Oliveology Shave Gel Review

[joel]

Oliveology Shave Gel Review

Some days, you just want to wake up, shave as quickly as possible and rush out the door. Sure, nothing beats a luxurious hot towel, a decadent badger hair brush, a lovely smelling cream/soap and an exotic hand made razor, but how long does that ritual take? I'll admit it... a few days a week, *gasp* I use a cartridge razor. Don't believe me? Well, I've got pictures to prove it. Frankly finding a good product for a cartridge razor is a little tricky. Anything in an aerosol usually leaves much to be desired. Either it's too thick and clogs up the razor immediately, or it dries out your skin - OR both. Most gel and non-lathering creams aren't a whole lot better, either drying out your skin, being a little tacky, or just plumb not providing adequate protection.

Yes, there are a few products I've used that I've been fond of, but only two come to mind - Woody's shave Gel (now discontinued) and this product Oilveology ShaveGel (less than 1/2 the price of Woody's). For those of you who know of the Woody's products, it's a big deal putting Oliveology in the same category, as until this product passed by my desk, i'd use nothing but Woody's for a cartridge razor. What makes Oliveology so special? Well, it's simple really - it provides a high level of lubrication without clogging your razor, leaves your face well moisturized with no residue and is quick/easy to use.

Quality
Not much to say here - good quality product with all the right stuff - moisturizers, bases and natural preservatives.
Purified water, olive oil, denatured alcohol (from corn), glycerin, hydroxyethyl cellulose (from cotton) isopropyl myristate (from coconut oil), vitamin E, aloe vera, sangre de grado extract, potassium sorbate & sodium benzoate.

Scent
If this product has one drawback - it's the scent... or more specifically the lack their of. This could be quickly and easily remedied with the addition of a touch of mint (which would give you a nice tingly sensation) or another all-natural essential oil but as it is now, it's just a wee bit boring. I have one 8oz bottle - which will last me AT LEAST 1 year. If they had this in a few different scents 1.) It'd be more fun to use and 2.) I'd buy several bottles to change it up from day to day. Charge me another $1-3 a bottle and give me some scents please! Big time bummer here - but I can't imagine they don't have some scents in the works.

Efficacy
Wet face, apply dime sized amount (clear and doesn't lather) shave, no-irritation or dry face. It does exactly as advertised and provides superlative lubrication, without tackiness, oils, etc and washes away cleanly. They claim you shouldn't wash your face, after using this product, but I disagree. While it doesn't dry out your skin, and it does have healing properties within the ingredients, if you don't wash your face, you'll have beard refuse on your face, and I don't feel this product provides near the moisture as a quality aftershave. Not washing my face after use offered me inferior results to washing my face, then adding a dot of it to my finger and using the product as an aftershave, or applying a quality aftershave on afterwards (IE: Baxter, Proraso, TGR, etc).

Moisturizing Properties
I'd say this product leaves your face in a slightly more moisturized state after use, then it was in prior to shaving. This is significant, as usually products dry your face out considerably, or leave your face slightly less moisturized than before you started your ritual. At least for my skin type, I feel the need to wash the product off my face and apply a quality moisturizer, usually my "go-to" moisturizer CeraVe. Using this product in tandem with a quality moisturizer will meet or exceed the efficacy of any other product combination.

Packaging
Not wild about the packaging. First of all, I don't like the top... you've got to "pop" the top open each time you use it, and I often forget to close the top, leading to annoying spills and possible product evaporation. It's also in a boring clear bottle with a cheap label... but with that said, it's a 8oz $12 bottle not a $34 5.8oz tub of Truefitt & Hill. Still, I'd happily pay more for a product I could display on my countertop.

Price
Quite inexpensive - a paltry $12 for an 8oz bottle. Very little needs to be used (a dime sized amount) so a bottle should last quite some time. Bump up the price to $15 and put it in a nice looking pump bottle with a choice of a few scents and i'm a happy camper.

