Zirh Prepare pre-shave oil

What I like

Good lubrication

Excellent protection

What I don’t like

Like most shave oils, it’s difficult to see where it’s been applied

Overall

An excellent product

Review

Zirh Prepare pre-shave oil Zirh Prepare is a pre-shave oil. It can be used to prepare the skin prior to applying another shaving lubricant (shaving cream or gel), or it can be used as the sole shaving lubricant. It comes in a 30ml (1 fl. oz.) container, which is twice as large as most shaving oils that I’ve tried (most come in 12ml or 15ml containers).

As with most shaving lubricants, Zirh Prepare is best applied after thoroughly moistening the shaving surface. Most shaving oils recommnend 3 to 5 drops for shaving the face. There weren’t any specific instructions with this product, so I tried a few variations, and found that I preferred to use 6 or 7 drops on my face, and about 6 drops on my scalp.

Zirh Prepare is pretty much odorless, and it also does not have that “menthol tingle” that some shaving oils have. I don’t have a preference either way, but for those who dislike the tingle, that would be a plus. As with all shaving oils, it’s pretty much impossible to tell where it’s been applied, but that isn’t normally a problem. Zirh Prepare applies easily and evenly as long as you rub it in thoroughly for a minute or two.

I found the texture of this product to be a little greasier than the other shave oils I’ve tried. That is to say, it seemed a little greasier when I first put the product in my palm. Once it’s applied to the shaving surface, it’s not noticeable at all, and my scalp didn’t feel at all greasy afterward.

Lubrication is good, about standard for a shaving oil. Protection is excellent; I experienced very little irritation and no cuts or nicks while I was using this product. It has the high level of performance that I’ve come to expect from shaving oils.

I also experimented with using Zirh Prepare as a pre-shave, and using Zirh Shave Cream on top of it. While the resultant shaves were excellent, they weren’t any better than the shaves using only Zirh Prepare, so I don’t see any particular advantage to this method. It might be nice for those who prefer to have a visible shaving lubricant so it’s easier to see where they’ve already shaved.

At this writing (September, 2004), Zirh Prepare costs $14.50 (USD) for 30ml (1 oz.) on the Zirh website. That’s comparable to other shaving oils on the market, though there are several shaving oils that are available for less.

Overall, I found Zirh Prepare to be an excellent shaving oil, and I can definitely recommend it. It helps facilitate a close, comfortable shave, and it’s easy to use.

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Zirh Prepare pre-shave oil