Thread: Art of Shaving Ocean Kelp Pre Shave Gel

I am not really into pre shaving products and routines. What I do is shower and then lather. I have tried the art of shaving shave oil and all it did was make my blade skip.

Today I tried the AOS Pre Shave Gel. Since I had 4 days of growth, it was hard to tell but it seem like it made my hair softer and my skin smoother (not slick but just so it the blade didn't skip).

Anyone try this Pre shave?
Thoughts?


I know Proraso preshave is popular. Would it be better to just buy that?

I have not had much success with pre-shave oil, but some shavers find it helps. I have used MrGlo, Florid and Proraso pre-shaves. The one I keep coming back to is Proraso. I use the one with the white lid (green tea and oat). I have also tried the Proraso post shave balm (one of the best balms I have tried) as a pre-shave but did not like the performance as a pre-shave. As with most things in shaving, it's a very personal choice, but I would get the Proraso first. You may not want to look elsewhere.

Also, pre-shaves I have tried do not soften you beard, they strip the oil off the beard and cause the hairs to stand up for easier cutting. Some provide a bit of skin lubrication but some don't.

joepa150,
The Art of Shaving Ocean Kelp pre-shave gel is a good product, on par with many other standard pre-shaves. If you want a great pre-shave, however, I suggest Castle Forbes. Having gone through a parade of pre-shaves, from Proraso to John Allan to Truefitt & Hill, for me, none compares to Castle Forbes, which, by the way, is water soluble. No oil or greasy mess.

Here here obie, it's not cheap, but you need so little to work. It's unscented so no funky smell combos, and it rinses clean. I can tell a difference when I don't use it. I have also used different oils, tobs gel, proraso, floid, prep, and speick. Castle is still what I would repurchase and only it.

Originally Posted by tiddle

Here here obie, it's not cheap, but you need so little to work. It's unscented so no funky smell combos, and it rinses clean. I can tell a difference when I don't use it. I have also used different oils, tobs gel, proraso, floid, prep, and speick. Castle is still what I would repurchase and only it.

I've been doing some research and it seems that pre-shave oil is an alternative to lathering, but the other day I was watching a brush tutorial by the guy at Art of Shaving and he asked if the student/host had put on some pre-shave oil.. curious.

Are there different types of pre-shave oil? Or was the Esquire article completely wrong about oil being an alternative rather than a prep before lathering?

My experience with pre-shave oil is that lathering the face using hard soap doesn't work well as the soap and oil did not mix well, but I had no problem using shaving cream with pre-shave oil, although I didn't feel it added anything to the shave.

Originally Posted by matloffm

My experience with pre-shave oil is that lathering the face using hard soap doesn't work well as the soap and oil did not mix well, but I had no problem using shaving cream with pre-shave oil, although I didn't feel it added anything to the shave.

How can I argue with someone that has the Canterbury Tales in their sig?

Originally Posted by matloffm

My experience with pre-shave oil is that lathering the face using hard soap doesn't work well as the soap and oil did not mix well, but I had no problem using shaving cream with pre-shave oil, although I didn't feel it added anything to the shave.

I have had the same results and estimations. Not worth the trouble.

BTW, I do like the AOS Kelp scent in their shaving cream.

Dave

Originally Posted by rolodave

I have had the same results and estimations. Not worth the trouble.

BTW, I do like the AOS Kelp scent in their shaving cream.

Dave

Seems that it might indeed be an alternative rather than something used to add under lather or cream.

Originally Posted by mannye

Seems that it might indeed be an alternative rather than something used to add under lather or cream.

FWIW, I did break out an old bottle of AOS oil recently when my facial skin was rather sensitive due to repeated dustings of drywall dust (big home makeover - getting it ready to sell ...explains my lack of SRP participation the last couple of months ). It did add a bit of comfort to the shave. So, I guess there is a use for a very heavy pre-shave oil. Dave