Have you ever wondered how you could make your shaving experience better and much more comfortable? If you have sensitive skin that is a question that plagues your everyday life. Do you experience rashes, redness, razor burn, itchiness, dryness, and other forms of irritation during and after shaving? Maybe you experience all of the above, in which case you could probably use some help.
That is why we are here today, to provide you with some relief and make your wet shave an enjoyable experience. The question we are here to answer today is What is the best pre-shave oil? We’re also going to talk about what pre-shave oil is, how to use it, why you should use it, and we’re also going to give you our top 8 picks.
Pre-shave oil can help get rid of your shaving problems in a heartbeat and if you don’t use it already, you just might after having read what we have to say.
How To Use Pre-Shave Beard Oil
Pre-Shave oil has a good number of benefits, and we will talk about them soon enough, but first it is time to talk about how you even use the stuff. Keep in mind that this is pre-shave oil, meaning that it gets applied before you use any shaving cream. Follow these simple steps to efficiently and correctly use pre-shave oil.
- Step 1
Rinse your face with warm water to remove as much dirt, sweat, and bacteria as possible. You don’t want any contaminants on your face before you apply the pre-shave oil.
- Step 2
Apply a small amount of pre-shave oil to the palm of your hand. Use a minimum of 3 drops and no more than 6. Using any more than the recommended maximum will leave your beard and face very oily, plus it will leave a residue on your razor blades.
- Step 3
Rub the palms of your hands together to get a nice and even coating on both of your hands.
- Step 4
Use your fingers and the palms of your hands to gently massage the oil into your beard wherever you want to shave. Since this oil is for shaving, you will want to make sure that the oil reaches your skin. Therefore if you have a thick beard, you might need to use some more oil for it to penetrate the hair and get to the skin.
- Step 5
Allow the pre-shave oil to sink into your skin for a minute or two before continuing. While you do this, you can always wash your hands to get rid of any unwanted oil that is left over.
- Step 6
Use your regular shaving cream or soap, lather it up, and apply it to the areas where you want to shave and proceed with shaving like you usually would.
Why Should I Use Pre-Shave Beard Oil?
There are some different benefits that come with using some good pre-shave beard oil. Let’s not waste any time and get right to all of the advantages that come with using pre-shave oil.
- Pre-shave oil will provide both your beard and the skin on your face with some much-needed hydration. The moisturizing capabilities of pre-shave oil will make your skin smoother, softer, and healthier too. Not only that, but your beard needs hydration to be free of frizz, split ends, and breakage too.
- Another great part about using pre-shave oil is that it makes your facial hair much smoother. Having smoother beard hair means that there is not as much tugging when shaving. Coarse beard hair means that shaving is harder, and all of that tugging leads to irritation, redness, itchiness, and swelling. This also helps you get a much closer shave, and that’s something every man wants.
- The next fantastic aspect of pre-shave oils is that they help to exfoliate the skin. Exfoliation helps to remove bacteria and dead skin cells, something that is important to reduce irritation and bacterial infection.
- Pre-shave oil creates a fantastic protective barrier between your skin and the razor blades to stop razor burn and cuts from occurring.
- Many pre-shave oils contain anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. This is great because it reduces the amount of bacteria on the skin which can cause acne. These ingredients also go a long way in preventing swelling, inflammation, redness, itchiness, rashes, and razor burn too.
- You may also really like the smell of the pre-shave oil in question. Some of them smell really nice!
Things To Look For When Buying Pre-Shave Beard Oil
While most pre-shave oils will do the same things, they are not all of the same quality and don’t have the same ingredients. There are some things you will want to take into consideration before you go out and purchase any one pre-shave oil.
- One thing you want to look out for before buying a pre-shave oil what the ingredients are. You want to make sure that it doesn’t have any GMO’s, parabens, or any other chemical additives that may irritate your skin. This is especially important if you have sensitive skin.
- Look for a pre-shave oil that contains various essential oils and vitamins because those are the ingredients which will hold the most benefits for your skin and your beard.
- Another consideration to make before purchasing pre-shave oil is what the consistency is like. You don’t want an oil that is too thin or else it will run off your face and won’t stick right, but you also don’t want an oil that is too thick because you will have a hard time getting it onto your skin. Also if it is too thick, you will have a very hard time washing it off.
- It is also pretty important to get a pre-shave oil that comes in a dark amber colored bottle or preferably even a bottle that is opaque. This is because most of the ingredients in these products are essential oils which are susceptible to degradation due to exposure to air and sunlight.
