I make a scrub out of ground oatmeal, brown sugar, and oil of my choice (fav's being jojoba oil, apricot kernal oil and olive oil). Just mix into a paste and scrub down after shaving or showering. The best thing, IMHO, to do before shaving is scrub down with a loofah, makes the hair stick up a bit more so you get a closer shave. This is my tried and true shaving/scrubbin' down system and it costs me next to nothin'!