Olive Oil as Preshave oil

I'm going to use olive oil as preshave oil today when I'm going to shave. I have heard people say it works very well. This is the setup I'm going to use:

Razor: FaTip Piccolo
Blade: Astra SP blade
Soap: Proraso Green shaving cream
Brush: Semogue 830
Pre-Shave: Olive Oil
Aftershave: Proraso Green

I'm going to take a hot showe first after I'm done I'm going to apply a couple drops of olive oil on my face and rub it. Then I do the normal routine, three passes etc. When I'm done I'm going to post my experience here.

Don't forget the AS.

Wow....I would really be Mediterranean if I used EVOO!! Let us know how it works!

I've just finished shaving and oh boy what an experience. I took a hot shower as usual made my lather and now it was time to apply the olive oil on my face. I didnt use a lot, I just dipped my fingers in it and start rubbing it on my face till mt entire beard was covered.

It's pretty funny because my parents are from the Mediterranean we normally eat olive oil (with bread) a lot and now I'm rubbing it onto my face .

Now it was time to apply the lather on my face. I did the normal routine like I always do. I loaded a fresh Astra SP blade in my FaTip Piccolo (open comb razor) and started to shave. The first pass was a WTG. I noticed how easy it went, I couldn't even hear or feel the blade cutting my whiskers. And the beard I had was 8 days old. It really blew my mind on how easy this pass went, everything was smooth and fine.

I started to apply lather again for the XTG pass and when I was done with this pass I noticed that I already had a full BBS on my face and neck.

I still decided to do a ATG pass. Man when I was done the results blew me away my face felt so smooth and moisty. Everything went perfect I didn't even expect this to be so good!

The only preshave product I ever have used are the green and white Proraso. But olive oil performs WAY better and it's cheaper, I also think it might be healthier for your skin. If you have olive oil in your kitchen please give it a try it wont hurt and I know almost for sure that many of you guys will like it. From now on I'll be using only olive oil as a preshave oil. I bet this is the best preshave oil on this planet PERIOD!

nuclearblast said:

Don't forget the AS.

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To be honest I really love mediterranean herbs, I love their smell. I might do an aftershave of it. Combining oregano with basil, thyme and majoram. I bet it would smell so good.

Maybe when I have a lot of spare time I'll look into it on how to make an aftershave. If you'll have the basis all you have to do then is experiment with the ratio of the herbs.

I've been using olive oil for about half of my shaves. It works quite well.

Someone in here had a posting a few weeks ago describing good results with apricot oil. For pre-shave there may be many options and adaptations to do it yourself and same money.
Maybe when my AoS pre-shave runs out I will try refilling the bottle with olive oil and maybe adding a few drops of lavender essence.

If you like the results of olive oil but wish it had a thicker consistency, add a little bit of Castor oil to the mix. I personally use about a 2:1 ratio of Castor to Olive and it works great for me.

I have been using 75% Olive Oil, 25% Castor Oil, with a little sandalwood for scent.
The castor oil thins out the olive oil, a little. This smells , and works better than the AOS stuff I had before. The AOS Preshave Oil went bad, fast, and started growing mold.

What about if you're bowl lathering and add a couple drops to the bowl before you start? I've tried this a few times and the results weren't bad at all.

When I used a preshave oil, I kept it simple, Olive Oil/ Castor Oil 80/20 Blend, scent optional; ~3 drops of your favorite EO per oz, three drops of preshave massaged into whiskers. Works on Dry Skin, callouses, and facial moisturizer.

I use coconut oil and it works great. Good for the skin and it smells nice too.

I would like to know how it works for you. I used to make my own, a 50/50 mix of Olive oil and Caster oil with a few drops of Tea Tree oil. Never felt like it helped all that much. YMMV of course.

I used a mix of Olive Oil and Almond Oil for a pre-shave; worked OK but reduces lathering ability and the Olive Oil has a poor shelf life. I then mixed some Corn Oil and Almond Oil which worked just as well but has a much longer shelf life. I've since given up on all pre-shave oils, they don't add enough performance to make them worth the time or cost.

sub vet said:

I used a mix of Olive Oil and Almond Oil for a pre-shave; worked OK but reduces lathering ability and the Olive Oil has a poor shelf life. I then mixed some Corn Oil and Almond Oil which worked just as well but has a much longer shelf life. I've since given up on all pre-shave oils, they don't add enough performance to make them worth the time or cost.

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EVOO has a shelf life of roughly 2 years if stored properly, seems long to me, and I ain't talking about the garbage you buy at the grocery store for $3.99. Olive Oil is very sensitive to light, so purchasing it in those clear containers is not really ideal.

I recently purchased some Argan oil that I'm going to try as a pre-shave oil as well as an AS moisturizer. Argan oil is a bit pricey but apparently it is really good for your skin and it may help with razor burn and such. I plan on making my own pre-shave oil combination once I receive the castor oil I purchased.

The preshave oil has a post shave benefit too. It keeps your face soft, and keeps irritation down. No more dry skin.

"Shaved to perfection."

I've heard of people using EVOO or Grapeseed oil in place of lotion and they have all said it is much easier on the skin. I suppose if you could get a hold of some scented oils to make a blend, you'd have yourself a nice little lotion for before and after.

Well that's interesting.

Never heard of it but it does seem worth a try.

So are we talking just plain old cheap olive oil or extra extra virgin or does it matter?

I use it on my more sensitive days, pre-shave oil and a few drops in the lather makes it both super slick and protective.

I was under the impression olive oil was comedogenic though I've not heard mention of any problems along these lines here. I would be interested to hear any feedback on this...