Aftershaves can be a great tool to use on your skin right after you have shaved or had some other form of hair removal. In general, aftershaves are used to reduce irritation after hair has been removed, and may use a variety of ingredients in order to make this happen.?

However, for some people with sensitive skin, those aftershaves can actually create more issues than they solve. This is because aftershaves can often be perfumed or use harsh chemicals.?

These chemicals or perfumes are particularly difficult for sensitive skin that has just been through a strenuous hair removal process. This may increase skin sensitivity and may cause razor bumps or an irritated rash.?

Aftershaves can also function to clean the skin of bacteria, which is especially important after you’ve just shaved. Shaving can create small tears in the skin (or big ones if you accidentally cut yourself) through which these bacteria can enter and cause infections. Using an aftershave can also help to seal up pores, which stops them from becoming clogged or full of bacteria that can cause pimples.

For all these reasons, an aftershave can be a really desirable product in a skincare routine. However, picking out the aftershaves that aren’t going to cause a negative skin reaction on people with sensitive skin can be a bit of a task, especially when you have limited patience for trying out several different ones and returning or discarding them if they don’t work.?

So, we thought we’d help you out, by creating a list of the 11 best aftershaves for sensitive skin.

1. Blu Atlas Aftershave

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Blu Atlas is considered a men’s skincare brand, but all their products are actually unisex. All products are also vegan and certified by a panel of dermatologists. This makes them an excellent company to start off our list of the 11 best aftershaves for sensitive skin.?

This particular aftershave is made to be applied in a thin layer after shaving, rinsing, and drying the face. It’s been formulated to help to soothe the skin, and to prevent damage by hydrating the skin, nourishing it, and preventing post-shave irritation.?

It gets these abilities through the combination of its ingredients. The absolute star ingredient in this blend is aloe vera, which acts as a natural skin moisturizer. It’s also full of damage-repairing antioxidants as well as vitamins A, C, and E.?

In addition, this blend includes nourishing rose flower water, which is another product full of great compounds for the skin of the face. These include vitamin C and phenolics, which promote healing of burns, cuts, and scars, as well as promoting a healthy glow to the skin and getting rid of dullness.?

Finally, this product contains oat kernel meal, which acts to prevent redness and irritation in the skin. Oat kernel meal also has a high level of nutrients and contains plenty of antioxidants, which help repair damage caused over the day and through the shaving process.?

Because of all these great ingredients, as well as the product development process involving consultation with dermatologists, we think that Blu Atlas deserves top spot on our list of the 11 best aftershaves for sensitive skin.?

2. Nivea Men Sensitive Skin and Stubble Balm
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This product has been designed to be used on sensitive skin both before and after shaving. It acts as a balm for the skin and has been designed to reduce the irritation that’s common in people who have stubble or shave regularly.
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This product has been designed for men and is full of ingredients that soothe the skin so the face can be shaved every day. The ingredients include chamomile to calm the skin, and almond oil, which is able to hydrate the skin and stop it from feeling itchy and irritated.?

This product can also be used as a face moisturizer as well as helping to soften stubble if applied to unshaven skin. It’s fast-absorbing so it won’t hang around feeling sticky and greasy on the skin.?

The versatility of this product has landed it number 2 on our list of the 11 best aftershaves for sensitive skin.?

3. Gillette After Shave Lotion

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This product is designed to be used on sensitive skin and is suitable to be applied to skin that’s just been shaved. It can also be applied any time you feel like your skin is irritated, tight, or itchy.?

This product has been designed using extremely hydrating ingredients called emollients. These help seal the natural moisture barrier of the skin, which helps keep the skin protected from damage.?

By adding hydration to the skin, this product also helps eliminate any dryness on the face, which can be common after shaving because in addition to the whiskers, you scrape away part of the skin. Shaving can be quite a damaging process to the face because it is quite exfoliating and can cause pulling or catching if the razor or blade isn’t sharp enough.?

Adding back hydration can help replenish the natural barrier, which both protects the skin from further damage and helps reduce the feeling of irritated skin. This skin can sometimes feel dry or tight and is a common issue after shaving because that moisture barrier has been breached or outright removed.?

