One of the key ingredients of a great shaving experience is without a doubt the shaving cream, regardless if you’re using an electric shaver or a traditional double edge or straight razor.
With a plethora of products on the market it can be a little daunting to pick the best shaving cream for you. But fear no more, as in this article we’re going to address in great detail all the aspects of what makes a quality shaving cream, along with extensive examples of some of the best products out there. Let’s dive right in!
Shaving creams 101 — how do they work?
Even though it seems a bit self-explanatory, it’s important to get all the facts straight.
Shaving creams are soft, lathering substances that are applied to the face, usually with a shaving brush or simply by using your hand.
The main role of a shaving cream is to provide lubrication and to soften the tough outer layer of the hair called the cuticle, while maintaining the skin properly hydrated and nourished.
The cuticle gives the hair its mechanical strength and hot water alone can’t do much to weaken its structure. Therefore, all quality shaving creams contain some sort of alkaline substance capable of softening this shell (the most common being Potassium Hydroxide or Sodium Hydroxide).
By combining hot water with the action of a shaving cream, the cuticle components (that look like a stack of plastic cups) will start to fan out as the hair shaft is absorbing water, thus making it easy for a razor to cut through the hair.
Traditional shaving cream vs canned foam and gels
Pressurized creams and gels gained a lot of popularity and it’s easy to see why: they’re cheap, you can buy them anywhere and are extremely practical. However, they do have some serious drawbacks when compared to the traditional shaving creams that we’re referring to in this article.
The shaving performance of the typical shaving gels and creams from pressurized aerosol cans is disputable at best. The cushioning, lubrication and overall shaving experience are inferior to the traditional shaving creams.
Also, they often contain chemicals (synthetic fragrances, alcohol, preservation agents, paraffin) that can irritate sensitive skin.
Unless you’re constrained by the situation, you should really steer clear of anything that comes from a pressurized can if you’re looking to improve your shaving experience.
What are the typical components of a quality shaving cream?
We are now going to concentrate on the really good stuff — that is traditional shaving creams that come in jars and tubs and require a shaving brush to build and apply the lather. There are also excellent shaving soaps, but that’s a topic for another article.
By reading the ingredient list of most of the top performing shaving creams, you’ll stumble upon a handful of components that are found in almost every one of them. Let’s take a closer look at the most important ones.
- A form of fat, usually a natural oil like coconut, almond, avocado, eucalyptus or olive oil. The key characteristic of these oils is that they do not penetrate the skin and remain on the surface. Some shaving creams also contain lanolin, a greasy substance produced by wool-bearing animals that has excellent emollient properties.
- Glycerin. Glycerin is a thick, viscous liquid that serves as an emollient, lubricant and humectant. This is what makes the lather so rich and wonderfully luxurious.
- Fragrance — usually from essential oils, the most popular being Sandalwood, Lavender, Lime, Rose, Eucalyptus and Peppermint. As you probably guessed, they are responsible for those scents that we absolutely love.
- An alkaline substance. As previously mentioned, the outer layer of the hair (cuticle) is a very tough component that can only be soften by absorbing water in the presence of an alkaline substance (Potassium Hydroxide or Sodium Hydroxide) and a humectant (glycerin).
An important mention has to be made about parabens, perfumes and preservatives: they can irritate very sensitive skin, so you’ll want to look for a paraben free and/or unscented shaving cream.
List of recommended shaving creams
Taylor of Old Bond Street (TOBS).
Taylor of Old Bond Street (TOBS) has to be one of the most popular and widely recommended brands of shaving creams.
TOBS is a London based company that has been producing high quality grooming products for men since 1854.
Even though it is not considered by shaving enthusiasts to be a high-end brand (we’ll get to those later on), the quality and performance of their products, especially for the price you’re paying, makes them hard to be ignored. They are suitable for both beginners and veteran wet shavers.
A 150 grams (5.3 OZ) tub can be bought for around $13 to $17, making it extremely good value for money.
While the performance of a particular product is always a personal matter (to some extent), it’s safe to say that all TOBS shaving creams are great performers.
Taylor of Old Bond Street is one of the manufacturers that have an extensive lineup of scents.
Their Avocado Shaving Cream is on of the most popular ones. It also happens to be one of my favorite shaving creams. It lathers effortlessly, provides great cushioning and lubrication and makes shaving a wonderful experience.
