View Full Version : Shave Secret oil
kelbro
07-20-2008, 07:13 PM
I was looking for something on the bottom shelf at Wal-Mart a couple of weeks ago and saw a small bottle of some kind of shaving oil called Shave Secret. Less than $3 so I figured, 'what the heck?' and picked up a bottle. I found the bottle yesterday and figured I'd give it a try. I wanted to try it with the DE (Slim cranked down to '4') before I tried it with a straight. Did my normal hot water splash prep and followed the directions. 5 drops in the palm and rub it in. It really didn't feel all that slick but I gave it a go anyway. The razor slid through the beard like glass! Wow. One WTG pass, another splash of water followed by an XTG pass and I was done. 95% BBS. Didn't need an AS either. The only negative, and I guess that it's the same with any oil, is the cleanup afterward. With soap, a good hot rinse and you're done. This required quite a bit more rinsing to get all the gunk out. This stuff just earned a place in my travel bag.
Haven't tried it with a straight yet. Has anybody used it with a straight?
1969Fatboy
07-20-2008, 07:18 PM
Dont use straights but this stuff is really nice and really doesnt get much respect. As you said...great for travel or even camping. I love the clovey minty smell it has and does make your face very soft with no need for a/s.
scottydoint
07-20-2008, 07:21 PM
Can you post the ingredients?
I just bought some shave oil that works great but was $13 for 1.25 oz bottle and the stuff your talking about sounds similar.
kelbro
07-20-2008, 07:43 PM
Just says essential oils with a hint of menthol.
The bottle is about 1/2 the size of your $13 oil. 18.75ml = .634 oz.
scottydoint
07-20-2008, 07:48 PM
Just says essential oils with a hint of menthol.
The bottle is about 1/2 the size of your $13 oil. 18.75ml = .634 oz.
I will have to check for it at walmart. Mine has essensial oils and menthol also so I am sure it is very similar. It is great stuff. I posted this review/ comment a few days ago.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=52732
J Howard
07-20-2008, 07:48 PM
This stuff comes up a lot. I like it by itself, as a preshave oil, or as a last pass oil (although as a last pass I mix it with olive oil to give it more lubrication) It smells great and the price is right.
J Howard
07-20-2008, 07:50 PM
To be honest Shave secret looks a lot like what you have posted there but shave secret at walmart is only $3 a bottle.
1969Fatboy
07-20-2008, 07:51 PM
Can you post the ingredients?
I just bought some shave oil that works great but was $13 for 1.25 oz bottle and the stuff your talking about sounds similar.
Total Shaving Solution? says HIS on the bottle? is that the one you have b/c thats what i have also and its that same stuff! just 4 times a much:mad:
http://www.allaboutshaving.com/web/total-shaving-solution/8/shaving_product.asp
I was naive when I bought it.
kelbro
07-20-2008, 07:54 PM
Probably the same stuff or very similar
http://www.shavesecret.com/
I will have to check for it at walmart. Mine has essensial oils and menthol also so I am sure it is very similar. It is great stuff. I posted this review/ comment a few days ago.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=52732
Only double, the Shave Secret is half the size.
Total Shaving Solution? says HIS on the bottle? is that the one you have b/c thats what i have also and its that same stuff! just 4 times a much:mad:
http://www.allaboutshaving.com/web/total-shaving-solution/8/shaving_product.asp
I was naive when I bought it.
scottydoint
07-20-2008, 08:01 PM
Total Shaving Solution? says HIS on the bottle? is that the one you have b/c thats what i have also and its that same stuff! just 4 times a much:mad:
http://www.allaboutshaving.com/web/total-shaving-solution/8/shaving_product.asp
I was naive when I bought it.
Yea I have the one that says HIS. I guess when that runs out I will be getting the one from walmart. Both of these are cheaper than Pacific shave oil.
I have used a light coat as a pre-shave oil with good results.
Review it here. (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=37596)
chili
07-21-2008, 12:42 AM
does it affect your brush btw?
kelbro
07-21-2008, 05:12 AM
does it affect your brush btw?
No brush. It doesn't lather.
does it affect your brush btw?
Hasn't so far. I don't use it every shave, I put it on light and rinse well before lathering. For me it's to wear into the shower just to help with whisker breakdown.
DaveAri
07-22-2008, 06:41 AM
Ounce for ounce both products mentioned in the above thread is no so cheep. I do have shave secret and it works just okay. Total Shaving Solution is $15 for 1.25 ounces. I would much rather get The Art of Shaving Oil for $22 for 2oz. I use this stuff often and unlike shave secret it comes completely off while shaving and never leaves a residue.
phbackdoc
07-22-2008, 07:31 AM
This Is It
25776
scottydoint
07-22-2008, 02:40 PM
Ounce for ounce both products mentioned in the above thread is no so cheep. I do have shave secret and it works just okay. Total Shaving Solution is $15 for 1.25 ounces. I would much rather get The Art of Shaving Oil for $22 for 2oz. I use this stuff often and unlike shave secret it comes completely off while shaving and never leaves a residue.
Total shaving solution is way different than other preshave oils I have used like TGR, T&H, and home made stuff. You also use way less of the product per use. 3-4 drops is all you need. This stuff actually stands my hair up and the other oils I have tried seem to just wash off easily with water, but TSS you actually keep adding water to "activate it" (if that is the right word for this?). I never noticed a difference with other oils in terms of a better shave and they never felt like they softened the beard and I would still get irritation when using them. I haven't gotten irritation since using total shaving solution and I just got a slim adj. and cranked it up to 9 and still got no irritation. :001_smile
Strapped-4-Cache
07-29-2008, 04:07 AM
I noticed Shave Secret on a recent shopping trip and gave it a try based upon what I had read. I decided to test the product by using it in my "running late - gotta shave in the shower" type of scenario. I figured if it worked well under these conditions it would definitely find its way into my shave kit.
