Aftershave for Razor Bumps: Balms, Lotions and Calmer Shaves

In the autumn of 1917, the J.B. Williams Company of Glastonbury, Connecticut, best known for its shaving-mug soap, started selling a face lotion in a blue bottle. On 17 November it filed the trademark: Aqua Velva. The slogans came later, one in 1923 about a face that is fit, another in the 1960s about something special in an Aqua Velva man. The classic Ice Blue is still on shelves today. A factory lotion for a morning chore, and it stuck for more than a century.

It helps to know where the habit came from. Early aftershave was a barbershop antiseptic, a splash of alcohol, witch hazel or bay rum that worked as an astringent on skin that had just met a blade. Fragrance was added later. Modern splashes are mostly denatured alcohol and water, which is why they sting, and why I think the better question now is not splash or balm but what your skin did after the razor. The American Academy of Dermatology simply asks for a soothing aftershave, formulated to reduce razor bumps and irritation, and a balm does that job with less drama.

The trick is to start with the balm shelf. Baxter of California After Shave Balm is the plain, well-built one for a bathroom cabinet. Proraso After Shave Lotion, in the refreshing formula, comes from an Italian barber brand founded in 1908 by Ludovico Martelli, and it is the lighter, cooler choice for summer. NIVEA Men Soothing Post Shave Balm is alcohol-free with vitamin E, provitamin B5 and chamomile, the brand says, and a good place to start if your skin stings at everything. The Art of Shaving Sandalwood balm is the one I would give as a present, and the Mr Taylor aftershave balm and MÜHLE Organic aftershave balm are the quiet, barbershop-minded ones. KORRES Athenian Grooming Barber's Comfort Balm sits in the middle, comforting without a heavy scent.

Most razor irritation is decided before the blade touches your face. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests shaving after a shower, using a moisturizing gel or cream, shaving with the grain and rinsing the blade after each swipe. None of that is glamorous, and all of it is easier than a bad week of irritation.

A gel is the easiest upgrade, because you can see where you have been. Clinique For Men Aloe Shave Gel is clear and clean, and NIVEA Men Sensitive Skin Shaving Gel with Vitamin E is the no-fuss pick if your face flares up. Dior Sauvage Shaving Gel brings the fragrance of the house to the mirror, which is a pleasure if you already wear the scent. For a brushless cream, Reuzel Ultra-Moisturizing is thick without needing a mug and brush, and Santa Maria Novella's Before and After Shave Cream does double duty, a nice idea for travel.

Jack Black Beard Lube Conditioning Shave is the slick one, for thick stubble and a blade you want to glide. Dr. Squatch Easy Glide Shave Butter gives you a soft, buttery lather with a little cushion.

A pairing I like: a clear gel, so you can see what you are doing, then a balm from the first grid when you are done. Gel for precision, balm for the recovery.

What I would skip: a foaming cream with a big fragrance if your skin is already flaring. Choose the plain one and leave the scent for the afternoon.

A dull blade drags, and dragging is where most razor bumps begin. The American Academy of Dermatology's own guideline is to replace a disposable razor after five to seven shaves.

Shave oils give you slip without foam. Truly Soft Serve After Shave Oil is the softer, prettier one, and up&up Shave Oil is the plain everyday bottle. Used under a gel, an oil gives the razor a little extra glide along the jaw and neck.

For bumps themselves, the list is practical. Jack Black Bump Fix goes after razor bumps and ingrown hairs, Bevel Post-Shave Razor Bump Control is made for exactly that job, and Kiehl's Ultimate Razor Burn & Bump Relief gets my vote after a hurried shave. Lab Series Razor Burn Balm and Razor MD Post Shave Lotion are the calm, pharmacy-minded choices, and the Proraso Post Shave Stone, a natural alum block, is the old barbershop object, a small white block that looks good on a shelf.

Give one bump product two weeks before changing anything else. If bumps persist, the dermatologists' advice is simple, see a board-certified dermatologist, because untreated bumps can leave deep grooves and raised scars.

What I would skip: picking at an ingrown hair in the mirror. Let the product work and leave the tweezers alone.

Damp skin takes a soother better, so pat instead of rubbing. A cool washcloth first, another tip from the dermatologists, takes the heat out before you put anything on.

Clinique For Men Post-Shave Soother Lotion is for razor burn and dryness, and Jack Black Post Shave Cooling Gel is the one to keep in the fridge door for summer. The two Clarins bottles are a pair, the After Shave Soothing Toner for a fresh, light finish and the Hydrating & Soothing Gel for drier skin. Ahava Soothing After-Shave Moisturizer is the gentlest of the group and works as a daily moisturizer on its own.

Then the designer side, where the scent carries over from a bottle you already love. BLEU DE CHANEL After Shave Lotion and Dior Sauvage After Shave Lotion are the obvious siblings to their eau de toilettes, and L'eau D'Issey Pour Homme Soothing After Shave Balm is the calm, watery one. You can wear the matching cologne on top, or you can let the lotion carry the whole scent on its own for a quieter day.

What I would skip: a scented lotion on the first shave after a long break from the razor, when skin is at its most sensitive. A plain soother first, the designer bottle later.

I happen to think the category deserves a little respect. The Aqua Velva man had a bottle, a mirror and a two-minute routine, and that is still the right size for this. The difference now is that we know more about skin.

So pick one balm, one gel and one bump product, and use them for a month before you judge any of them. Skin takes a few weeks to show you the difference. Keep a scented lotion for the days you want a bit of ceremony. J.B. Williams had a factory and a trademark. You have a sink and a mirror, and that is enough.

Once you have the idea of a calmer shave, the rest is just stocking the sink with things you will actually use each morning. I would start with The Art of Shaving After Shave Balm, either the unscented one or the one with lavender essential oil, because a plain balm is easy to live with. Clinique does two jobs here, with the Cream Shave before and the For Men Post-Shave Soother after. If you like a foaming gel, ClarinsMen Smooth Shave is the one on this list, and Jack Black Supreme Cream Triple Cushion is the lather to try. Kiehl's Since 1851 Blue Eagle and White Eagle are the brushless creams I would test first. Pair a balm with a shave cream from the same brand for the first month and change only one thing at a time. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Maternity Clothes.