4. Proraso After Shave Balm

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This Italian aftershave screams luxury. It’s an alcohol-free and non-greasy formula, which means it can be applied to freshly shaved skin without causing a sting. It’s also able to be used on the face without having to wash it away to get rid of the heavy feeling on the skin.?

It’s a thicker formula, which is able to hydrate, and it’s a balm. It also contains ingredients that are similar to a cream for the calming and soothing benefits. The product is formulated without parabens, sulfates, mineral oils, or cruelty to animals.?

This product has been enriched with vitamin E, aloe vera, and licorice extract. Aloe helps hydrate the face and is full of vitamins and antioxidants. Vitamin E helps the skin to remain strong, as well as being, itself, a nutrient. Licorice extract is used to help calm the skin, which makes this product suitable for sensitive skin.?

5. The Art of Shaving After-Shave Balm and Face Moisturizer
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This product is a 2-in-1 from The Art of Shaving. It’s an unscented balm, which helps hydrate and soothe the skin after shaving. It also acts as a daily moisturizer and can be used as a substitute for other moisturizers.?

This product helps soothe dry skin, which is a common issue after shaving. It also helps reduce signs of aging by hydrating the skin. This reduces wrinkles and makes skin appear smoother and firmer. The product also won’t clog pores, so using it won’t cause acne formation on sensitive skin.?

The product provides up to 8 hours of hydration, which means that it protects your skin throughout the day from feeling tight or irritated. It’s also created from 100% sustainably sourced ingredients.?

One of this product’s ingredients is shea butter, which is well known throughout the health and beauty sector as an intensely moisturizing product that’s also full of great nutrients that help promote skin repair. It’s also known to be suitable for sensitive skin.?

Jojoba seed oil is another ingredient in this balm, and is among the most commonly used in health and beauty products for the skin. This is because jojoba oil is able to revitalize the skin and promote repair. It’s also able to give the skin more elasticity, and is also highly absorbable because of its chemical similarity to the sebum given off naturally by the skin.?

6. Majestic Pure After Shave Balm for Men
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This is another alcohol free formula, which means it’s great for sensitive skin as it won’t cause a stinging reaction to any open wounds on the face after shaving. It also contains great ingredients for calming and soothing irritation.?

This balm helps protect the skin from dryness, irritation, and sensitivity. It’s made in the USA and is cruelty-free and safe for all hair and skin types. It’s also made from a small business, which means it’s great for the discerning consumer.?

This product includes aloe vera, which is an ingredient that’s full of antioxidants, nutrients, and vitamins. It’s particularly good for sensitive skin because it’s a natural moisturizer, which means it’s able to act on the skin without causing irritation for most people with sensitive skin.?

This product also contains peppermint oil, which means that it has a cooling effect on the skin. This is helpful for people with sensitive skin as the act of shaving may produce a burning or tight feeling that needs a cooling ingredient to help feel better.?

7. Chamuel Men Anti-Aging Post Shave Moisturizer
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Another 2-in-1 product, this aftershave moisturizing product is great for sensitive skin because it promotes extra hydration that lasts throughout the day. This helps reduce dryness and irritation not just at the time of application but as the day goes on.?

The product contains a bevy of soothing ingredients, like argan oil, shea butter, and aloe vera. All these ingredients work to moisturize the skin as well as giving nutrients back to the skin and helps promote the repair of the skin moisture barrier.?

This can also help to protect against sun damage. Freshly shaved skin is more prone to damage than the rest of the skin as shaving removes a lot of useful products like oils and dead skin from the surface.

This product contains SPF 15 sunscreen so it helps protect the skin from sun damage. However, it’s a small amount of SPF, so it won’t cause your face to smell like sunscreen or cause the product to sit on your face in a greasy manner.?

This product is also from a small business and has no additives like parabens, fragrances, or dyes. It’s also vegan and cruelty-free, which makes it a great gift for people when you don’t know their preferences.?

This product is also anti-aging because it contains antioxidants provided through ingredients like aloe vera. These molecules are able to fight against damaging free radicals and can help promote healthier skin to reduce damage that leads to premature aging or wrinkles.?

