Pre-shave oils

[jleeo225]

For those of you that use pre-shave oils, are you supposed to apply the oil over a wet face or should your face/beard area be dry? Thanks ahead of time for your responses.

 

[psycho1964]

Apply over wet face, especially useful after a hot shower (or splash face with very hot water)

 

[javyn]

wet face.

 

[herzzreh]

Originally Posted by jleeo225

For those of you that use pre-shave oils, are you supposed to apply the oil over a wet face or should your face/beard area be dry? Thanks ahead of time for your responses.

I wouldn't use them at all. I tend to get worse results when using one. It seems that the oil stops the whiskers from absorbing water.

 

[Brian278]

More damp than wet. Too much water and it dilutes the oil so it doesn't really do it's job. I very lightly pat dry, the idea is to get the excess water droplets off my face without drying the hairs as much as possible.

 

[MCsommerreid]

Damp, but I'd say don't use them at all. Instead just use a better shaving cream/soap.

 

[jleeo225]

Thanks for all the comments. I'm still trying to figure out whether the shave oil is helping or not. I currently use the Art of Shaving Cream (lavender), and recently started trying the accompanying oil.

 

[Brian278]

Originally Posted by jleeo225

Thanks for all the comments. I'm still trying to figure out whether the shave oil is helping or not. I currently use the Art of Shaving Cream (lavender), and recently started trying the accompanying oil.

It's a personal thing, some people swear by it, some people think it actually has a negative effect. Actually, at the prompting of this thread, I busted out my Truefitt & Hill shave oil, which isn't a thick as AOS's and has a nice subtle citrus scent to it that I haven't used in a while. I think it improved my shave comfort-wise, especially over the neck area (and therefore I got a little closer shave), but I'm not sure it's worth the cost. A bottle of that stuff is about $18 and I can't see it lasting more than 25-30 shaves. I think I might just save it for special occasions.

Another thing you can try is using a dollop of it in your lather, which adds a little more protection to the cream. Some people do this with olive oil or Cornhusker's lotion as well.

 

[celery]

For daily shaving - no oils.

For 3+ days growth - yes oils.


That's just me though, I don't find enough of a difference for almost daily shaving, but when you have some real scruff going, it does make the shave considerably smoother.

 

[javyn]

Actually, I find the oil helps more on the daily shaves, and is less necessary when you have some scruff, healed face, oil built up from not shaving.

 

[TCN]

Riddle me this, what's the difference between "pre-shave oil" and the natural oils on your face that you wash off prior to applying said pre-shave oil?

 

[Brian278]

Originally Posted by TCN

Riddle me this, what's the difference between "pre-shave oil" and the natural oils on your face that you wash off prior to applying said pre-shave oil?

You can add more and control how much is there better?

I don't wash my face before I shave and I don't recommend that anyone does, precisely because it does wash off the natural oils.

 

[Eustace Tilley]

I've tried dozens of pre-shave oils with average results. I suggest you buy yourself some Nioxin hair conditioner and slather that on your face before you apply shaving cream.

Sounds weird but it works extremely well.

 

[MCsommerreid]

Originally Posted by Brian278

I don't wash my face before I shave and I don't recommend that anyone does, precisely because it does wash off the natural oils.

Also allows you to grind some of that dirt, dead skin cells, and general funk into any shave related cuts

.

Really, if you use a good enough shave cream and a brush, there shouldn't be any need for pre-shave oils or crazy systems and other such nonsense unless you have a particularly tough beard, or crazy sensitive skin.

 

[Brian278]

Originally Posted by MCsommerreid

Also allows you to grind some of that dirt, dead skin cells, and general funk into any shave related cuts

.

Really, if you use a good enough shave cream and a brush, there shouldn't be any need for pre-shave oils or crazy systems and other such nonsense unless you have a particularly tough beard, or crazy sensitive skin.

I'm not sure which you're advocating here. Are you arguing in favor of washing your face before shaving?

As for the latter, I have very sensitive skin and a wiry beard. I think pre-shave oil is something to try when your just starting out in this wetshaving thing---it'll be pretty clear whether it works for you or not. But I wouldn't steer people away from it who are just starting out, because it has helped me.