- Good pre-shave oil should be able to provide a protective barrier for your skin, hydrate your skin and facial hair, have antibacterial properties, and anti-inflammatory properties too.
The 8 Pre shave oils we reviewed in this article
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Our Top 8 Picks – What Is The Best Pre-Shave Oil
Seeing as this is all about what the best pre-shave oils are, it wouldn’t complete without a list of our top picks. Here are our top 8 picks of pre-shave beard oils with a little bit of info on each of them. Let’s get right to it.
Taconic Shave Premium All Natural Pre-Shave Oil (2 oz.) - Unscented - Made in The USA
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We love this pre-shave beard oil because it provides lubrication and does all of the things a good pre-shave oil is supposed to do. Not only do we love this product because it is made in the U.S.A, but we also love it because it creates a moisturizing shield between your skin and the razor which helps to prevent razor burn, redness, cuts, itchiness, and virtually all other forms of irritation.
One of the things that we like about the Taconic Premium Pre-Shave Oil is that it is made out of all organic oils. Each of the oils present in this pre-shave oil has their specific qualities which make it great for any man to use.
First of all this pre-shave oil contains safflower oil which is a fantastic moisturizer so your skin won’t be as dry or cracked, it reduces redness and skin irritation, and it even helps to heal wounds such as razor cuts too.
Next, this pre-shave oil also contains castor oil, something that is great because it has antiviral and antibacterial properties which protect your skin from infection and bacterial irritation.
Finally, this oil also contains grape seed oil, a substance that is fantastic for creating a shield between your skin and the razor, not to mention it has strong antioxidant properties as well.
Each of these oils goes a very long way in lubricating, moisturizing, and protecting your skin against a wide array of issues that plague men who wet shave. Taconic Pre-Shave Oil is even enriched with vitamin E, something that is essential for healthy skin.
Another great part about this product is that it is unscented. This is great if you don’t like strong scents being in your nose all day long or if you would rather smell like your cologne too.
Pros We Like
- Scent Free.
- Great moisturizing properties.
- Enriched with vitamin E.
- Creates a shield which protects your skin before shaving.
- Made of all organic oils.
- Made in U.S.A.
- Comes in a convenient pump bottle.
- Provides for a closer shave.
- Great for people with allergies.
Cons We Dont Like
- Not ideal for men who like scented products.
- Some residue may stay on your razor.
The B.I.G. Company - Pre Shave Oil - 60ml / 2oz Shave Oil - Use with Straight Edge or Safety Razor - Classic Barbershop Scent - Shaving Guide ebook Included
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This is another one of our top picks and the main reason for that is because it’s not only a pre-shave oil, it doubles as a great beard oil too. That’s not all though because another great quality of this pre-shave oil is that it is made out of all natural ingredients.
It contains several natural oils which go a very long way in keeping your face and your beard feeling great. Not only that but these oils also make sure that your beard is smooth, and your stubble is soft and easy to shave.
Using B.I.G Pre Shave Oil on a daily basis will keep your facial skin smooth, hydrated, and healthy. Using it before you shave will prevent cuts, irritation, redness, bumps, ingrown hairs, and pretty much any other problem that regularly comes along with wet shaving.
This particular product even helps you get a much smoother and closer shave. It saves you pain and time because shaving is made much easier and a lot faster too.
Not only is this a great pre-shave oil option because all of the ingredients present in B.I.G are also great for those long beards. We love it when a product can double as something else, which in this case is a beard oil.
You can use this product as a pre-shave oil, a beard oil, or both at once. Of course, we can’t forget that B.I.G pre-shave oil has a great scent which you can smell all day long.
Pros We Like
- Comes in a pretty big bottle.
- Contains several essential oils.
- Provides hydration and moisture.
- Prevents redness, bumps, and irritation.
- Gives you a much closer shave.
- Natural and organic ingredients.
- Infused with vitamin E.
- Makes skin healthier than ever.
- Doubles as beard oil.
- Has a great scent.
Cons We Dont Like
- Some may not like the scent.
- Is very thick which makes washing it off difficult.
- May leave some residue on your razor.
Taylor of Old Bond Street 1.06 oz / 30ml Sandalwood Pre Shave Oil
$19.48 in stock
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This is another great pre-shave beard oil because it has some great properties that make it ideal for all men, especially those with very sensitive skin.
The main ingredient in this pre-shave oil is sandalwood oil, something which is fantastic for many different reasons. First of all sandalwood oil is an astringent. This means that it can tighten your skin upon application, thus making your skin feel smoother and also preventing bacteria from entering your pores too.
