Does Shave Oil Work?

If you're like I was, your shaving routine probably consisted of 3 steps: 

1. Apply shaving gel
2. Shave
3. Apply aftershave balm
4. Hope for the best 

It's a tried and tested technique.

If I had time, I'd wash my face with warm water first, but more often than not, it was straight on with the shaving foam and a quick prayer to the god of shaving that my face wouldn't end up with nicks and a shaving rash.

For some reason - and I've never been able to fathom this - this system worked 50% of the time.

Sometimes I'd come away with a smooth face, and sometimes I'd come out with cuts and rashes - especially around my chin and the bottom of my neck. 

So I thought to myself - now's the perfect time to develop the ideal shaving routine and not leave anything to chance. 

And that got me thinking about the best shave products for men.

I started researching "the perfect shave" and found several articles and blogs which listed "pre-shave oils for men."

So let's get started.

What is pre-shave oil? 

Men's shaving oil has been around for 1000s of years, but pre-shave oils are more recent.

Pre-shave oil adds an extra layer of protection against cuts, nicks, and irritated skin.

The idea is that it precedes applying a men's shaving gel.

Pre-shave oil makes the whole shaving process more comfortable - it protects, hydrates, and lubricates your skin before shaving.

The result? Fewer razor burns.

The best shaving oils for men are made from natural ingredients like

• Sweet Almond Oil - great for healing skin burn
• Jojoba Seed Oil - inflammatory properties and soothes dry skin
• Cinnamon Leaf Oil - calms dry skin
• Patchouli Oil - reduces skin blemishes and soothes dry and chapped skin 

You should avoid shaving oils with synthetic fragrances - they may smell nice, but these can dry out and irritate your skin, which is the exact opposite of what you want.

A quality pre-shaving oil gets its aroma from natural ingredients like Patchouli Oil, Cinnamon Oils, or Tea Tree Oil.

Be careful with Castor Oil. It's commonly used in pre-shave oils as a moisturizer, but it can cause an allergic reaction in some men. 

When to use pre-shave oil?

Remember that pre-shave oil isn't a replacement for wetting your face with warm water before shaving.

Here's my new routine. It gives me the best, irritation-free close shave: 

1. Prep your face with warm water and a men's face wash to remove oil, dirt, and dead skin cells and open up your pores. 
2. Apply several drops of natural pre-shaving oil onto your palms, rub them together and press onto the areas to be shaved.
3. You can now apply your shaving soap, cream, or shaving gel for men.
4. Shave as you would normally. 
5. Once you've finished shaving, wash your face with cold water to close your pores and always follow up with good quality, natural aftershave balm to complete the process. 

 

Something to bear in mind - shaving oil can clog your razor, but this is normal. (You'll have to rinse more often during shaving.)

Summary

Is pre-shave oil essential? It depends on your skin. 

Some of my friends don't use it and seemingly don't need to, but if you're like me and your skin is prone to razor burn, I strongly recommend trying it.

I now consider pre-shaving oil an essential part of my shaving routine.

It makes the whole process a lot more enjoyable and reduces the redness I found around my chin and the bottom of my neck.

But it's important to remember that using a pre-shave oil alone won't do much good. It isn't a miracle cure for razor burn - you must incorporate it into a shaving routine.

As I mentioned earlier, always go for natural pre-shave oils and avoid cheaper products with chemical-based ingredients.

Always read the ingredients carefully and Google any ingredients which don't sound familiar.

Believe it or not, some manufacturers are known to list artificial chemicals as their Latin variants to make them sound more 'fancy.' Be careful!

If you're tired of razor burn and looking like your skin has nappy rash, I recommend trying our natural men's pre-shaving oil.

It's free from chemical ingredients, and it works perfectly in conjunction with VITAMAN's natural men's shaving gel and aftershave balm.