I'm not sure if the proraso makes a difference I do like the instant cooling feeling the pre-shave gives. I am also wonderin if it truly contributes to a better shave, or if it has no effect and my technique is better. I do enjoy the feeling it gives though. and I think while you're prepping there may be some benefit from having it on your beard.
Half and half test to resolve pre shave oil usefulness question with AOS
- Thread starter Technium
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
That looks tempting to me. Something more slick sure makes more sense to me than something, no matter how wonderful it smells that is the consistence of something like honey.
Lately I've been using Somerset Max Glide Extra Sensitive Shave Oil alone with no soap or cream (but after a hot shower). Got it at my local Walgreen Drugstore. It works great all by itself. It is thinner than my AoS Lavender Shave Oil (with which I was unimpressed though it smelled great)
- Thread starter
- #24
DAY ! RESULTS of 1/2 and 1/2 AOS Pre-Shave Oil Test
Merkur 23C
Wilkinson blade (3rd shave)
N=1
Participant not randomly selected (JK on these last 2)
Coin toss determined first side for 1/2 face application of oil. From here out I will just switch sides.
3 days beard growth
Relative noob.
Shower to hydrate. Used Cetaphil skin cleanser.
Patted face dry and immediately applied AOS Pre-shave oil, Sandalwood to left side of face only. This was to ensure that the locking in hydration theory was being tested.
AOS shaving cream unscented. Bowl lathered using typical method.
Two pass shave with touch ups. WTG then roughly XTG.
It should be noted that I have very sensitive skin. Ridiculously so. I noted any irritation that I had prior to the shave so it wouldn't count for or against the pre-shave oil.
I used beard reduction technique to shave the 3 days growth. I haven't let my beard get that long prior to a DE shave prior to today, so today's results may be less helpful than subsequent trials. I used the same brush to apply lather to both sides of my face. I could have used two different brushes, but my other brush is much more irritating to my to my skin. This takes away a bit from testing the lubrication theory of how shave oil is supposed to work as there was some "cross contamination" with the shave brush (of oil residue to right side of face). With AOS oil there isn't much chance that the lubrication theory could be at play as this stuff is about the consistency of honey.
Shave Feel: As I shaved I didn't notice much difference. There were maybe two strokes on the left oiled side where I asked myself "Did that feel a bit smoother? I think it might have." Not exactly a bring down the house difference if there was one in the feel of the shave. So possibly noticed a slight difference in glide. No difference perceived in terms of ease of the blade cutting through the hair. I'll note that I did enjoy the scent.
Irritation: All in all this was a tough shave. Probably due mostly my lack of experience with beard reduction on 3 days growth as mentioned. By tough I mean that I ended up with considerably more irritation on both sides of my face than I've had since I was first trying out a DE. Ruling out any of the irritations prior to the shave, the left side of my face appeared to be more irritated than the right by a small margin. This was "razor burn" not bumps, nicks, weepers, etc. which I've been lucky enough to not experience yet.There is the question of whether the slight increase in lefts side irritation could be due to the scent in the sandalwood formulation of the AOS pre shave oil, but this is doubtful as I normally do not experience nearly as much irritation as I did today when using the oil.
Looking at my face one hour post shave more razor burn showed up below my jaw on the right side. So today's trial is just about looking like a wash. In effect, no difference. No benefit aside from aromatherapy. I will post any significant changes if they occur. If not I'll see you on DAY 2, hopefully tomorrow.
Merkur 23C
Wilkinson blade (3rd shave)
N=1
Participant not randomly selected (JK on these last 2)
Coin toss determined first side for 1/2 face application of oil. From here out I will just switch sides.
3 days beard growth
Relative noob.
Shower to hydrate. Used Cetaphil skin cleanser.
Patted face dry and immediately applied AOS Pre-shave oil, Sandalwood to left side of face only. This was to ensure that the locking in hydration theory was being tested.
AOS shaving cream unscented. Bowl lathered using typical method.
Two pass shave with touch ups. WTG then roughly XTG.
It should be noted that I have very sensitive skin. Ridiculously so. I noted any irritation that I had prior to the shave so it wouldn't count for or against the pre-shave oil.
I used beard reduction technique to shave the 3 days growth. I haven't let my beard get that long prior to a DE shave prior to today, so today's results may be less helpful than subsequent trials. I used the same brush to apply lather to both sides of my face. I could have used two different brushes, but my other brush is much more irritating to my to my skin. This takes away a bit from testing the lubrication theory of how shave oil is supposed to work as there was some "cross contamination" with the shave brush (of oil residue to right side of face). With AOS oil there isn't much chance that the lubrication theory could be at play as this stuff is about the consistency of honey.
Shave Feel: As I shaved I didn't notice much difference. There were maybe two strokes on the left oiled side where I asked myself "Did that feel a bit smoother? I think it might have." Not exactly a bring down the house difference if there was one in the feel of the shave. So possibly noticed a slight difference in glide. No difference perceived in terms of ease of the blade cutting through the hair. I'll note that I did enjoy the scent.