Overall
I'm a fan of this product and while it may be a little boring (scent wise) and have some uninspiring packaging, it works really well, and at the end of the day that's the most important factor. I'll always keep a bottle of this product handy and this is now my go-to product for when I'm either traveling, or in a hurry. Is it better than a high end shaving soap or cream? No, but from a performance standpoint, it's every bit as good. If this product comes out in a pump top bottle and has a few scents added to the mix, then - we'll really have something to get excited about.

FOR B&B members, make sure to use the promo code B&B to receive an additional 20% off!

Disclaimer: This review was sponsored by the manufacturer, however the review is wholly written based on the actual experience gleaned from the product with no interjections or edits from the manufacturer.

[brothers]

Review: Oliveology Shave Gel

1. Product name: Oliveology Shave Gel
2. Country of origin: USA
3. Container size: 8 ounce plastic bottle
4. Price: $8.00
5. Cost per ounce: $1.00
6. Fragrance: Does it have a scent? No
7. Texture: Describe the look and feel. Clear liquid gel
8. Protective: Does it protect against razor burn and chafing? Yes
9. Lubrication: Is it slippery? Did it help the razor slide smoothly? Yes
10. Efficiency: Does it do what was expected to help me shave? Yes
11. Endurance: Does it require reapplication during or between passes? User’s option. I’ve used it for a full DE shave without reapplication. With a straight razor, I opted to reapply the product between passes for better protection.
12. Washable: Does it wash off face and razor easily afterward? Yes
13. Moisturizing: Does it add/restore moisture? Yes
14. Time elapsed: How long did it take to shave, from prep to cleanup? 12 min
15. Brush lather: Will a brush make it lather in a bowl? No
16. Brush cleanup: Does it easily rinse out of a brush? Yes
17. Enjoyment: Did I enjoy the shave without a brush? Yes
18. Remarks: I’ve used this product for shaves with a single edge razor, more than one double edge razor, and with a straight razor. This is not an eccentric or inferior product. It is my opinion this product is on a par with other top shelf brushless and fragrance-free shaving gels. In my personal opinion, since I enjoy being able to use a shaving cream or soap that smells good and makes a nice thick long-lasting lather with a brush, and I eagerly go out of my way to obtain and use those lathering products, I wouldn’t be a normally targeted consumer for this product. However, if anyone, whether male or female, wants a shaving product that comes in a conveniently large plastic dispenser bottle, at a reasonable price, that they can apply to their skin and shave without incident, then this product would be as good as any, and probably better and easier than some. This product does what it was made to do. When applied to the face by hand, the slickness of the Oliveology becomes quite apparent. The surface of the face remains slick throughout the shave, then easily rinses off with water. The ingredients contribute to noticeable long-lasting smoothness and high moisturization of the skin. This was a gift given to me for this review, and I will continue to use it under certain circumstances. In my case, one morning I shaved (Taylor's Rose shaving cream) with a newly-honed straight razor that was unfamiliar to me, and had been giving me a difficult time in creating a sharp shaving edge. After the shave, I realized that almost no whiskers had been removed. I had time before going to work, so I washed my face and reached for the Oliveology. I applied an ample amount, used a double edge razor, and conducted a second full shave. The result was a very smooth and uneventful DE shave that lasted all day.

[sanuginz]

I just shaved brushless with Cremo Cream in the shower yesterday and it got me thinking about shower shaving more often solely for speed reasons. The shave wasn't the closest or the most luxurious or most protective, but it did give me a decent 2 pass in shave in about 3 minutes. I don't think I could ditch the double edge for a cartridge - that would be going too far. I may have to research some more into shower shaving and give this one a fair shake.

Even though they are in some part sponsoring bloggers to write reviews, at least Joel has the decency to mention it. That should add some weight to his review.

[Bit2]

I just ordered it to see what it's like.

I occasionally cartridge shave, and that will pick up when I have wrist surgery next month
and shave with my non-dominant left hand.