Initial reaction: STRONG clove scent!
I washed my face, put five drops of the oil in my hand and rubbed it into my beard vigorously. I then allowed the oil to penetrate my beard while I completed my shower. I got my slim adjustable with a 2x-used Personna, re-wet my beard and proceeded to shave. Hmmm... A bit of dragging - not very slick compared to lather. Completed two passes and checked my shave by feel. Still a good bit of stubble. Completed two more passes and checked again. STILL a good bit of stubble. I finally rubbed my bar of soap (Ouch! Razor burn!) on my face and completed the shave. Patted myself dry and applied som Anthony Logistics ASB WOW! Super sting due to razor burn.
This first try of the product left me feeling as if I had wasted my $3. However, I decided to try the product as a preshave oil and it seems to work better for this purpose. I let the oil penetrate my beard while in the shower and left my face wet with the product until I got to the sink to shave. Rinsed my face with hot water to remove some of the product (it doesn't really go away with a rinse) then lathered with my choice of soap. Used in this manner I managed to get a smooth, irritation-free shave. I may have been more careful with my technique, but even so the oil left my face smoother than if I had used the shave soap alone.
This product will definitely NOT replace any of my shaving soaps, nor will it help to speed up my shaves by any measure. On the other hand, used as a PSO it does seem to work well for me.
As usual, YMMV.
- Mark (S-4-C)
kelbro
07-29-2008, 02:02 PM
I'm not sure that I would consider putting it on and then showering a fair evaluation of the product. Unless you've had good luck doing that with other products...
JHouse
07-29-2008, 02:07 PM
I tried this stuff a few days ago, I like how it works. No irritation, great for travel. but the smell is awful. couldn't they have picked a better scent than clove?
Strapped-4-Cache
07-30-2008, 03:21 AM
I'm not sure that I would consider putting it on and then showering a fair evaluation of the product. Unless you've had good luck doing that with other products...
I think you may have misunderstood my post. The purpose of the shave oil is that it is supposed to be used in the place of lather. I figured that I would have no reason to use the product if I had the time to lather up, so I used it as if I didn't have that time. I put the product on it the shower and shaved while in the shower. In my opinion it should have worked better than it did, based upon the directions provided.
I didn't think it would be fair to post my opinion of the product without giving the method of the evaluation. I'm glad it works as designed for some people - it just didn't do it for me. Used as a PSO while in the shower, then shaving afterwards worked better for me.
- Mark (S-4-C)
kelbro
07-30-2008, 05:37 AM
Gotcha. I didn't quite get that from the post but I understand now. I had never used oils before so I guess my expectations weren't as high :)
I think you may have misunderstood my post. The purpose of the shave oil is that it is supposed to be used in the place of lather. I figured that I would have no reason to use the product if I had the time to lather up, so I used it as if I didn't have that time. I put the product on it the shower and shaved while in the shower. In my opinion it should have worked better than it did, based upon the directions provided.
I didn't think it would be fair to post my opinion of the product without giving the method of the evaluation. I'm glad it works as designed for some people - it just didn't do it for me. Used as a PSO while in the shower, then shaving afterwards worked better for me.
- Mark (S-4-C)
barberofdeville
08-02-2008, 05:16 PM
Hmm...Shave oil is usually described as pre-shave oil. If used properly it works extremely well in getting you super smooth. However its suppose to go on directly after shower and be left on for atleast 5 minutes then rewet face and apply more ( a good amount on the face should be a nice coating of oil all over beard for shaving without cream) however best results is to apply leave on for 5 minutes re-wet face then appl shave cream. the reason for it is so you can get atg bbs without irritation) Other say its bad but i like american crew essential shave oil as i use it in my professional shaves. it runs 8 dollers Us but last a good while. use about a quarter in the palm of your hand and emulsify it between your hands and rub onto face also use a good steam towel or two.
JohnP
08-02-2008, 06:15 PM
I think you may have misunderstood my post. The purpose of the shave oil is that it is supposed to be used in the place of lather. I figured that I would have no reason to use the product if I had the time to lather up, so I used it as if I didn't have that time. I put the product on it the shower and shaved while in the shower. In my opinion it should have worked better than it did, based upon the directions provided.
I didn't think it would be fair to post my opinion of the product without giving the method of the evaluation. I'm glad it works as designed for some people - it just didn't do it for me. Used as a PSO while in the shower, then shaving afterwards worked better for me.
- Mark (S-4-C)
I've had good luck with this product personally, but I don't think it is intended for you to put it on and then shower. It isn't softening your whiskers like lather might, rather it is designed to help the blade slide over your skin. At most a splash of water on the face after this is applied works best IMHO. I feel that probably your leaving it on during the shower hurt its performance rather than helped, as the ShaveSecret stuff isn't a traditional pre-shave oil, but a "shaving" oil. To be used in lieu of all other products, if you will. Good chance it simply started absorbing into your skin and gave little protection by the time you shaved. Which is why it is also not good (IMHO, again) under lather like some other products (T&H, for instance, or PSO...which T&H used to use before coming out with their own product...)
Perhaps give it another try and use it strictly by the directions. It might surprise you.
Hope this helps (someone, anyway)
John P.
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