Home Made Shave Oil

**jcocucci** · 02-13-2011, 06:20 AM

Well, I bought some AOS pre-shave oil but haven't been too happy with it. It's way too thick. In the meantime, I decided to change my routine a little by doing WTG and XTG with TOBS Sensitive and then using Shave Secret for ATG. To make a long story short, I found in a book I won't name a "recipe" for making what seems like a very good quality shaving oil which I would like to use for that ATG pass. The ingredients are: almond, avocado, macadamia, olive and grapeseed oils and lavender essential oil. I've found everything but the macadamia nut oil and frankly am not interested in searching anymore. I wrote the author to ask how he would re-proportion the ingredients if he were leaving out the macadamia nut oil but never heard back from him. So, my questions are: 1) is macadamia nut oil essential to a good shave oil? and 2)if you had these ingredients (almond, avocado, olive and grapeseed oils and lavender essential oil) in what proportion would you mix them to create a good shave oil? (I know that one would only use a drop or two of the lavender essential oil.) Thanks, Guys!

**bobfarvour** · 02-13-2011, 06:23 AM

I don't think any ingredient is essential to pre shave oil. Everyone I've seen or heard about is made up of common oils that are pretty much all found in my kitchen.
I can't imagine why the macadamia oil would be any different. GO with everything but it and see what you get. It's not going to hurt anything. You can always add it later if you feel you need it.

**Optionyout** · 02-13-2011, 06:37 AM

I read somewhere 5 parts olive oil to 2 parts baby oil. Works perfectly. Just put it in a little container and use 4-5 drops per shave. The other crap is strictly filler and scents to charge more. This basically cost 50 cents per year.

**docfitch** · 02-13-2011, 07:52 AM

Just increase one of the other carrier oils (apricot or grapeseed would be good choices).

**ryeblade** · 02-13-2011, 09:28 AM

Baby oil is essentially mineral oil that is scented. It can provide lubricity but it is not a moisturizer. It can trap moisture but does not in and of itself act as a moisturizer as the other oils have been found to do. Used in such small amounts it probably doesn't matter but most folks around here seem to be pretty fussy.
<www.essentialwholesale.com> sells this oil by the gallon, literally. I use it.
You can get a 0.5oz sample for $0.40. They have other high quality stuff as well
Ingredients/Tech Specs:
Vitis vinifera (Grapeseed) Oil, Olea europaea (Organic Olive) Oil, Limnanthes alba (Meadowfoam) Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Triticum vulgare (Wheat Germ) Oil, Vaccinium macrocarpon (Cranberry) Oil, Rudus idaeus (Red Raspberry) Oil, Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) Oleoresin, Azadirachta indica (Neem)

Essential or Fragrance oils can be added at 1 % to 3%.

**Sabre** · 02-13-2011, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Optionyout

I read somewhere 5 parts olive oil to 2 parts baby oil. Works perfectly. Just put it in a little container and use 4-5 drops per shave. The other crap is strictly filler and scents to charge more. This basically cost 50 cents per year.

Do you mean baby oil or Castor oil? as most baby oils are mineral oil which may be pore clogging.

**Ignatius** · 02-13-2011, 10:24 AM

1/3 Grape seed Oil
1/3 Olive Oil
1/3 Glycerine

+a few drops of Lanolin and Lavender Essential Oil. Good preshave and post shave moisturiser. Mix them up in small quantities and find what you like...have fun

**Dr Charles Green** · 02-13-2011, 10:59 AM

I just use EVOO right from the bottle. Works great for me.

STAY SHAVED

**jcocucci** · 02-13-2011, 12:07 PM

Thanks, all of you! Very helpful!

**Optionyout** · 02-13-2011, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by Sabre

Do you mean baby oil or Castor oil? as most baby oils are mineral oil which may be pore clogging.

Baby oil. I don't personally have oily skin but my wife does. Since I got her on baby oil she's admitted her skin has never been better and can't understand why. It's because baby oil/mineral doesn't really block the pores.

**Blade Boy** · 02-13-2011, 04:40 PM

I got this simple formula off the net:
3 parts Castor Oil
1 part Extra Virgin Olive Oil
and 10+ drops of Essential Oil of your choice

I had Patchouli oil on hand so I used that, mix it up and put it in a slow flow bottle cause it only takes a few drops. Shake well before use and you can experiment with the base oil ratios for a thicker (more Castor Oil) or thinner (more EV Olive Oil) oil consistency.

