I have been wet shaving for a little over a year now. I have used Johnson Baby Oil as a pre-shave. I have lately have not been using it on a regular basis, I really have not notice any difference in my shaves. The question is are pre-shave oils/balms really any aid in for making a better shave?
You know, I've been wondering the same thing actually. I've used Prep pre-shave cream, and while it's nice, it feels like it may be tightening the pores....can't confirm that though. I will use Jock Soap pre-shave oil or one of my own making before some soaps like Williams and it seems to help some, but then again I can't really complain about my shaves with Williams by itself. I think perhaps the pre-shave oil helps avoid dryness when using a soap like Williams, at least that's what seems to me to be the case for my face. My own mixture of pre-shave oil is a hodgepodge mixture of grape seed oil, jojoba oil, lavender EO, and some of that shave oil they sell at Wallmart that has the strong clove smell. I will say, that my mixture is better than the Jock Soap oil. As a side note, the Jock Soap shaving cream is actually pretty nice stuff but it takes a little more product that Taylor's by comparison and likes less water...but I digress.
I use TSD ISZ PSB for myweekend shaves - Saturday str8s and Sunday SEs. I believe it makes for a smoother shave, especially for my str8 shave.
I use Shave Secret which I found at Wally World. Like 5 to 6 drops seem to help the blade glide over my face and it seems to help the soften the whisker. I have used it without cream on my head in the past and it did great. I think I feel it the most after the shave and that really smooth feeling I have on my face.
I don't think they make much of a difference. I'll break out the pre-shave oil if my skin is feeling dried out, but it doesn't do anything for my shaves.
The ones that worked for me were Nivea Creme , the ladies face cream, Shave Secret ,Taylor of Old Bond Street Pre Shave Gel, Proraso Pre/After Shave Cream.
I honestly haven't noticed a difference. I tried olive oil for a few months when I first started out. It may be a YMMV thing as to whether it helps you or not. I'm certainly not going to tell you it's baloney but I will leave it at I didn't notice a difference for me. It was just another step.
With a good soap like Tabac, TSD or Arko, it does seem like I can get about the same shave without oil everywhere on my face-except for my neck. The neck is where pre-shave oil benefits me. I use a blend of 1part caster oil, 1 part grapeseed oil, plus a dash of glycerin and lavender EO. For softer whiskers, increase the caster oil ratio. For more neck-skin protection, increase the grapeseed ratio. I find 50-50 of each is about right for me. Sometimes I add a drop or 2 of TSD M-Bomb in the palm with the pre-shave oil. I think of this as my "neck preservation oil."
