Conventional wisdom holds that oil is not good for a face. Not so, I've discovered. Recently I took a job that required grown-up grooming and at sunup, eyeing my steel-wool chin, found I felt especially unindustrious. I wanted something easy, something that didn't require what anyone would call a routine: a lazy man's shave. Enter shave oils. These can be used with or without a cream (I, of course, went without) and perk up the hairs on your face while making your skin loose and elastic—creepy dermatological talk for practically unsliceable. I got the best shave ever, without those red bumps on my neck that I used to worry would bleed out onto my collar while I tied my tie. The finest performer, Refinery Shave Oil ($40), even took down my 10-day vacation shag while leaving my skin feeling like I'd actually done something good for it. Its patchouli waft did threaten to cause hippie college flashbacks, but it wasn't as bad as others, whose lemon or olive oil scent made me think of meat sautéeing—disturbing since I was holding the equivalent of a tiny knife in my hand. The price of these oils might seem foolhardy to some, and I am told that they wear blades out quickly, but I certainly won't miss the meringue that bursts from most foaming cans. The ability to see the curves—or crags—of your face while trying not to fillet it is a stunning revelation, one that quickly seems eminently sage.

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