CeraVe Moisturizer as Preshave? Hair oil as Preshave?

I bought a jar of CeraVe moisturizing cream for my wife, who decided she liked something else better, leaving the CeraVe unneeded.  I noticed that the CeraVe cream's first two ingredients were water and glycerin, and after reading about preshaves, I decided to try this moisturizing cream as a preshave treatment this morning.  I applied it about 5 minutes before shaving while my brush soaked, and the subsequent shave was excellent, quite smooth and close.  I'm not sure if the cream made any difference (especially since I also used a shaving soap + shaving cream superlather, which hasn't been my usual routine), but I think it might have.  Has anyone else used a glycerin-containing moisturizer as a preshave this way?

I actually just used the same product as a preshave a few shaves ago, too early to tell if it made a difference but it definitely didn't hurt. I've heard a few people who use a moisturizer like this as a preshave. I would say a preshave like this would benefit mostly those with dry skin. I used Cetaphil moisturizer (in the tub) once and it seemed to clog my razor some and make the hairs stick in the sink. I think I may have put too much but it is definitely thicker than the CeraVe in the tub, I have both. It is something I will personally continue to experiment with since I have very dry skin. I've used Noxzema a bunch and I find that works well also.

I think the notion can be seen as, if you have dry skin going into a shave, it's going to be even drier coming out of the shave. If you moisture with a cream like this 5-10 minutes before the shave that will ensure your skin isn't dry. For those with oily skin I don't think it would benefit as much. Most creams like this aren't going to add a whole lot of slickness like a tradition preshave oil or gel would.

I actually just used the same product as a preshave a few shaves ago, too early to tell if it made a difference but it definitely didn't hurt. I've heard a few people who use a moisturizer like this as a preshave. I would say a preshave like this would benefit mostly those with dry skin. I used Cetaphil moisturizer (in the tub) once and it seemed to clog my razor some and make the hairs stick in the sink. I think I may have put too much but it is definitely thicker than the CeraVe in the tub, I have both. It is something I will personally continue to experiment with since I have very dry skin. I've used Noxzema a bunch and I find that works well also.

I think the notion can be seen as, if you have dry skin going into a shave, it's going to be even drier coming out of the shave. If you moisture with a cream like this 5-10 minutes before the shave that will ensure your skin isn't dry. For those with oily skin I don't think it would benefit as much. Most creams like this aren't going to add a whole lot of slickness like a tradition preshave oil or gel would.

Not all soaps will make your skin drier after a shave. There are many that do of course, but none of the soaps in my den do. Try out some soaps that have high butter and oil formulas like PAA, Crown King, Barrister and Mann, Stirling, Mystic Water, CRSW, Tabula Rasa, etc. I have dry skin and used to always use a balm after every shave, and rarely used a splash due to the drying effect. However, once I switched to soaps with outstanding post shave qualities I have been using aftershave splashes and only apply a balm if the splash doesn't have menthol since I have an unscented balm with menthol. My skin has never felt better. I'm all for balms too but just wanted to point out that there are plenty of soaps that offer superior post shave moisturizing and conditioning. I should mention that I also only use aftershave splashes with skin nourishing ingredients. If a splash only has alcohol, water, fragrance, and menthol you can expect it to dry you out. My favorite aftershaves for dry skin are PAA, Crown King, Barrister and Mann, and Stirling, but I'm sure there are many more that would work well too.

Another somewhat related question. Has anyone used hair oils as preshave treatments on their face? I really like the scents of some of the vintage hair oils, such as Houbigant Fougere Royale, and have wondered about their bear-softening qualities.

Works for me. I've tried Kyle's prep, oils, etc. Quick wet towel soak followed by a water/glycerin based moisturizer is what works best for me. I use Nivea Creme.

I have used the CeraVe the last couple days as a preshave, and I am convinced that it makes it slightly easier for me to get a BBS shave, mainly by decreasing the need for buffing. And a major bonus is that unlike the preshave oils, it does not clog the razor or leave a residue on the brush's badger hairs.