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pre-shave oil

jfdupuis

Well-Known Member
Do any of you use pre-shave oil? I was using some when I first started wet shaving, but I've never used any since I switched to SR shaving. I think it would probably help in getting the skin a little slickness, but it would make it difficult to get a good grip when stretching.. any comments?

JF
 
A decent soap or cream is all you need. Castle Forbes' pre shave works well, though, but it is not an oil.
 
I started out using it religiously, and I'd swear that it does something to help the blade slip across your skin just a tad better. I've read that there may be two factors at play; one is that the it provides lubrication by reducing the friction between the blade and your skin, the other being that it causes your skin to become more supple, and therefore more able to withstand the effects of poor technique.
In all honesty though, there have been a few times where I've forgotten all about it and didn't really notice, as long as I'm using a good quality soap.
I have an inclination to think of it being to shaving what pasted strops are to honing. When you get better, the litle tricks and cheats are no longer neccessary.
These days, i setlle for using an oil cleansing regime that works really well for my skin type. it seems to provide an effective cleaning process (I have a secret recipe for it;) ) and leaves my skin more supple and moisturized than it would be with soap but without the layer of oil that pre-shave oil does.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=26493

If you're interested, et me know and I'll post my recipe for it.
 
I use pre-shave oil (but something like hemp or almond oil works too) on my wet face after showering to help retain moisture, making it easier not to irritate my skin when shaving. I live in a desert, where it is obviously always dry (even if I'm by a river), so I'll take what I can get. I don't care if that comes at the price of having to clean my sink a little more often.
 
I just received a tub of Geo. F. Trumper's Coconut Oil Shaving cream in the mail today. What is interesting is that the box says that Trumper's recommends that the shaver use its Skin Food as a pre-shave and post-shave. Has anyone here done this? I would imagine that the Skin Food would work well at protecting the skin, providing more cushion.
 
I have used jojoba oil and AoS preshave oil. I liked them both, but now I just use Proraso preshave because it's easier to rinse off my fingers.

None of them are necessary, but they are nice. I did see a minor improvement in the comfort of my shaves with the oils.
 
altshaver said:
What is interesting is that the box says that Trumper's recommends that the shaver use its Skin Food as a pre-shave and post-shave.

GFT would probably like you to use their skin food before and after shaving, showering, each meal and to wax your car, as long as you keep buying it. :lol:

Seriously though, I like Trumper products, even though I haven't used their skin food. Their creams are really nice.
 
Drybonz said:
GFT would probably like you to use their skin food before and after shaving, showering, each meal and to wax your car, as long as you keep buying it. :lol:

You are probably right :D. Still, I might give it a try sometime to see if there is any merit to it.
 
I've used Proraro White Pre-shave. It's nice, but I didn't really notice any big difference in closeness or in the way my skin feels afterward. I've also tried to use it as a post-shave balm, but I never really got the right ratio I guess. I have super sensitive skin so my usual routine is cold water rinse, Alum block, cold water rince, Thayers' WH, Proraso Balm and a little bit of daily moisturizer and I'm out the door.

In the summer I'll sometimes replace the Thayers' with Proraso AS (which contains a little alcohol) and I'll use a very light moisturizer instead of the heavy one I use during our cruel Canadian winters.

Chris, your recipe would be great :)
 
jfdupuis said:
I've used Proraro White Pre-shave. It's nice, but I didn't really notice any big difference in closeness or in the way my skin feels afterward. I've also tried to use it as a post-shave balm, but I never really got the right ratio I guess. I have super sensitive skin so my usual routine is cold water rinse, Alum block, cold water rince, Thayers' WH, Proraso Balm and a little bit of daily moisturizer and I'm out the door.

In the summer I'll sometimes replace the Thayers' with Proraso AS (which contains a little alcohol) and I'll use a very light moisturizer instead of the heavy one I use during our cruel Canadian winters.

Chris, your recipe would be great :)
I don't know if I would ever get out the door, JF. I too, don't see a big difference with Proraso preshave, but I use it almost all the time. When I am getting ready and after washing my face, the Proraso will stay on my face and make me feel like the beard won't lose moisture while I am stropping or looking for my one and only razor that gets lost all the time. In fact, I think that maybe a softened beard will stay soft for quite a while without any help, but I haven't chanced it yet. To me Proraso it not that "oily" and that is what it's famous for. Still waiting for the St. James combination of products recommended by Robin. Denny
 
There's no real recipe so much as just a generel guidline.

I make this concoction that follows some of the precepts in that thread about it on B&B.

I start with about 60% castor oil, 30% EVOO, (for a total of about 250mL) throw in some sweet almond oil, some jojoba oil and then about 8 or 10 drops of tea tree oil, 24 or so drops of lavender oil, and then start mixing in about 2 tablespoons of honey, some white table sugar and some oatmeal I've run through the food processor.
Sounds weird I know. But it is surprisingly effective. Most of the ingredients have a herbal/holistic type thing going on, and are cheap and readily available. The Tea tree oil and lavender oil are supposed to be very good for your skin. Plus, I just love the scent of lavender. The Castor oil and olive oil are non-emitec (is that that word?) -don't cause pimples the way mineral oil and other types of oil can. The honey has preservative and anti-bacterial properties, the sugar and oatmeal provide a brisk and scrubby exfoliation. And the oatmeal is also supposed to be good for skin. It feels a little greasy when your skin is still wet from the shower, but it fades right away.

Both my teenage daughters use it now too as it apparently is really good at removing make-up. (and they find the same as I do in that soap and crap will cause them to break-out.) Except, what would last me six months, they go through in a week and a half:sneaky:

Costs me about $4 to make a year's supply, not that I can't afford to buy the store-bought stuff, but I'd rather be self-suffiecient when I can, especially in something so simple. It's easier to make than a batch of muffins! Besides, it took me years to learn that washing my face with most soaps or commercial facial cleansers would cause pimples, rather than prevent them.
So... all that, and it leaves my skin prepped well with a bit of suppleness and just a bit of the oil left behind to act as a PSO without there being enough to cause any crud build up in the sink or on my brush.
 
Chris, not only you're self efficient, but you know exactly what goes inside. I bought a commercial facial cleanser with some mild peeling added, and when I look at the ingredients list I start to doubt if this was really such a good idea ;)

Dennis, make sure your cat won't have a chance to play with your razor and toss it somewhere under the closet, what will you shave with then?

cheers,
Matt
 
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