Pre-Shave / Mickey Lee Soapworks - Lime Pre Shave Butter

ABOUT PRE SHAVES

Preshaves are anything you do OR apply directly ' to your face or any body part ' before you actually Shave the area with a any type of Shaving Blade or Electric Shaver to make the Shaving of hairs easier and with less irritation. There are many people who insist that using any type of Preshave other than a high quality Shave Soap, Gel or Shave Foam is not necessary and find no benefit in using any other type of Preshave. There are also many more people who find great benefits when using many of the different Pre Shaves available.

If you have sensitive skin or after your Shaves you experience any type of mild irritation or razor burn you could very well benefit from trying some of the better quality Preshave options that are available. If after your Shaves you do not feel any burn, sensitive spots or irritation then a Preshave is not necessary. Below is a list of the benefits you can expect to experience when using High Quality Pre Shave products and the different types of Pre Shaves available.

BENEFITS OF USING PRE SHAVES

1. De-greases the skin and hair follicles more thoroughly than just washing your face, which allows the hair to absorb more water & soften easier.

2. Deeply moistens and softens the hair follicles which makes them easier to cut / Shave.

3. Prepares and moisturizes the skin so the skin will be more supple and elastic which will protect the skin when Shaving

4. Provides added lubrication so your Shaving Blades glide more freely when Shaving

5. Adds a layer of protection between your skin and the Shaving Blades

6. Less irritation when Shaving

7. Conditions and tones the skin even well after you have finished Shaving

8. Some Preshaves contain Menthol which cools and lightly and naturally numbs the skin before you Shave.

TYPES OF PRE SHAVES - MANY SHAVERS PERFORM OR APPLY MORE THAN ONE

1. THOROUGHLY WASHING YOUR FACE WITH WARM OR HOT WATER OR SHAVING STRAIGHT AFTER A SHOWER

This simple Preshave will clean and soften the hair follicles making them easier to Shave

2. FACIAL SCRUBS

This Preshave will thoroughly exfoliate the skin ( remove the dead skin cells ) & clean and soften the hair follicles making them easier to Shave - the gentlest types of facial scrubs are gels with suspended microbeads ( extremely small synthetic balls ) and some readily available inexpensive good quality Facial Scrubs that work well are by Nivea and Bulldog. The manufacturesrs advise not to exfoliate every day as they can be harsh on sensitive skin types.

3. PRESHAVE SOAPS

Preshave Soaps are very much like normal soaps except they are specially formulated specifically for preparing the skin for Shaving with a special combination of skin cleaners & moisturizers which thoroughly cleanse, condition, tone and lubricate the skin before a Shave. These type of Soaps are not Shaving Soaps they are Preshave Soaps which are to be rinsed off completely before applying your regular Shaving Foam, Cream or Lather. Some Preshave Soaps like RAZOROCK Mr Joe also have Menthol as one of the ingredients which cools and lightly numbs the skin and citrus oils which aid in de-greasing the skin and whiskers and this allows the hair to take in more moisture from the water and soften easier.

4. HOT TOWELS

Hot Towels are a very effective Preshave, they are an ordinary towel thoroughly dampened, but not dripping, with very warm to hot water - Many Barbers all around the world will sit you in a reclining Barber chair and apply a Hot Towel to your face for about 3-4 minutes before applying a lather and giving you a Shave. Hot Towels when used this way effectively moisten and soften the whiskers making the facial hair much easier to Shave or cut, as hot water will soften hair follicles much better than cold water. Hot Towels may not be necessary if you shower before you Shave but Hot Towels are still - more effective than just showering and many thousands of people swear by and use Hot Towels before each Shave. If you plan on trying Hot Towels as a Pre Shave start with very warm Towels and work up to hotter towels as they have the potential to harm sensitive skin types - you can test the temperature of the Hot Towel before you apply it to your face by first holding it against the inside of your forearm and if you can easily bear the heat of it there it will be at the right temperature for your face.

5. ALUM BLOCKS

Alum is widely known as the best Aftershave available but it can also be used as a Preshave - Just wet the end of the Alum Block in cold tap water rub it gently against the grain ( the opposite direction to which the hair naturally grows ) of your face hairs and this will cause the hair follicles to stand on end which makes them easier to cut and the Alum will also condition and treat the skin so it is more ready to Shave without irritation.

6. PRESHAVE CREAMS

As the name says Preshave Creams are simple creams that have carefully selected and balanced natural ingredients that when applied before a Shave - by rubbing in a small amount of cream on your face with your fingertips - helps to soften whiskers, moisturize, condition and prepare the skin before you apply your lather or Shave Foam on top and Shave. Many Preshave Creams also have lubricants which help the Razor Blades glide more easily over the skin. Preshave Creams come in tubes, tubs, bottles and jars with a great variety of scents and each manufacturer uses its own unique formula of ingredients so its worth trying a few types before deciding on the one you will stay with.

7. PRESHAVE GELS

Exactly the same qualities as Preshave Creams except in a much easier to apply - GEL formula and consistency. GELS are non oily / non greasy Lubes with Essential Oils. Products like RAZOROCK ' Essential Oil Of Lime Professional Shaving Lube' can be used before lathering your Shave Soap on top or you can Shave with it on its own without any foam / lather or Shave Soap as a brushless shave lube ( this product is that good - you dont even need to use or apply water to your face - you might need some water only to rinse your Shaving Blade every few strokes ) so its perfect for campers and everybody.

8. PRESHAVE OILS

Preshave Oils are probably the mostly known & tried Preshave. The principle idea behind Pre Shave Oils is to add more glide and lubrication & a layer of protection so the Shaving Blade travels more fluidly across the skin when cutting your facial hairs. Preshave oils are not just one oil & you will find looking at the ingredients they contain a number of natural essential oils in a balanced combination to enhance your Shave. These products can also contain an astringent which causes your hair bristles to lift up from the skin's surface, facilitating a close shave. Apply Preshave oil before applying your Shave Foam or lather by gently rubbing into your face & neck areas with your fingertips. Many people use & love Preshave Oils but there are also many who do not like using them because they insist using them i) clogs up the Razor blade ii) causes more blade drag when Shaving iii) is more messy to wash your Shave Brush, Razor & sink ( as it can leave a hard to clean residue ) after each Shave iv) leaves an oily feeling on the skin after you finish Shaving which some need to wash off.

9. FACIAL MASSAGE

When washing your face or applying a Preshave Oil or Preshave Cream or Preshave GEL or even after Lathering your Favourite Shave Soap with your favourite Shave Brush take some extra time to gently and thoroughly massage the product into your skin even up to 3 minutes, massaging your skin will stimulate blood flow to the area and cause the skin to release the bodys own natural oils and also makes the skin more supple and elastic and prepares the skin better for any micro trauma or pain which always occurs every time you Shave. Massaging will also cause the hair follicles to lift, allowing for a closer Shave. Many Barbers around the world will lather your face with a Shave Brush and Shave Soap then massage the lather in for about 3 minutes before re applying a Lather from a Shave Brush again and then giving you a Shave ( they also do this to feel which directions your Facial hair grows so they know which angles to hold the Razor Blades against your skin as well as check for any pimples, facial dents and get a general feel of the face contours before a Shave too ).