Like most other men, I was initially not so into using skincare products and was of the impression that all these belong in a woman’s world. I used to hold this notion until I tried out a couple of best aftershave products on the market and alas, I’d been wrong all along. Aside from giving you this soothing and refreshingly cool feeling after your shaving sessions, I learned about how beneficial the best aftershave products could impact your skins healing, protection, and prevention of infections that may arise from accidental razor cuts during shaving. After this brief phase of learning and firsthand experience, my stance changed and here I am, discussing the best aftershave for other men to help them choose the right choice.
Why Do I Need an Aftershave?
It is no doubt that you need the best shaving gel or cream to have a clean and smooth shave. Along with a great electric shaver or razor, you’ll also need a good aftershave to ensure there are no nightmares long after you’ve finished shaving. Aftershaves are needed for a variety of uses.
Because these skincare products contain antiseptic substances, they can easily help to prevent infections in cases where people have razor cuts during shaving. They can also help stop bleeding and speed up the healing process for the face. They are so beneficial that they’ll keep the skin pores clean and free from bacteria. They can also be used to prevent skin irritations due to their astringency.
Important Things to Consider Before Buying an Aftershave
There are a few things you may need to consider before buying an aftershave. We’ll briefly discuss these in the parts below. The most important among these are the type, the main ingredients, the fragrance as well as the other ingredients. We’ll briefly analyze each some of these in the parts below.
What type of Aftershave do you want?
Depending on your skin type, you can always choose from one of four different types of aftershave. We have the splash aftershave, the gel, lotion, and balm. For most people with a normal skin, they could easily use some of the best aftershave splashes. For oily skins, either of the splash, lotion, or gel types of aftershave would work. If you have a dry skin or probably you live in an environment where the climate is cold and dry, then you’d be better off with the balm type. People with sensitive skin can choose to use any of these as long they avoid those that contain ingredients such as paraben and alcohol.
What are the major ingredients?
Witch hazel and alcohol are the main ingredients used in aftershave as well as in a host of other beauty products. While we recommend going for those based on witch hazel due to its astringency and ability to constrict pores without dying the skin, alcohol, on the other hand, is bad for people with sensitive skin and may aggravate irritation.
How about the fragrance of your aftershave?
The most popular types of fragrances used in aftershave are floral, woody, citrus, and oriental. The best aftershave fragrances are usually multi-layered and will definitely appeal to your sense of smell. Most people would definitely want one with a fragrance that will last to satisfactory standards, so brace up for some of the best-smelling aftershave splash in our recommendations section.
How about the other ingredients used?
Along with witch hazel, the quality of the other ingredients used in producing your aftershave would no doubt determine its quality and your experience with the use. Some of those really good ingredients you should look out for in your aftershave includes aloe vera for its soothing properties as well as countering skin sensitivity, tea-tree as a natural antiseptic to keep the skin pores clean and prevent infections, as well as humectants such as lactic acid, sorbitol, and glycerol to help reduce the dehydrating effect of some of the other main ingredients used.
Best Way to Apply Aftershave to Your Face
While applying an aftershave is not rocket science, doing it the wrong way may deprive you of the good results the products were intended to provide. Check our simple four-step guide below to check if you’d been using your aftershave wrongly.
- Step1: after you finish shaving, clean your face with cold water and dry with a face towel. This will help to close your skin pores.
- Step 2: Apply a little quantity of aftershave on your palm, either balm, lotion, or the other types and rub gently within your palm to spread evenly.
- Step 3: Applying in an upward and circular motion, gently massage the areas you’ve shaved. Doing it this way helps the face absorb the aftershave easily and quickly.
- Step 4: Allow the aftershave to soak into your skin until it is not visible again. If necessary, you may apply another coat of aftershave so as to cover other areas that may have been missed with the first application.
Also, if you’re using a product that contains alcohol, you may want to first apply a moisturizer to your face before you apply the aftershave. You can also apply witch hazel to remove residues left after you shaved but this is not necessarily needed since most of the best aftershave would usually contain witch hazel.
