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The many uses of Alum

CBLindsay

CBLindsay

I Blame Dave
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Well before I became aware of traditional wet shaving and how alum is used in that context, I was introduced to a LARGE alum rock used as a "natural deodorant". This large rock was made of Ammonium Alum (vs the traditional shaving alum made of Potassium Alum or soda alum typically used in cooking) and was truly a large rough shaped ROCK. Now of course there are more attractively shaped and packaged alum deodorants. Ammonium Alum is well know for its antibacterial properties, making it very effective at inhibiting the growth of odor causing bacteria on the skin. For SOME people, Ammonium Alum also acts as a mild antiperspirant, however this antiperspirant effect is not enjoyed by everyone so to call it an antiperspirant would be a stretch. In my case, I used this large rock for its ability to control odor (wherever on my body I chose to apply it) to great effect.

When I began the traditional wet shaving journey, I didn't bother buying any of those fancy alum blocks everyone was using...I just grabbed the big ol' rock I had owned for more than 15 years (did I mention this was a BIG rock?). Like everyone else, I would wet the rock and rub it on my wet face to help control post shave skin irritation and to provide some added antiseptic protection. Unlike everyone else, I got tremendous "feed back" even when the shave was rather uneventful. Why is this? Ammonium Alum BURNS a bit more than the Potassium Alum typically used as a post shave. I did eventually get some "real" shaving alum and use that now rather than the old rock.

So most who read this will probably already be aware of Alum being used as a deodorant or as a post shave, even if they were never aware of the basic chemical differences and how they might impact how/where alum is used. I would venture to say most people are aware that Alum (Soda Alum) is used somewhere in cooking, but did you know it is used in in water treatment? Gargle/Mouthwash and toothpaste (for its anti-inflammatory effect)? Leather tanning? Yeah Alum is used in many places we wouldn't expect.

What many of you may NOT know about Alum is that is makes a great replacement for hair gel and hair spray. For about a year now I have been rubbing an alum block into my wet hair before I brush it, and I have been very pleased with how well it holds once my hair has dried. My scalp is pretty picky so I can't use most of the gels & pomades so being able to achieve a decent hold without irritation is a bonus. A coupe days a week I will apply the alum to my hair and brush as usual but I also smooth several drops of CBL Apothecary oil onto my hair after the alum has dried some. I think this helps keep my hair and scalp happy.

So now you know alum can be used as a deodorant (and possibly as an anti-perspirant), a post shave rub to reduce inflammation and as a hair control product.
 
I have a large deodorant alum rock as well and, same as you, discovered it's use in shaving shortly after getting into the hobby. The Ammonium Alum does burn, but not enough to make me want to switch over to the Potassium version. It also works great for keeping a grip on wet, slippery razors if you apply it to your hands.

My mom had me apply the soda alum to the inside of my mouth if I had a canker sore. It would clear it up fairly quickly. Had to try to keep it in my mouth as long as possible, basically until my mouth was full of saliva, as it induced salivating very quickly. Quite nasty stuff when it hit your tongue though. Very odd sensation in your mouth afterwards.
 
Spider said:
I have a large deodorant alum rock as well and, same as you, discovered it's use in shaving shortly after getting into the hobby. The Ammonium Alum does burn, but not enough to make me want to switch over to the Potassium version. It also works great for keeping a grip on wet, slippery razors if you apply it to your hands.

My mom had me apply the soda alum to the inside of my mouth if I had a canker sore. It would clear it up fairly quickly. Had to try to keep it in my mouth as long as possible, basically until my mouth was full of saliva, as it induced salivating very quickly. Quite nasty stuff when it hit your tongue though. Very odd sensation in your mouth afterwards.
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Yeah, I stuck with the Ammonium Alum rock a long time. I think I would have stuck with it longer had I not dropped it. I kept the larger chunks and have a piece in my trailer and travel bag. The sting is not so bad I wouldn't use it but there is a noticeable difference when using a shaving specific hunk of alum.

Beyond giving it a mouth puckering taste test I have never used the cooking alum for anything.
 
The only point I would make is with continued use it will dry the scalp, and get into the sebacious gland. As with any salt product it will dry up sebum production and may create a bleaching effect as well. every so often it may be fine, however over time it will also dry out the cuticle of the hair ( yes eash hair strand on your head has flaps ) once that happens the hair will become brittle and break causing split ends, etc. That is complicated with as wel get older our hair loses its elasticity ( even with conditioner ) and even more so when we begin to get gray ( Canities it is called, pronounces KAN-ISHEES ) So if you are going to use it, just like on the face, have a moisturizer to follow, as in a spray in conditioner that is lightweight, or a light hold spray. I do not advocate gels of any type, or even pomades for that matter due to Scalp issues. However, some hairstyles require it.
 
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