In addition, the other ingredients in this blend are highly moisturizing, which means that it can promote firmer and plumper skin. This helps you look younger and may contribute to the anti-aging effect.?

8. Lather and Wood Ultra-Soothing After-Shave Balm
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This product contains no drying alcohols, which means when it’s absorbed into your skin, it won’t cause any stinging or uncomfortable tightening after it’s finished. It also helps cool and refresh the face after the shaving process is finished.?

This product also helps promote moisturization of the face and gives a fresh and healthy glow after use. Although it’s a moisturizing product, it doesn’t sit on the skin after application, and it won’t make your face feel gross and greasy.?

Lather and Wood Ultra-Soothing After-Shave Balm helps calm irritation and moisturize the skin through the use of natural oils. Because all of the products from this company are made from natural oils, they can be used for a perfect skin care experience.?

The ingredients responsible are aloe vera, coconut oil, witch hazel, and vitamin E. Aloe vera is known for being a hydrating product, as well as helping to reduce irritation and repair damaged skin.?

Coconut oil is also a well known product that helps moisturize the skin. It can also act as a carrier because it’s both easily absorbed by the skin and clings to other helpful products to take them deep into the skin too. It’s also a highly nourishing ingredient full of essential fatty acids for the skin’s moisture barrier.?

Witch hazel is a lesser known ingredient that’s nonetheless very well established as an anti-inflammatory and cooling agent. It’s been added to the product for its ability to soothe irritation and redness, as well as helping to tighten the skin and provide a more youthful look.?

Finally, vitamin E is a great antioxidant ingredient, which helps the face repair damage during the shaving process. It can also help protect the skin from free radical damage throughout the day, so it’s an excellent ingredient to be in a product you use every day.?

9. American Shaving Company After-Shave Balm

This product has been designed to be added to freshly shaved skin to help reduce irritation and to hydrate and refresh the skin after it’s been damaged. American Shaving Company After-Shave Balm is scented, but it’s full of other hydrating ingredients so it’s still suitable for sensitive skin.?

This product adds gentle and protective hydration to skin that’s been shaved recently. It should be used in an even layer after the shave has been finished and after the face has been rinsed with cool water.?

American Shaving Company After-Shave Balm leaves the face looking soft and healthy looking and has a pleasing sandalwood scent, which is a great option if you’re looking for a signature clean scent to add into your routine but are too sensitive for perfumes.?

10. Harry’s Post-Shave Balm
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Harry’s Post-Shave Balm has been designed to be used just after a shave. It helps sooth your face while absorbing fast into the skin without causing a greasy or shiny leftover feeling. It’s also been through extensive testing, so it’s definitely of a high quality.?

The main ingredients in this blend include aloe vera and cucumber. The cucumber serves as a cooling ingredient, which helps reduce the feeling of tight, dry, or irritated skin immediately after a shave.?

The aloe vera helps maintain hydration throughout the day and provides plenty of antioxidants and nutrients to give the skin the ability to repair any damage. This product is a great one for our list of the 11 best aftershaves for sensitive skin.?

11. Bulldog Original Aftershave Balm
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This product contains several natural ingredients that help soothe irritation and dryness of the skin after shaving. This soothing action is provided through aloe vera, camelina oil, and green tea. It’s able to moisturize the skin as well as promote quick repair.?

Bulldog Original Aftershave Balm is also non-drying, which means it doesn’t contain alcohols that can cause stinging on the skin as the product enters open wounds as the product absorbs into the skin to reduce the shininess and tight feeling.?

Bulldog Original Aftershave Balm is ideal for everyday use and contains enough soothing products to be suitable for sensitive skin. This product is also made from natural ingredients with no artificial colors, fragrances, or animal ingredients. This means it’s less likely to cause a reaction when used on sensitive skin.?

Frequently Asked Questions

What does aftershave do?

Aftershave has been designed to be put on the skin post-shaving. It’s often designed to stop irritation of the skin as well as help to hydrate the skin and prevent razor bumps.?

In some cases, aftershave can also be formulated to help to remove bacteria from on the skin to prevent infection. It can also be used to add a protective layer on the skin, which covers some of the open wounds that are caused by shaving. This includes micro-abrasions that you may not even notice but that can cause dry or irritated skin.?

