Alum Blocks: A Shaving Accessory All Men Need
What if I told you there was an affordable post-shave product that helps treat small nicks and cuts, helps minimize razor burn and gives great feedback on where you need to shave a little more carefully? Sounds like maybe it’s too good to be true, right? Well it’s not.
The alum block is (unfortunately) a shaving product that most guys know nothing about. I’m not real sure why it’s not used more or better known, it’s been around for thousands of years and its benefits are well known.
Alum doesn’t get near the publicity or attention that post-shave aftershaves, creams, oils and moisturizers get. Why? Probably because shave companies can’t make the profits on alum blocks that they can on aftershaves, moisturizers, balms and other post-shave products.
And that’s pretty frustrating. Because using an alum block after shaving is extremely easy and beneficial. Using one has made a huge impact on the quality of my shaves and I want you to get the same type of results.
So I have made it my mission today to try and get as many men as possible see the light and start using an alum block after shaving. And then I want all of you to become alum block disciples and to go out and spread the knowledge too.
Am I being a little over the top about the impact alum blocks can have on your shave? Maybe. But I really do believe adding one to your post-shave routine is a simple step that can deliver tremendous results. There’s really no reason every guy should not be using one.
Start From the Beginning:
What Exactly Is An Alum Block?
Alum blocks are a crystallized mineral salt that are made from alum. There are a few different forms of alum that are made from varying chemical compounds, but most alum blocks used for post-shave treatment are made with potassium alum.
There’s really not much else to note when it comes to the ingredients or composition of alum blocks. Alum block manufacturers keep it really simple and basic on the ingredients used. They don’t put a lot of additives in it like aloe vera or tea tree oil or anything else because it’s not necessary.
What do alum blocks look like? Well there’s a few different variations, but for the most part alum blocks just look like a small crystallized bar of soap. I've also seen them described as a “mineral stone”.
What’s The Difference Between
An Alum Block and a Styptic Pencil?
Alum blocks are not the only post-shave product that have alum in it: styptic pencils also contain a form of alum. So does that mean alum block and styptic pencils can be used interchangeably? Not really. Even though both alum blocks and styptic pencils can treat small nicks and cuts, they should each be used at different times and for different reasons.
Alum blocks are designed to be used after every shave. They are big and easy to apply to your entire face and neck after a shave. Also, the benefits from alum blocks don’t just end with treating nicks and cuts. They also kill off bacteria, soothe razor burn and much more. More on these benefits in the next section though.
Styptic pencils on the other hand are intended for spot treatments. So if you have a few nicks or cuts that an alum block just can’t quite take care of, that’s when a styptic pencil comes in handy. Why? Because styptic pencils are a little stronger and more concentrated so they can treat bigger and/or deeper cuts more effectively.
But using a styptic pencil past spot treatments is just unnecessary. First of all, it’s not feasible because it would take a long time to apply a styptic pencils to your entire face and neck after a shave. And secondly, it’s just overkill. They don’t provide the benefits that alum blocks do — they’re a one trick pony that are great at treating any cuts but don’t really offer any other benefits.
Does that mean you shouldn't also have a styptic pencil? No! It just means styptic pencils should be used for spot treatments on nicks and cuts, but an alum block should be used after every shave on your entire face and neck.
I have written a comprehensive review guide on what we think are the best styptic pencils if you need to add a styptic pencil or styptic gel to your shaving kit as well.
7 Benefits From Using an Alum Block
Alum blocks are great for treating really small cuts or weepers, but that definitely is not the full extent of the benefits you get from using one. And that’s why I recommend using one should be a part of your post-shave routine even if you don’t notice any cuts or weepers, because you’re still going to get a number of side benefits.
Coagulant
What is a “coagulant”? It’s just a fancy way of saying it is something that causes blood to clot so that the cut will stop bleeding. As we discussed earlier, styptic pencils are also a really good coagulant.
Styptic pencils are the stronger and more concentrated of the two coagulants, but alum blocks are probably a better option if you need to cover more than just a few nicks or cuts because you can cover more skin area faster. So if you have more than a handful of weepers or small cuts, the alum block is great. However, it may take more than 1 application.
Astringent
This is one of the best benefits of alum blocks in my opinion.
As I touched on earlier, astringents soothe and tighten skin. So since it is an astringent, it helps to close up any minor nicks and cuts but it also helps to alleviate the impact of razor burn.
Astringents are also really good to help minimize oily or greasy skin.
My one caveat would be that if you have dry skin, an alum block is probably only going to intensify the ‘dryness’ so you may want to monitor how much you apply and use it. If your skin dries out excessively after using an alum block, limit how much you use it or make sure you are moisturizing effectively afterwards.