Irritation: All in all this was a tough shave. Probably due mostly my lack of experience with beard reduction on 3 days growth as mentioned. By tough I mean that I ended up with considerably more irritation on both sides of my face than I've had since I was first trying out a DE. Ruling out any of the irritations prior to the shave, the left side of my face appeared to be more irritated than the right by a small margin. This was "razor burn" not bumps, nicks, weepers, etc. which I've been lucky enough to not experience yet.There is the question of whether the slight increase in lefts side irritation could be due to the scent in the sandalwood formulation of the AOS pre shave oil, but this is doubtful as I normally do not experience nearly as much irritation as I did today when using the oil.
Looking at my face one hour post shave more razor burn showed up below my jaw on the right side. So today's trial is just about looking like a wash. In effect, no difference. No benefit aside from aromatherapy. I will post any significant changes if they occur. If not I'll see you on DAY 2, hopefully tomorrow.
Last edited:
I have stopped using my TOBS pre shave oil on my face. It did nothing for slickness or better feel of the shave. It is my exclusive lube/keep shinny maintenance oil for the razors and blades....
nice write up, thanks for informing us of your results.
nice write up, thanks for informing us of your results.
- Thread starter
- #26
- Thread starter
- #27
Effy, I posted my first trial with the half and half test. Let us know once you get through one.
I didn't shave the last few days to get more for my second straight razor shave, with that I wasn't going to experiment, I have to say. So apologies that it's late in coming. I just wiped down the sink.......
....I did everything the same apart from the oil on one side. I didn't even wet the non-oil side more than the oil side. The only difference is that one side had oil.
From the shave itself, there didn't seem to be a difference. One side didn't feel slicker to shave than the other. Neither side has more or fewer issues (bleeders/weepers) than the other. Both are pretty clear and fine.
Post shave - the oiled side feels tighter. Just from the skin feeling, like it needs more moisture than the other.
My oil is a mix of castor with olive oil and lavender eo
Next time I will oil the other side instead, for the sake of completeness. Then do both again but this time adding more water to the non-oiled side.
....I did everything the same apart from the oil on one side. I didn't even wet the non-oil side more than the oil side. The only difference is that one side had oil.
From the shave itself, there didn't seem to be a difference. One side didn't feel slicker to shave than the other. Neither side has more or fewer issues (bleeders/weepers) than the other. Both are pretty clear and fine.
Post shave - the oiled side feels tighter. Just from the skin feeling, like it needs more moisture than the other.
My oil is a mix of castor with olive oil and lavender eo
Next time I will oil the other side instead, for the sake of completeness. Then do both again but this time adding more water to the non-oiled side.
- Thread starter
- #29
Thanks for the results. My dad was the guy who proposed the half and half idea for other similar things. I run similar experiments with plant fertilizer (in that case not 1/2 and 1/2, but same idea). There are a LOT of products out there that are very easy to talk ourselves into thinking might have worked. This comes a lot closer to taking the guesswork out of it when it's not clear. Preshave oil is one of those that a lot of shavers express confusion about.
And it's beginning to show why! If anything, the non oil side feels better
- Thread starter
- #31
Since I started a thread on this I'm gonna do several trials. But I suspect I may be arriving at the same conclusion as you are.
I can't tell any difference.
- Thread starter
- #33
With AOS I felt no difference other than, as you described, "aromatherapy." I actually, as stated earlier, prefer Shave Secret at $3.00 a bottle.
The only 2 I have found that consistently improve the quality of my shave are John Allan Slick Water & Jack Black Epic Moisture.
Im telling you, John Allan is the real deal
awesome comparison, keep it coming!
The only 2 I have found that consistently improve the quality of my shave are John Allan Slick Water & Jack Black Epic Moisture.
Im telling you, John Allan is the real deal
awesome comparison, keep it coming!
I can say that I was able to tell a difference. Since I've been wet shaving (about 3 months) I've religiously used a preshave. I skipped it one day and it felt horrible. I changed nothing other than that and it was the worst shave I've had. My neck felt like I had bad razor burn, and the AS made it apparent.
I'm not going to make any claims on exactly what it does for me other than it gives me smooth/slippery shaves when I use it and road rash when I don't. So for me, that's all the proof I needed.
I'm not going to make any claims on exactly what it does for me other than it gives me smooth/slippery shaves when I use it and road rash when I don't. So for me, that's all the proof I needed.
- Thread starter
- #36
There's been no request for "proof". When you get results like you've gotten, I'd be a lot less interested in what I'm doing too. I just shared what I'm doing and showed some interest in what fellow DE shavers, who want to try the same, have found out. Thanks for shaving your experience (and I do mean that sincerely, not snidely). I'm off to see what trial number 2 reveals as we speak.
Last edited:
I was just adding in my experience and nothing snide on my end either. Prior to my jumping into wet shaving, I had never even heard of a pre-shave let alone anything other than just "plain ole' shaving". I thought it was a bunch of BS until I started using it, then I started thinking it was more of a placebo effect.... then as mentioned above I left it out of my routine on one shave.
I commend you on your quest and am interested in what you determine, and I apologize if you took my initial response as bullheaded.
