The Best Hair Clipper Oil Alternatives You Can Use Safely

If traditional, chemical-heavy clipper oils irritate your skin or feel slightly rough, you might be interested in trying a natural oil alternative. Some people find that household substitutes including olive oil, jojoba, and coconut oil are much gentler on the skin than traditional clipper oils, not to mention far cheaper.

In this guide, we introduce you to the five best natural alternatives to clipper oil. We discuss which options are best for which skin types, grooming needs, and climates. We also provide some top maintenance and cleaning tips.

If you need an alternative to clipper oils that offer a more professional touch than household substitutes, we’ll tell you about our range of specialized natural oils at the end.

Why Hair Clipper Oil Alternatives Are a Convenient, Smart Upgrade

For some people, traditional clipper oils are too chemical-heavy for their sensitive skin. Moreover, because they often contain so many chemicals and additives, people are increasingly searching for eco-friendly alternatives. That’s why natural alternatives, often in the form of highly effective common household substitutes, are growing in popularity.

Affordable and widely available oils like olive, jojoba, and coconut aren’t just more eco-friendly than traditional clipper oils, but they can also be gentler on the skin, more versatile, and a lot more affordable.

Natural Oils Compared: Performance, Safety, and Availability

Here’s everything you need to know about the best substitutes for traditional clipper oil regarding their performance, availability, and safety.

Coconut Oil: Antimicrobial Benefits, Smooth Lubrication, and Budget-Friendly Availability

If you clip your hair or beard frequently, such as every day or two, coconut is one of the most widely available and affordable alternatives to clipper oils.

On top of keeping your clipper blades lubricated and rust-free, coconut oil moisturizes and revitalizes your skin with its natural antimicrobial properties and lack of harsh chemicals.

Coconut oil works best in warm climates for regular shavers. We recommend reapplying coconut oil to your clipper blades after every one to three uses. We’ll provide you with some top cleaning and maintenance tips later in the article.

Olive Oil: Thick, Non-Toxic, and Lasting Lubrication

Olive oil isn’t just a versatile kitchen essential – it can also double up as an incredible natural alternative to clipper oil. This non-toxicant lubricant boasts a thick consistency that makes it gentle on the skin, perfect for sensitive types who often suffer clipper bumps and irritation.

As well as a comfortable shave, olive oil is packed with antioxidants that keep your skin moisturized during and between trims. It’s a superb natural oil for when you need a quick fix, though because of its high viscosity, you should keep your use of olive oil to a minimum. We recommend reapplying olive oil to your clipper blades once a month.

Jojoba Oil: Skin-Friendly, Long-Lasting, and Gentle on Blades

Jojoba oil is our favorite natural substitute for clipper oil for protecting premium-grade clippers. With its high viscosity, slightly thinner than olive oil, jojoba oil sticks to your blades for longer than many alternatives, scoring it top marks for convenience and ease of maintenance.

Jojoba oil isn’t just great for your blades – it’s also amazing for your skin. It’s full of vitamin E and antioxidants that promote skin health. Moreover, because jojoba oil mimics your natural skin oils, it comes with a low risk of clogging pores or causing irritation.

You’ll need to reapply jojoba oil after every two to four uses of your clippers, but it’s an ideal lubricant for frequent shavers with sensitive skin using premium clippers. Reapplying oil frequently is an essential aspect of the perfect grooming routine for busy men.

Baby Oil: Gentle, Budget-Friendly, and Easy to Apply

We’ve already discussed natural alternatives to clipper oil, such as jojoba and coconut oil, which work great on sensitive skin. However, those with very sensitive skin and allergies to certain natural ingredients may prefer to swap out the kitchen essentials for baby oil.

Baby oil has a lower viscosity than most alternatives on this list, providing a super close shave while keeping the blades protected. Thanks to being hypoallergenic, this natural clipper oil alternative is safe and gentle on just about all skin types.

Besides being effective, baby oil is affordable and abundantly available just about everywhere, making it ideal for those who use their clippers daily. Remember to reapply baby oil to the blades after every one to three uses.

Petroleum Jelly: Barrier Protection for Storage and Humidity

If you’re looking for a long-lasting alternative to clipper oil, petroleum jelly is a smart choice. With its very high viscosity, petroleum jelly offers excellent rust and moisture protection for extended periods. You only need to apply petroleum jelly to your clippers every month or so to keep them protected.

Because petroleum jelly can gum up the blades on frequently used clippers, it’s best for those who shave or trim occasionally – typically less than weekly. It’s the ideal choice for long-term clipper storage, particularly in humid climates.

Of course, no amount of oil will help if you don’t look after your skin in the first place. Groomie® has an excellent range of skin care products, from beard oil to shaving gel and more.

