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Today while shopping I acquired the supplies to try and make my own pre shave oil. Seems easy enough so I will give it a shot and post my thoughts in the next couple days after use. Went with castor oil, virgin olive oil and eucalyptus essential oil. Has anyone made their own? What were your results? Thanks and shave on :D
I have made my own preshave oil and have been using it for the past few weeks.
I don't use castor oil. My mix is a bit of jajoba oil, a bit of Sweet almond oil, and mostly olive oil as a base. I also use eucalyptus essential. I find it is GREAT in the morning and clears up my sinuses for the day, which I love. I also put in some pine needle essential oil. The pine needle EO is an astringent, so it helps in the slight chance you nick yourself. (I can attest to this. I used this since I started with a SR and had a nice sized nick on my cheek. Didn't even notice it happened until I saw the scab later in the day. The Pine needle stopped the bleeding and sped up the healing time. The cut was gone in 2 days!)
Hopefully you have the same great experience I have had. Keep us posted on how it works out for you!
I have seen a recipe with jojoba oil as a base/carrier oil then I found this one and it was all items I could get locally but in the future I am going to try a couple different things. I will post my results just waiting for enough beard to shave, only takes about a day and a half. Thanks for the input : )Quote:
Originally Posted by freddi
The nice thing about getting Jajoba oil is that you can use it in an aftershave as well. I make both pre and after shave treatments for myself. I forgot to mention I add a bit of Cedarwood EO in my preshave mix. That is just to carry the smell into my aftershave a bit more. Stuff for aftershave should be easy to find in a drugstore as well.
I made some a while back and posted a video of the recipe I copied. if I remember it was Castor oil, Olive oil, grape seed oil and Jojoba. I added also some cedar wood EO, and Orange Eo for a pleasing scent. Worked quite well for me.
If this works well I am going to get some jojoba and grape seed oil as well and different EO's to mix and match. Try some beard oil as well with these products. Might as well learn a bit and save some $ my wife wont complain about me buying for my new shaving habit if I am saving money : DQuote:
Originally Posted by Razorfaust
Interesting thread! One does need to consider ingredients and consider 'shelf life' on this as little is needed and it could go bad before it is used? I never liked pre-shave oils, but do like to apply thin E oil the night before the shave. Esp in drier climate.
Seems it has somewhat disappeared the next morning, yet makes the hairs and skin softer so that the blade glides better and the edge snags the hairs for cutting more smoothly.
Also, with application the night before, it negates slippery fingers and oily shave. The lather works better, FME.
YMMV
Truth is im too lazy to use them these days. The batch I made about 1.5 years ago doesnt seem to have gone bad at all. Best bet with any oil is limit oxygen exposure for maximum life. I would put it in small bottles after a larger batch is made.
Yes shelf life is something I researched a bit and if I remember right the olive oil had a shelf life of 6 months to a year. That might have been the olive oil I can not remember now that I am typing. I put it in half ounce bottles so hopefully it will get used before going bad. I also tried beard oil since I read that castor oil is good for the hair as well. With the pre shave oil I did 2 parts castor and 1 part olive then added scent to my liking. The beard oil I did straight castor oil and scent and I actually like the beard oil. The shave oil though I am going to try another with more olive oil and see if I like it better. The way it is now it does not seem like the oil sticks around there for, not really providing anything useful during the shave. Boy that was a long winded reply sorry : )Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
You are right Razorfaust, I did put the two I made in small bottles and the have a seal in the lid. I did small bottles of everything I bought incase I did not like it. I still have some playing around to do because the performance is not what I prefer just yet but it gives me something to do. Thanks for the input :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Razorfaust
ok so I went ahead and tried another mix this time went the other way, did 2 parts olive oil and 1 part castor oil. Worked much better than before with the original mix. Just thought I would up date in case anyone wanted to try it. In all reality I guess just plain old olive oil that has been tried and true is maybe just the way to go. Castor oil is a bit sticky in my opinion so I kinda feel like that adds a little something. Something to play with anyway : D
How much of each ingredient do you use? This sounds awesome and I love the idea of making my own anything eventually I am going to try soap.Quote:
Originally Posted by freddi
Ok cbarker777, my first attempt I used 2 parts castor oil and then 1 part extra olive oil and added essential oil til I liked the scent power. I tried shaving with that and did not have the slickness that I like so I dumped that and the next try I used 2 parts olive oil and 1 part castor oil and then added scent til I liked it and after using that twice now I think that works better. To me the castor oil doesn't seem to have the slippery effect that olive oil does. I think after this I may just try plain ol olive oil and see what I think of that. Now I am also using the castor oil and EO for gotee oil and I love it. Cheaper than buying beard oil and castor oil is good for the hair: ) In the future I am going to try jojoba oil and coconut oil as well and see what I can get out of those. Best of luck and I will keep posted on other recipes.
Thank you that gives me a starting point it sounds like everyone may like slightly deferent things. Side note I can't believe how expensive sandalwood is.
I have not looked into Sandalwood, I actually found all this at Wal Mart so selection was minimal : ) but I also did not want a huge investment if it did not go as planned. I have eucalyptus scent right now which I like it is a nice clean scent. Next I want to try some other scents just have to get the stuff. There are lots of different "carrier" oils, castor, olive, jojoba, grapeseed and on an on. I did some reading and found which ones I knew I could get at the store easily and that is what I have tried. You are right though there is a lot of selection and I like that you can make it personal to what you want. Good luck and enjoy:D
Been a while since I've been here, but I have a blend that is working very well for me currently. The base is 2 parts castor oil, and 1 part each Jojoba and olive oil. I tend to like mine a bit thicker. I was in truth aiming for something that was similar to the AOS preshave. That is the one product they have that I really like. As for the scent the oils I used were Sandle wood, clove and lavender at I a ratio of 2-1-1 if I remember correctly.
