Barber Alum

 (23 customer reviews)

At $4.49 for an 80 gram block versus $20+ for a 75 gram block of Taylor of Old Bond Street or any of the other so called name brands, it's a no brainer. I don't care what brand you buy, it's all hydrated aluminium potassium sulfate... period. Charging or paying up to 5 times for exactly the same thing is shear madness. I'm an active member of one of the major on-line straight razor forums. It never ceases to amaze me how snobbish people get about names and prices. If your brush didn't cost $200 it can't possibly be any good, and you can't possibly get good lather from any soap or cream that costs less than $25 for a small cake or tube.

This is alum folks, pure and simple. Taylor, Dovo, Osma, Art of Shaving, Trumper, et al... it's all just alum. If you want to pay stupid show off prices go ahead while I save my money.

A real necessity for shaving if razor burn is a problem. It will also help with nicks and cuts. Run it under warm water and hold it over a nick to stop the bleeding and prevent infection. Run it under cold water and lightly rub it over your face to cool your face and ease the burn after a shave. I've heard it works as a deodorant and even an acne treatment as well, but haven't tried it. The current price is spectacular for this item compared to others alum bars I've seen. Order more than one at a time though, as shipping on just one is pretty steep.

Made from potash alum, an alum block is an old staple in traditional barbershops. Its all-natural antiseptic properties work as an astringent that instantly closes razor nicks from shaving. soothes and cools razor burn when rubbed over the entire face after a shave. Run it under cold water and lightly rub it over your face to soothe and cool razor burn after shaving. Alum was used by the Egyptians more than 4,000 years ago. This is the cheapest brand at Amazon.com, it is OK, there are not much differences between them.