Antiseptic
After you shave, it’s really important that you apply an antiseptic to your face. Why? Because you just got done taking a sharp razor to your skin and you probably have some combination of nicks and cuts, weepers, skin irritation and razor burn. And one thing you definitely don’t want is bacteria to get in any of these affected areas and then develop into an infection.
Aftershaves are also antiseptics but if you’re looking for a good post-shave astringent besides an alum block, I would recommend you look at buying a bottle of witch hazel to use as an aftershave. Witch hazel is an awesome natural product that won’t dry your skin out like most aftershaves which contain alcohol.
Provides Immediate Feedback
One of the best things about alum blocks is that they provide immediate feedback about the quality of your shave. How does it do this?
When you’re rubbing the alum block on your skin, it will provide a noticeable stinging sensation over areas that are irritated or have a cut. So what could be the reason behind the irritated area?
That’s where you are going to have to do some work. Some common factors are bad technique like applying too much pressure, shaving against the grain when you need to shave with the grain, using a dull blade or using a blade that’s too aggressive.
So pay attention to the areas where you are getting some stinging feedback from the alum after a shave, and then the next time you shave you can focus on those areas and try to figure out what you need to correct.
Minimizes Razor Burn
Unfortunately, there’s no completely foolproof way to always avoid razor burn. It’s going to happen from time to time. And you should absolutely take every precaution possible to try and prevent it, but alum blocks do a great job of helping minimize the effects of razor burn after the fact.
The combination of its antiseptic and astringent properties help soothe the skin and protect it from developing into some really irritating and bad razor burn. Alum also contains a balm that cools and refreshes the skin.
If you keep getting bad razor burn, you should really try and identify what is causing it and try to prevent it. But until you figure out what is causing it, this is a great option to help minimize its effects.
Odorless
It’s really awesome that alum blocks are odorless. First of all, if they did have a scent or fragrance, you would only have a limited number of options. Second of all, now your alum block won’t mask or compete with the smells of your aftershave or moisturizer. It’s much easier to find a good smelling cologne, aftershave or moisturizer because their are so many options out there.
No Visible Residue Left Behind
Unlike styptic pencils, alum blocks don’t leave any visible residue behind. Styptic pencils will leave a white residue behind that you have to wait to wash off until after the cut is fully clotted.
But alum blocks don’t leave any residue behind. If you wanted, you could leave the alum residue on your face all day long. Personally, I don’t recommend leaving it on, I just wash it off after letting it sit on my face for about 30 seconds. That’s all the application I need to get the full benefits.
How to Use an Alum Block
Alum blocks are incredibly easy to use. Here’s the step by step process of how I use an alum block in my post-shave routine.
- After I’m done with my safety razor, I rinse my face and neck off with warm water to get all the remaining lather and other residue off.
- Next, I turn the water faucet to cold and rinse my face off with cold water. This is really refreshing for my face and the cold water acts as a mild astringent to help get the process started of tightening up the skin and treating any nicks or cuts.
- Alright -- now it’s time to use the alum block. Grab your alum block and get it nice and wet by running it under cold water.
- With your face still wet, take the wet alum block and start applying it to your face. Just gently rub it all over your face and neck. There’s really no method or “right” way and after using it a few times you’ll start to figure out what works best for your face. Really the only thing you can screw up is not keeping your face and/or the alum block wet enough. If your face or the alum starts to dry out, make sure and apply some more water. That’s really the only key to it all.
- After everything you shaved is covered with alum, put the alum block down and look your face and neck over to see if there’s any cuts or weepers that need some more alum. If there are, get the alum block wet again and apply it one more time. If that doesn’t close the little cuts up good enough, you may need to turn to your styptic pencil or something else to finish treating the cut.
- Thoroughly rinse your face and neck off with cold water.
- Put the alum block back in its plastic container. You don’t want to just leave it sitting out on your counter for 2 reasons. First of all, it could stain the countertops. And secondly, the block needs to dry out and remain dry until it’s time to use it again.
The 8 Best Alum Blocks on the Market
Alright, it’s time to get down to the actual reviews of alum blocks and figure out which one will be the best for you.
Finding the right alum block is actually pretty easy. Why? Because most alum blocks are very, very similar. As long as the product is made from solid potassium alum and not a cheap compressed alum, the difference in performance between brands is going to be very marginal.
So you don’t need to spend a lot of time researching which alum performs the best because they are all going to be really similar, but what factors should you take into consideration when you are looking to buy an alum block?