Thanks for the info I need to get some jojoba oil and try that just haven't gotten around to it. The first time I made a batch it was just 2 to 1 castor oil and olive and honestly I tossed it I did not like the performance. I am now using 2 to 1 olive oil and castor and like that better. Still want to try jojoba though :D shave on Rhys
I make my own pre-shave oil. I use equal parts olive oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil and almond oil. All available at the grocery store or natual food store. Then I add in some essential oils, e.g frankincense, lavender or rose EO. I use it all the time. The simple version is just olive oil and EO.
I use such a small amount of oil I'm thinking best thing about making your own oil is that you can cook with the left over ingredients? lol
I have been using a 2 part olive oil, 1 part jajoba, 1 part sweet almond oil, then essential oils to preferred scent. All the oils I use are great for your skin and hair. I have a full beard and just shave my neck as a clean up. The preshave oil works well as a beard oil as well. Since its great for skin too I wipe off my hands to get whatever excess off by slicking it through my hair (whatever is there.) Since its cold and dry where I live slicking it through my hair and scalp it keeps my scalp nicely hydrated.
One note about Essential oils since I haven't seen anyone mention it. You need to be careful with how much you use as it can be an irritant to many skin types. I mix in about 30 drops per oz. This is a 5% dilution. I have found that any more than this causes a pretty wicked irritation. Most websites say 2% dilution is recommended. You can experiment, but I wouldn't go more than 5%. (6 drops per oz = 1% dilution).
Okay so, my beard oil is roughly 1 part hemp seed oil, 2 parts grape seed oil, then a little bit of peppermint, Tea Tree, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Pine needle, turmeric and if I am feeling saucy ylang ylang or in the summer lemon eucalyptus (since it has been proven more effective than bug spray scientifically in a peer reviewed study). Sometimes a little lavendar for an undertone of cleanliness.
Aside from the peppermint would that make a good pre and or post shave oil?
This sounds like a good mix. I don't think there is anything wrong with the peppermint in that mix. One of the most important EO's that I put in my PS oil is the Pine needle. Pine Needle is an astringent, so I dont feel the need to have a styptic pen near. In case of sloppy hands, and I nick myself, the pine needle in the PS oil helps stop bleeding and heals quicker. Most times I have not even noticed a nick until lunch when and I see some little red lines on my face while washing my hands.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fezzik77
I always include some eucalyptus in my PS. Because I shave in the morning I like the scent and it wakes me up in the morning and clears my sinuses at the same time. I would imagine having Peppermint in your mix would have a similar effect.
Only thing about peppermint is it has that tingly effect that increases blood flow to the skin. It feels great but I have to think that on a nick or even a razor burn it would sting.Quote:
Originally Posted by freddi
I have it in my beard oil and mustache wax to increase growth and because it smells great and I like having a little sweet in with all the earthy.
Hemp seed would be pretty awesome given all the vitamins it has naturally. Seems like it would be an awesome carrier oil for a Post Shave oil.
What is the benefit of using a preshave oil?
Benefit of pre shave oil is a better glide with the razor and I believe it helps keep or replace some of the oils that get stripped from the skin with the razor. As far as I can tell either you like it or you don't some people wont mess with it because it is another step. I personally enjoy it and I believe it does aide me so I continue to use it. I say it is at least worth a shot if you don't like it then that is ok too :DQuote:
Originally Posted by luckisastateofmind
My mixture is as follows:
- .5 part Glycerin
- 1 part EVOO
- 2 parts almond oil
- 2 parts grape seed oil
- 2 parts jojoba oil
- .5 part Liquid Vitamin E.
I doubt if this oil makes the shave significantly better. It should help hydrate the whiskers. It is good for the skin with moisturizing, cleansing, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial qualities. I bought a bottle of each of the ingredients (except the EVOO which is in the kitchen) from Bulk Apothecary a year or so ago. Not very expensive and it makes a lot. I throw in a few drops of lime and/or orange essential oil for a little fragrance.
RrI've been using something very close to your recipe since spring and I love it. I think I do get a little extra slickness during shave but mostly found that it does wonders for my ancient skin, or so says the wife! I put it on at the end of my shower and leave it on thru my shave setup and prep, then just apply lather right over it and have never had a problem with any soap so far.Quote:
Originally Posted by TomSlick
P.S. I don't use glycerin! What does that do/add?
Glycerin is a humectant; it attracts water. It is also supposed to help seal it in the skin. I would think that it would also help soften/moisturizer the hairs.
I also have a homemade balm which does a great job. I use other balms, but the best and longest post shave feel is from the homemade. Pre-shave oil and balm make the the post shave effect of my shaving soap irrelevant.
I started using straight grapeseed oil about a year ago,I find it helps soften your whiskers and helps your blade glide,I also noticed that your soap dosent seem to dry out on your skin.I looked at a bunch of preshave oil ingredients and grapeseed oil steamed to be the main ingredient in all I looked at,My wife had a bottle in the kitchen so I got a small bottle a pilfered her stock.
Just used a pre shave oil today for the first time. Went with the cold pressed avocado oil I have sitting on the kitchen counter that i got from costco. It seemed to work really well and my face feels better. May be a placebo effect but I'm gonna keep at it. Was thinking I could throw in some EO of my liking to spice it up some.
One of the many great tips that was posted on SRP was to wash off the pre-shave oil with soap & water before lathering.
This allows the oil to soften the whiskers and skin, but not impair the closeness of the shave or gum up your brush.