Regarding its scent, there seems to be a love-hate relationship with it among users. Let me just say that I personally like it quite a lot. It doesn’t smell anything like Avocado as the name implies (it actually contains Avocado Oil, hence the name), but more like freshly cut grass and a bit of cucumber. It’s really hard to put it into words, but to me it’s a very airy, refreshing scent that is not overpowering and quickly fades away afterwards.
TOBS Jermyn Street is also a highly appreciated shaving cream, with subtle bergamot and lime fragrance. Being allergen-free, it was specifically formulated for men with sensitive skin that is prone to breakouts and irritation.
Another worthy mention is their Sandalwood cream (a #1 Best Seller), many claiming it to be one of the best Sandalwoods out there. While it is also a great performer, I found the scent to be a bit too strong for my liking.
It also seems to linger on for a while after you’ve done shaving. If that’s not a problem for you and you like a strong Sandalwood scent, you can’t really go wrong with it.
Castle Forbes
Castle Forbes is a unique manufacturer from the Vale of Alford in Scotland that produces small batches of high quality products, like shaving creams, after shave balms and perfumes. Using only natural, high quality ingredients, Castle Forbes products ooze quality just by looking at the packaging.
Their shaving creams are simply luxurious: rich and wonderfully creamy lather that smells and performs great, leaving your skin well nourished and conditioned. I will even go as far saying that Castle Forbes makes some of the best smelling shaving creams out there.
Even though they are priced significantly higher than TOBS for example, they are still great value for money since they come in 200 grams (6.8 OZ) jars and are extremely concentrated. The cream almost resembles a soft shaving soap with its thick texture. You only need a tiny amount of the product for a complete shaving session.
Their Lime Oil Shaving Cream smells absolutely delicious. It’s an extremely powerful and in your face lime scent, while the lather provides great cushioning and comfort, moisturizing and nourishing your skin.
The Castle Forbes Lavender Shaving Cream produces one of the most soothing and silky lathers, recommended for sensitive skin. If you are suffering from rashes, bumps or razor burn you should definitely check this one out. The lavender oil scent is wonderful; it’s flowery, yet masculine. If you’re a fragrance enthusiast you won’t be disappointed.
Speick
Speick is a small family owned company from Germany. For generations, it has produced cosmetics using only natural, locally grown ingredients.
All of their products contain extract of Valeriana Celtica, a wild plant harvested from the mountains of Austria for its relaxing and soothing properties.
Speick Shaving Cream is probably one of the most surprising products from this entire list and a personal favorite of mine.
Even after reading some rave reviews, I was still pretty skeptical about an inexpensive shaving cream I’ve never heard about. It actually turned out to be one of the best performing shaving creams I ever used and is now one of my must have products.
It is extremely protective and slick and the comfort sensation during and after the shave is almost second to none.
If I were to nitpick, I would say that it requires just a bit more work lo lather than other shaving creams; also, while I do enjoy the scent, some might consider it a bit old-fashioned.
To me it smells like a classic, barber-shop like product that my grandfather would have used in his prime. It’s spicy and manly and it doesn’t clash with your aftershave or cologne as it quickly fades away. And for the price you’re paying, it’s a real bargain. Highly recommended.
Geo F. Trumper
Another manufacturer from Britain that produces high quality shaving creams is Geo F. Trumper. Similarly priced to TOBS, their lineup includes some excellent variations, including the highly acclaimed Coconut Oil, Violet, Rose, Sandalwood, Limes and Almond.
They also offer good value for money and come in 200 grams (6.8 OZ) jars and 75 grams (2.5 OZ) tubes.
Musgo Real
Manufactured in Portugal and free from artificial ingredients and irritants, Musgo Real is another quality shaving cream that deserves some attention. With generous amounts of Glycerin and Lanolin, it comes in several wonderful variations like Lavender, Oak Moss, Spiced Citrus or Classic.
As it’s the case with the shaving cream from Speick, it also requires a bit more work to lather, but nothing to turn you away from it. It’s not exactly cheap either. Other than that, it provides excellent cushioning and lubrication and yields great results in terms of both closeness and comfort.