- Quality of the Alum: Is it solid alum or compressed alum? Just make sure the block is made from solid potassium alum. There’s essentially no difference in the “quality” of alum between brands.
- Size: How big is the alum block? Do you want a big alum block that will last a long time? Or do you want a smaller alum block that is easy to handle and won’t take up so much space when you travel?
- Shape: Do you want the traditional block shape or would you prefer to use an alum stick? There are pros and cons for each shape that we will cover.
- Price: How much do you want to spend?
- Case: Does it come with a case?
Gentleman Jon Alum Block
The Gentleman Jon Alum Block is the block I personally use after every shave and I have yet to be disappointed. It’s also one of the most popular alum blocks available on the market. Why is it so popular? Let’s find out.
The block is made from 100% potassium alum and weighs in at 3.7 ounces (roughly 105 grams). It’s not the biggest alum block you can buy, but it is definitely on the larger side.
It’s tough to determine how long an alum block “should” last because it’s dependent on a lot of different factors, but if you take care of this one it should last a long, long time. I’ve had mine over a year and I’m not going to need to replace it anytime soon.
The Gentleman Jon block is really easy to take care of because it comes comes in a plastic case. The case is durable, easy to open and close and does a great job of keeping the alum clean and protected while you’re not using it. This is a huge benefit over some other alum blocks that don’t come with a case.
The plastic case also makes it much easier and more convenient to pack when you are getting ready to travel. Whenever I’m packing for a trip, all I have to do is toss the case in my Dopp kit instead of finding something else to put it in. The case is only about 2.75 inches x 2.0 inches x 1.25 inches big so it really does not take up that much space.
The last reason I like using the Gentleman Jon alum brick may be a little ridiculous and has nothing to do with performance. I just like the aesthetics of the case. It’s got a cool logo with the old school guy looking like he’s about to box. Get some!
The Gentleman Jon alum block is one of the best out there in my opinion. It’s a big and solid alum block made with 100% potassium alum. It works great, comes with a durable case and will last a long time. What else do you need from an alum block?
Barbero Alum Block
Barbero’s alum block is very similar to Gentleman Jon’s. It also weighs in at 100 grams and is made from potassium alum. Barbero’s blocks are made in France but they are distributed by a company based in California, according to its case.
And speaking of its case, the brick of alum comes in a really good plastic container. The case is a little different than most of the others, but it works just as well.
With Barbero’s case, the lid is not attached to the base of the container. Instead, it has a top that actually detaches from the bottom. It works just as effectively though at protecting the alum whether you’re storing it away after a shave or packing it when traveling.
Overall, this is a really good alum block and it should check off every box you need.
RazoRock Alum Block
The Razorock alum block is another great option and it is very similar to both the Gentleman Jon and Barbero alum blocks. It’s slightly smaller in size at 90 grams, but the quality of the alum is just as good.
RazoRock’s brick is made from naturally occurring potassium alum mineral salts. It is really high quality alum so it’s not going to fall apart on you after just a few uses like cheap compressed alum would. You need to take care of it by keeping it dry and clean after using it, but as long as you store it away and aren’t dropping it, it will last a long time.
RazoRock’s block comes with a compact plastic case that I think is actually slightly thicker and the clasp is more sturdy than Gentleman Jon’s, but we are really splitting hairs when talking about which case is the best. All three (Gentleman Jon, Barebero and RazoRock) do a great job of protecting the alum and make it really easy for you to pack with your toiletries when you travel.
Razorock Alum Stick
RazoRock doesn’t just make an alum block -- they also makes an alum stick. How is it different from their alum block? Not much is different, it’s really just the size and shape of the alum that is different.
The Razorock alum stick made with the same naturally occurring potassium mineral salts so it provides all the same benefits that an alum block does, but it is in the shape of a cylinder instead of a brick. It basically looks like a really thick glue stick.
RazoRock’s alum stick is quite a bit smaller as it only weighs 2.15 ounces (60 grams) compared to the block which weighs 90 grams. So why would anyone want this smaller option in this cylindrical stick shape? There are a couple of reasons.
I think the main benefit from the alum stick is that it is slightly more compact than the block. So if you’re really tight on space or just want a smaller piece of alum that might be easier to pack in your Dopp kit, this is a great option.
And secondly, the shape and size of the stick might be easier for some men to handle and apply to their face. If you have a tough time getting a grip on the brick-shaped alum for whatever reason, this might be slightly easier to get your hand around and control while rubbing on your face and neck.
