Thread: Help!!! Extra Virgin Olive Oil Pre-Shave Advice

Ok so once more i find myself back at the crossroads. (No i'm not going to meet Jack Butler to cut some heads either...if you don't get that reference...please disregard)

Anyhoo, so i started off using Extra Virgin Olive Oil (straight up no essential oils, no castor, etc.) straight from Don Corleone himself.

My shaves were very pleasant, generally bbs every time and few if any nicks, weepers, or decapitations to speak of.

My hangup was that olive oil isn't exactly a whole lot of fun to work with, it's messy, usually hard to wash off hands, etc. So i stopped using it and i have noticed that my overall quality of shaves has declined considerably. Now of course if i have the time i can do a 4+ pass shave and get things where i need them to be but for a day to day shave i need to keep it short, easy, and to the point.

So i got on Amazon and found a 3pack of shaving brushes for like 15.00. My thought was for $5.00/ea i could use them to apply the olive oil from a bowl of sorts and not have to get my hands coveed in the stuff and if/when they get nasty i can toss them and break out a new one. Thus far i'm happy with the solution but i still have a huge remaining question for those that use olive oil as a pre-shave:

Is there a better method out there?

If yes, what materials?

If no, let it be know to stand the test of time! (or something like that)

Thanks everyone!
Brian

Preshave oil I made myself
1:1 (Castor Oil: Olive Oil) no mess and easy to wipe off hands.
you really need very few drops to apply on the face, how much do you use?

Originally Posted by mainaman

Preshave oil I made myself
1:1 (Castor Oil: Olive Oil) no mess and easy to wipe off hands.
you really need very few drops to apply on the face, how much do you use?

I've heard about the 1:1 Castor/Olive combo but haven't tried it...with as thick as my beard is, i had to use a pretty good dollop in my hand and work it in my both hands to get full coverage. The two drop only concept wouldn't come close for me.

try your local chemist for a small spray bottle. the sort with the puch down head.
Spray it directly onto your chin then work in with one hand, only one hand to wash and fairly mess free aplication.

I started with olive oil since I already had some and have since switched to jojoba. I don't see a difference in the shave, but jojoba is much less oily on both face and hands. I apply it to my beard and usually just wipe my hands off on a towel. With olive oil I'd have to use soap and water to wash my hands so that they weren't so slick.

I use 2 or 3 drops and it absorbs quickly. I use it a preshave and also after. When I apply it after my bay rum, I still smell the bay rum.

I get it at our local market that specializes in healthy/organic foods.

I picked up some Olive Oil shampoo that seems to work quite well. I can't remember the name of the beauty shop. It was one of those that are in Wal-Mart, so I would imagine the ones in most major shopping malls might also carry the shampoo.

At the advice of some of the experienced shavers here, I dropped the olive oil about three weeks ago. I use Olivila soap on my face in the shower instead. I was applying too much olive oil and what is in the soap seems to be enough for my skin/beard.

David

When I first started shaving with a straight, I used Olive oil as well. I got great shaves from it and I do go back to it from time to time. One trick I've learned for myself is to use a very small amount... 2 drops would be too much for my entire shave. At first, I thought I would need alot of oil, but as it turns out ... just a wet face and a drop or two really does the trick.

With this small amount, the mess associated with this type of prep was reduced drastically. Again it is still messy, but it is just as messy as a whipping bowl & brush regarding clean up IMO. Sometimes I use a small towel to wipe my hand clean after the initial application and washing with hand soap, of course.

As a side note, I shave with one hand only when using Olive oil. I end up keeping one hand 'dirty'. Maybe this is an example of a bad habit, but it does keep me from washing my hands constantly during the shave.

If I could recommend an alternative to you, try out Castile Soap which has the essential oils in it and can be used for many applications. Price wise, it is also cost effective.

With this solution, you can get away with having just one decent brush and less of a mess.

EVOO is great, but I thought Castile Soap is worth a look as another option. You can always make your own batch to your specs.

Good Luck,

Pabster