Castle Forbes Pre-Shave: how to?

[radus]

After reading many positive reviews about Castle Forbes Pre-Shave I finally bought a full size bottle from Classic Shaving.
Initially I used it like any other pre-shave that I owned: after a good shower(during the shower I washed my face with olive oil soap) I rubbed a dime size CFPS on my face still wet face and then I proceed to lather as usual(superlather made from Tabac soap and Speick cream).
The first time I used the CFPS in this way I failed to feel a difference from my usual routine both in confort and closeness of shaving. Intrigued, I red the label: it said that after washing my face with warm water I have to towel my face dry and after that to rub the product on my face. I tried that too: same result.
I even applied the product in "Kyle's prep" style, instead of soap or cream. Nothing.
Am I doing something wrong?

 

[kingfisher]

Probably not.

More like most pre-shaves don't really make a noticeable difference.


Probably smells good, though.


One time I accidentally used CF post-shave balm as a preshave, and I could swear I got a smoother and more comfortable shave that day.

 

[HoratioCaine]

I never apply pre-shaves to a wet face, only to a moist, slightly damp face. Pre-shaves aren't meant to be diluted. Having said that, I find very little difference using any pre-shaves, but this goes double for the Castle Forbes. I don't find it's a very good product, and certainly isn't worth the price charged for it, imo. If you discover some secret way of applying it that makes it suddenly work for you, please let us know. But my suspicion is you're experiencing the same thing I have with this product.

Probably smells good, though.

Actually, that's a big no on that one. The CF pre-shave is totally unscented, and the smell of the base product isn't very nice. At least to my nose, it smells kind of like ***. Or chemicals. Or chemicals that smell like ***. At any rate, I don't particularly like it. A shaving cream will cover it up just fine, but those few seconds/minutes between application and lathering aren't my favorite part of the day.

 

[Bright (Satin) Futur]

I bought the travel size. I've tried several oils and what I like most is that it's NOT oil. I'll rub this into my dry face before I shower, often as much as thirty minutes prior. I notice the whiskers on my upper lip down the corners of my lips are reduced to near BBS on the first pass. Lather by Tabac, Dr Harris and Hydro Last all seem to benefit from the CF pre-shave.

 

[mretzloff]

It is probably a great preshave, but the is definitely overpriced, as are the rest of Castle Forbes' items.

 

[radus]

I hoped to draw the attention of Joel, Tvphitog etc., reviewers that claimed fantastic results from this stuff...
So far I come to understand this: a quantity the size of a dime is rubbed on ones damp face. From this point further I am confused: how much time is suppossed to rub? Until the product is absorbed completely into the skin? After that should I apply the shaving cream directly on the skin or do I have to moisten my face first with some splash of water? And, finally, do I have to reapply the product between cutting forms?

 

[alabamalawyer]

From various trials since my discovery of traditional wetshaving, I've come to notice very little use, particularly for myself, with preshaves. I have tried many different kinds in many different price ranges, including the Castle Forbes, with little or no extra benefit to my shave. That being said, I did find the Castle Forbes to make an excellent aftershave balm. I used it exclusively in that way after trying it first as a preshave. So even if it does nothing as a preshave give it a shot as an aftershave balm.

 

[BCL501]

Didn't work for me as a pre shave, but it makes a very nice aftershave and thats how I use it!

 

[beginish]

I hoped to draw the attention of Joel, Tvphitog etc., reviewers that claimed fantastic results from this stuff...
So far I come to understand this: a quantity the size of a dime is rubbed on ones damp face. From this point further I am confused: how much time is suppossed to rub? Until the product is absorbed completely into the skin? After that should I apply the shaving cream directly on the skin or do I have to moisten my face first with some splash of water? And, finally, do I have to reapply the product between cutting forms?

I've been using it since last December, and have also come to the conclusion that its effect is minimal. After shower, I re-wet my face with hot water from the sink, leaving it damp. I then apply a dime size portion of the CF Pre-shave and just rub it over the area of my beard. I then proceed with lathering. I don't wait, as I don't want my face to dry.

Now, all that being said, I just got back from a vacation, and had packed minimally, with a Mach3 (which I have reverted to and use daily since I can't get enough time in the morning to DE shave), La Toja shave stick, Trumper's travel brush and Trumper's Coral Skin Food. La Toja has always given me a close comfortable shave, but last week, I was getting razor burn something fierce. This begs the question of whether the CF Pre-shave is actually doing something. I'm going to do a week of Valobra with full prep this week, but next week, I will do a comparison of the La Toja experience with the Pre-shave on one day and al fresco the next.

Still, it ain't worth $50 a bottle. I won't be getting another when this one runs out.

Bob

 

[HoratioCaine]

Still, it ain't worth $50 a bottle. I won't be getting another when this one runs out.

I don't know if this will make any difference in terms of your conclusion, but many places charge $40 a bottle for it. I think the places that charge $50 are jacking up the price.

 

[beginish]

I don't know if this will make any difference in terms of your conclusion, but many places charge $40 a bottle for it. I think the places that charge $50 are jacking up the price.

Probably so. I bought it when I was first getting into DE shaving, and didn't do a lot of price comparisons at that point. Still, $40 would get a bunch of good soaps which, for me, have a lot more to do with a comfortable shave than any pre-shave.

 

[beginish]

A couple of posts up in this thread (and more than a month ago), I said I would do a consecutive day comparison of whether CF Pre-Shave has any real, noticeable effect on my shave, all other elements being constant. I'm stuck using a cartridge razor right now, so I saved the Pre-shave for the 2nd day, when it should, presumably be a little rougher. Here's the set-up:

Rooney Heritage Victorian
La Toja Shave Stick face lathered
Mach3 with Rooney Handle
Feather Kanwa ASB

I have prep and technique down so that I can get DFS or BBS virtually every day (lucky me!). I did not go crazy trying to get every last tenth of a millimeter of stubble, and still got a DFS both times. Day one without the CF Pre-Shave was good, and generally comfortable (La Toja makes a fine, moisturizing soap). I could perceive some burn behind it, though you couldn't see it, and I managed to produce a couple of minor weepers. Day 2 with the CF Pre-Shave was equally good, and I must say that it was noticeably more comfortable than the day before. It's as scientific as I can make an unscientific subjective study, but the CF Pre-Shave had a beneficial effect. I am not prepared to kick pre-shave prep that includes some product, be it CF or some other, to the curb. I have at least another 6 months in this bottle, so when the time comes, I will have to think long and hard about whether $40 for 16 months of shave product used 6-7 days a week is economical .

Bob

 

[FLTiger]

I use the CF preshave when I use my CF shaving creams. I use a very small amount. I used the CF lavender cream for quite some time before I got some of the preshave, with much success. Does the preshave make a measurable difference? I'm not sure. As others have said, if your prep is sufficient, any sort of preshave is extraneous. Of course, my prep has slowly declined over the last several months, so maybe it *is* doing more for me, and I just don't realize it.

 

[beginish]

I use the CF preshave when I use my CF shaving creams. I use a very small amount. I used the CF lavender cream for quite some time before I got some of the preshave, with much success. Does the preshave make a measurable difference? I'm not sure. As others have said, if your prep is sufficient, any sort of preshave is extraneous. Of course, my prep has slowly declined over the last several months, so maybe it *is* doing more for me, and I just don't realize it.

It and other products may simply give us a little more margin for error.