Thread: Shave oil = less close shave?!

I think I just accidentally discovered why I can't get a BBS shave if I have less than 2 days growth. It's because the shave oil causes the blade to glide over stubblies that it would otherwise bite into. This morning I tried going for my 2nd ATG BBS shave in a row & I forgot the shave oil. The edge felt grabbier, and I am sitting here with a BBS shave. Unfortunately I also have some irritation (which, for me, is normal for going ATG 2 days in a row, probably compounded by the lack of oil). Anyone else notice this phenomenon?

As a side note, I'm going to go back to saving ATG for my nights out, b/c I don't like the irritation.

Interesting. I noted in your other thread that I don't see any difference in closeness between a shave of one day's growth than 3 or 4 days' growth, but I don't use shave oil.

I guess I'll have to try it and see what happens

I personally have only used shave oil once and I didn't like it. I grab my skin to pull it tight and the oil was too slippery for me to do that. Plus the last thing I need is grease on my face. (I have oily skin to begin with)

I used Aveda shaving cream (non foaming...it doesn't actually build a lather) as a preshave treatment last time I shaved and also mixed some of it with my AOS lemon essential oil lather. I got a pretty darn good shave out of it too and I think it was more comfortable than with the AOS preshave oil. Saves me $22 bucks right there.

if the oil makes the razor "glide" over the stubble, is the oil sticking to the razor? does using shave oil mean you need to clean the razor more?

try not as much oil and rub it in good before you lather i put mine on and let it soak in while i buld my lather.and i get a bbs shave every time.

The only oil I've found to be of any value is T&H pre-shave oil. It's not slippery, washes off (hands and fingers) very easily in warm water, and does an adequate job of softening the whiskers. But for an adequate job, it's pretty expensive. I've found other pre-shave products as good or better. The best is a hot shower before the shave and/or hair conditioner on the beard!

I agree with Mark with both his oil choice and his good preparation. Good preparation in softening the beard is the pre curser to a good shave.

If you go down the oil route, the problem is that good shaving oil is expensive.

I quite like the REN shaving oil. I used this under what I call a dry soap but if you pay the extra for a top quality soap like Floris or a decent top shelf shaving cream, you really shouldn't have a need for oil as the better products are usually comprehensive and have an oil already in the soap. That's why they cost that bit extra.

Some products stand alone but some products work best if you use the pre and post products with the soap. An example of this is the Proraso product. Use all three and you get a great shave with a great feeling face as well. Use the soap by itself and although its good, it not that extra bit special.

If the shaving oil is olive oil based e.g. Art of Shaving, it very clingy and IMHO useless. It's also unbelievably expensive for such a poor performing shaving product. All shaving oils tend to dirty the sink as well.

In the USA, the Pacific Shaving Company does a shaving oil that receives high praise from its users and this is probably worth a try. Although, living in the UK, I haven't tried it myself.

Originally Posted by majurey

The only oil I've found to be of any value is T&H pre-shave oil. It's not slippery, washes off (hands and fingers) very easily in warm water, and does an adequate job of softening the whiskers. But for an adequate job, it's pretty expensive. I've found other pre-shave products as good or better. The best is a hot shower before the shave and/or hair conditioner on the beard!

Yes that is what I have found to be the best.

I tried the C.O. Bigelow pre-shave oil for a couple of weeks and really couldn't tell the difference. According to their sight it contains Grape Seed Oil 38.5%, Jojoba Oil 6.5%, Aloe Extract 0.2% which adds up to only 45.2% which is strange. The soap I use affects the shave more than this stuff ever did.