Truefitt & Hill
Based in England, Truefitt & Hill (the third of the big T’s from Britain) has been in the business of men’s grooming products since 1805. Their line of shaving creams includes an extensive list of products and are priced higher than other manufacturers like TOBS or Trumper’s.
Their lineup includes their own fragrances like Trafalgar, 1805 or Grafton and also Almond, Lavender, Rose or Sandalwood to name a few.
To be perfectly honest, my experience with Truefitt & Hill was rather inconsistent. I absolutely loved the Grafton shaving cream, which has a wonderful fragrance of fern and lime and performs great.
The same goes for 1805, another great performer. I also tried their Ultimate comfort shaving cream that is (almost) fragrance free, but it simply didn’t get along with my skin (even though it is marketed as a product suitable for sensitive skin).
I also tried the West Indian Lime scent and found it artificial and off-putting. It also seemed to have a rather foamy consistency after lathering and not providing enough lubrication.
I still consider Truefitt & Hill to be a top manufacturer that makes excellent products. And many others swear by it. This is a personal matter after all. I do think they are priced pretty high when compared to other products with similar performance.
D.R. Harris
From St James’s street in London comes yet another well known name to shaving enthusiasts: D.R. Harris & Co. With a long tradition in gentlemen’s grooming products, D.R. Harris offers top quality shaving creams in various scents, including the popular Arlington and Marlborough.
Regarding the price, D.R. Harris is also on the more expensive camp of shaving creams from this list. Taylor of Old Bond Street for example offers similar performance for almost half the price. Nevertheless, D.R. Harris is a very solid performer.
Honorable mentions
There is of course a multitude of other shaving creams that due to space constraints and lack of hands on (or face on) experience weren’t included. Mühle, eShave, Edwin Jagger, St James of London, Proraso, Triumph & Disaster, Bluebeards Revenge (Dreadnought) are just a few that weren’t mentioned.
That doesn’t mean they are inferior, so if you’re using one of them and loving it please continue to do so. There isn’t such thing as the best shaving cream, but one that is right for your skin and shaving style.
Apart from these, there are of course other (niche) products, most definitely high quality, but very expensive and not widely available (Xpec, Acqua di Parma, Martin de Candre, Santa Maria Novella etc.) that were also left out for those particular reasons.
How to select the right shaving cream?
The above list of recommended shaving creams reflects my personal opinion and experience with the respective products. Also, I am not endorsed by any of the manufacturers and I have no personal interest in promoting a particular brand.
Selecting the right shaving cream is mostly a matter of what you need to achieve.
Maybe you’re looking for the best performing shaving cream for less than $10. Or maybe any overpowering fragrance causes you a headache or irritates your skin, in which case you should go for an unscented shaving cream. Perhaps you’re looking for the easiest cream to lather regardless if you’re using soft or hard water. Or maybe you have sensitive skin. It’s easy to see that you’re actually the most qualified person to make this call once you have a clear understanding of makes a quality shaving cream.
I have taken into account the shaving performance, price, scent and ease of applying. I’ll be the first one to agree that some of the criteria can only be my subjective and biased opinion, but that’s really the only way to do it.
There are no definitive answers to the question in this article’s title, but hopefully after reading it you’ll be able to narrow down your options.
How to get the most out of your shaving cream?
Last year I wrote an extensive article on the subject of wet shaving. Even though it says electric in the title, your (pre) wet shaving routine should be the same regardless if you’re using an electric or a traditional DE razor. I highly recommend reading that article if you haven’t already done so.
However, I am going to mention a couple more easy to implement tips that, at least in my case, made a huge difference.
- Give the shaving cream time to act. Like I mentioned several times in this article, the main role of the shaving cream is to provide lubrication and cushioning AND to alter the structure of the hair’s outer layer. An alkaline compound and a humectant (both found in the shaving cream’s composition) will cause the hair to absorb water, making it plump and soft like a boiled noodle (obvious and intentional exaggeration). The problem is that it takes time for this to happen. Most of us just start shaving right after applying the lather. I’ll be the first to admit that I used to do the same thing. If you start shaving right away, you’re practically preventing the lather to “do its thing”. The solution is simple: just let it stay on your face for at least 5 minutes after applying it. If it gets too dry, just reapply again and you’re all set. This is a minor adjustment that can make a significant difference; you can literally feel there’s less resistance from the hair during the actual shave, the comfort is greatly improved and so is the closeness of the shave.
