Are Pre-Shave Oils Worth It??

Discussion in 'General Shaving Talk' started by poppi, Jan 1, 2020.

  1. poppi

    poppi Well-Known Member

    I did a quick search but didn't see anything so am posing the question " Are pre-shave oils worth it"?

    The reason I ask is because my son just gave me a late Christmas present of some pre-shave oil and, of course, don't want to disappoint him. But just wondered if using such products really make a difference or not.

    Any/all comments are welcome and thanks in advance
     
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  2. Preacher

    Preacher Well-Known Member

    That is a question that only you can answer. I started out using them, but as my lathering technique improved, I moved away from using them. But like everything else in this endeavor, YMMV.
     
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  3. John Beeman

    John Beeman Little chicken in hot water

    I have dry skin so I find them helpful.

    Your face will tell you the answer.
     
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  4. Joe Rouse

    Joe Rouse Well-Known Member

    I'm new to the wet shaving game. My first few attempts at it, I only washed my face and then shaved right out of the shower. I routinely ended up with nicks and cuts. I decided to purchase some shave oil just to see if it would help. It really has, so the answer from me is a resounding yes. But as you often see in these forums, YMMV. Give it a try and see how it works.
     
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  5. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    I may be quoting @wchnu or someone else ...... "Technique trumps product"


    But it's your face, shave it your way.

    :eatdrink013:
     
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  6. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Simple truth: No.

    Hydrate your hairs will soften the hair up, and good slick lather will do the most good.
     
  7. canoeroller

    canoeroller Well-Known Member

    I have found shaving oils to do two things, reduce irritation, and reduce the quality of shave. I use it only if my skin is very tender and dry, such as in the winter. If you find a benefit in it it is for your skin to decide.
     
  8. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    I've used pre-shave oils a few times. Didn't care for the way they made my face feel greasy, I was honestly more concerned with what the oil might be doing to my brush. As far as I could tell, it neither improved or degraded my shave.

    The oils were free samples included when purchasing other products or won in raffles, so I've never actually had to pay for pre-shave oil. ...still not worth it to me. :p

    My thinking runs like this: If the soap or shave cream I am using is so inadequate it requires the aid of a pre-shave oil, I probably shouldn't be using that soap or shave cream in the first place.
     
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  9. RaZorBurn123

    RaZorBurn123 waiting hardily...............

    I believe so.
     
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  10. mantic

    mantic U TOOB

    Unfortunately that's one of those "it depends" questions. I've found that if you do a good prep and you have good "software" (cream or soap) then a pre-shave is less (or not) necessary. If you must take a short-cut in your prep or if your cream/soap isn't quite up to snuff then yes, a pre-shave makes more of a difference to me. Also bear in mind there are pre-shaves that aren't oils (Trumper Skin Food, Grooming Dept. cream, and Proraso pre/post come to mind) and behave differently (at least for me) vs. an oil.
     
  11. LaneP

    LaneP Well-Known Member

    Have tried a few but didn't find a noticeable benefit, so no.
     
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  12. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    :signs011:
     
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  13. DesertTime

    DesertTime Well-Known Member

    I tried a pre-shave oil several years ago and did not find it helpful. Like someone else mentioned, it did kind of gung up my brush, making it more difficult to clean -- though that might be chalked up to inexperience with the stuff.

    To me, the most important part of a shave is creating a decent lather. It's the foundation of a decent shave and, in my opinion, makes more of a difference than hardware.
     
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  14. Sara-s

    Sara-s This Pun for Hire

    My husband & I use the pre-shave oils I make. (See tutorials.). We find that it reduces razor friction. Of course, that will vary with the person and the formulation of the oils you use.
     
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  15. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    I did use them all the time years ago, but further down the road I pretty much stopped using them. As I have sensitives skin, I will at times use a little on my face when my skin feels irritated, but it's not from shaving. It's just a preventative measure to keep my skin from getting worse after shaving.
     
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  16. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    As a beginner I used oil both with DE and straight. Key was a light application. As my technique and other preshave routine improved I found myself using it less and less. My pre shave includes sometimes noxema, always a shower, with pears glycerin soap to face. Finally stoppedusing pre shave oil when I found slick enough soap that left face conditioned. I still use a home made oil as a post shave skin conditioner, started out a pre shave oil evolved into and has many ingredients found in fancy face elixirs.

    short answer is yes it is worth it, And is a great addition to the shaving ritual.
     
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  17. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    I always thought Trumper's Skin Food was a POST-shave product.

    Learn something new everyday.
     
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  18. Robert1955

    Robert1955 Well-Known Member

    I have been using Trumpers skin food as a pre the last few shaves, I did not find it any better or worse than the pure Argan Oil I have been using before, but as the Trumpers is considerably more expensive, I shall revert back to Argan Oil, a small bottle goes a long way, I use 3 or 4 drops and massage it in then let it soak in while I strop or get my gear out, only thing is I need to wash my hands thoroughly to remove the oil or the razor becomes very slippy...even after using a Alum block.
     
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  19. Leclec13

    Leclec13 Well-Known Member

    Argan oil is a spectacular oil !!! it is one of then oils In my mix. I think argan oil is most underrated in the shave community.
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2020
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  20. Spyder

    Spyder Well-Known Member

    For me, it is not about shave quality. It about skin conditioning. For those that try it for a couple of shaves and Ross it in the unused bin; I say give it 30 days minimum before making a final judgment. That’s what it took for me to change my perspective. Perhaps a good trial for the 30 day crew?
    Like @John Beeman , I live in Michigan where the dry cold winter climate is absolute hell on your skin, especially if you’re already prone to having dry skin.
     

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