$8.00 Invested, I haven't used it yet will let you know hope it works because I have 2 big bottles of it! IMG_0083.jpg- Blade Boy

**Nasty Canasta** · 02-13-2011, 05:18 PM

Keep us posted. I very interested to see how it works out. I used American Crew Shaving Oil and it seemed to work for me (first time using and "wet shaving, so take it with a grain of salt). It had a nice smell, clove was the most over powering, but my razor glided along my skin.

**Blade Boy** · 02-13-2011, 08:06 PM

Wow what a difference, huge improvement in over all shave quality.

**ddk13** · 02-13-2011, 09:15 PM

I used 6oz of sweet almond oil, 4oz of olive oil and 2oz of jojoba oil. Also threw in some eucalyptus oil for scent. Use more olive if you want it thicker. This preshave has prevented razor burn from the first time I tried it.

**mftoms59** · 02-13-2011, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by jcocucci

Well, I bought some AOS pre-shave oil but haven't been too happy with it. It's way too thick. In the meantime, I decided to change my routine a little by doing WTG and XTG with TOBS Sensitive and then using Shave Secret for ATG. To make a long story short, I found in a book I won't name a "recipe" for making what seems like a very good quality shaving oil which I would like to use for that ATG pass. The ingredients are: almond, avocado, macadamia, olive and grapeseed oils and lavender essential oil. I've found everything but the macadamia nut oil and frankly am not interested in searching anymore. I wrote the author to ask how he would re-proportion the ingredients if he were leaving out the macadamia nut oil but never heard back from him. So, my questions are: 1) is macadamia nut oil essential to a good shave oil? and 2)if you had these ingredients (almond, avocado, olive and grapeseed oils and lavender essential oil) in what proportion would you mix them to create a good shave oil? (I know that one would only use a drop or two of the lavender essential oil.) Thanks, Guys!

I tried the AOS pre- shave, it was way too thick, left a film and it clogged my razors.

I use two parts Grapeseed oil & one part Olive oil, two drops of Lavender EO in a 4oz. bottle, I have a second bottle with Bergamot Mint EO. I use them as a pre- shave and apply 4 drops ~20 minutes before shaving, No razor clog even when using SC. I also use it as an overnight moisturizer during the Winter.

Both oils are Vegetable based, Mineral oil is Petroleum based and the reason I personally chose not to use it. It's OK to use one oil, but I've used Olive oil as a moisturizer growing up and combined it with the Grapeseed oil.

The Grapeseed oil is Food Grade, can be used as a moisturizer, will not clog the pores, same for the Olive oil and both are lighter in viscosity than the Castor oil (cheaper) used in most commercial oils.

**BrianK** · 02-14-2011, 04:09 PM

Anybody using any Tea Tree oil in their preshave? I know that cleans out pores and soaks in great!

I think I'll try it. I need to go easy with it though. I used a fairly strong "solution" on my face years ago and woke up the next morning looking like Cro-Magnon man. Definitely even less handsome than normal.

**Sabre** · 02-18-2011, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by BrianK

Anybody using any Tea Tree oil in their preshave? I know that cleans out pores and soaks in great!

I think I'll try it. I need to go easy with it though. I used a fairly strong "solution" on my face years ago and woke up the next morning looking like Cro-Magnon man. Definitely even less handsome than normal.

Apricot Kernel Oil with Tea Tree.....

**jcocucci** · 02-19-2011, 04:11 AM

Okay, then, does anyone have any idea what the specific contribution of the macadamia nut oil might have been? In other words, what does it have that the other ingredients (almond, avocado, olive and grapeseed oils) do not?

**ackvil** · 02-19-2011, 04:35 AM

Originally Posted by BrianK

Anybody using any Tea Tree oil in their preshave? I know that cleans out pores and soaks in great!

I think I'll try it. I need to go easy with it though. I used a fairly strong "solution" on my face years ago and woke up the next morning looking like Cro-Magnon man. Definitely even less handsome than normal.

Be very careful with Tea Tree Oil. Too much and you may develop a rash.

**pymmdcp** · 03-09-2012, 11:14 AM

I recently did my own pre-shave oil. 1 1/2 oz castor oil, 1 oz oil EVOO, 1/2 oz vitamin E/coconut/avacodo oil, and some essential oils for scent. It works great for me. Took me a few times to get it right and I love it.