I just made some with 3:1 ratio of olive oil and castor oil. It seems to be working fine... though the texture is quite a drastic change from my AOS preshave sandalwood I was using. This 3:1 ratio is very "runny" ... not so thick; but, as far as functionality, my shaves have been smoother, cleaner, and less irritation with this homemade stuff. Thoughts?
Makes sense. I don't think they really add anything else besides scent enhancers. ... I do feel the 3:1 is providing a better shave ... doesn't stick so much; things don't clump up.
I made a new batch yesterday of PSO. Even though I still had about 60% of the previous batch, I managed to knock the bottle off the counter onto the floor, resulting in a pool of oil and broken glass ( glass bottle half full of oil vs tile floor = mess). I changed up the Oil ratio slightly on this batch (less castor than the previous, 50/50). 1 part Jojoba, 1 part Sweet Almond, 1 part XVOO, 1 part Castor. Fragrance: 75% Lime EO, 25% Grapefruit EO. A touch-less viscous than batch#1, feels great on the face and the scent is quite fresh and pleasingly citrusy. Fortunately, I had an extra 4 oz pump bottle on hand for the new PSO.
At first I was really digging the extra viscosity of the 50/50 mix, but I have recently tried my old go to American Crew again and it is super slick and obviously much less viscous. I found their ingredient list and it is the most complicated mix of oils I have seen, not to mention parabens. I would like to imitate its great slickness in my next batch though.
I just wanted to say thank you all for creating and posting in this thread - I originally made a concoction of jojoba:castor at a 1:1 ratio, but found the viscosity to be a little too low for my liking. I added more castor oil till I found the right mix. I also added some some lavender and peppermint essential oils...just enough to get a very faint "whiff" as I did not want the scent to cover up or clash with whatever cream/soap I would be using. In any case, I tried out my homemade PSO last night and am very happy to report that it is a keeper. It spread extremely well and definitely softened my skin and added glide to the shave. In my opinion, the only thing separating it from AoS PSO is the scent (which is not a big deal to me) and the much higher cost of the AoS product
Have some new oils on their way. Grapeseed and Jojoba oil. I was wondering if anyone had tried adding menthol to their PSO. Would it be better to do this with crystals or MBomb?
MBomb will probably mix in more easily. But start with a very small amount. If it's too weak, you can always add more.
Awesome thanks...was looking for something a little more cooling than Peppermint EO. The MBomb is pretty convenient to have around...Very versatile!
The way I use my PSO is to pour a small amount into my palm, dab it on with my finger, then rub it into the beard. I have added two drops of M Bomb to that small amount of PSO and it worked out very well. By doing it that way, instead of mentholating the entire bottle of PSO, I get the menthol only when I want it, and as much of it as I want simply by adding an additional drop or two.
Whipped up a new batch of PSO tonight... Carrier Oils Grapeseed Oil - .6 Oz. Castor Oil - .6 Oz. Jojoba Oil - .5 Oz. Olive Oil - .3 Oz. I was wanting a little more slickness in my PSO, so I added Grapeseed which seems super slick. The Castor Oil was dropped slightly so as not to work against increased slickness, but still present to add a little thickness. I know Jojoba is really good for your skin, so I added this too. Essential Oils 1 Part Eucalyptus EO 1 Part Peppermint EO 3 Parts Lavender EO I wanted a PSO that was really cooling and refreshing and smells like my favorite (lavender) so I went with this mix. The Eucalyptus ramps up the camphor scent in the Lavender. My initial impressions are really positive. Extremely slick, not too thick like my last batch. The scent is really awesome as well. Can't wait to try it out tomorrow and see if it is cooling and refreshing as well!
Sound potent! Any residual...um...aroma? I am always wary of overdoing scents, particularly if there is a 'process' involved (i.e. soap in the shower (fragrance) pre-shave oil (fragrance), shave soap or cream (fragrance), aftershave (fragrance) or balm (fragrance), cologne (BIG fragrance)...how nice do all there scents play with one another? I don't want to come across a 6'4" potpourri sachet.
I'll let you know tomorrow...Haven't tried it yet! Actually, the Lavender and Eucalyptus play very well together as the Eucalyptus just seems to add a little more camphor scent to what the Lavender already has. It just pumps it up a little. As for the the Peppermint, its pretty understated in this mix, but does seem to add a little of that refreshing mint scent.
Just a small update... I am still using my original concoction as performance has been phenomenal. I keep it in a 4-ounce bottle with a flip top - Not a bottle I would trust to travel but more than adequate for shower-shaving. My significant other has also taking a liking to use it before her shaving duties.
Razor friction is probably the main reason I'm switching away from electric shavers (never tried cheap disposable modern razors, only electric). If this helps, I'll give it a go. Thanks for the recipe! =D
