Ralph Kinney Bennett discusses the history of shaving in Razor Wars and the Cutting Edge of Technology:
Spider webs soaked in oil and vinegar.Yep.
That’s what ancient Roman men used to slap on their faces to staunch the bleeding cuts left by barbers who had shaved them with the iron razors of the day. No less an authority than Pliny the Elder has left us the formula for this interesting aftershave.
Things have improved to say the least. Indeed, modern shaving has reached the point where an aftershave is more a pick-me-up than a palliative.