Pre Shave Cream

For my pre shave prep I have been working warm water into my whiskers, then soaking my face with a wet towl, then applying pre shave cream, let that sit, and lather and begin shaving.

I see in some places that people wipe there first lather off their face, lather again, then shave.

If I am using a pre shave cream, do I still need to wash the first lather away? To me it seems to defeat the point of using the pre shave cream if I am just washing it away before I shave, unless I am missing something.

It is possible that the pre-shave cream is performing some function before it is wiped off. I've tried them and pre-shave oils as well and no longer use them. All the preparation in the world won't improve a non-shave ready
razor's result. My pre-shave routine has now been reduced to five hot water splashes then lathering, but my blades are reliably sharp.

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Originally Posted by ace

It is possible that the pre-shave cream is performing some function before it is wiped off. I've tried them and pre-shave oils as well and no longer use them. All the preparation in the world won't improve a non-shave ready
razor's result. My pre-shave routine has now been reduced to five hot water splashes then lathering, but my blades are reliably sharp.

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personally i wash face,dry, then apply prorasso pre shave.

it leaves your face slightly sticky which makes face lathering easy if you don't have much growth

There are all different ways of pre shave prep you just got to find what works best for you.

My pre shave is to lather, then strop, rinse lather off and relather, then shave this works best for me.

Before that I would use proraso or vitos pre shave or noxzema in that case I would splash water on my face apply the pre shave, strop, then lather and shave

I know some guys lather then put the hot towel on, then put pre shave on strop, then lather and shave

Some also put pre shave on then hot towel, then lather, strop and rinse lather, re lather, and shave

To be honest I don't really see the point of the pre shave cream. If your soap or actual cream for the shave is slick/slippery enough, why bother with a pre shave?

I have found that soaps like Tabac, MdC, Creed, Monsavon, Trumper's and even the Palmolive Shave Stick have all provided ample glide. I couldn't see myself doing a 'first' lather or using a separate cream before that.

I had used Santa Maria Novella's pre-post cream as an after shave but never as a pre. Call me weird, but... :)

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Originally Posted by rum

To be honest I don't really see the point of the pre shave cream. If your soap or actual cream for the shave is slick/slippery enough, why bother with a pre shave?

I have found that soaps like Tabac, MdC, Creed, Monsavon, Trumper's and even the Palmolive Shave Stick have all provided ample glide. I couldn't see myself doing a 'first' lather or using a separate cream before that.

I had used Santa Maria Novella's pre-post cream as an after shave but never as a pre. Call me weird, but... :)

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to be honest i dont see the point in owning more than 1 razor and 1 tub/pot of cream


everyone is different and sometimes people like preshave cream juat because they can. its the same with moustriser a lot of people dont bother and others do

Swan:
Pre-shave is not a guarantee. For me, it works. Or at least I think it does. I have an extremely sensitive skin and a heavy beard. The pre-shave provides added cushion. My method is to leave the face wet after the shower, apply Castle Forbes pre-shave and then lather over it. Now I strop my razor. After that I reapply another coat of lather and shave away — I don't see the need to rinse off the first lather and reapply a new coat. Then again, whatever you think works for you . . .

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Originally Posted by Obie

Swan:
Pre-shave is not a guarantee. For me, it works. Or at least I think it does. I have an extremely sensitive skin and a heavy beard. The pre-shave provides added cushion. My method is to leave the face wet after the shower, apply Castle Forbes pre-shave and then lather over it. Now I strop my razor. After that I reapply another coat of lather and shave away — I don't see the need to rinse off the first lather and reapply a new coat. Then again, whatever you think works for you . . .

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I've never thought of this before. I might just give this a try for my next shave. I used to use Proraso preshave (white formulation with oats and green tea), but have recently fallen out of the habit of using it. I do love the way it smells, though.

For me having sensitive skin a pre-shave cream/oil is extra protection and also part of the ritual. I've three main pre-shave creams/oil.

Proraso, Santa Maria Novella and then for everything else I use The Village Barber's shave oil: Shaving Oil - Shaving Oil Village Barber

Hot water splashed on face, proraso pre-shave, lather & go. I've never left the lather on for any duration in the past but I will try it next time because I think I can do better in the prep department.

I have diligently tried all manner of extended preparation and never saw a bit of difference in the resulting shave. I like ritual as much as the next fellow, but if stuff I do pre-shave turns out to be meaningless, then it is hard for me to continue doing it. As I've said, my pre-shave is splash water, lather, shave, clean the blade and go. Seven minutes total time at the outside.

You can take all the time you want. I have other things to do.

I like the pro-raso preshave products and it's part of my shaving ritual. Whether or not it does something is debatable because i've never shaved without it.... BUT... I like it.

I tried the Zirh pre-shave oil but found that it kills all kinds of lather.

so far i have used proraso white preshave, proraso green preshave, 3p, Prep, and now i am onto vitos.
from all the preshave's tried/finished so far...i think proraso white is my favorite.

this vitos is a bit larger than the others...should last me until thanksgiving.

Tried several pre shaves, including Proraso. Found I can't take menthol and eucalyptus. Experimented with some home made, so so. Musco glycerin pre shave soap, so so. A bar of olive oil soap from Turkey found in a discount grocery store - $1. Cold water face rinse at end of shower. Build cold water lather. Wash face with cold water olive oil face soap lather. Leave on, lather, shave, bliss. YMMV

You guys really have to try this: Pro Shave.

Amazon.com: Pro-Shave Shaving Cream, 8 Ounce: Health & Personal Care

My local barber told me about it. It's cheap and really helps to soften the beard. I shower, dry off and apply a small amount to my dry face, let it sit for a minute or two, then lather up. Really found a vast improvement. Contrast this with Proraso or various brands of pre-shave oils, which did absolutely nothing for me. It reminds me of the old noxema shave cream in a tub..if you're old enough to remember that.

Anyway, it's a small investment and has large upside returns.

Best,
Alan