Thread: The Shave Oil Project

Hi Guys,

For the last month or so I have been experimenting with Pre Shave Oils. I never used them in the past and I though I'd give it a go.

I have used several brands and I have gotten similar positive results. The closeness of the shave is not that much different. I always get a close shave with a properly honed blade but I have to say that post shave my skin is a LOT less irritated and much softer. I can definitely feel less burning when I splash on my aftershave as well which means I'm doing less skin damage. I'm sold on it for sure.

I have noticed that just about all the oils are composed of Castor and Olive oils with a few drops of "this and that" for scent or color. Straight shaving and restoring is a hobby that I am really enjoying so why not make my own custom to my skin?

I have seen a few recipes in the forums that range from a 1:1 ratio to a 5:1 ratio. I plan to do a little trial and error to see what works best with my skin, however I'd like to do this somewhat logically so my question is:

What characteristics do Castor and Olive oils bring to the party? Is one more for softening the hair vs providing lubrication vs conditioning or protecting skin than the other? Anything else that I should keep in mind while developing my blend?

Thanks.

Doug