styptic pencils<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAfter a razor shave, rinse the skin well and towel dry. Splash witch hazel on the face like you would a toner. Many shavers make this their final step. If desired, you can follow up with a styptic pencil to stop any heavy bleeding.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBefore choosing to use witch hazel all over your face, it\u2019s important to consider your skin issues.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Pros<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n- Soothes redness, razor bumps, and minor skin irritations<\/li>
- Closes pores & shrinks inflamed skin<\/li>
- Inexpensive<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Cons<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n- Can be drying to sensitive skin<\/li>
- Can aggravate rosacea<\/li>
- Can\u2019t stop heavy bleeding<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>What are alum blocks?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAlum has a colorful history. This naturally-occurring compound has been lauded for its odor-fighting, color-attaching, skin-soothing results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alum blocks are solid, rectangular bars of potassium alum that are used after a shave to decrease skin irritation, stop bleeding and heal minor nicks and cuts. They have<\/strong> <\/strong>both astringent and antiseptic properties. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAn alum block\u2019s astringent properties help tighten pores and aid in the coagulation of blood due to minor cuts. The antiseptic properties of alum soothe the skin and eliminate post-razor irritation, bacteria, and redness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>How to use alum blocks after shaving<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nUsing an alum block is a very simple process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After shaving, wet the alum block with cold water and rub it over the skin\u2019s surface. The clear alum residue will provide a cooling effect to the skin and seal off any nicks and cuts. Since the alum residue can be drying, it can be rinsed off after 30-60 seconds.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFactors like skin type and sensitivity will play a large part in choosing an alum block over witch hazel or a styptic pencil. Let\u2019s also look at the pros and cons of alum blocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Pros<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n- Natural product with minimal ingredients<\/li>
- Helps prevent razor burn and skin irritation<\/li>
- Stops bleeding from minor nicks and cuts<\/li>
- Kills germs and bacteria<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Cons<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n- Can be drying to some skin types<\/li>
- Can be difficult to find in your local drug stores<\/li>
- Can deteriorate if stored wet<\/li>
- Can shatter if dropped<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>What are styptic pencils?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nStyptic pencils also contain alum but in a different form than alum blocks. The alum is often mixed with other ingredients like titanium dioxide or aloe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Styptic pencils are anti-hemorrhagic topical agents typically made from aluminum sulfate. Like the name infers, the alum is formed into a pencil shape. When applied to a cut, the alum paste causes the small veins and capillaries to close stopping the bleeding.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe pencils come in a variety of sizes and shapes to fit the shaver\u2019s needs and preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>How to use styptic pencils after shaving<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nWitch hazel and alum blocks can be used all over the face. Styptic pencils are made to be used as a spot treatment only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you experience any bleeding cuts after a razor shave, wipe off the excess blood. Dip the tip of the styptic pencil in cold water. Dab the wet point of the pencil onto the nick or cut. Let the residue dry. After the bleeding has stopped and the alum residue is dry, wipe off gently with a clean cloth. Make sure the pencil is stored dry.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStyptic pencils can be used for cuts on other parts of the body as well, so they make a beneficial addition to your medicine cabinet. Let\u2019s highlight their pros and cons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Pros<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n- Stops bleeding fast<\/li>
- Design makes it easy to place where you need it<\/li>
- Easy to find in your local drugstore<\/li>
- Inexpensive<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Cons<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n- Stings when applied<\/li>
- Can deteriorate if stored wet<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
A close shave brings with it the potential for skin issues. Used alone or in combination with each other, witch hazel, alum blocks, and styptic pencils can calm and treat your post-shave skin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you are a wet shaver, you\u2019ve certainly experienced small nicks or cuts after a shave. There are several aftershave options to help treat these minor skin irritations. Witch hazel, alum blocks, and styptic pencils can all be effective at stopping bleeding and healing cuts. All three choices are astringent but there are some differences….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":769,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":35,"label":"Aftershave"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/imustacheyoutoshave.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Witch-Hazel-Vs-Alum-Blocks-or-Styptic-Pencils-1024x683.png",1024,683,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Joshua Bartlett","author_link":"https:\/\/imustacheyoutoshave.com\/author\/joshuaebartlett\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":35,"name":"Aftershave","slug":"aftershave","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":35,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":24,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":35,"category_count":24,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Aftershave","category_nicename":"aftershave","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/imustacheyoutoshave.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/627"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/imustacheyoutoshave.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/imustacheyoutoshave.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imustacheyoutoshave.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imustacheyoutoshave.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=627"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/imustacheyoutoshave.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/627\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imustacheyoutoshave.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/imustacheyoutoshave.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imustacheyoutoshave.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imustacheyoutoshave.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}