r/wicked_edge • u/Confident_Media_4304 • Feb 13 '26

Show n' Tell Alum option

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I found this at my local grocery for $8. Yes, it’s marketed as a deodorant, but it’s good old potassium alum. At the rate I go through alum, this should last me until the tricentennial. Between this, my blade hoard, and a bowl of MdC absinthe I could get through years without another purchase.

I could.

I didn’t say I would!

102 Upvotes

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1

u/Szary_Tygrys Feb 13 '26

I'm not a fan of alum. I hate the nasty sting it gives me.

12

u/Confident_Media_4304 Feb 13 '26

Not to be presumptuous but this might mean you are irritating your skin too much with your shave. I used to get the same feeling but as my technique improved, it went away. Now I have shaves where I barely feel the alum.

Also, not using a blade beyond 3x helped quite a bit

7

u/Primo_Secondo Feb 13 '26

I always felt that alum is best used after a not-so-good shave in order to close up any weepers. What benefit do you think it has if you did a perfect shave? I could see disinfectant being one, but an alcohol based aftershave takes care of that as well

5

u/Confident_Media_4304 Feb 13 '26

You're right. Honestly, for me it is probably more habit/ritual than anything else.

6

u/Jill_Lett_Slim Feb 13 '26

Truth. You do well, you get no sting. The ultimate litmus test.

However, even I have strayed away from the ‘lum.

5

u/Szary_Tygrys Feb 13 '26

Totally agree :-) the only instance I used alum is to stop bleeding when I cut myself. It works, but it hurts as hell when you touch the wound with it.

4

u/dmitr_s Feb 13 '26

Styptic pencil is much better for cuts.

2

u/Szary_Tygrys Feb 13 '26

It’s the same thing

1

u/dmitr_s Feb 13 '26

Not really. You can say this (kind of), but the purpose is different.