A Simple Upgraded Post-Shave Skin Routine For The Middle-Aged Wet Shaver
My wife tells me that the complexion of my skin improved significantly after I started wet shaving using traditional products. But now that I’m on the far-side of “middle age” I’ve discovered that my facial skin could use a little extra help. I don’t want to go overboard though, spending huge amounts of time (and money) for diminishing returns. Here’s a simple upgraded skin-care routine I’ve settled on.
My Typical Routine
For a long time I think my shave/skin care routine was fairly typical: wash my face with generous amounts of warm water and a gentle facial cleanser (or, alternatively, shave immediately after showering), use a good shave cream or shave soap applied with a brush, shave in passes using a razor with as few blades as necessary to get the job done (in my case I settled on an adjustable razor), rinse with clean water after the shave, and finish with a good aftershave balm.
After I started working on Sharpologist in earnest in 2011 and began testing a lot of different products I started to get ingrown hairs and other irritations more often. After researching the issue I added an additional step to my shave–rinsing with warm water then wiping down my face with a cotton cosmetic round soaked with a low-or-no alcohol toner to clean the area before a final cool water rinse and aftershave balm application.
[Note: Amazon, OneBlade, Smallflower, and Tiege Hanley links are affiliate.]
(I settled on Lucky Tiger After Shave And Face Tonic, though I’ve used other products as well, even a low-alcohol Witch Hazel like Thayers.)
The First Minor Change
Toners have more benefits than just cleaning the skin and helping avoid ingrown hairs. They can also do things like add a layer of protection to the skin, temporarily tighten up skin pores, restore pH balance to the skin, and help reduce skin irritation.
So early this year instead of rinsing again after the wipe-down I started to just let the toner dry on my face before adding aftershave balm.
I noticed a modest improvement in the post-shave feel of my skin (and the feeling lasted longer).
The Second Minor Change
Then over the Summer I got an email from Sharpologist reader Dave C. extolling the virtues of Hyaluronic Acid (“HA”). Also known as Sodium Hyaluronate or hyaluronan, HA is a moisturizing substance in skin tissue that is naturally produced by the body. As we age, the amount of HA that the skin cells produce on their own begins to drop. As moisture levels in the skin start to drop more significantly the skin starts to lose elasticity and show the signs of aging. This is when fine lines, wrinkles, and rougher skin texture start to show. Luckily, HA can be purchased at cosmetic outlets.
Dave has been adding a drop of HA to his lather as he builds it:
“For those of us with dry skin this does provide a little extra moisturizing to the lather we make.
And believe it or not the single drop does make a difference for some of us with dry sensitive skin.
Or in my case Dry Wrinkly Old Skin.”
I picked up a small bottle off of Amazon.
I started adding a drop of HA to my lather as well. But the results for me were mixed: some lathers from creams and soaps that I have trouble with (such as Saponificio Varesino Aromatic Fern Shaving Soap) felt noticeably better on my skin; other products didn’t seem to make much difference.
But the process was encouraging enough to pique my interest in easy-to-integrate skin care products!
(By the way, HA is an ingredient already found in some aftershave products, such as Barrister And Mann’s new shave balms.)
Going A Bit Further
My experience with HA got me to start researching a bit more into skin care products. And I discovered there are a lot of products out there. Some brands like Tiege Hanley try to make the process more approachable to men who may not be used to (or comfortable with) using a skin care regimen. And some “traditional” brands such as George Trumper now carry upgraded skin care products.
An Upgraded “Serum”
Coincidentally, while I was researching skin care products like HA, my friends at OneBlade sent me a sample of their new “Restore Serum” they launched recently. Generally-speaking, a “serum” is a highly-concentrated combination of active ingredients formulated to provide moisturizing and anti-wrinkle benefits to the skin–I think of it as HA on steroids. Here’s how OneBlade describes it:
“Packed with multi-peptides along with sodium hyaluronate, OneBlade’s nightly restorative serum was specifically designed to nourish your skin. Not only does it work to restore firmness, enhance skin elasticity, and stimulate collagen production — we’ve used ingredients that comfortably balance all skin types, including those on the sensitive side.”
OneBlade is not the only brand selling serums of course. Smallflower carries Evanhealy’s Rosehip Treatment Facial Serum and West Coast Shaving has Wholly Kaw’s Anti-Aging Skin Serum, for example.
And when I say serums are highly concentrated, I mean it. Many of these products are dispensed with an eyedropper: a tiny bit goes a long way.
An Upgraded Balm/Moisturizer?
Then I started looking at aftershaves. In some ways aftershaves are compromises or combinations of other products. Convenient, but not necessarily ideal.
So if I’ve added a separate serum product to prepare the skin for another treatment, maybe I could substitute a “better” product to take the place of aftershave balm?
Actually, for most circumstances, I found that a good shave balm should be fine. Use a dedicated moisturizer if your skin needs a little extra “oomph.”
But there are a special case. At the same time OneBlade sent me their Restore Serum they also sent me a pre-launch sample of their “Protect Daily Moisturizer With SPF 30.” Products with high SPF are very difficult to get certified, so if you’re in (or in-and-out of) the sun all day this product could be something really beneficial to you. I’ll edit this article with a link when it is available.
Applying Products The Right Way
There is a “correct” way to apply multiple products. Start with the “thinnest” product first then apply “thicker” products over it. So in this case I apply toner first, then serum, then balm or moisturizer.
Some products suggest using them once per day, others twice per day. For simplicity’s sake I’m only using them as part of my shave routine, so once per day for me.
Steve of The Shave Shack Of Texas has always advocated to me the process of applying product using circular, upward motions with the tips of the fingers. He says it’s a way of “fighting gravity.” I’m a little skeptical but, hey, it couldn’t hurt.
Conclusion
I’ve been using my upgraded routine for a couple months now. And it is a “minor” upgrade in the grand scheme of things. Here’s my previous routine:
- Wash face
- Lather with brush
- Shave (in passes with a single blade)
- Rinse with warm water
- Toner wipe-down
- Rinse with cool water
- Apply aftershave balm
My new routine is:
- Wash face
- Lather with brush
- Shave (in passes with a single blade)
- Rinse with warm water
- Toner wipe-down (allow to dry)
- Apply serum
- Apply moisturizer or aftershave balm
It has added a couple minutes to my shave time but I’m cool with that.
Has it made a difference for me? Yes, I believe it has. My skin feels softer, for a longer time, and fine wrinkles are filling in. I’m not going to look like a 30 year old again but at least I’m staving off looking older than I am.
