Thread: my own preshave oil

i have seen many posts about pre shave oils. i decided to try to make some of my own. all i use is sunflower oil, a few drops of lemon and orange essential oil and a touch of castor oil. the nice thing about sunflower oil is that it is not too oily and it absorbs in the skin quite fast compared to most other oils. i also use sunflower oil as a massage oil.

actually, i keep a big bottle of the sunflower oil with essential oils and glycerin mix and use it for both massage oil and pre shave oil. it work very very well for both! try it! it smells great too! i also make my own shaving soap which is of the same scent as the pre shave/massage oil. i had trouble with the shaving soap at first but someone on this forum gave me a few tips and it made a huge difference! i love it!

Nice job! Glad you've found something that works for you.

I tried making some a while back from olive oil and lemon EO, but I didnt really like the feeling of it on my skin. I'm still tempted to try some of the AOS ones though, or Castle Forbes, just to see if they're any better.

Originally Posted by Stubear

Nice job! Glad you've found something that works for you.

I tried making some a while back from olive oil and lemon EO, but I didnt really like the feeling of it on my skin. I'm still tempted to try some of the AOS ones though, or Castle Forbes, just to see if they're any better.

at first i wanted to try it with olive oil but after i did some online research, i read that olive oil i good for your skin but its pretty oily. also, the scent of olive oil might not be as pleasant since the smell might remind you of cooking. i do want to try lemon essential oil in my next pre shave oil.

Lemon is great. I have some T&H preshave oil, it's lemon scented and may well be my favorite.

I made my own pre-shave oil too but I can't remember what I put in it... some recipe I found here or some other shaving forum. I'm pretty sure that I used castor oil, olive oil, something else and something else.

I made about 4oz and a little bit goes a long way.

A few weeks ago I tried some glycerin as a pre-shave oil, to pump up my lather. I build the lather on my face. After a few days I experienced some skin breakout as someone thought might happen in an earlier thread about Uber Lather. The lather was great though, like Cool Whip and clung to the blade like a Rolling Stone Groupie.

So I switched to Extra Light Virgin Olive Oil, which has just a slight Olive oil smell. I have had no breakout problems since the switch.

I wet my face with warm water, dribble 4-5 drops of Olive Oil on to my hand from a craft store plastic squeeze bottle and rub in well with my fingers. Then strop up the razor of choice while my beard marinades. I then build the lather with a brush and warm water from the tap.

Results in a rich lather, not quite Cool Whip more like Whip Cream from a can and smooth shave. My face feels nice, no burn after the shave even after multiple passes. I then add a couple of drops more and work in after rinsing.

On top of that I add a squirt of Body & Bath, Bergamot Essential Oil lotion that cancels out any lingering Olive oil sent.

Very refreshing, a great lather, cost pennies and as some one else in yet another thead said... "the real test is a couple of hours after the shave"... and your face still feels smooth and good.

Marty

I am very sorry about your bad experience with the glycerin although, you had read my warning about the use of glycerin. By the same token, think that when you post your experiences in the forum, others are likely to follow your lead and do whatever you have been successful with, especially new members.

I always post my silly warnings in DIY threads because often the recommendations in them can lead to dreadful consequences, let me explain with your example (nothing personal and/or directed specifically towards you in particular): olive oil is a mild comedogenic, which means, it can clog pores thus, causing acne, this is not the case for your skin but others may experience some problems with it; a lot of people think, myself included, that olive oil is excellent for the skin, and so are many other oils. The bottom line is that the skin of each person is unique and as such, different from others. In fact, some people may have different skin types in their own body or even part of their body (i.e face, etc.).

Also, I noticed that you use 4 to 5 drops, which about borderline of what is recommended, usually no more than 5 and more towards 3 (but if you face is large, more may be needed). Things to remember when using pre shave oils: 1) use the recommended amount; 2) allow enough time for the oil to be absorbed by the skin; and 3) remove the excess oil before shaving. These guidelines will help not only prevent skin problems but also cuts as an oily face may impair stretching. Use common sense, if you use 3 drops and your face is still oily after 20 minutes, reduce the amount of oil applied or switch to to a different oil. And if you see any adverse reaction, discontinue the use of the product, any product, and ask your dermatologist.

I would like to reiterate, as I always do, that nothing beats the pleasure of making your own "anythings" but a fair amount of reading should always precede the actual experimentation. We must always put safety first. And if the information you are looking for is not readily available, do not be afraid to pop a question or two, we have a great group of people with different backgrounds and degrees of expertise. If anything else fails, or not, you (any of you) can also send me a PM. Good luck with your experiments!!!

Al raz.

P.S: I also love bergamot, nice essential oil

Originally Posted by M Martinez

A few weeks ago I tried some glycerin as a pre-shave oil, to pump up my lather. I build the lather on my face. After a few days I experienced some skin breakout as someone thought might happen in an earlier thread about Uber Lather. The lather was great though, like Cool Whip and clung to the blade like a Rolling Stone Groupie.

So I switched to Extra Light Virgin Olive Oil, which has just a slight Olive oil smell. I have had no breakout problems since the switch.

I wet my face with warm water, dribble 4-5 drops of Olive Oil on to my hand from a craft store plastic squeeze bottle and rub in well with my fingers. Then strop up the razor of choice while my beard marinades. I then build the lather with a brush and warm water from the tap.

Results in a rich lather, not quite Cool Whip more like Whip Cream from a can and smooth shave. My face feels nice, no burn after the shave even after multiple passes. I then add a couple of drops more and work in after rinsing.

On top of that I add a squirt of Body & Bath, Bergamot Essential Oil lotion that cancels out any lingering Olive oil sent.

Very refreshing, a great lather, cost pennies and as some one else in yet another thead said... "the real test is a couple of hours after the shave"... and your face still feels smooth and good.

Marty

I also tried the olive oil route, adding home-grown lavendar to add some extra oil and fragrance. I also added Vitamin E oil. I was not accustomed to using oils, so I may have been using too much. I worked all right, but I preferred the Proraso pre-shave creme because it tended to be less messy. Given the good suggestions and guidelines here, I may have to try some olive oil again.
Don J.

I really like the Enjoy hair and skin treatment oil. I know all of its ingredients, but mostly argan oil and linseed oil, the rest is proprietary as is how much. It works wonders and doesn't mess up my lather like some are said to. Plus if I get too much on my hands I just rub it in my hair!

I used straight almond oil and added a few drops of peppermint and lavender essential oils. Very light and refreshing. Works great and it is cheap!