Sandalwood oil is also an antiseptic which means that it heals and prevents infections from occurring. This makes Taylor of Old Bond Street Pre-Shave Oil fantastic for healing cuts and for preventing cuts from becoming infected.
It also helps to prevent pimples from occurring and prevents irritation too. Furthermore, sandalwood oil is also an anti-inflammatory which means that it prevents redness, itchiness, and burning from occurring during and after shaving.
Next sandalwood oil is also a disinfectant which gets rid of bacteria before you shave, thus preventing bacterial infections. This stuff is also an emollient which helps to prevent infections, irritations, and inflammation as well.
The other great part about sandalwood oil is that it smells great so that you can impress people with your fantastic scent all day long. Not to mention that it is completely natural too, plus it is made in England, so you know that it’s good.
Another ingredient in this particular pre-shave oil is castor oil. This oil is great because it further helps to prevent infection and inflammation, plus it also has a really neat scent. It also helps to smoothen and hydrate the skin at the same time as well.
Taylor of Old Bond Street Pre-Shave Oil, due to being all natural, organic, and made of sandalwood oil, is great for sensitive skin that is prone to infection, pimples, and redness. This pre-shave oil helps you to get a smoother and closer shave every time.
You get this closer shave without having to worry about cuts or irritation thanks to the fact that this pre-shave oil helps to create a protective barrier that protects you from those razor sharp blades. Just apply some of this oil before you shave to prevent cuts and all other forms of irritation.
Pros We Like
- Helps prevent infection.
- Fights inflammation and irritation.
- Provides for a close shave.
- Moisturizes your skin.
- Acts as an astringent.
- All organic.
- Has a light but pronounced smell.
- Helps reduce cuts.
- Protects your skin.
Cons We Dont Like
- Some people may not like the scent.
- Quite thick and oily.
The Art of Shaving Pre-Shave Oil, Lavender, 2 Fl Oz
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This next pre-shave oil is another one of our top choice, one of the main reasons being that is has a truly delicious lavender scent which will have you smelling like a beautiful garden all day long.
One of the things about this oil that we also love is the fact that it can easily double as a beard oil for increased versatility. One of the best parts about the Art of Shaving Pre-Shave Oil is that it is free from all synthetic dyes and alcohol.
This is very important for men who have sensitive and dry skin because alcohol and dyes tend to dry out the skin and worsen skin irritation problems.
This pre-shave oil is ideal for providing a very close and smooth shave, preventing redness, itchiness, razor burn, and redness, and for keeping both your beard and face as healthy as can be.
We like the fact that The Art of Shaving Pre-Shave Oil is made of lavender oil, olive oil, and castor oil, all things which have numerous benefits and come in handy for any shaving man. Lavender oil has several beneficial properties, one of which is the disinfection of the skin.
This helps to prevent bacteria from entering your pores, thus preventing infection, irritation, and helping to reduce the occurrence of pimples and acne. In fact, lavender oil is viewed as one of the best possible treatments for severe acne problems.
Lavender oil is also known to help increase blood circulation and also to help hair grow faster and thicker. It even speeds up the healing process, so if you still happen to cut yourself with your razor, the injury will be healed in no time at all.
As we already mentioned for previous products, castor oil is great because it acts as an antiseptic, an anti-inflammatory, and it helps to hydrate the skin too. Furthermore, the olive oil in this pre-shave oil is great because it helps to provide a lot of hydration to the skin and facial hair.
This keeps your beard healthy, free of knots, and free of split ends too, plus it keeps it nice and shiny too. Olive oil is also known to be an effective treatment for eczema as well.
Another great part about olive oil is that it is filled with antioxidants, substances which are great for keeping your skin healthy and looking young. The Art of Shaving Pre-Shave Oil is great for creating a protective barrier while you shave.
This helps to reduce the chances of you cutting yourself, plus it keeps your skin looking young, smooth, hydrated, and helps prevent inflammation and infection as well. Plus the lavender scent smells great too!
Pros We Like
- Antibacterial.
- Anti-inflammatory.
- Provides great hydration.
- Contains anti-oxidants.
- Keeps the skin and beard smooth.
- Helps you get a closer shave.
- Smells fantastic.
- Increased blood circulation and hair growth.
- Doubles as a beard oil.
- Made of all natural essential oils.
Cons We Dont Like
- You may not like the scent of lavender.
- Quite expensive.
- May leave some residue on your razor.