- The second tip also has to do with time. Most articles recommend soaking your brush in moderately hot water for around one minute prior to lathering. From my experience, that’s simply not enough. Aim for 3 to 5 minutes. The main benefit of doing this is not just how the bristles feel against your face, but how easy and fast it is to build a nice, thick lather. Also, you don’t need a high-end, expensive brush. A simple, best badger brush like this one from Edwin Jagger should be just fine for most men. It goes without saying that this step only applies to using natural hair brushes.
I know that waiting more is not something to look forward to, but prep work is just as important as the actual shaving, so don’t try to skip it or cut corners. Make it an integral part of your shaving ritual.
Besides, taking your time is not a bad thing. On the contrary, shaving should be one of those simple things every man should experience and enjoy. Let’s do our best to make it something to look forward to rather than loathe. Hopefully this guide will get you closer to that.
Top shaving creams, not in your list, IMHO:
Álvarez Gómez – Agua de Colonia Concentrada Barbería
Lea Classic
Thank you for your suggestion. I’m sure there are many high quality creams out there, but as I said in the article it would have been impossible to mention all of them. For this reason I had to include just the ones that I’ve actually tried.
Thank you so much for sharing this post with us, It’s very helpful for me 🙂
Floris anyone?
Humbly submit the following additions for that ultimate, luxurious, price-is-no-object cream:
Acqua Di Parma
Penhaligons
Martin de Candre
Santa Marie Novella
XSPEC
Those are some fantastic addition, Jack. Thank you for your comment!
Very factual and well written article. I used some of your tips this morning, and enjoyed a great shave.
Thank you for your comment, Gutzon. Glad you found it useful.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I was wondering if these recommendations are specifically for electric shavers, or are they just general? Also, do the shaving bowls need to be used with a shaving brush?
These are general recommendations, so you can use them with your shaver/razor of choice. However, because with electric shavers you just need a very thin, watery layer of lather, you don’t really need a brush and a bowl. That’s why I would recommend shaving creams that come in tubes since the consistency is very soft/creamy and you can simply lather them in your palms and on the face.
Also, if you want to lather a cream in a shaving bowl, you pretty much have to use a brush.
I shave with a brush lathered cream or soap every day. I don’t lather with my scuttle (bowl with a hot tap water jacket to keep your lather warm). I load my brush on the soap or scoop about an almond size dollop of cream with my finger, put it on the damp but not dripping brush, and paste a layer all over my damp face. Then I put a few drops of water on my brush and get to scrubbing, lathering my soap or cream right on my face. It uses a little more product than bowl lathering but big deal. The benefit is added whisker prep as you face lather. And it feels great—best part of the shave. I wouldn’t give it up.
There are two special artisan cream soaps in the Italian Barber soap catalog. They aren’t the same (very nice) Italian cream soaps that make up the RazoRock collection, but are made in small batches by a talented artisan for Joe to market. They are Santa Maria Del Fiore and The Dead Sea. The RazoRock cream soaps are definitely semi-solid soaps with a fudgy consistency. These two, by contrast, are way softer and resemble a fairly stiff shaving cream as much or more than a soft shaving soap. They come in an enormous recyclable glass jar with a metal screw on lid.
The scents of both of these are upper crust, high class all the way, and glide, cushion and residual slickness are on an elite level.
The amount of product you get for your money is insane. 8.5 oz. , double the standard soap size. Regular price is around $20 but I wait for Black Friday because Italian Barber has insane discounts. Got my 8.5 ounce jars for just over $11 each, shipped. I have TOBS and Speick, and you should definitely include The Body Shop’s Maca Root & Aloe shaving cream (same base used by TOBS, even less expensive). Captain’s Choice “Venture” cream is also amazing. I love my Barrister/Mann shaving soaps too, and the shaving sticks from Speick and Tabac are my favorite travel shaving companions. But any of the creams you mentioned or my list here plus dozens of others will give you amazing smells and incredible shaving performance. Try the Proraso unscented preshave cream 5 min before lathering up. It will soften up your whiskers and give the skin an initial layer of protection.