The RazoRock stick does not have a separate case like the blocks do, but it does use a different design to achieve the same result. The stick of alum has a plastic base that is permanently attached to the stick, but it also has a plastic top that fits over the alum and attaches to the base. So this plastic base and removable top together act like a case and enclose and protect the alum. It’s just as effective as an of the cases out there.
RazoRock’s alum stick is a really unique option and it’s premium alum, but personally I don’t think it offers any advantages over the alum blocks. It’ quite a bit smaller so it’s not going to last as long. Plus, it takes longer to apply after a shave because you can’t cover near as much surface area as quickly as you can with one of the bigger blocks.
If you really just need a smaller option for whatever reason, this is a great option. But otherwise, I would recommend going with one of the larger blocks.
Bloc Osma Alum Block
The Bloc Osma alum block is made in France by Osma Laboratories and according to the package, they have been around since 1957. The packaging also states that it is handmade, but I don’t see why that would have any impact on the quality or performance of the product. (I’m not an expert on how alum blocks are manufactured though, so if anyone knows why being “handmade” would make a difference, please leave a comment below.)
Osma’s block weighs in at 2.65 ounces (75 grams), which makes it one of the lighter blocks. It’s still a good size block though with dimensions of 1.5 inches x 1.0 inch x 2.2 inches. And while it may be smaller, it’s still made with the same high quality potassium alum as the rest.
The biggest drawback with Osma’s alum though is that it doesn’t come with any type of case or container. It’s not a dealbreaker that it doesn’t come with a case, but when there are other options that are just as good of alum (Gentleman Jon, Barbero, Parker, RazoRock) and do have a case, why wouldn’t you get one of those instead?
The Bloc Osma alum block is really good alum, but there are others that I think are just as good and come with a case. If Osma’s alum somehow provided a performance advantage by being a better coagulant or minimizing razor burn better or something else, I would definitely consider using it. But from what I can tell, it performs the same as any of the other potassium alum blocks.
Geo F. Trumper Alum Block
Geo F. Trumper is a British company that makes a wide range of products that includes aftershaves, colognes, shaving creams, shaving soaps, moisturizers and an assortment of other grooming products. Their products are known for being premium products that are made with high quality ingredients.
Geo F. Trumper’s alum block is made from potassium alum and weighs in at 100 grams. This is slightly lighter than Gentleman Jon’s but the same weight as Barbero’s which makes it one of the bigger blocks you can buy.
And just like those two, it also comes with a plastic case. The design of the case is really similar to Barbero’s. It is a 2 piece case where the top completely detaches from the bottom.
Overall, this is a really solid option for an alum block. There’s nothing that really gives it an advantage over the others, but if you feel brand loyalty to Geo F. Trumper and want to continue supporting their brand, this may be the right one for you.
Parker Alum Block
A lot of you are probably already familiar with Parker Shaving. They make some of the best safety razors, shaving brushes and other wet shaving products out there. So is their alum block any good?
Absolutely. The Parker alum block is a solid alum block that is made with 100% pure natural potash alum.
Parker’s alum block is large and in charge -- it comes in at a massive 4 ounces (125 grams). That is around 20 grams heavier than the second biggest on the list (Gentleman Jon). Needless to say, this one will last you a long time.
I guess the only drawback to the large size though could be if you consider it too big to handle. If you have small hands or are looking for something a little easier to handle so you won’t drop and break it, you may want to look at some of the other options.
The plastic storage case it comes in is really good and gets the job done. It’s nothing fancy, but is durable and will certainly take care of the alum for a long time.
Taylor of Old Bond Street Alum Block
Taylor of Old Bond Street is another British shaving company that was established in London back in 1854. They are probably most well-known for their huge selection of top-notch shaving creams and shaving soaps, but today we are taking a look at their excellent alum block.
Taylor of Old Bond Street’s alum block is in the intermediate range when it comes to size. It’s not the smallest, but at 75 grams it’s noticeably lighter when compared to Gentleman Jon’s (105 grams), Barbero’s (100 grams) or even RazoRock’s (90 grams).
While it may be smaller than some other options out there, you can rest assured it’s still made from the same high quality ingredients as the others: potassium alum.
Probably the biggest drawback to Taylor of Old Bond Street’s alum though is that it doesn’t come with any type of case or container. So if you buy it, you’re going to need to find somewhere to store it when you’re not using it.
Some guys just store it on a spare soap dish in their bathroom which works just fine at home, but you’ll need to find something else to store it in when you travel. A Ziploc bag is an option, but this won’t really protect it from cracking or breaking. There’s just no easy substitute for the cases that are specifically made for alum blocks. If you have a suggestion though, please leave a comment below.
