Final Up to date on January 13, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti
You’re in all probability right here as a result of somebody instructed you aftershave kills micro organism so it have to be good for zits, proper? Or possibly you seen your pores and skin seemed clearer after shaving and figured the aftershave was working some sort of magic. However right here’s the truth: aftershave is designed to assuage your face after you’ve dragged a razor throughout it, to not deal with breakouts, and utilizing it as an zits remedy is actually going to backfire on most individuals. Let me inform you what science really says about this complete mess, as a result of there’s a ton of confusion floating round and most of it’s full nonsense and struggle to make use of to your acne-prone pores and skin as an alternative.
What Aftershave Really Is
Once you drag a razor throughout your face, you’re scraping off lifeless pores and skin cells and creating hundreds of microscopic cuts that depart your pores and skin uncooked and susceptible (speak about tough exfoliation!). Aftershave was invented to disinfect these tiny wounds and relax pores and skin irritation, so your face doesn’t really feel such as you simply attacked it with sandpaper. Authentic formulation have been principally alcohol with perfume, which is why they burned like hell, and apparently that sting made guys really feel like they have been correctly taking good care of themselves (go determine!). As of late you’ve bought lotions and balms and gels loaded with elements like witch hazel and tea tree oil and aloe vera and shea butter, with firms promising every little thing from stopping razor burn to preventing ageing to clearing up zits, however the core objective remains to be serving to your pores and skin recuperate after you’ve traumatized it with a blade.
Why Folks Suppose Aftershave Helps With Pimples?
The massive motive individuals assume aftershave helps with zits is as a result of it kills micro organism. Pimples is partly brought on by micro organism referred to as P. acnes that lives in your pores, munches in your pores and skin’s pure oils and causes irritation and people indignant pink pimples. Most conventional aftershaves are loaded with alcohol (isopropyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol, to be precise), which kills micro organism on contact. So individuals determine if aftershave kills micro organism in your pores and skin, it ought to kill the zits micro organism too and clear up breakouts. The opposite motive individuals assume it really works is as a result of aftershaves dry out your pores and skin, and should you’ve bought oily acne-prone pores and skin, drying it out feels like precisely what you want since all that extra oil is what’s clogging your pores and inflicting issues within the first place. To date every little thing is smart, proper? There’s a catch…
Does Aftershave Really Assist With Pimples? Right here’s What Science Says
The quick reply isn’t any, and aftershave, by its nature, will not be particularly formulated to forestall zits. Its job is to offer post-shave care (duh!). The bacteria-killing logic falls aside as a result of yeah, the alcohol in aftershave kills micro organism, but it surely’s killing micro organism on the floor of your pores and skin the place it doesn’t matter for zits. The P. acnes micro organism that causes zits lives deep inside your pores the place the alcohol can’t attain, so that you’re killing the mistaken micro organism within the mistaken place. Large distinction.
And right here’s the place the drying factor utterly backfires: while you strip all of the oil off your pores and skin with alcohol, your pores and skin doesn’t simply keep dry and behave itself. As a substitute it goes into panic mode and begins producing much more oil to compensate for what you simply stripped away, so now you’ve bought extra oil than you began with. All that further oil mixes with lifeless pores and skin cells and clogs your pores even worse, and dried pores and skin causes extra irritation whereas additionally rising the probability of an zits breakout *sighs* You’ve actually made your zits worse whereas considering you have been treating it.
For those who’ve bought delicate pores and skin or present irritation, the alcohol simply piles on extra irritation and makes every little thing angrier, and since irritation is among the most important drivers of zits, you’re actively sabotaging your self.
What About Pure Elements in Fashionable Aftershaves?
So alcohol is a nightmare for zits, however what about these newer aftershaves filled with witch hazel and tea tree oil and aloe vera? Do these really assist or are firms simply slapping “pure” on the label to cost you extra? Some of these things does have actual analysis backing it up:
- Witch hazel is all over the place in aftershave merchandise now as a result of it has astringent properties that tightens up pores. Plus, studies show that 10% distilled witch hazel helps treat inflammation from excessive sun exposure. The difficulty? It’s typically distilled with alcohol and so it’s excessive on alcohol content material. For those who use it an excessive amount of or too typically, it may well dry pores and skin. Kinda defeats the aim, proper?
- Tea tree oil is in a bunch of aftershave balms as a result of tea tree oil has natural anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that go after acne bacteria. The issue is you want it diluted correctly or your pores and skin’s going to hate you for it, so no dumping random important oils in your face.
- Aloe vera is principally normal in each aftershave lotion at this level, and positive it feels good and calms down redness, but it surely’s not doing something about your precise zits. It’s simply there to make your pores and skin much less indignant after shaving.
However right here’s the place it will get annoying: witch hazel can scale back micro organism generally discovered on the pores and skin, however comparatively ineffectively in comparison with benzoyl peroxide or different zits therapies. So yeah, aftershaves with these pure elements are miles higher than the alcohol ones and so they may assist a tiny bit, however they’re nowhere close to nearly as good as stuff made particularly for zits.
What You Ought to Really Use for Pimples-Inclined Pores and skin
For those who’re critical about clearing up your zits, aftershave isn’t going to chop it. You want precise zits therapies that have been made particularly to take care of breakouts, not grooming merchandise that have been designed to disinfect small cuts and make you odor good. Pimples occurs due to an entire mess of issues happening without delay – your genetics, your hormones going haywire, what you’re consuming, the way you’re taking good care of your pores and skin – so that you want merchandise that really go after these root causes as an alternative of simply hoping that one thing meant for shaving irritation is magically going to repair every little thing.
