After a shave, you reach for aftershave, but there are two very different things under that name. A splash and a balm do opposite things to your skin, and grabbing the wrong one is why some people finish every shave with a burning red face. Which you want depends on your skin and what you think aftershave is for.

What a Splash Does

The classic aftershave splash is a liquid, usually with a high alcohol content, that stings when it hits the skin. That sting is the part people associate with a real shave, but it is not doing your skin any favors. The alcohol acts as an antiseptic and gives that bracing, cooling hit and a strong scent. It also dries the skin and can irritate freshly shaved, sensitive faces.

What a Balm Does

An aftershave balm is a lotion or cream that soothes and moisturizes instead of stinging. It calms the skin after the scrape of the razor, replaces the moisture shaving strips, and often contains ingredients like aloe or allantoin that reduce redness. A balm treats the shave as something the skin needs to recover from, which is closer to the truth than treating it as something that should burn.

"The burn of a splash is not proof it is working. It is alcohol drying and stinging skin you just scraped with a blade. Soothing your face beats punishing it."

Which One You Need

For most people, especially anyone with dry or sensitive skin, a balm is the better daily choice. It undoes some of the damage shaving does rather than adding to it. A splash suits oily skin that tolerates alcohol, or someone who mainly wants the scent and the traditional feel. If your face is red and tight after every shave, switching from a splash to a balm often fixes it on its own.

The Scent Question

A lot of the splash's appeal is the fragrance and the ritual, not the skincare. If you love the scent of a traditional splash but your skin hates the alcohol, you can have both: use a soothing balm to care for the skin, and a separate fragrance if you want the scent. That way your face gets what it needs and you still smell the way you want.

How to Use Either

Apply either one to clean skin right after you rinse off the shave. With a balm, a small amount smoothed over the face is enough, and you can moisturize normally on top if your skin is dry. With a splash, expect the sting and know it will fade; follow with a moisturizer if your skin feels tight, since the alcohol will have dried it.