Captain Fawcett Traditional Alum Bar

Like the hamburger, wheel and bottle opener, the humble alum bar is an invention that’s a gift to humanity that’s never really been bettered. 

Used by man since ancient Egyptian times, this simple piece of shaving kit, made of potassium alum and fashioned into a bathroom friendly block, is the perfect cure for nicks, cuts and razor burn and has been popular with traditional barbers for hundreds of years. 

An alum bar has resided in my bathroom cabinet for as long as I can remember and with good reason. Moistened with cold water and gently rubbed across skin after shaving, alum acts as a natural antiseptic, astringent and styptic, calming irritation, minimising redness and helping stop bleeding (yep, say goodbye to putting little bits of loo paper on those little shaving accidents). Its astringent properties, meanwhile, mean it’s also good for shrinking pores and dealing with unwanted grease. 

It’s simple, cost-effective and, though something of a curio these days, remains a go-to grooming tool for those in the know. Perfect if you’re a looking for a cheap-as-chips, multi-functional grooming tool; essential if your shaving skills are one a par with Sweeny Todd’s.            

Humanery's secret hack: If you suffer from the occasional zit, do as I do and dry them out overnight by moistening the bar and applying to the offending spot just before bed.