Benzoyl peroxide is the actual deal for killing zits micro organism. It will get deep into your pores the place the P. acnes micro organism really lives and murders it, plus it calms down irritation and breaks up all of the crap that’s clogging your pores. You will discover it in 2.5%, 5%, or 10% concentrations, and right here’s the factor – the lower concentrations work just as well as the high ones without being as harsh, so don’t go straight for 10% thinking stronger is better. Begin with 2.5% or 5% and solely bump up should you really must. The micro organism inflicting your zits is hanging out method down in your pores the place alcohol from aftershave can’t attain it, so benzoyl peroxide really targets the issue as an alternative of simply killing random floor micro organism that aren’t even inflicting your breakouts.
Salicylic acid is completely different from benzoyl peroxide as a result of as an alternative of killing micro organism, it will get inside your pores and dissolves all of the lifeless pores and skin cells and oil which are creating clogs. It’s lipid-soluble, which suggests it may well reduce by way of the oil in your pores as an alternative of simply sitting on high of your pores and skin like water-based merchandise do. This makes it actually good for blackheads and whiteheads as a result of it breaks up these plugs which are blocking every little thing. Most over-the-counter merchandise have between 0.5% and a couple of% salicylic acid, and that’s loads to get the job achieved with out destroying your pores and skin. Far more efficient than simply making an attempt to dry out the floor of your pores and skin with alcohol and crossing your fingers.
Retinoids like adapalene (which you may get over-the-counter now, it was once prescription-only) or tretinoin (nonetheless wants a prescription) pace up how briskly your pores and skin cells flip over, which stops new clogs from forming within the first place. In addition they fade zits scars and make your total pores and skin texture higher, so that you’re getting a number of advantages. The draw back is retinoids are irritating as hell while you first begin utilizing them – your pores and skin will get pink and dry and flaky and usually pissy – so you possibly can’t simply slap it on each evening from day one. You have to ease into it, like utilizing it each third evening for the primary couple weeks, then each different evening, then finally each evening as soon as your pores and skin adjusts. And also you completely should put on sunscreen throughout the day while you’re utilizing retinoids as a result of they make your pores and skin far more delicate to UV injury, and solar injury on high of zits is simply asking for hassle.
Finest Picks:
- Paula’s Alternative Pores and skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant ($37.00): The gold normal for zits exfoliation, it has a cheesy texture that heals and prevents pimples. Out there at Dermstore, Paula’s Choice, Selfridges and SpaceNK
- The Odd Salicylic Acid 2% Resolution: The cheaper Salicylic Acid exfoliant on the market. The feel isn’t too nice, but it surely does the job. Out there at Asos, Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty, Sephora, The Ordinary and Ulta
- Differin 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Spot Remedy ($12.99): A spot remedy for extreme breakouts. Out there at Ulta
- Obagi Medical CLENZIderm M.D. Therapeutic Lotion ($95.00): A fundamental remedy with 5% Benzoyl Peroxide to deal with gentle to average zits. Out there at Dermstore
FAQs
What’s the right order for my post-shave routine?
Chilly water rinse, pat with a clear towel, aftershave if you’d like, wait a minute, moisturizer. Pimples therapies go on later when your pores and skin’s not all uncooked from shaving since you’ve bought tiny cuts all over the place and your pores and skin barrier’s tousled. Don’t throw every little thing on without delay, your pores and skin’ll hate you.
How do I select the best aftershave product for my pores and skin kind?
Oily pores and skin can possibly take care of gels or gentle stuff however don’t use heavy oils like jojoba, you’ll clog up extra. Dry pores and skin skip alcohol utterly, get a balm with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E. Delicate or zits pores and skin keep away from harsh chemical substances and pretend fragrances, take a look at it someplace first. Neatest thing for zits although is simply skip aftershave, use a light-weight moisturizer that gained’t clog you.
Does aftershave really shut pores?
Nah, pores don’t open and shut, they’re not doorways. Aftershave tightens pores and skin round them briefly so they appear smaller for a bit. Chilly water does the identical, makes blood vessels shrink. Need really clear pores? Use salicylic acid that goes inside them, aftershave simply sits there.
Do I would like a sizzling towel earlier than shaving to forestall zits?
Scorching towel makes shaving simpler and fewer irritating however doesn’t cease zits. Softens hair and opens follicles. Heat water wash, shave cream, let it sit, shave round breakouts, chilly water rinse. The way you shave issues far more than what goes on after.
The Backside Line
Cease making an attempt to make aftershave work to your zits as a result of it’s not going to occur. Aftershave was made to disinfect cuts and calm irritation after you drag a blade throughout your face, not clear up breakouts. The alcohol in most of them simply dries you out and makes your pores and skin pump out extra oil, witch hazel nonetheless has alcohol in it so similar drawback, and even those with tea tree oil aren’t sturdy sufficient to really deal with zits. In order for you clear pores and skin, get actual zits therapies – benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, possibly retinoids should you want them – and construct a correct routine with a mild cleanser and light-weight moisturizer. Concentrate on shaving correctly so that you’re not making issues worse, and cease hoping a grooming product goes to magically repair a pores and skin situation it was by no means designed to deal with.
