The age old question about how to use a pre shave.....

[Stingy Jack]

Pre-Shave products. A lot of people use them and it seems like no one knows the proper way of using them. Do you keep it on while you apply your lather or do you wash it off before you apply your lather???

I have tried both ways and honestly they both seem like they provide the same results.

Lets settle this shall we?

 

[gwsmallwood]

I vote other. Rub Pre-Shave in completely, let sit for a minute, then splash some light water before applying lather.

 

[BSAGuy]

No pre-shave for me. I tried it early on. Seemed to add a step without adding any benefit, so I stopped.

 

[captp]

Pre-shave products are intended to be well rubbed in as a conditioner for dryish skin. Not as an extra layer of lubrication; that's the biggest mistake many users make.

Shave oil, on the other hand, is intended as a SUBSTITUTE for lather, not as an additional layer under lather.

 

[Stingy Jack]

Pre-shave products are intended to be well rubbed in as a conditioner for dryish skin. Not as an extra layer of lubrication; that's the biggest mistake many users make.

Shave oil, on the other hand, is intended as a SUBSTITUTE for lather, not as an additional layer under lather.

This is exactly why I posted this. Many people have no idea how to use them in the first place.

 

[Accionmutante]

Pre-shave products are intended to be well rubbed in as a conditioner for dryish skin. Not as an extra layer of lubrication; that's the biggest mistake many users make.

Shave oil, on the other hand, is intended as a SUBSTITUTE for lather, not as an additional layer under lather.

Shave oil is not pre-shave. Pre shave oil on the other hand should be used in small portions and rubbed in until it's completely absorbed, same goes for pre shave creams. Pre shave oil will seriously mess up your shave if left on your face when you apply the lather.

 

[emwolf]

Pre-shave products are intended to be well rubbed in as a conditioner for dryish skin. Not as an extra layer of lubrication; that's the biggest mistake many users make.

Shave oil, on the other hand, is intended as a SUBSTITUTE for lather, not as an additional layer under lather.

Completely agree. Soft skin is harder to cut or tear

 

[AlbertJohnson]

So shaving OIL is not intended to rub in after the shave instead of using aftershave, to combat
dry skin?

 

[captp]

@AlbertJohnson that is correct. Aftershave balm is intended to soothe and moisturize the skin after the shave

 

[mikelz777]

How to use a pre-shave:

- Apply the pre-shave
- Lather and shave as you normally would
- Come to realize that the pre-shave made no difference in the quality of the shave
- Lament that you spent money on a pre-shave

 

[AlbertJohnson]

@captp
So without using any cream, just the oil, can you make several passes without applying more? Can you make 3 passes then do an XTG or ATG pass? Or should you apply more oil before the XTG/ATG? Or what's the maximum number of passes you can make with one application of oil? and how would you know you've gone past that number?

 

[miguel]

RTFM: How pre-shave oil works

 

[Accionmutante]

Has anyone here used shave oil?

 

[dfoulk]

I voted other. Here are my instructions...

1. Choose a high quality soap.
2. Lather the soap.
3. Pick up the preshave, think about what a waste of time the extra step is, and toss it in the garbage.
4. Apply the high quality soap.
5. Shave.

 

[miguel]

I use the Suavecito pre-shave oil daily, I haven't had any issues with redness or nicks and cuts since started using it.

 

[captp]

@captp
So without using any cream, just the oil, can you make several passes without applying more? Can you make 3 passes then do an XTG or ATG pass? Or should you apply more oil before the XTG/ATG? Or what's the maximum number of passes you can make with one application of oil? and how would you know you've gone past that number?

For a shave oil (not a pre-shave oil) I would expect you would need to reapply the oil for each pass, same as lathering with soap or cream.
For a pre-shave, you would need apply only the one time

 

[Moleman]

Not tried it. Seems a bit meh. I find a good apricot face scrub always made the whiskers soft.
But I'm new to de shaving.

It used to help my twin blade bic

 

[AlbertJohnson]

For a shave oil (not a pre-shave oil) I would expect you would need to reapply the oil for each pass, same as lathering with soap or cream.
For a pre-shave, you would need apply only the one time

Reason I asked, that middle eastern looking guy with very dark beard, does several vids on you tube
and makes several passes with his 'oil only' shave. I mean he shaves fast too. If you search with this, you'll see his video. "men's shaving using a shaving oil monkey see"

 

[AlbertJohnson]

Wait. Now I'm confused. Pre-shave oil and shave oil are different?
I did a quick search on Amzn and nothing but pre-shave oils came up.

 

[rabidus]

I use a homemade preshave oil everyday.

I wash my face with Neutrogena bar face soap in the shower. I leave my face wet when I get out. I wet my face more and then apply my preshave oil. Then I build my lather in a bowl. Then I simply apply my lather over the preshave oil.

I am able to achieve irritation free BBS shaves everyday with a postwar Tech. I can go over areas many times with no fear of irritation or blood loss. I can use a single DE blade for at least two months of daily shaving. As the blade dulls, I have to go over areas even more to achieve a BBS shave, still with no fear of irritation.

Can I do all this because of using preshave oil? I have no idea, but I'm not about to stop using it to find out. So I'll keep using my homemade preshave oil and enjoying my irritation free BBS shaves daily.

If you're one of those "I get DFS" or "I can't shave ATG" kind of person, maybe you should try preshave oil or cream daily and see if you can get BBS daily. There are other factors but it starts with prep and lather.

If you already get irritation free BBS shaves daily without preshave oil or cream, then you don't need it.

It's extremely cheap to make, I use...

3oz Almond oil or grapeseed oil
2oz caster oil
2tsp bergamont oil for scent

I use about an ounce a month.