All You Need To Know About Styptic Pencils. Plain and simple: Getting a cut while shaving sucks.

If this is the first time you have ever heard of a styptic pencil, it most-likely means you just cut yourself while shaving.  

A styptic pencil is an antihemorrhagic agent — simply put, it helps constrict blood vessels so they’ll stop bleeding. It’s most commonly used to treat small wounds and cuts on the face and body. The main ingredient in a styptic pencil is anhydrous aluminum sulfate; an agent that restricts blood flow, allowing a cut to close quickly.

Styptic pencils have been around since your grandfather was a teenager  and after testing everything available on the market, we realized there hasn’t been any innovation since then. So we took it upon ourselves to create something, modern and fundamentally better.  

We spent the last three years, in and out of labs, creating the perfect Styptic Balm to offer customers a more natural solution to help every shaver. The goal was to create a well-designed product that was going to help deal with shaving nicks & cuts quicker, cleaner and with more quality ingredients. We wanted to stop the bleeding, but also nourish the skin at the same time.

Glyder’s Styptic Balm

In this article you will learn everything you need to know about styptic pencils, the Styptic Balm, and why it’s important to always have one in your bathroom and/or dopp kit (I have one in both).

What is a styptic pencil?

Answering this question about styptic pencils should be easy now that we have explained the basics. But in case you didn’t catch what a styptic pencil is from the paragraphs above, a styptic pencil is basically an “old-school” product used to help stop bleeding.

Now it’s time to dive into the deep end!

Let’s figure out the different types of styptic solutions available to stop shaving cuts from bleeding and which one is right for you.  We did a lot of research, so you don’t have to waste your time (and money). In this article we share our key learnings about the best styptic solutions to help you with shaving cuts.

Different Types of Styptic Products

Styptic Balm:

• The Styptic Balm entered the market in 2017.  It is by far the easiest and most effective way to stop the bleeding from shaving cuts (not to mention most convenient). It uses a patent pending formula that includes Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, Argan Oil, Tea Tree oil, and Jojoba Oil which nourishes your skin and promotes the healing process. It uses a perfect blend of these oils with the aluminum sulfate to stop the bleeding from shaving cuts. It’s packaged in an ultra-grippable, retractable tube, making it easy to use and more hygienic than toilet paper or a styptic pencil.

Glyder’s Styptic Balm

Styptic Pencil:

• This styptic solution has been around for over 100 years and hasn’t changed at all. The product comes in a hard white rock form (all aluminum Sulfate) and is tough to use on your skin. The consistency of these styptic pencils can be compared to the white chalk we used in schools,. They can break rather easily, especially if it is dropped or not dried fully. Also, these products sting like hell.

Styptic Pencil

Styptic Matches:

• The styptic matches are created with just aluminum sulfate and designed for singles uses to stopping bleeding from shaving nicks.  They usually use a very low grade of aluminum sulfate and can be very abrasive on your skin. This was the worst option in the group we tested.

Styptic Matches

Styptic Powder:

• The styptic powder nowadays is quite often used on animals due to their veins being in the center of the nails. When you   cut your pets nails too short, they can start bleeding and this solution seems to work well for your pets. This is not something you want to sprinkle all over your face.

Styptic Powder

What Are The Ingredients In A Styptic Pencil?

• Each styptic solution has been created differently to stop the bleeding from shaving cuts. The main ingredient in styptic pencils is anhydrous aluminum sulfate. It comes in different forms and not everyone uses the same formula to create their own styptic solution – a.k.a “styptic pencil”.
  
  For instance, Glyder’s Styptic Balm has a patent pending formula that includes Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, Argan Oil, Tea Tree Oil, and Jojoba Oil which nourishes your skin and promotes the healing.

Styptic Pencil & Aluminum Sulfate

When Should You Use A Styptic Pencil?

• The styptic pencil, styptic balm or any different styptic solution should be used to stop the bleeding from shaving nicks and cuts.  As wet shaving and single razors are once again becoming more popular, the need to use styptic solutions are increasing as well. Here’s a relatable quote from a popular shaving forum about one man’s experience with his styptic pen:
  
  “Today I tried my first wet shave. I did manage to cut up my chin a little bit, so I grabbed the styptic pen. I picked it up, and realized I have no idea if my timing was right.”
  
  The poor guy was well prepared, but not well informed and he’s not alone!
  
  Every styptic pencil is best used after the shave rather than right after a cut occurs. You want to complete your shave vs stopping in the middle to treat any single cut.  They should never be used mid-shave because it could affect the quality of your overall shave experience. Even worse, going over a cut that has stopped bleeding could reopen the wound.
  
  After you’ve finished your shave, rinse your face with cold water, pat it dry, and inspect for any cuts. Treat the spots with your styptic pencil, give it a solid rinse, and then set it aside to dry. Our friend from the shaving forum at least had the right idea. Notice he said “cut my chin a little bit” and not “sliced my face open.” These nicks and cuts will happen more often if you’re transitioning from a disposable/safety razor to a single or double edge razor.
  
  If the cut is so bad that you can’t finish your shave without blood getting everywhere, it’s probably not a job for a styptic pen. Medium to larger sized cuts may need to be treated with medical gauze and covered with a bandage.