com/Proraso-Pre-Shave-Cream-Eucalyptus-Menthol-3-p/sc-prosops.htm
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