Shave prep for oily skins

[Folace]

I have a fairly oily skin, subject to shininess and blackheads if I do not take care of it properly. My pretty basic prep routine does not include anything particular but a hot water cleansing with my regular face gel, occasionally with my face scrub.

I own an Alt-Innsbruck pre-shave oil but to be honest it is not really in my rotation at the moment. The bottle is still unopened.

What do you recommend me to add (and to avoid!) in my routine to improve a shave prep for oily skin?

 

[Jinx18]

If you already have oily skin I would avoid a preshave oil and use a different preshave product. Either a cream or gel. Also lime creams are supposed to be good for oily skin as well as alcohol based splashes.

 

[Folace]

I use alcohol splashes as aftershaves, yes. Plus I am kind of masochistic, I love the feeling of the heat on my face after a shave.
Do you have examples of lime creams to be used as pre-shave?

 

[mikewood]

You don't really need to add anything. Just wash your face like normal. Then, if you like apply a hot towel. Since your removing the oil from your hair when you wash your face the warm water will soften the beard and let the lather soak into the clean whiskers. Shave as normal. Aftershave has alcohol so it might strip more oil than is ok and you get breakouts. It's a balancing act so it your balanced there is no need to add oil to it.

 

[Folace]

OK so the key here is to keep it simple

 

[Shiloh]

In another thread someone mentioned an "old barbershop" pre-shave of an application of Noxzema followed by a hot towel. Might that work?

 

[JonGerard]

I would avoid shave soaps with glycerine in them as well (for example colonel conk). My face can tend to get oily depending on my diet, and when it does, glycerine does not help the situation.

 

[Bamarambler]

Hot towel and/or hot shower as part of your prep may cut down on the need for using a oil. You might have better luck with a non-oil prep like Proraso's pre-shave (or Noxzema).

 

[Folace]

And what about washing my face with an Aleppo soap?

 

[Marco]

Sir, use plenty of piping hot water. It's the first and (to me) the best pre-shave treatment possible.

 

[Folace]

Sir, use plenty of piping hot water. It's the first and (to me) the best pre-shave treatment possible.

Sagacious words, sir!

 

[Folace]

Sir, use plenty of piping hot water. It's the first and (to me) the best pre-shave treatment possible.

Aside question since you are Italian do you use Borotalco in your shaving routine?

 

[Marco]

Aside question since you are Italian do you use Borotalco in your shaving routine?

No Sir, I don't. A lot of people however like to use talc, which is a great barbershop classic.

 

[PMT]

Sir, use plenty of piping hot water. It's the first and (to me) the best pre-shave treatment possible.

+1

 

[The Kiwi]

Having always had an oily complexion, I have used a variety of things over the many years. At the age I have reached, my skin remains mostly unwrinkled, with very few exceptions, I credit the oiliness. I use non-tallow washing products, including Zest bath soap, a detergent product, and several Gel face washes have proven to improve my shaves.

The Gillette ProSeries Sensitive Skin Face Wash is the very best of them. I have used Witch Hazel for about 62 or 63 years to remove some of the excess oil, and credit that with relieving me of skin eruptions when used diligently. Other than the washing soap and face washes, I use various economical shave creams and soaps, nothing expensive. Fixed income funds don't go very far.

 

[BlackBard]

You don't really need to add anything. Just wash your face like normal. Then, if you like apply a hot towel. Since your removing the oil from your hair when you wash your face the warm water will soften the beard and let the lather soak into the clean whiskers. Shave as normal. Aftershave has alcohol so it might strip more oil than is ok and you get breakouts. It's a balancing act so it your balanced there is no need to add oil to it.

+1.

 

[August West]

Less.

 

[MuhleShaver]

I've found that washing my face with Burt's Bees Orange Essence facial cleanser gets rid of the oily feeling on my skin and since it contains glycerin it cleans well too. I wet my face and then rub in a nut sized amount all over. Then wet my hands and continue rubbing it in, repeatedly wetting my hands until my face feels clean. That's part of my prep before shaving, then wet my face and rub in some pre-shave oil (which you maynot need) and then do a cold water shave. Afterwards I do a cold water rinse and rub my face with an alum block and follow up a few minutes later with an after shave balm.

You might want to give that a try.

 

[alex2363]

OK so the key here is to keep it simple

Yes as most of the members agree keep it simple with hot water and shave away, keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Folace]

Yes as most of the members agree keep it simple with hot water and shave away, keep us posted on your progress.

I have done that: washing my face with the warmest water possible and my regular facial scrub. Dunno if exfoliating the skin before shaving is any good, anyway my current facial scrub is a mild one (a Kiehl’s).