DE and SE will get a 4 week furlough unless I learn to shave with a cast on.

JB

[Montecristo #2]

I bet a lot more B&Bers use cartridges then care to admit, present company excluded.



Thanks for the review Joel, yours are always very well written.

[DougK]

Thanks for the review! I've been using a Sensor Excel fairly often lately and this stuff looks like it would pair well with that razor for the mornings I don't feel like dealing with a brush or cream.

[impulseballer]

ordered one myself. Looking forward to trying it.

[Proinsias]

Thanks for the review Joel, looks interesting for lazy shaves.

May I ask what cartridge(s) you use/prefer?

[impulseballer]

Thanks for the review Joel, looks interesting for lazy shaves.

May I ask what cartridge(s) you use/prefer?

hey it's not only for lazy ones but people who are in a rush!!! lol

[joel]

Thanks for the review Joel, looks interesting for lazy shaves.

May I ask what cartridge(s) you use/prefer?

I bought a few for this test for chuckles and grins, and believe it or not the new schick with the gel pad was actually much better than the fusion. The only bummer with the Schick is that you have to retract the gel strip (it slides up and down) to shave your side burns and upper lip.

[RichGem]

I got a 2 oz bottle in the mail last week as I could not control my curiosity particularly for when I have to rush my shave. I used it with a DE and I was quite pleasantly surprised. I expected it to gunk up the razor and this was not the case, tho I did have to rinse the razor more thoroughly than usual. All-in-all a smooth close shave with no irritation. My only substantial complaint is that it doesn't foam and it remains clear. I need foam and or color change to see where I've shaved or not. But, I suppose if you get the light on your fact just right, this isn't a big issue either. Oliveology may just become my travel weapon of choice.

[Perkus]

Nice review.

Have you compared the product to just using plain extra virgin olive oil right out of an ordinary bottle from the supermarket?

[joel]

Nice review.

Have you compared the product to just using plain extra virgin olive oil right out of an ordinary bottle from the supermarket?

I'm not a fan of oil for shaving, or oil based shaving and i've tried a lot. Just too messy/sloppy.

[impulseballer]

wow got here in 4 days...not bad. I will use it in a few days

[mouscacha]

*gasp*. Sinner!!! Rebuke the devil and return to the holy straight! Haha!

I was wondering if anyone was a closet cartridge user, and now your post proves it. Maybe its time I run down to the store and pick me up a new Mach III :). Or do they have Mach IVs now?

[mblakele]

I don't think there's anything covert about cartridge shaving, here. Many of the members use a cartridge occasionally, or even exclusively. If you dig around you'll find a few threads discussing it - but there isn't a lot to discuss, so the topic doesn't come up every day.

Me? I keep a sensor handle and cartridges in my go bag, as a backup and for short-notice air travel. I also have a bumpfighter handle and some Trac II cartridges, which I haven't tried yet, and a lonely M3 handle with no cartridges to keep it company.

[Confilo]

...but, does it have TALLOW?

[mouscacha]

I don't think there's anything covert about cartridge shaving, here. Many of the members use a cartridge occasionally, or even exclusively. If you dig around you'll find a few threads discussing it - but there isn't a lot to discuss, so the topic doesn't come up every day.

Me? I keep a sensor handle and cartridges in my go bag, as a backup and for short-notice air travel. I also have a bumpfighter handle and some Trac II cartridges, which I haven't tried yet, and a lonely M3 handle with no cartridges to keep it company.

I was kidding... I just like how he made the thread sound as if he was committing a sin. haha :)

I think I'll have to go with your recommendation. I haven't taken an extended vacation in a while, and I would NOT like to lose any of my straights!

[The Nid Hog]

How scentless is scentless? Is there still a trace of olive oil to this gel, or has that been completely eliminated?

[RichGem]

How scentless is scentless? Is there still a trace of olive oil to this gel, or has that been completely eliminated?

I noticed zero scent. But, my sinuses are not always at their best in the morning. but, nothing is what I noticed.