Pre-Shave Cream vs. Pre-Shave Oil – the Differences

Not everyone uses them, but for some guys with their routine down to a fine art, pre-shave products will naturally have found their way into the process.

This is especially true for any gents with skin tending to lean towards the sensitive or easily irritated after a shaving session.

If you are already using a pre-shave product, you will have noted how it helps prepare the skin for what’s in store later on. In fact, there’s no escaping the fact that the steps you take before you even start to shave play a fair role in your overall success.

But how does the choice between using a cream or an oil affect the end result, in terms of a close, smooth shave without any irritation?

Let’s take a look at both pre-shave oils and pre-shave creams and see if we can figure the real low-down on each product,  and maybe help you decide if either fits onto your own ‘shaving essentials’ list.

The Primary Functions of Pre-Shave Creams and Oils

In a nutshell — pre-shave products sit just outside the periphery of the normal shaving process — to be used before so much as a drop of shaving lather has tasted oxygen. When you begin the actual shaving procedure – blade to face – the pre-shave product has already done a fair proportion of its job.

An Extra Layer

Some die-hard barbers and shavers will swear by the necessity of using a primer to add further moisture, hydration, and protection — before a brush has even so much as touched to skin. Pre-shave is intended as a base to be applied before lathering, resulting in a higher degree of protection from the razor, especially as far as ultra-sensitive skin goes.

If you are a ‘would-be’ old-school shaver who adds a pre-shave product to your routine, you’ll soon notice the benefits of using it to improve both your skin and your shaving process. And unless you already have a preference, you might consider trying both the pre-shave oil and the cream to find out which one is the best fit for you.

Natural Ingredients

We can’t stress enough how natural ingredients and products are always kinder to your skin, especially when it comes to matters of irritation. Many of the best pre-shave oils are made with natural oils. An increasing numbers of products are now paraben, phthalate, silicone, and artificial color-free (though certainly not all), and this at least makes it easier to find a decent product that is kind to your face.

A pre-shave cream or oil stays in place on the skin underneath the shaving cream, adding a smoother glide and making for a smoother shave. The main functions of pre-shave oils and creams are to hydrate the skin, soften any stubble, and basically improve razor glide. When used effectively, a pre-shave product coaxes your skin into a smoother-shaving environment with softer facial hair. You may experience less razor burn or even none at all. You’ll probably notice fewer nicks and cuts occurring due to the smoother glide of the blades this way as well.

Differences

But what differences are to be expected from using either cream or oil? Many old-school shaving subscribers think the difference between oil and cream products is the layer of lubricant between the skin and lather coming from the oil – which is not for everyone, especially those prone to oily skin.

Pre-shave creams differ from oils by either mixing with the regular shave cream to increase the lather’s consistency and effectiveness or by adding an additional non-oily protective layer between the skin and blade. Depending on your beard and skin type and the results you get with each, you may develop a preference for either pre-shave oil or pre-shave cream.

Let’s dig a bit deeper into that.

Pre-Shave Cream in a Nutshell

Pre-shave cream is refining the purpose of shaving cream from a different perspective to simply lathering up and getting to work with the blade. You may be one of the many shavers who‘s already tried various shaving creams yet remain slightly less than satisfied with the results you are getting.

In which case – let’s say you’ve already tried switching to better-quality cream in a tub or tube, yet you still feel something is lacking– then it’s time to introduce the pre-shave into the game.

The cream acts as an ‘extra layer’ of protection and smoothness in any wet shave. Some of the better quality pre-shaving creams usually contain natural and gentle ingredients to help smooth and moisturize your skin and protect it while shaving. That said, there are still likely a few chemicals like potassium hydroxide, phenoxyethanol and benzyl alcohol to name a few involved in many pre-shave creams, along with either single or combined oils like Eucalyptus or Sunflower.

The cream should be massaged onto damp skin with the fingers or a brush prior to shaving (depending on how much beard you have – a brush can get underneath longer hairs better than just the fingers). You don’t rinse it off – instead, you apply your regular shaving cream over the top and continue with your shave as normal.

Pre-Shave Oil in a Nutshell

Let’s just get this point of note out of the way first – pre-shave oil shouldn’t be confused with beard oil or shaving oil. This baby is purposed to be applied before the actual shaving process has begun – just like the pre-shave cream– and is used underneath a shaving cream or gel, rather than instead of it. Naturally, pre-shave oil will have a thinner layer of application than a cream which is slightly thicker and will more likely leave a light residue on your face.

There are a couple of slight differences between using a pre-shave oil and a cream, despite them both having the same purpose – to protect skin even more and enhance the smoothness factor. Ingredient-wise there is less possibility of being stung by too many nasty chemicals when using pre-shave oil, which is largely composed of botanical ingredients and essential oils. With pre-shave oil the base is usually made primarily with some form of carrier oil like Castor, Jojoba, or Coconut, and these natural oils are much gentler on your skin than some creams – meaning more moisture and protection.

Pre-shaving oil is definitely the best option if you are prone to dry skin resulting from your shave. The essential oils that are often added help to moisturize and hydrate your skin once the shave is finished. The main ingredients in many pre-shave oils tend to include carefully-selected, non-greasy oils that work in line with the skin to enhance your daily shave. Some brands and products may contain a single type of oil, while others may combine a wide variety like aloe vera, shea, castor, jojoba, avocado, sunflower, olive, coconut, and tea tree.

The oil is concentrated and so is usually available in small bottles — a few drops should go a long way. As the mix of oils used will vary according to the brand, it’s worth trialing a few different types to see any varying effects or to find out if you have any preference. If you do have sensitive skin you may consider going for fragrance-free oils.

Let’s check some out:

Pros and Cons of Each

Let’s have a quick look at the likely pros and cons of both types of pre-shave product. You may well find that one type, or even one brand fits your requirements much better than the others according to your individual facial hair and skin.  

Pre-Shave Oil Pros & Cons

Pre-Shave Cream Pros & Cons

– That just about covers this Pre-Shave Cream vs Pre-Shave Oil article and guide. Do check out the other related Pre-Shave articles and product reviews we cover.