I’m new, about 45 shaves in. I use a Porasso pre shave before lathering with HK King of OUD Do most of you use a pre-shave?
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I’m new, about 45 shaves in. I use a Porasso pre shave before lathering with HK King of OUD Do most of you use a pre-shave?
I tried it when i stared out but now days the onlt time i do is when i dont get a chance to shower first. Hot shower works just as good for me. I also dont use the hot towel.
I tried it early on. In the beginning, I found that it helps. As I gained skill, it helped less and less. Now, it's a shower, or lacking that, a hot towel.
I always do as much beard prep as I can before shaving. If I'm showering before I shave, that's always the best. But if I'm not, I try to throw hot water on my face as long as I can before shaving and apply a pre shave soap to lubricate as well. This is going to sound pretty strange but the best pre-shave soap I have is just a general hand soap that was included in a Royall Spyce box set from decades ago and I purchased it as NOS. I don't know what I'll do when it runs out, buy another bottle of RS i guess! https://www.ebay.com/itm/Royall-Spyc...4AAOSwUgNXPQKQ
good beard prep is the only way i've been able to achieve BBS. Using a straight or otherwise.
I have never considered a shower as a pre shave requirement. I tend to do the exact opposite. I never heard of pre shaves before joining this forum. Naturally I just had to try them out. My conclusion was that, for me, they did not do a thing to improve my shave. So not I do not use pre shaves.
You use whatever works for you and not someone else. It's your face and shave not mine.
Bob
When using DE i use preshave oil. When going SR I rarely use any preshave, hovewer, i have tried some preshave balm, but cant really feel the diffrence. A hot shower is the best way to go for me.
I ditched pre-shave oil not long into straight shaving. Now, I just shower before shaving although I suspect it’s also unnecessary to achieve a decent shave. Just another creature of habit. ;)
I'm really surprised to hear most folks don't experience a difference when prepping with preshave products. It makes a world of difference for me. Night and Day!
Now I sort of wish I was in the group that didn't need it...:boohoo::boohoo::boohoo:
I normally shave in the evening and shower in the morning. As to a shaving prep, I splash hot water on my whiskers then usually apply some sort of mentholated pre/post-shave cream (Vitos) or balm (Myrsol), thinking that this helps to open the pores and deaden sensation ever so slightly for the first past. When shaving with a mentholated cream (C.O. Bigelow), I'll switch to Jason skin oil or almond oil as a pre-shave.
None of these pre-shaves are very expensive apart from Myrsol, which I used to order more cheaply from Spain; and basically, they give me something to futz around with while my brush is soaking as needed.
For me it's both the hot shower and the pre-shave, which is usually either GFT Skin Food or TOBS Herbal Pre-Shave Gel. I put it on immediately after shower, while I'm stropping and making lather in the bowl/scuttle.
I do like it, but can definitely shave without it - it's more about pampering myself and not a bare necessity. But then again - it's my approach to the whole SR shaving thing :nj
My preshave routine is to shower and use both shampoo and hair conditioner on my beard. Then I dry off, lather up and shave. You have to be careful which brand of shampoo and conditioner you use as some are designed to repair damaged hair and prevent split ends. That is NOT what you want to happen to your beard before you shave. I use moisturizing hair products that leave my beard soft and my face slick.
I tried using a couple of shave oils as a preshave (Shave Secret and Somersets) as well as concocting my own mixture of vegetable oils. After some experimentation, I stopped using these oils as I never felt they added anything to the shaving experience. I even found that oils high in oleic acid like olive oil were lather killers and made the shave worse.
If you use a good soap or cream mixed with the right amount of water to create a slick, protective lather, preshave oils are of little or no advantage.
I never thought of this but now that you mention it, I can definitely see how this could happen. I’ve also been noticing that the Preshave Oil I use prevents water from really penetrating to my skin/beard after it is applied. Maybe it’s stopping the lather from doing so as well. I think my Friday shave will be without any Preshave Oil, only using s nice long, Hot Shower as prep.
I also used to use a mentholated product (Preshave cream) but I find it had a bit too much menthol for my liking. If I do use a mentholated product, I want it to just have a touch of menthol.
Been straight shaving for 47 years and never used a pre-shave......never will either.
I tried the PRORASO Pre-Shave Cream and found that it reduced the slickness of the soap. It actually seemed to make the razor skip and grab. I will stick with a hot shower, lather, then shave. Works well for me.
I always repeat this on these threads.....
I shave in the morning, but before bed, I apply 5 or 6 drops of 30,000 mesh vitamin E oil to my beard. Rubbing it in briskly and concentrating on the edges of my beard.
I typically do an oral rinse simultaneously....Another subject. :D
I can tell a great difference in the shave the morning after. No doubt.
I have a tough beard. This and a few applications of a hot-water towel over lather ensures things will go swimmingly the next morning.
My best shaves!