Oil or ??

So I'm getting farther down this shaving worm hole. :banghead: Every time I read about a product I haven't tried I start thinking I'm missing something great. The latest item to catch my attention is shave oil. Please help me understand if I need it. I currently use Santa Maria Novella predopo before lathering and after shaving. I'm not experiencing any continual harsh irritation but do occasional feel a some rawness. My razors have been properly honed by reputable experienced people. I've only been using a Str8 for a couple of months so my still developing technique may be a contributor but I'm always willing to consider a new helpful product. Having said that I have a few questions.


Do you use shave oil? Have you found it helped improve your shave? If yes do you use it instead of lather or just as a before lather lubricant? Do you think I would benefit by adding it to my current shaving routine? Am I missing something or just over thinking? Do I need to stop drinking so much coffee? Help me!

Well pour yerself another cup while you read this..
I think oils do indeed coat the skin for a smoother pass, but I've found after one pass, the oil effect on skin is already gone. The oils I've tried didn't really soften the whiskers as much as plain ol' hot water, soap and maybe applying hair conditioner as some have posted. I think any good soap or cream with emollients like lanolin, tallow, etc will provide the same glide as oil. Oil can coat your brush when lathering and prevent the badger/boar hair from soaking up as much water and requires a more thorough cleaning of your brush after shaving.
Of course, my .02 cents and YMMV, as they say.
So I don't use oil and didn't think it improved my shaving, but it was fun to purchase a bottle and try it ;)

Don't stress...Shave on!

I've tried mineral oil. Nice, but ehh! Then tried mineral oil with a little tree tea oil in it. Double ehh + stinky!! Then I tried extra virgin olive oil and now I smell like salad dressing and I'm hungry. But it did ease the shave a bit and I can see why many people use olive oil. Any difference between Italian, Greek and Spanish Olive Oil and does any one really want to get into that one?

Preshave oils are a love-it-or-leave-it item. I've tried them and gave up fairly quickly. The best oil by far that I tried was Castle Forbes, which is pricey but great stuff. Eventually I found that I didn't need it to get a good shave.

However, I do habitually use Proraso pre/post cream before applying my lather. IMO it's more of a skin conditioner that a glide product, but I do feel it adds to the overall end result.

I use oil. I started out with the AoS oil many years ago and have been using oil ever since (I now make my own). My skin appreciates it. A few times I shaved without it my whole shave seemed "off". I've always suggested it for people who experience excess irritation, to see if the extra coating makes a difference for them. It's not for everyone, though. My opinion, if you're curious, try it. If you have olive oil in the house, apply a thin layer on your next shave. I wouldn't pay any attention to the scent; you're simply trying to determine if it helps your shave in any way. IMHO

I have tried a few different oils for pre shave and Proraso pre shave cream, none of which did anything for me. You are just starting out and developing your technique which seems pretty good as you suffer only occasional mild rawness. If you can live with the odd bit of rawness maybe just keep refining your technique till that too goes away. That way you will know your technique is good and not a poorer technique being masked by a pre shave product. Anyway, that is another way to look at it but the choice is yours.

Bob

Brenngun

I use a mixture of Ponds Cold cream and vitamin E oil. (1 large jar cold cream, 1/2 bottle vitamin E oil)

Works for me, but everyone has their own preferrence

This has been a question for a very long time, but here is my take on oils.

If you like them and they like you then by all means use them. I personally see them as a detriment as it is water that softens the beard and then you use soap which cuts oil. If you used oil first and then soap............. I was taught to wash my face to squeaky clean with soap and then lather up. Oil could prevent your whiskers from standing up by sticking them down!

There are a number of oils and fats in soap and some agree with some people better than others, but they are all saponified or made into soap by the lie. That is basically what makes soap and some are much better suited to some than others.

Just my opinion.

Will N.

Maybe a stupid question, but what are looking to improve in your shaving? Are you getting a lot irritation, shaving is just not right or you just try to make it better?

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Originally Posted by Brenngun

So I'm getting farther down this shaving worm hole. :banghead: Every time I read about a product I haven't tried I start thinking I'm missing something great. The latest item to catch my attention is shave oil. Please help me understand if I need it. I currently use Santa Maria Novella predopo before lathering and after shaving. I'm not experiencing any continual harsh irritation but do occasional feel a some rawness. My razors have been properly honed by reputable experienced people. I've only been using a Str8 for a couple of months so my still developing technique may be a contributor but I'm always willing to consider a new helpful product. Having said that I have a few questions.


Do you use shave oil? Have you found it helped improve your shave? If yes do you use it instead of lather or just as a before lather lubricant? Do you think I would benefit by adding it to my current shaving routine? Am I missing something or just over thinking? Do I need to stop drinking so much coffee? Help me!

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Go to Art of Shaving and try a travel pack. It comes with some oil, cream, balm and a travel brush. Then you can try it (and a few other products) and see for yourself.

Sometimes I like oil, sometimes I do not. I think I may start using it after I shave this winter to help my skin.

To me oil is like alum, aftershave, and balms...everyone has a different preference and none are wrong.

Thanks all for your responses. Always good info available here.

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Originally Posted by Ryan82

Preshave oils are a love-it-or-leave-it item. I've tried them and gave up fairly quickly. The best oil by far that I tried was Castle Forbes, which is pricey but great stuff. Eventually I found that I didn't need it to get a good shave.

However, I do habitually use Proraso pre/post cream before applying my lather. IMO it's more of a skin conditioner that a glide product, but I do feel it adds to the overall end result.

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Agreed - love the Proraso pre/post cream!

I find the addition of oil a wasted extra step.. But the only way you will know is try it yourself. Take a look in your local supermarket for King of Shaves oil. Reported to be pretty good and not too costly. Or, give a little olive oil a try.. Remember, there are no hard fast rules.

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Originally Posted by Phrank

Agreed - love the Proraso pre/post cream!

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I'm another occasional Proraso pre/post user. I also just got 3P pre/post, but I have yet to try it.

I've tried commercial shaving oils and have made my own, but I don't get better shaves from them than when I use good shave soap or cream. I've tried extra virgin olive oil, and I like how it conditions my skin, but it doesn't do much for my shave; I still use it once a week as a skin conditioner, though.

I'm of the opinion that if I'm paying $20 - $30+ for shaving soap or cream, than it should perform well enough all on its own. But then again, this opinion is based on never having tried a pre-shave oil...stubborn I guess.