12 Aftershaves That'll Make Your Face Feel (and Look) Better

Even when it's done right, shaving can be tough on the skin. You are, after all, dragging a blade (or five) across it; it’s not the most comfortable experience even for seasoned shavers. Common side effects include nicks, cuts, irritation, razor burn, and razor bumps (i.e., ingrown hairs), all of which can be a hassle to treat and even more annoying to try to prevent. Apart from making sure your razor is sharp and perfecting your shaving technique, your best best to avoiding these totally normal shaving aftereffects is to use a post-shave treatment.

Aftershave used to be considered more of a cologne-adjacent fragrance back in your grandfather’s day, but now aftershave products have more in common with your skincare. And a good aftershave will do two things to help reduce pesky post-shave problems: soothe and hydrate skin to help soothe potential irritation and gently exfoliate to help prevent ingrown hairs. How your chosen aftershave does this depends on the ingredients and ultimately comes down to your skin type: sensitive skin should avoid ingredients like alcohol that could give you a burning effect like Kevin McAlister in Home Alone, oily skin should avoid heavy creams, and those with coarse, curly beard hairs should look for extra exfoliation. But no matter what, to get the smoothest and most comfortable shave possible, don’t skip a post-shave product. Pick up any on this list of our favorite 12 aftershaves and you’re good to go.