Top Aftershave Recommendations
While we’ve done most of the job needed to help you make the best decision with choosing your desired aftershave, we’ll complete this with providing you with our top 7 recommendations of the best aftershave products in the market right now. Sit back, read on, and find the perfect aftershave for you among these.
1. Proraso Aftershave Lotion, Refreshing and Toning
Our Rating: 
(4.6 / 5)
The Proraso is touted as the barber’s professional choice and has been around for quite a while. The Italian brand produces some of the best skincare products and the refreshing and toning qualities of the Proraso Aftershave Lotion is the reason why it’s amassed a lot of positive reviews by users.
Product Highlights
Fresh, natural ingredients used in the formulation of this superb aftershave include eucalyptus oil to purify skin and facial hair, witch hazel to prevent razor burns and rashes as well as menthol for a refreshing and revitalizing feeling after shaving. The Proraso has a pleasant scent that is mild and dissipates easily within an hour. It is 100% vegan-friendly as there are no animal-based ingredients.
The Proraso Aftershave Lotion is loved and used by lots of people for its immediate relief qualities as well as an affordable price tag. You’ll no doubt love it as it is great for both facial and skin hairs.
2. NIVEA Men Sensitive Post Shave Balm: [Best Aftershave for Sensitive Skin]
Our Rating: (4.6 / 5)
This NIVEA Men Sensitive Post Shave Balm has been specially formulated to be used comfortably by people with sensitive skin. It is also affordable and is a simple way to refresh and revitalize your skin after shaving.
Product Highlights
The aftershave balm has been specially enhanced with vitamin E, vitamin B5, as well as chamomile extract for a great soothing and refreshing feel. It is aimed at helping to improve skin over-time and has been dermatologically tested to be safe for people with sensitive skin. The fragrance is a light scent that will easily dissipate within a few hours and is free from alcohol as well as a host of the other ingredients that can induce skin irritations.
Although it may not contain the scent and fancy ingredients of some other aftershaves, the NIVEA Men Sensitive Post Shave Balm is simply soothing, refreshing and great for you if you’ve been struggling with rashes and razor burns. Coupled with an affordable price, it’s the value to beat.
3. Tend Skin Liquid: [Best Aftershave for Ingrown Hairs]
Our Rating: (4.6 / 5)
Hair removal from shaving, electrolysis, waxing, and others can result in the development of ingrown hairs. The Tend Skin liquid today is one of the best aftershaves you can use to tackle this. It is loved and preferred by a lot of users as shown on Amazon and a host of other online stores as one of the best aftershaves to tackle few problems that would usually come with shaving.
Product Highlights
The Tend Skin Liquid is perfect for removing ingrown hairs and tackling razor burns. It also helps to cleanse the face and remove dirts of any kind from within the skin pores. As well as being a perfect aftershave that could be used after shaving, the Tend Skin Liquid can be used as a skin cleanser with exceptional cleaning and dirt removal abilities. It is this great utility and performance that has made it the number one choice for online shoppers when shopping for the best men’s aftershave.
The Tend Skin Liquid is such a utility product and considering the affordable price at which it retails, it is not hard to see why a lot of men prefer this as their choice of aftershave.
4. Lab Series 3-in-1 Post-Shave Remedy: [Best Aftershave for Razor Bumps]
Our Rating: 
(4.1 / 5)
This 3-in-1 gel is a plant-based aftershave specially formulated to help people struggling with razor bumps which are often as a result of ingrown hairs.
Product Highlights
The Lab Series 3-in-1 Post-Shave Remedy is a plant-based gel with three major functions. The first is to refreshingly soothe and reinvigorate the skin. It also influences beard growth to make it thinner and softer and the third benefit you stand to gain from using this aftershave is its moisturizing benefits on your skin. It also helps to increase the skin’s exfoliation process by allowing the hair follicles to remain open. Dealing with razor bumps can deeply affect your shaving experience and the Lab Series 3-in-1 Post-Shave Remedy just like the Tend Skin Liquid will help rid your skin of ingrown hairs that would normally cause this.