Steve, many thanks for taking the time to share this. Those are some great suggestions. This post hasn’t been updated for quite some time, but I will make sure to include them here asap.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi, I’ve just bought the Braun Series 9 Wet and Dry Electric Shaver 9292cc after reading your great review. Would you recommend using a pre shave cream with this product as I have really coarse hair and sensitive skin?
Hi Michael,
To be honest, I’ve not used a pre-shave cream since my wet shaving days. These products are intended to be massaged into the beard prior to applying shaving cream, so at least in theory they aren’t to be used with electric shavers. So I’m afraid I cannot say if you’ll see an improvement to your shave or how significant it would be. I can however recommend you a pre-electric shave lotion, it is made by Speick and should work really well for coarse and sensitive skin.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
Thank you so much for your reply and valuable Information, I really appreciate it. I have some Speick on order, so looking forward to using it. I know the shaver comes with a cleaning station, but what advice would you give about cleaning it prior to putting it into the cleaning station please?
You are very welcome, Michael. I personally only tap out most of the hairs from the cassette, then snap it back on the shaver and drop it in the cleaning station. You can of course be a bit more thorough and remove more hairs (to get the most out of a cleaning cartridge). For that, you could give the cassette a quick rinse under the tap, but make sure to shake off the excess water and even pat it with a cloth/paper towel to have it as dry as possible before using the station.
If there’s water draining into the cartridge, it may affect the cleaning solution’s electric conductivity and that’s taken into account by the station when it shows the low-level warning. So it may interfere with that.
As I said, I simply tap the hairs out, maybe blow over the cassette a few times and that’s it. With third-party cleaning solutions being so cheap, I don’t bother too much anymore.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Just a word of caution from someone who has been wet-shaving the traditional (safety razor and straight razor) way for many years:
Proraso may not be good choice, because Proraso leaves more of a hard to remove soap residue film behind than any other product I have tried.
In particular for electric razors, I consider that a serious disadvantage and rather than trust that a cleaning station will remove that residue out of all the razor’s nooks and crannies, I rather use a shaving cream/soap that doesn’t create that residue in the first place.
Thank you for your comment, Kurt.
I have been using Proraso shaving cream quite often with my wet/shavers since it’s relatively inexpensive and works really well. With regards to the soap residue, I personally haven’t found it to be any different than other shaving creams. I think the key is to clean the shaver thoroughly after every use with water and a bit of liquid soap. Water alone won’t be enough and in time some hardened lather buildups will form, especially in the case of foil shavers. Using an automatic cleaning station also requires the shaver to be free of any soap/lather residue anyway, so water and soap is the way to go.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Would you still recommend TOBS Avocado or the Jack Black Beard Lube? I’m looking for something that’s versatile but mainly scalp shaving cream, hopefully is as gentle as possible. 🙂
Absolutely, both are fantastic products. The Beard Lube is however a menthol & eucalyptus power-house and some scalps don’t get along too well with those. If you know from previous experience that you have any issues (for example when using menthol shampoo), you should probably avoid it.
The Beard Lube is in my opinion easier to use since it’s a balm and doesn’t require lathering. TOBS Avocado is one of the best creams I’ve used and a personal favorite of mine alongside Speick. I actually love how it smells and how easy it lathers, it’s extremely moisturizing and protective and a fantastic cream for the price.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
You have me at extremely moisturizing and protective! Just curious for the TOBS, is it the same thing if it in tube form? Just a different packaging right?
Yes, it should be exactly the same thing. I honestly have never bought the tube since the one in the larger tub package is a lot more convenient (at least where I live).
Also! Just to confirm, both the Avocado and Sandalwood share the same benefits right? Just different smell.
Both are extremely well regarded in the shaving community, but I do prefer the Avocado variant. To me, it’s a slightly better performer and while the Sandalwood scent is nice, it is a bit too in your face. TOBS Avocado smells like freshly cut grass, watermelon and cucumber and it’s very mild and pleasant, even though it may sound weird and off-putting. I was hesitant at first, but I absolutely loved it.
Ah so the performance are similar, the only difference is the scent? Unfortunately in Asia they overpriced and rare, only manage to find Sandalwood sigh. Will give avocado a try if i ever see one.
When you say the Beard Lube is menthol meaning it have those minty cooling agent is that right? Is it super strong?
