Pre-shave oil/cream, do you use it?

Hey B&B. I'm new to wet shaving and love it. I'm curious about what some people use in their daily shave routine mainly pre-shave creme/oils. Do you use any if so, what would you recommend? If not, why?
Another thing about pre-shaves I'm curious about does it matter what type of medium you use during the shave? Like for instance I use B.O. Bigelow original shave creme, will a certain pre-shave have a positive or negative affect with my creme?

I have used Art Of Shaving preshave oil, I didn't like the mold growing inside, and it was too thick. I now make my own, as do many others here. Here is a basic recipe. You can add whatever scent you like.

75% Castor Oil
25% Olive Oil
Essential Oil to your liking.

This oil helps soften the skin, and provide a smoother shave. It also hydrates the skin afterwards, lessens irritation and ingrown hairs. Win, win, all around.

No. I tried it, didn't seem to make any difference, so I stopped. One less step to take in the morning.

DaltonGang said:

I have used Art Of Shaving preshave oil, I didn't like the mold growing inside, and it was too thick. I now make my own, as do many others here. Here is a basic recipe. You can add whatever scent you like.

75% Castor Oil
25% Olive Oil
Essential Oil to your liking.

This oil helps soften the skin, and provide a smoother shave. It also hydrates the skin afterwards, lessens irritation and ingrown hairs. Win, win, all around.

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Love it!

I use on my neck with any combination of cream / soap and have not found it detrimental. I find it helps with the irritation.

Nope. Shower is my prep, and I keep the beard wet while building lather in the scuttle. My beard isn't the toughest, though.

Shower, and face lathering is all the prep I need.

my wife makes some for me and I use it right now to keep my beard soft...I'll see if there are any benefits after my first DE shave on Christmas Day...these are the oils she uses - vitamin e, almond oil, peppermint oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, argan oil, and rosehip oil...

BSAGuy said:

No. I tried it, didn't seem to make any difference, so I stopped. One less step to take in the morning.

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This

The main reasons I use homemade preshave oils, for me, are: in benefits order:
1. Stops irritation.
2. Greatly reduces ingrown hair on the neck.
3. Helps the razor glide.
4. Hydrates my skin. I have naturally dry skin.
5. I know exactly what's in the mixture.
6. Cost. Too inexpensive to accurately estimate cost.
7. It's fun to make something for a Dollar or less, when others are charging $20 and up.

Just a few reasons I make my own preshave oil.

I also modify Arko, shave soap, so that it works better, and smells better, for just pennies.

I just tried Slick Water. That is some incredible preshave.

Lonestar2222003 said:

Hey B&B. I'm new to wet shaving and love it. I'm curious about what some people use in their daily shave routine mainly pre-shave creme/oils. Do you use any if so, what would you recommend? If not, why?
Another thing about pre-shaves I'm curious about does it matter what type of medium you use during the shave? Like for instance I use B.O. Bigelow original shave creme, will a certain pre-shave have a positive or negative affect with my creme?

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Bio Oil, face lather cream or soap with Semogue boar brush, Sledgehammer. Bio Oil has made the shave completely nick free and absolutely zero razor burn, the slant is very much a big part as well.

I use oil on occasion, as well as a bar of glycerin soap, but mostly Proraso White and Green Preshave. I tend to use the White more, as it doesn't overpower the smell of the soap or cream I'm using. I think all these things help a bit, but not in a monumental way. I just really enjoy the sensation the Proraso products provide. It's more of an enjoyment thing, than a real difference in the shave thing.

Proraso Pre-Shave

DaltonGang said:

The main reasons I use homemade preshave oils, for me, are: in benefits order:
1. Stops irritation.
2. Greatly reduces ingrown hair on the neck.
3. Helps the razor glide.
4. Hydrates my skin. I have naturally dry skin.
5. I know exactly what's in the mixture.
6. Cost. Too inexpensive to accurately estimate cost.
7. It's fun to make something for a Dollar or less, when others are charging $20 and up.

Just a few reasons I make my own preshave oil.

I also modify Arko, shave soap, so that it works better, and smells better, for just pennies.

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How do you modify Arko?

I make my own preshave oil. 2 parts castor oil to 1 part olive oil with optional essential oil drops for scent. It really cuts down the irritation on my neck and makes my razor glide better over the skin.

Use it religiously.especially the home made variety . Castor oil 50% and 50 % almond oil with a skin friendly essential oil . You can adjust ratio depending on how thick or runny you want it.Makes a big difference to my shaving and dirt cheap as well when homemade and a quality product

I have some Edwin Jagger Hydrating Pre-Shave Cream, which has a pretty strong menthol scent and feel on the face. It makes it very tingly, and the cold rinse at the end is VERY cold, thanks to the menthol. I think the difference it makes is marginal, but if I've got many days' growth, it does seem to make it a little smoother.

I've not tried an oil, IIRC I read something about oil clogging up blades/razors?

ODIMUS said:

I'll see if there are any benefits after my first DE shave on Christmas Day

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What a (hopefully) brilliant Christmas treat - let us know how you get on!

My girlfriend bought me the large Art of Shaving kit last year for Christmas and that included their pre-shave oil. When I rotate around to those products I use it and it seems to work all right. Otherwise I'm in the 'one unnecesary step' camp. I have some Proraso green pre/post but I have only used that as the post step.

I'm very glad to see this thread, I was just about to start one if I didn't find one. I had been using AoS pre-shave oil, but wasn't sure I could tell the difference it might be making. Then when I started DE shaving I went back to it and looked for other options, since by joining B&B, it became obvious that AoS was not cream of the crop.

I got Leather&Wood and it seemed ok. Then when I travelled this week, I threw my tiny vial of the AoS into the kit for convenience. Applying it, I realized it was at least twice as thick as the L&W product. So, questions:

is thicker or thinner better for this purpose? Why doesn't soapy lather remove / dilute the oil faster than one can shave?

and yes, my prep does include showering right before oil and lather.