Jojoba Oil by Leven Rose, Pure Cold Pressed Natural Unrefined Moisturizer for Skin Hair and Nails, 4 Fl Oz
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We really like this pre-shave oil because it is completely organic and hasn’t been refined in any way, yet it still makes for a fantastic product. This is mainly because Jojoba oil is one of the best types of oil you could ever hope to put on your skin.
We can’t lie because in our opinion one of the best parts about this oil is that it was made in our backyard, right here in the good old U.S of A. That’s not all, though, this jojoba oil has been cold pressed which means that it was extracted using a method that doesn’t compromise the integrity of the oil, leaving all of the essential elements in it.
Heat is bad for jojoba oil, something which the makers at Leven Rose kept in mind.Plus there is also the fact that the Leven Rose Organic Natural Jojoba Oil is free of all genetic engineering (GMO’s), does not have any additives, and certainly doesn’t contain any parabens.
This stuff is as organic and natural as you could ever hope for, something that is fantastic for combatting acne problems. Jojoba oil is great for sensitive skin and has a ton of other benefits too. First of all, jojoba oil is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents.
This means that it helps to protect your skin from the signs of aging and from irritation, bumps, and redness caused by shaving. It makes you look younger and less damaged. Not to mention that it also works great as a pore cleanser which helps to get rid of bacteria that could cause acne and inflammation.
This stuff is also fantastic because it acts as an extreme moisturizer for both your face and beard, thus preventing itchiness, dryness, irritation, and flakes too. It also helps to keep your facial hair from becoming malnourished, brittle, and frizzy, that being thanks to the multitude of vitamins that are present in jojoba oil.
There is also the fact that this Leven Rose Jojoba Oil comes in a dark amber bottle. That may not sound too impressive, but essential oils like this one are very susceptible to degradation caused by light, especially sunlight. Jojoba oil will also slowly degrade in quality with exposure to oxygen.
Therefore the dark amber bottle made of glass keeps out light and air, thus greatly extending the shelf life of this stuff.
Pros We Like
- Increased shelf like thanks to the dark amber glass bottle.
- Moisturizes the skin and hair.
- Fights dryness and itchiness.
- Keeps your skin and hair smooth and shiny.
- Acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
- Kills bacteria and cleanses pores.
- Helps fight acne.
- Cold pressed for increased effectiveness.
- All natural and free of additives, parabens, and GMO’s.
- Can be used as a beard oil as well.
Cons We Dont Like
- Has a unique scent.
This is perhaps the very best pre and after shave beard oil that you could ever hope to get. It has a ridiculous amount of natural ingredients and a ton of essential oils which makes this one of the most effective oils on the market today.
We also love this product because it is manufactured in Atlanta, Georgia and we can’t help but support that! The Well Groomed Guy Premium Pre And After Shave Beard Oil is 100 percent organic and free of any additives, parabens, and GMO’s, which means you can rest assured that you aren’t putting any poisons on your face.
Furthermore, it contains over 25 essential oils and ingredients which all contribute to a healthy beard and face. Even though there are a ton of ingredients in this shaving aid, it is virtually scent free and thus won’t hurt your nose like some other products too.
To name just some of the ingredients in this pre-shave beard oil, it contains hemp seed oil, coconut oil, babassu oil, pumpkin seed oil, kukui nut oil, cherry kernel oil, hazelnut oil, safflower oil, avocado oil, castor oil olive oil, sweet almond oil, tea tree oil, macadamia nut oil, grape seed oil, and quite a few more.
This means that your skin and beard is being infused with tons of vitamin A, B, C, D, E, and K, plus a ton of essential nutrients and minerals as well. This product is sensitive skin that is prone to irritation, dryness, and infection.
Between all of these ingredients, the Well Groomed Guy Pre Shave Oil has a multitude of benefits for your skin and beard. First of all this oil keeps your skin and beard well hydrated which makes your skin smooth and supple, plus it keeps your beard free of split ends and frizz too.
This oil is also an anti-inflammatory to protect against swelling, itchiness, redness, and bumps. Also, the anti-bacterial nature of this pre-shave oil means that it helps to prevent infection and stops bacteria from causing acne problems too. This stuff makes your skin much smoother and helps to provide for a very clean shave with ease.
So in short, this oil helps to prevent all forms of infection and irritation, it keeps your skin and beard smooth and hydrated, and it helps you shave with ease too.
Pros We Like
- All organic with no additives.
- Makes the skin and beard smooth.
- Prevents inflammation and infections.
