2017 Best Pre Shave Oil Update: Many of these oil’s prices have dropped by half on Amazon. Be sure to check the current price before making a decision. There are also several new reviews to read since the original publishing date of this review.
What the heck is pre-shaving oil? Whether you use electric shavers or you wet shave. I’m sure you have used different forms of shaving cream or gel but have you even heard of oil?
Shaving oils are actually rising in popularity recently for many reasons. Today we are going to tell you everything you need to know about shaving oil and give you some recommendations for the best one for men.
What is shaving oil?
Shaving oil can be as simple as a vegetable oil or it can be siloxanes mixed with essential oils which can be used as a shaving lubricant or a pre-shave underneath your favorite cream, soap or gel. This helps assist the shaving of your facial hair.
Don’t be worried about the fancy chemistry term siloxane. It is just a simple compound made oxygen and silicon, if that sounds familiar, it should. These are the backbones of silicone. However, these compounds are used heavily in biomedical and cosmetic applications so there has been extensive testing and they are deemed safe.
Benefits
The number one benefit of using a shaving oil is the lubrication and protection properties it gives you. As we mentioned several times already the oil helps soften your beard hair and lets the blade slide easily over your skin so that it reduces irritation and razor bumps as you shave.
For those of you with sensitive skin you may want to try implementing shaving oil as part of your daily routine. Some say it can help reduce razor bumps or ingrown hairs because of it is protecting and moisturizing properties. It does this by preventing the blade from pulling the hair before cutting. Regular shaving cream still allows the blade to pull the hairs, this is when they get cut below the skin causing them to grow back into the skin and cause the bumps.
It also moisturizes as you shave which will help prevent dry skin that other aerosol can shaving creams will do.
Speaking of aerosol cans, do you know what ingredients they use for those?
From Barbasol’s website: WATER, STEARIC ACID, TRIETHANOLAMINE, ISOBUTANE, LAURETH-23, SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE, PROPANE, FRAGRANCE.
Propane, seriously? Don’t light your face on fire!
Seriously though, do you know what the other several ingredients are?
Shaving oils are increasing in popularity for the benefits it brings to shaving. Also because they can be made with natural ingredients. Most of them don’t use any harmful chemicals.
If you use a safety razor you may get fewer cuts or nicks and if you use an electric razor you may find it glide easier with the use of an oil.
A little shaving oil goes a long way so you don’t need a lot, which makes this product easy to travel with. It is also said not to clog pores so your faces stays pretty and blemish free! Most of the time you only need about 3 drops of oil to cover your beard area.
There is also a “hidden” benefit of using an oil. It has a lower carbon footprint and uses more environmentally friendly packaging then traditional shaving creams. Since it spread so far it comes in smaller packaging which means lower transport costs, giving it the lower carbon footprint.
Finally, shaving oil is normally cheaper than regular foams or soaps on a per shave basis and it helps you see where you are shaving. This way you won’t unnecessarily go over the same spot multiple times and risk irritating your skin.
How To Use Pre Shave Oil
When you shower the hot water and soap dilutes and removes your skin’s natural oil, making the thought of replacing that with a shaving oil even more tempting. Hot water on your skin also makes it more malleable which makes it easier to shave during this time.
However, to counter act this fact you have just removed natural oils around your beard hair as well so they will absorb more water making them thicker and heavier, which can increase resistance during your shave.
After your shower is when you want to apply the oil, when your pores are opened up from the hot water. It is recommended to keep your face slightly wet to help spread the oil over your skin. Also, like we mentioned earlier a little goes a long way. Start with just a couple drops (2-3) and rub into your beard with your hands. You can massage it in circles.
Once you have applied it to your face allow it to soak for a couple minutes for optimal benefit.
After you finish shaving you can even use a few more drops to re-hydrate your skin. This will prevent dry skin and reduce irritation. After you get used to the oil you will wish you started years ago!
Cons
Well the most obvious is that you have to pay for it. So this is one more product that you will need to keep up with. However, will the benefits outweigh the cost? That will be up to you to decide to see how much you enjoy or how much relief you get from using the oil.
Another disadvantage could be just the extra couple minutes that you are going to use applying it and allowing it to soak in. So if you like to sleep in, in the morning you might find the added time annoying.
However, as you can see there are not many disadvantages to using a pre-shave oil. And it really doesn’t cost that much so even if you decide you don’t like it, your wallet won’t feel the pain too much. You can always give it to a friend as well and since you don’t have to use much they will get almost a full bottle!
Recommendations
Lather & Wood Sandalwood, Premium Shaving Oil Review
This is available on Amazon. However, it is scented like sandalwood so if you are not a fan of that then you should look at some of the other, unscented oils.
As you can see on the ingredients they use 7 different natural oils to help reduce ingrown hairs and soften up your tough beard. These oils, like we mentioned earlier, moisturize your skin as well. They claim their oil gives a “superior slickness for extreme comfort”
They also only recommend allotting it to soak for 30 seconds before you add your favorite shaving cream or soap. You can also shave with just the oil as well if you are in a rush.
The other great thing about his product is that it is only around $12!
It has over 400 reviews (4.6/5 stars) at the time of this article with over 86% of those at least a 4 star. The customers really seem to love this product despite its scent. Read them for yourself!
The Blades Grim Smolder Pre-Shave Oil Review
A close second to the Lather & Wood pre-shave oil would have to be the Blades Grim with a 4.4 star rating and over 200 reviews!
