Thread: Simple pre-shave oil

1. Coles baby oil $2.79.
2. Patchouli oil $5.00.
3. Empty (but unwashed) Nivea post shave balm bottle.

Fill up the bottle with baby oil and put in about 4-5 drops of your preferred essential oil.
I'm an old hippy, so naturally it was patchouli.
Shake vigorously.

Job done !!

Now If I only bothered with a pre-shave oil .


Mick

I get your point Mick. I've never tried pre-shave oil before and I had an empty bottle
I'm also prone to razor rash, so this might help. Otherwise I'd stay minimalist.

No pun intended here, but my recipe for a pre-shave oil is even simpler than this: I use extra virgin olive oil. And it is also good as a post-shave oil.

Originally Posted by bongo

I get your point Mick. I've never tried pre-shave oil before and I had an empty bottle
I'm also prone to razor rash, so this might help. Otherwise I'd stay minimalist.

Don't mistake my comment for a lack of interest. I think you have a great idea mate. One that I might try myself one day.


Mick

No probs Mick, I didn't think that at all, I was cleaning my teeth and thought ...."what if" and gave it a try. Too much free time
Same thing happened in the kitchen the other day.

I was looking at my poor unsuspecting extra-virgin olive oil and thought of mixing it up with some glycerine
and some kind of scent (or not) for a similiar effect. At the time I had a very bad case of razor rash.

I did think "is it worth it, or is my OCD just rearing it's head again ?"

Originally Posted by bongo

I was looking at my poor unsuspecting extra-virgin olive oil and thought of mixing it up with some glycerine
and some kind of scent (or not) for a similiar effect. At the time I had a very bad case of razor rash.

As far as I can tell, you do not need to add glycerin to olive oil as it is very rich is lubricating and fatty substances. Moreover, olive oil is known since centuries to have a very effective action on the skin because of the high content in tocopherol and other phenols. The only thing you may think to add, is few drops of your favorite essential oil in order to give it a different scent.
Here in Italy, our grandfathers used olive oil, not only for shaving, but also for a "cheap" remedy for any skin treatment. As far as I can tell, olive oil is a wonderful post shave treatment. It is also very good for your lather, giving it a more lubricating and moisturizing effect: just add from six to ten drops of extra virgin olive oil to your favorite cream or soap and then mount it with a brush.

I mix 1 part castor oil to 2 parts olive oil to 3 parts massage oil. Works great and smells great too.

For an aftershave, I mix rubbing alcohol, witch hazel, and some eucalyptus EO (heaviest on the witch hazel) Ido a cold water rinse when I am done with my shave and then splash this mixture on. After waiting for it to dry, I will sometimes use a balm/lotion to rehydrate.

Originally Posted by bongo

No probs Mick, I didn't think that at all, I was cleaning my teeth and thought ...."what if" and gave it a try. Too much free time
Same thing happened in the kitchen the other day.

I was looking at my poor unsuspecting extra-virgin olive oil and thought of mixing it up with some glycerine
and some kind of scent (or not) for a similiar effect. At the time I had a very bad case of razor rash.

I did think "is it worth it, or is my OCD just rearing it's head again ?"

I don't think it's OCD, when I was a youngun I used to love mixing stuff together to see what would happen, my 6 year old does the same, and look at roald dahl's George (of the marvelous medicine fame), I think you are just rediscovering.the joys of youth, hopefully with more successful results than mixing rocks, leaves and mud, or the entire contents of a 1980's drinks cabinet together (i think I thought I was tom cruise in cocktail or something - turned out I wasn't)

I agree with razorguy. My dermatologist recently told me that I have Rosacea (mistakenly called old age acne) and in doing research I discovered that among things that can aggravate it is menthol and eucalyptus. Two ingredients found in many pre, post and during shaving products. I am trying a Musco glycerin and lime face soap as a starter to clean my face, followed by an olive oil w/lime oil pre shave. I have limited my soaps/creams for the time being to uber lathers of MWF/Maca Root/an Australian cream called Shave/a few glycerin drops/a few lime oil drops/a few Vit E oil drops. Not all at once but some combination of that grouping. After the alum block I start with some Aloe Vera gel and any of a group of creams and balms without the two culprits and alcohol. So far, so good and my skin is responding by making me look like a healthy 50 year old. (not bad for an octogenarian.)