You’re standing at the bathroom mirror staring into it. A red ribbon of blood is making its way down your neck from your newly nicked chin. You’ve got a razor in one hand and a palm full of shave suds in the other. You remind yourself that you’re already late for work as you frantically search the bathroom counter for your fastest solution. You drop the razor to reach for… a lip balm?
There’s a popular theory floating around the DIY and lifehacker blogosphere that lip balm is an effective solution to stop bleeding from a fresh shave cut. On the other hand, shaving aficionados and shave craft masters are in agreement – lip balm is neither anti-hemmoragenic nor sanitary, rendering it a fairly unsuitable (and let’s face it – pretty disgusting) option for your “uh oh” moments in the mirror.
Now, we’re not here to slap down a fair attempt at a shaving solution without offering you alternate options for stemming blood flow from your shave cut. Try any number of these solutions next time you find that nick on your neck:
Toilet paper: This might not sound a whole lot more appealing than applying lip balm to your nick. That’s because it’s not. While it might be a fraction more sanitary, toilet paper absorbs blood so quickly that several applications may be necessary, depending on the severity of the cut. Don’t forget that what goes on must then come off- so be prepared to peel blood-stiffened tissue off of your cut later in the morning.
Ice: Anyone who’s walked knee-high in the ocean knows that cold constricts (everything). No different on your face, ice constricts the blood vessels responsible for the blood flow – giving your skin a brief opportunity to form a clot.
Pressure: Working up the ol’ elbow grease and applying some good pressure to your shaving nick may be a temporary solution to help stem blood flow. While applying pressure, try to use a clean washcloth or gauze pad – anything easily washable or disposable, and clean. You may be required to hold pressure to your face for some time, so you want to make sure that whatever you’re using doesn’t contain bacteria that can transfer into your wound.
Band-Aids: The most sanitary of the above, but also the least attractive. ‘Nuff said here, we think.
Styptic pencils: Styptic pencils potentially offer the most intriguing solution for drying up the blood flow from shaving. Descendants of the alum block – a vintage shaving tool your grandfather used to have – styptic pencils are created from antihemorrhagic agents that almost instantly cease blood flow and seal up the wound. We prefer these in part because of their effectiveness, but also because new styptic pencil designs on the market allow the user to rinse the pencil then retract it back into its casing, allowing it to dry away from moisture and other bacterial breeding grounds.
In short: You’ve got options. Lip balm may serve as a solution for very minor cuts and burns, but doesn’t hold up as a viable (or repeatable) option for more significant shave nicks and cuts. For more information on our particular favorite, styptic pencils, go to glyder.io for product updates on the latest on the market.
Get your Glyder styptic balm for 9.99$!