Blades Grim also claims their oil helps lift your hairs in preparation for the shave. The Smolder scented oil has a few less ingredients as well Ricinus Comunis (Castor) Oil Prunus Americana (Apricot) Kernel Oil Tocopherol (Vitamin E) Fragrance: Smolder.
So for those of you who prefer the natural route this is a little closer to that. Just like all shaving oils you only need a few drops to get the desired benefits.
This pre-shave oil has a few more 3 star ratings but people really seem to love the manly scent.
Dermalure Pre-Shave Oil Review
Dermalure is not as popular but still has a 4.5/5 star rating on Amazon.
This oil is unscented for those of you to have no scent and has nine different oils: Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Olea Europaea (Organic Olive) Oil, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Triticum Vulgare (Wheat Germ) Oil, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Fruit Oil, Rudus Idaeus (Red Raspberry) Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Azadirachta Indica (Neem) Seed Oil, (Castor) Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil
Just like the others Dermalure recommends to wait 30 seconds to one minute to allow the oil to work its magic.
Many of the reviews mention how much this oil has helped those especially with problems with razor bumps and skin irritation.
Shaveology Lubricating Pre-Shave Oil Review
With a 4.1/5 star rating on Amazon Shaveology’s pre-shave oil is the most natural of the 5. It only has 3 ingredients!
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Olea Europea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Lavandula Officinalis (Lavender) Oil
They also use the “supreme slickness” language. However they market their product as a compliment to their other products and more of a brand. You can still just buy the oil and get the desired effect. This is also a 2 oz. bottles while some of these other brands come in a 1 oz. bottle and it still is only around $15.
American Crew Ultra Gliding Shave Oil Review
While this one has a 4.3/5 stars on Amazon with over 200 reviews, it has a few more hard to pronounce ingredients than the others but still has 10 different oils.
This is also the biggest brand so for those of you who like to shop more “local” so to speak the other oils listed are smaller companies. However, maybe their experience gives you a better product.
You can check the reviews out for yourself.
Conclusion
As you can see a pre shave oil is great if you have sensitive skin or a thicker beard. It provides extra lubrication for your sensitive skin which will help the razor slide easier. For those of you with a tough beard, it will help soften the hair up making it easier to cut.
These oils are relatively cheap as well so you may want to try a few different kinds before you decide on yours. You could even buy a couple bottles at once and give away the ones you don’t want as gifts to your friends.
We hope you have enjoyed learning about the benefits of a pre-shave oil and this guide helps you find the best one for you.
We are sure once you start using your first shaving oil you will love it!
I am looking for an oil for my brother as he experiences skin irritation after each shaving. I think I could get for him Lather & Wood Sandalwood Premium Shaving Oil – I like the ingredients and think this could work. Also there are so many positive reviews on Amazon for this product. Do you know how long could this bottle last, approximately? Besides that – are there any products that are supposed to be used together with this one for a greater effect – like after-shave balm or some cream from the same product line?
Great questions Arta, this bottle should last a good amount of time. You really only need a couple drops to effectively cover your face before shaving.
On top of the oil you will want to apply your favorite shaving cream or soap as when these two items are used together it should provide excellent protection and lubrication to give your brother a smoother shave with less irritation.
I’ve always use aerosol can shaving cream but it seems like I’ll need to re-think using them – those ingredients are quite scary lol!
I’m interested in these shaving oil but have a couple of questions about it:
– do we need to make our beard soaked in the oil until it’s shiny before shaving, if I only want to use the oil without cream
– is it hypo allergenic?
Hey Isaac, thanks for the comments and the questions.
If you take a hot shower and wash your face before you shave this will remove your bodies natural oils which will help allow the oil to penetrate your beard. Most companies recommend allowing the oil to soak for just a minute or two.
However, you may want to test a few areas if you are only using the oil without shaving cream.
As to the allergens, most of them only have a handful of ingredients so it would probably be worth it to just quickly read the label to see if you are allergic to anything.
I am a bit confused. Can you use these oils when you are using an electric razor?
The oils do sound like a great product. I know my husband hates shaving because he ends up with a red rash after shaving. He has very sensitive skin so the oil’s moisturizing properties may be just what he needs.
Also I like the fact that they are made from natural ingredients. The last thing a man needs is chemicals on his face.
Hi Maureen, if your husband’s electric shaver is capable of wet & dry shaving than yes, you should be able to use a pre-shave oil with it just like any ordinary shaving cream.
Thanks for stopping by!
Hey Jeremy,
Thanks for writing this great information on shaving. I have always had a tough time understanding how to shave my own face. No matter what I try, I always seem to give myself razor burn or ingrown hairs and it is very frustrating. I will take these things into consideration when I shave my face tonight and maybe I’ll get one of these things.
Hi Anthony,
I know the feeling, razor burn can be tough to deal with. One of these pre-shave oils would be sure to give you more comfort when you are shaving.
Let me know if you decide to get one and how it works for you!
I use Taconic Unscented Pre-shave Oil and it was the perfect fit to the puzzle of razor burn with my wet shave. My razor burn has disappeared and I see no need to change. I like that it is unscented because I use matching scented shave soaps, aftershaves and colognes. I also like that it dispenses oil with a pump on top of the bottle. I feel the pump is more consistent. Two thumbs up!
That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it.
Big Al