The secret to an ultra-close, burn-free shave lies mostly in your pre-shave ritual. Before a razor ever approaches your face or neck, it pays to prep the hair and skin there with a hot towel treatment followed by an application of pre-shave conditioning oil to both soften your beard and add a protective layer over your skin before ever applying shave cream.

This particular oil is a blend of essential oils, antioxidants, and glycerides that protects your skin from redness, razor burn, and flare-ups, all while offering smooth razor glide for an ultra-close shave, without fear of nicking yourself. It also has a pleasant-but-not-too-strong Bulgarian lavender scent that makes the experience all the more enjoyable.

All you need is a couple drops daily, which can be added to your shave soap before lathering if you'd rather combine steps for efficiency's sake.

A 1 oz. bottle of this pre-shave oil is $16 on Amazon and should last you a good while.