IMO, the better your technique, the less difference the oil will make. So for most, it's not worth the extra cost. OTOH, as a gift it cost you nothing, so ANY benefit is worth it.
I don’t like the oil. It gums up my razor and makes clean-up a pain. OTOH PAA’s Preshave Cube Soap is incredible. It bolsters whatever soap I’m using for that first pass. And has resulted in very close bloodlyshaves for me since I began using it!
I also dislike the slimy feeling on my face and hands! I just don’t like the stuff, and never found it to contribute anything to the shave.
Until today, I would have said no. I had to rush things a bit this morning, so I thought I'd try an old bottle of Shave Secret as a pre shave. Things went pretty well for a rush job, and my skin 5 or 6 hours later feels fantastic--and no irritation. I'm willing to re-open the possibility that pre shave oils might have their uses.
I was in the “it doesn’t work” camp until I used it for a 30 day focus. Maybe it’s all in my mind...I still don’t get the slimy feeling, clogging issue though??
I've tried some pre shave oils, just had to wash face with soap and re lather for second pass. Hydrating the beard with water, a good lather and a favorite razor/blade combo is good enough for me.
Try argan oil, not the proprietary shave oils, about £5 from ebay...only need 3 drops and work it in...leave as long as you can...soak your brush, strop your razor etc...give it 5 mins
My guess is that it’s related to individual skin types (oily/normal/dry). When I use a PSO I’m giving my skin what other people were born with and don’t need extra of. I’m sure adding oil to oily skin could possibly result in feeling slimy. I have a friend whose hair has never tangled while mine tangles every time it gets wet. Oily vs. dry. I’m not sure that the OP’s question of worth can be answered unequivocally for or against without consideration of individual skin type.
Agreed. I also didn’t come to appreciate it the first time I tried it. For me personally, it took 3-4 weeks of use to cure my dry skin.
I used a preshave oil on occasion early on. I did feel like it degraded my lather a bit. Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
For my dried hands and elbows my wife gave me Suave Healing Treatment hand lotion and within a week my hands an elbows were back to normal. I think if my face ever needed moisturizing i'd use it before bed. Suave makes many different types of hand creams that has many uses. So possibly Suave may help with dry facial skin. Or even Noxzema may also be considered, other than pre-shave oils.
I've used corn huskers lotion pretty much since I started. Seems to work well, fairly inexpensive, doesn't harm my #6 horse hair brush and doesn't leave my face feeling greasy.