I commend you on your quest and am interested in what you determine, and I apologize if you took my initial response as bullheaded.
I've used Noxzema alone as a wash and left on as a preshave. Same with Proraso white. Both helped. I've recently switched to just using the Nox as a wash, and then adding in one of Stirling preshave oils. Made a big difference in how my skin felt afterward and while it helped with the actual shave, it would be tough to quantify.
I'm primarily a str8 shaver these days.
I'm primarily a str8 shaver these days.
- Thread starter
- #39
Thanks Jeff. I did read it a bit defensively. My bad. My apologies. BTW what pre-shave oil are you using? My tests are only going to cover AOS sandalwood. Sounds to me like you're getting great results. Might have to give yours a go.
- Thread starter
- #40
DAY 2 Right Side of Face, 1/2 and 1/2 Pre-shave oil test (AOS Sandalwood)
Merkur 23C
Wilkinson blade (4th shave)
Relative noob.
Shower to hydrate. Used Cetaphil skin cleanser.
Patted face dry and immediately applied AOS Pre-shave oil, Sandalwood to the right side of face only. Applying immediately was to ensure that the locking in hydration theorywas being tested.
AOS shave cream, unscented was bowl lathered using usual methods.
4 Passes. Unusual for me. My Wilkinson's blade which I'm using for the first week seems to have been too dull.
FEEL: Similar results. Virtually exactly the same in sense of glide and sensation of how easily the razor was cutting through hair. When I had the thought two times "Hey this side might be a tiny bit more glide-y" it was on the left side without the pre shave oil.
IRRITATION: I ended up with some mild razor burn, as expected for my skin with this many passes, mostly under the jawline, which is typical for me. I did take it very easy on each pass, making sure to use reduction method rather than apply pressure to the razor. Not a bad shave for what felt to me like a dull blade other than the number of passes needed. No difference in irritation between sides. Exactly the same on both the non oiled left side and oiled right side.
CONCUSION: If AOS pre shave oil (sandalwood) makes a difference in shave quality, it is subtle enough that I wasn't able to detect it in my shaves. I still love the scent of this product. I haven't encountered a scent I like better so far. If I hadn't tried 1/2 and 1/2 test, I think I could have ended up with a placebo like effect and kept buying it for the scent. The scent may have some aromatherapy/aesthetic kind of benefit. Though I very much like several of AOS's products...at this stage I wouldn't be apt to spend $30 on another bottle of their pre-shave oil unless they made it thin enough that it might have a lubrication effect. If other people have had very positive results with a pre-shave oil as Invictus has experienced, please pass along your experiences. My conclusion from this little quasi-experiment can only hold for AOS pre-shave oil, though I think I will tend not to purchase any more thick oils with a honey-like consistency. I'd be willing to do a couple more trials on this with a fresh blade if there is sufficient interest. If I don't hear any further requests, I think I'll leave it at this. Thanks for reading. And thanks to all who encouraged me to give this a go. Shave on, brethren.
Merkur 23C
Wilkinson blade (4th shave)
Relative noob.
Shower to hydrate. Used Cetaphil skin cleanser.
Patted face dry and immediately applied AOS Pre-shave oil, Sandalwood to the right side of face only. Applying immediately was to ensure that the locking in hydration theorywas being tested.
AOS shave cream, unscented was bowl lathered using usual methods.
4 Passes. Unusual for me. My Wilkinson's blade which I'm using for the first week seems to have been too dull.
FEEL: Similar results. Virtually exactly the same in sense of glide and sensation of how easily the razor was cutting through hair. When I had the thought two times "Hey this side might be a tiny bit more glide-y" it was on the left side without the pre shave oil.
IRRITATION: I ended up with some mild razor burn, as expected for my skin with this many passes, mostly under the jawline, which is typical for me. I did take it very easy on each pass, making sure to use reduction method rather than apply pressure to the razor. Not a bad shave for what felt to me like a dull blade other than the number of passes needed. No difference in irritation between sides. Exactly the same on both the non oiled left side and oiled right side.
CONCUSION: If AOS pre shave oil (sandalwood) makes a difference in shave quality, it is subtle enough that I wasn't able to detect it in my shaves. I still love the scent of this product. I haven't encountered a scent I like better so far. If I hadn't tried 1/2 and 1/2 test, I think I could have ended up with a placebo like effect and kept buying it for the scent. The scent may have some aromatherapy/aesthetic kind of benefit. Though I very much like several of AOS's products...at this stage I wouldn't be apt to spend $30 on another bottle of their pre-shave oil unless they made it thin enough that it might have a lubrication effect. If other people have had very positive results with a pre-shave oil as Invictus has experienced, please pass along your experiences. My conclusion from this little quasi-experiment can only hold for AOS pre-shave oil, though I think I will tend not to purchase any more thick oils with a honey-like consistency. I'd be willing to do a couple more trials on this with a fresh blade if there is sufficient interest. If I don't hear any further requests, I think I'll leave it at this. Thanks for reading. And thanks to all who encouraged me to give this a go. Shave on, brethren.
Similar threads