- Contains many vitamins and minerals.
- Provides for an easy and close shave.
- Stops itchiness, dryness, and irritation in its tracks.
- Can be used as beard oil too.
Cons We Dont Like
- Has a slight scent from the oils.
- Slightly oily and may leave a residue on your razor.
The Blades Grim Smolder Pre-Shave Oil
This is another superb choice when it comes to pre-shave beard oils. It contains all natural ingredients and doesn’t have any additives or GMO’s. It’s healthy and completely organic.
The Blades Grim Smolder Pre-Shave Oil is fantastic because it helps provide you with a smooth shave every time. It softens up coarse hairs to make them easier to shave, and any facial hair left behind is softer than you could have ever imagined.
This is thanks to the advanced moisturizing properties of the oils in this pre-shave solution. This pre-shave oil also has a great smell. It will leave your face and beard smelling like Venezuelan Tonka, oranges, mandarins, star anise, and coriander.
It’s a great natural smell to be wearing all day long. We also really like the ingredients that are present in the Blades Grim Smolder Pre-Shave Oil. It contains castor oil, apricot kernel oil, and tocopherol (vitamin E).
These ingredients work together to accomplish a variety of things. First of all, they keep your face and beard moisturized to prevent itchiness, flakes, and dryness.
These ingredients are also great because they have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, both things which are great for combatting and preventing swelling, redness, and acne from occurring.
This is a great pre-shave oil that can also be used as a normal beard oil too, it smells great, and has a whole lot of benefits too. It even comes in a dark glass bottle which means that it has an extended shelf life thanks to being protected from the sun.
Pros We Like
- Made of all natural ingredients.
- Full of vitamins and essential oils.
- Prevents dryness, itching, and redness.
- Has a fantastic scent.
- Prevents acne.
- Stop inflammation.
- Kills bacteria to keep your skin healthy.
- Moisturizes your face and beard.
- Helps provide for a smooth and close shave.
Cons We Dont Like
- Some people may not like the smell.
- Negative Point
Bull and Bell Sandalwood Pre-Shave Oil - Handmade in the USA with All Natural Premium Quality Ingredients Including Vitamin E - 1 Oz - Best Shaving Oil for Sensitive Skin (Sandalwood)
This is the eighth and final pre-shave oil on our list of the top 8, but it certainly is not the least. It has great ingredients and an even better smell, all of which go a long way in providing you with a more than satisfactory shaving experience.
We really like the fact that the Bull and Bell Sandalwood Pre-Shave Oil is handmade without the use of machinery, and also it’s made in the U.S.A so, of course, you know that it’s good. Another thing we really love about this stuff is that it is free of additives and doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals or GMO’s.
The only ingredients present in this particular pre-shave oil are Prunus Americana or apricot kernel oil, Persea Gratissiman or avocado oil, and tocopherol or vitamin E, plus a little bit of fragrance too.
All of these ingredients work in combination to provide your face with a protective layer that stands in between your sensitive skin and those pesky razor blades.
This stuff is great because it moisturizes your face to fight against dry and itchy skin, plus it prevents dandruff too. The hydration aspect is great for both your skin and for your beard because it keeps your beard from being frizzy and brittle.
Bull and Bell Pre-Shave Beard Oil is also quite useful because it helps prevent razor burn, redness, rashes, cuts, and other problems too. Using this product will relieve you of inflammation and will help reduce acne causing bacteria as well.
Did we mention that this pre-shave oil smells like Sandalwood? It’s a scent that you really can’t go wrong with, not to mention that the amber bottle keeps the essential oils from going bad for an extended period of time.
Pros We Like
- Has a fantastic sandalwood scent.
- Provides moisture and hydration.
- Makes it easy to shave.
- Provides for a close and clean shave every time.
- Prevents inflammation, redness, and bacterial infection.
- Stops dryness and itchiness.
- Made of all natural ingredients.
Cons We Dont Like
- May leave a layer of residue on your razor blades.
- Some may not like the scent of sandalwood.
Conclusion
As you can see, good pre-shave oil can help you solve a multitude of problems that make shaving a really difficult and uncomfortable task. Things like redness, itchiness, inflammation, and dry skin are all problems that can be solved with pre-shave oil. If you have any of the above problems, we would highly recommend using any of the 8 options we have listed above.
We hope that we could provide you with at least a little bit of shaving relief and if we haven’t we would love to hear your opinion. If you have any questions about pre-shave oils, we would be more than happy to answer them. Plus any comments you have are welcome as well.
