You Should Use Olive Oil To Shave Your Face

The creation of a materialistic consumer society has led to the commercialization of any and all activities. One activity in particular is grooming. There is an enormous and extremely varied amount of solutions offered for sale for your grooming “problems”. Every once in awhile, I come across some not-so-commercial solutions such as Roosh’s baking soda use and Samseau’s no shampoo challenge. These types of solutions interest me because they can be more effective and have less drawbacks than commercial products used in their intended role.

After reading numerous other articles on alternative hygiene methods I became curious if there was a better way to shave. After reviewing the concept of how a blade works to cut hair and how many commercial products are used to facilitate this I began to think of what else can accomplish this in a better fashion.

One of my favorite soaps is derived from olive oil. I put a little drop of olive oil between my fingers and I realized this could be an effective lubricant better than  alcohol based shaving cream and lotions. I decide to try it. It worked far better than I thought it would. I had a smooth face with no razor burn or drying. Here is my method:

Step 1.

Dampen a washcloth with water and put it in a bowl. Microwave this bowl for one minute.

Step 2.

Trim your beard as close as possible with electric clippers.

Step 3.

Remove  the bowl from microwave. This washcloth will be extremely hot. Put your face as close to the towel in the bowl as comfortable and allow the steam to work on your face.

Step 4.

Start rubbing olive oil into your stubble. Be generous because it is relatively thick. Make sure to rub it in thoroughly.

Step 5.

Use your regular razor and begin shaving. The strokes will be far shorter and slower than what you used to due to the thickness of the olive oil. You only get to go about half an inch before the blade gets clogged. Rinse the blade thoroughly after every stroke.

Step 6.

After shaving all the hair off you wanted to, take the washcloth out of the bowl. By now it has cooled off to a safe temperature. Use the washcloth to wipe down your face. You will notice that there is some olive oil left behind. This functions as a sort of aftershave.

Utilizing this method I’ve noticed a few things. The razor blade doesn’t actually feel like its on your skin but above a layer of olive oil. This could be why there is no razor burn.  The lack of alcohol and other detergents prevent your skin from drying out or having skin oils washed away. Finally, just like the baking soda idea referenced earlier, olive oil is a whole lot cheaper than shaving cream.

Read Next: How To Wear A Beard Without Looking Like An Ax Murderer