ALUM!

An almost forgotten, but well-nigh miraculous substance. I wish I had known about this shit in my teens and twenties - it FRIES zits! It heals wounds and irritation! You can get 1/2 lb for $0.99 at Mekong Rainier, Hop Tanh, and those are the 2 I know for sure in the Seattle area. Basically any Asian grocery will have the 'high grade' potassium alum, preferred over ammonium alum for post shaving use (less burn) If you paw through the bags you can find some with large chunks. After Several uses, a face of the chunk will smooth out and get a lot more pleasant. It is also an utterly efficacious underarm deodorant - just apply right out of the shower. Those with drier skin may want to rinse the face after a few minutes. Those with oily skin like myself will find that you really need no other after shave than this. A large chunk will last for months and give great service. The ancient Egyptians used alum post-shave and it is still widely used for this purpose in India and Turkey. Another cool thing is that if you save all of your small loose bits of alum you can easily grow a large single crystal from them! It's also a great way to gauge how well you did - if all you're getting is a nice tingle you did good - if there's a ferocious burn then you will know that your technique is lacking, and the precise locations where you need to be more careful or try a different approach.