Can I use aftershave without shaving?

Short answer, yes. Slightly longer answer is that it’s not only OK but even recommended. As aftershave is simply there to soothe the skin and provide moisture, it’s a great idea to add it to the skin everyday as a routine, even if you don’t shave that regularly.?

Aftershave can also help hydrate beard hairs to make your beard less scratchy against the skin. It’s a great product to reduce irritation and nourish the skin, so you definitely don’t need to wait to shave before using it.?

Is aftershave the same as cologne?

Aftershave isn’t the same as cologne. Generally, cologne is a scented perfume product, which is used on its own. Aftershave can be scented, but its primary function is to help the skin to recover after shaving, not to provide a pleasant scent throughout the day.?

Is aftershave just a moisturizer?

Aftershave sits in an interesting place in terms of skin care. It’s not quite a cologne because it helps to hydrate and repair the skin, which cologne doesn’t do. Sometimes aftershave isn’t even scented. However, it’s not quite a moisturizer either because it often contains different ingredients.?

Moisturizers simply increase the moisture in your skin, although some also carry out additional functions by including some quality ingredients. Regarding aftershave, you can think of it as a high quality moisturizer because it’s designed to moisturize the face as well as repair, soothe, and calm the skin.?

This means that although every aftershave is able to moisturize the face, not every moisturizer has the same repairing and soothing actions of an aftershave. If you have a choice, we’d suggest an aftershave over a moisturizer, unless you don’t have to deal with damage associated with shaving. In that case, all you need is moisturizer for the skin.?

What are the risks of shaving?

Shaving is a necessary sacrifice in some cases. This is particularly true if you work in a place that has a dress code or if you’re an adolescent in school. However, it’s not without some small risks.?

The most obvious risk of shaving is that you could cut yourself. This is especially true if you have a straight razor or other open blade kind of razor. This is partially why electric razors have become more common, although some people don’t like them as much because they don’t give as close a shave as a blade.?

Shaving can also cause microabrasions, which you may not even notice that you’ve accumulated. This is what makes your skin feel tight, dry, and irritated after shaving. If you already have dry skin, it’s not recommended to shave without some kind of shaving cream, and you should have a plan for after you’ve finished shaving to treat that area.?

Finally, shaving can cause razor burn or ingrown hairs. Razor burn is the small red bumps that form on the skin after you’ve shaved. These are caused by the skin being irritated, causing an immune system reaction. This reaction causes the skin to swell and form red bumps. These bumps can cause additional cuts or bumps if you have to shave again before they have a chance to heal.?

Reducing these bumps can go a long way towards making shaving more comfortable. Aftershave is designed to cool and soothe irritation on the skin, so it’s a great idea to add it to your post-shave routine to prevent razor burn.?

Ingrown hairs occur when the direction of hair growth is disturbed during a shave. This can happen when the skin swells up and the growing follicle gets misdirected into the follicle under the skin.?

When this happens, the hair gets trapped and creates an inflamed spot. This often leads to a painful, swollen lump. The bump contains a hair that continues to grow, so the only way to treat it is to remove the hair.?

We recommend going to a doctor or dermatologist if you have an ingrown hair on the face as that area of the skin is particularly delicate and prone to scarring.?

Can shaving be beneficial for the skin?

After that whole rant about the risks of shaving, you may ask why anyone would choose to do this. However, shaving your skin can actually have a great deal of benefits, the first and foremost of which is not having to deal with the hair.?

Shaving can also help to exfoliate the skin, as when the razor drags down the face, it removes the top layer of skin along with the whiskers. This makes the accumulation of dead skin on the face much less likely, which makes the skin able to replenish itself at a much faster rate.?

Getting rid of dead skin cells also has an effect on the individual parts of the skin as well. It helps to regulate melanin and keratin production, which helps the skin maintain a regular tone and firmness.?

Melanin is responsible for the pigment of your skin, so by shaving, you can give your skin a regular tone and reduce hyperpigmentation. Keratin maintains strength in the hair, which means that by regularly shaving, you can actually increase the health of your beard hair by regulating keratin production.