After a man shaves, the skin on his face can sting and feel dry. Aftershave is a liquid — often with a sharp, clean smell — that he pats on afterwards. It can cool the skin a little and leave a scent. It is not quite the same as perfume: aftershave is made for the face after shaving, and the smell is usually lighter. Some people use the word for any men's face scent they put on after shaving, even if the bottle does not say aftershave. You will also hear it as a typical dad or barbershop smell. Though actually, many bottles today are sold as a lotion, and some men skip it because alcohol in the old kind can hurt freshly cut skin.