Aftershave is used to close the pores after shaving and protect the face against dirt and bacteria, and is a relatively modern solution to an age-old problem. It is documented that the removal of beard hair first began with trapping hair between two shells and plucking it out, the modern style of shaving became possible with the invention of copper tools around 3000BC. In the fourth century BC Alexander the Great encouraged his subjects to shave in order to avoid “dangerous beard-grabbing in combat”.

With the Gilette Mach 3 Turbo not being around, the problem of blunt razors leaving open wounds on faces, which could then become infected, was a pertinent one. Roman barbers formulated plasters soaked in oil and vinegar to stick to the faces of their cut customers, the theory being that skin treated as such would be protected from infection. Aftershave lotions, often containing alcohol, became popular to close the pores and sanitise the skin, and, as male grooming became increasingly en vogue in the eighteenth century and onwards, perfumers added fragrance to the lotions. Today, splash-on aftershave lotion is used to clean the skin and give it a short-term scent, whereas Eau de Toilettes for Men give a longer lasting, more pungent fragrance.