How to Apply Clipper Oils and Alternatives Safely

Choosing the right natural alternative to clipper oil is only half the battle. Ensuring you apply the oil correctly is essential to achieving a neat trim without irritation or bumpy patches. Follow these steps when applying natural oil to your clippers:

Step 1: Turn Off and Disassemble

Unplug or turn off your clippers so that you can disassemble the device and gain access to the blade components. If possible, remove the blades from the clipper.

Step 2: Clean

Dust, dirt, and debris can prevent natural oils from fully lubricating the blades. With your clipper disassembled, use a small brush or toothbrush to remove buildup of hair and debris, then gently pat the blades dry with a paper towel or soft cloth.

Top tip: Rubbing alcohol makes for an excellent blade cleaner. Just remember to let the blades dry completely before applying the natural oil lubricant.

Step 3: Apply the Natural Oil

It only takes two or three drops of oil on the teeth of the blade to fully lubricate them. If you’re using petroleum jelly, spread a tiny tab of it along the blades with a cotton swab.

Step 4: Temporarily Turn on Your Clippers

After applying a few drops of oil to your blade teeth, turn on your clippers for around 20 seconds. This allows the movement of the blades to spread the oil along the teeth evenly.

Step 5: Remove excess oil

Once you’ve allowed the oil to spread evenly across the blade, turn your clippers off again and use a dry cloth to gently wipe away any excess. This prevents leftover residue from causing clogs due to sticky buildups.

Choosing the Right Oil for Your Clipper and Climate

Choosing the most suitable natural oil alternative to clipper oil largely depends on your trimming habits, local climate, and clipper device.

Jojoba and coconut oil are the best alternatives for long-term storage and care, ideal for high-end clippers and infrequent shavers. Baby oil and olive oil are great budget-friendly alternatives that offer a more forgiving shave.

If you shave every day, lightweight oils like baby and coconut oil offer a mess-free shave with a low risk of irritation, particularly if you’re aiming for a skin-close shave. If you clip your hair or beard weekly, jojoba and olive oils last longer between clips. If you only trim occasionally, petroleum jelly will prove a worthy grooming companion thanks to its long-term rust prevention and blade protection capabilities.

You might want to avoid petroleum jelly if you’re prone to irritation and clogged pores, in which case baby, coconut, and jojoba oils are fantastic for sensitive skin.

Finally, bear your climate in mind when choosing a natural clipper oil. Rust-resistant options like coconut oil and petroleum jelly are best for high humidity. For dry air climates, go for hydrating oils like jojoba or olive oil.

Clip Maintenance: Essential Dos and Don'ts

If you want to maximize the lifespan of your clipper, you should learn the basics of maintenance when it comes to the blades and reapplying oil.

For the best results, avoid reapplying oil after every use. Daily trimmers should reapply oil after every two to three uses, while once a month will suffice for weekly groomers. When your clippers start feeling rougher or sounding louder, you may need to reapply a new layer of oil. Always make sure to remove any buildup of residue before applying a new layer to prevent clogging.

Stick to the natural oils discussed in this article and avoid alternatives like vegetable and canola oil that go rancid quickly. Technically, beard oils can be used with clippers, but they often contain additional ingredients and fragrances that can cause a buildup of residue on the blades. Never use WD-40 – it’s a solvent rather than a lubricant that can damage the skin.

Last but not least, we recommend using a cooling spray to dissipate heat from the blades while in use, disinfect your clippers, and maximize your device’s lifespan.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Substitute for Clipper Oil?

If you want to substitute clipper oil for something more affordable and accessible with fewer chemicals, natural oils like jojoba, coconut, and olive oil work brilliantly. You can also use baby oil on sensitive skin. Petroleum jelly works best for occasional trimmers.

What Can I Use Instead of Oil for an Electric Shaver?

If you’d rather not use traditional clipper oil, you can swap it out for specialized dry sprays or silicone-based lubricants. Even cheaper alternatives that can work just as well include natural oils, including kitchen essentials like olive oil. We also recommend jojoba oil, coconut oil, baby oil, or petroleum jelly as effective alternatives.

Can I Use Olive Oil To Oil My Clippers?

You can safely apply olive oil to most clippers. In fact, olive oil can be a highly effective, safe, gentle, and irritant-free alternative to traditional clipper oils. You only need to apply two or three drops of olive oil to the blade.

Discover Safe and Effective Alternatives to Hair Trimmer Oil With Groomie®

If traditional clipper oils aren’t suitable for your skin, a natural alternative such as olive, jojoba, or coconut oil should do the trick. Baby oil and petroleum jelly also offer a comfortable trim and can be safely applied to most clippers.

At Groomie®, we’ve developed a range of specialized natural serums, gels, and oils for those who wish to avoid traditional clipper oils. To minimize the risk of cuts, bumps, and irritation, you might want to upgrade to a new electric shaver. The Groomie® range of shavers feature five rotary blades and SmoothShave™ technology, offering one of the closest shaves on the market while minimizing the risks of irritation.