The aftershave is excellent due to its wide variety of benefits and uses although you should be careful with its use as it may reduce the growth of beards in the areas where it is often applied.
5. Clubman Pinaud Aftershave Lotion: [Best Aftershave for Oily Skin]
Our Rating: (4.6 / 5)
The Clubman Pinaud Aftershave Lotion is the perfect reminder that will take you down memory lane with its unique fragrance reminiscent of the 60’s barbershop. It is alcohol-based and is a great product loved by may for its fragrance as well as the skin refreshing and toning qualities.
Product Highlights
The Clubman Pinaud Aftershave Lotion has this fresh scent and the fragrance is described as masculine and suave with notes of lemon, orange, and bergamot at the top, a middle level of jasmine, geranium, lavender, and a musk base. It will help tone the skin and prevent users developing a rash or razor burns. The product is made in the USA although the essence is imported from France. It is alcohol-based and it’s got a refreshing feel unless you’ve got skin allergies.
This is loved by many users for its traditional scent and performance outlook. It is alcohol-based and so people with sensitive skin should be wary of using this so as not to trigger skin reactions.
6. Jack Black Post Shave Cooling Gel
Our Rating: (4.6 / 5)
The Jack Black Post Shave Cooling Gel is another aftershave we recommend for people looking for a clean and hitch-free post-shave experience.
Product Highlights
The Jack Black Post Shave Cooling Gel is an alcohol-free after-shave treatment. This means it is suitable even for people with sensitive skins. It is refreshingly soothing and can help prevent irritations such as razor burns that would usually come from shaving. The aftershave is lightweight. It is non-oily and is known for its great ability to prevent infections, inflammation, and others as it helps to close up the pores without drying the skin.
The Jack Black Post Shave Cooling Gel costs a little more than some other aftershave products though it is still within the easily affordable spectrum. It has great soothing and anti-inflammatory properties to match this slight bump in price and so is still one of the best choices when it comes to getting the best post-shave experience.
7. Aramis Aftershave for Men: [Best Smelling Aftershave]
Our Rating: (4.6 / 5)
Aramis is better known for sweet fragrances rather than excellent aftershave but this particular Aramis Aftershave for Men by this giant skin and beauty products manufacture is one that is too good to be ignored. It’s garnered a lot of users and loyal customer-base on online stores and the aftershave combines a sweet and refreshing scent along with its refreshing quality to become one of the most-sought-after aftershave available today.
Product Highlights
The Aramis Aftershave for Men has a fragrance that is enticing and masculine in nature. The fragrance is a blend of cumin, bergamot, and jasmine with patchouli, musk, and amber. It is formulated specially to make the skin appear silky soft while providing a refreshing, and lasting soothing feel. The scent is kind of like a vintage smell which will appeal to older, mature men but is not something that the younger would not like. In fact, if you are looking for the best smelling aftershave, then this may be it.
If what you’re looking for is a sweet smelling fragrance that would make you feel refreshed all day long, then this Aramis aftershave would not only ooze those sweet fragrances but also keep your skin silky-soft all through the day.
Verdict
So, what is the overall best aftershave we’d recommend? I’d go with either of the Proraso Aftershave Lotion or the NIVEA MEN Sensitive Post Shave Balm. Those two would do well for most people regardless of skin type or skin sensitivity. This is not to belittle any of the other remaining picks as your final choice would largely depend on personal preference. When you have seven of the best in a market of hundreds of competing products, you can hardly go wrong with anyone.
Conclusion
So, you know by now how beneficial a good aftershave can be. After going through our buying guide and review, the ball is now in your court to choose your choice from these seven aftershaves which are no doubt the best of the best. It took us a lot of hours processing reviews from customer feedbacks, other internet reviews as well as meetings with beauty experts. Make your purchase of the best aftershave today and you can say bye-bye to rash, razor burns, ingrown hairs, and infections in whatever form that may want to ruin your post-shave experience.