I think you’ll be happy with the Sandalwood as well, but as I said in the previous comment, I prefer the Avocado variant.
That’s pretty much true in the case of the Beard Lube, there’s definitely a minty, cooling sensation after using it. The scent isn’t as potent as in the case of the ProRaso creams, but the sensation is quite noticeable. I didn’t have any issues with though, but I do not shave my head.
Oh! Have you try the TOBS Organic Shaving Cream before?
Nope, I am yet to give it a try.
Thanks Ovidiu, thanks again, again, and again!
Ovidiu, I find that Taylor of Old Bond Street’s Traditional Shaving Soap, which comes in a travel friendly 2 oz. puck and a convenient, sealable plastic “bowl” easily produces the kind of thin, watery layer you recommend for electric shaving. It’s light, pleasant, clean scent is an added bonus.
Hi David,
That’s awesome, TOBS makes some great shaving products. I didn’t recommend any soaps since some users don’t look forward to lathering a hard soap, but if you enjoy it (I personally do), I think it’s a fantastic option.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
What about Cremo?
Great shaving cream and quite affordable also. Thank you for the comment.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you for keeping us so informed regarding a topic that is often overlooked yet important in preventing discomfort and irritation of the skin.
I see in a later article from you that Jack Black Beard Lube Conditioning Lather is highly recommended. Unfortunately, it is no longer available on Amazon.ca (Canada), however, they do offer Jack Black Supreme Cream Triple Cushion Shave Lather. I wonder if you tried this one and if it is suitable for electric wet shaves?
Thank you for the comment, Stanley, much appreciated. It should be suitable for electric wet shaves just like any other quality cream as long as you use a thin, watery layer of lather. With electric shavers, thick, fluffy lather can actually be detrimental to the quality of the shave. I would simply palm lather and then work it into the stubble (no brush). I also posted an article on this topic if you want to check it out.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello
I have the Panasonic Arc 6
The manual is in Japanese but I tried to translate it. It says not to use shaving cream because it can clog the machine
(If the translation is correct…)
I have purchased based on the recommendation the Castle Forbes shaving crème. Do you think it is suitable for this shaver ? Do you have any experience using it with Electric shaver ? Is it causing it to clog?
Hi,
That part probably refers to the clogging of the cleaning station (the shaver should be free of any lather/foam before using the station). The wet & dry Arc 6 models (ES-LS9AX/ES-CLS9AX and ES-LS5A) can definitely be used with shaving cream. Just make sure you only apply a thin layer of watery/pasty lather and keep it hydrated. I also wrote a wet shaving guide if you want to check it out.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks for the reply
The information is very useful!
I ordered from Amazon the recommended cream waiting to see how it is
Also the recommendation about Lamdash 6 was good I’m satisfied
I had before braun latest model it was good but with wet shaving it stopped working only after 2 years which was disappointing
You are very welcome, hope you’ll enjoy the shaving cream.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Some links may need refreshing here. All the best!
Thank you for the heads-up, Garrett. Definitely, I will be updating the entire article.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I’ve been enjoying Brickell scented shaving cream. Nice and thick, a little goes a long way and it goes on light with good see through visibility. The scent is lemongrass, which threw me off at first, but now I really like it. Very close shaved with the Arc 5 and great comfort.
Thank you for the suggestion, MJ. I haven’t had the chance to try it (in Europe I could also only find the unscented variation, don’t know if it performs differently from the one you’ve mentioned). From what I can see it is brushless, so ideal to use with electric razors. Hope to try it sometime.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello I was wondering what your thoughts are on a shaving cream for those who have acne? I used to have a cheap Phillips rotary shaver and it would irritate under my chin. But I just bought a Panasonic arc5 lv67 and felt like I should use some shaving cream. I saw that you mentioned a beard lubricant in a previous article and it sounded promising. However I was unsure if it was friendly to my skin.
What would the steps be too? Would you use a face wash, shaving cream then Shave?
Would you shower beforehand? Sorry for all the questions.
Hi Max,
You can check out my guide for wet shaving with an electric razor, you’ll find the answer to these questions and even more tips.
I also share a few of my favorite shaving creams. There might be several options better suited for your skin condition like the Neutrogena Skin Clearing Shave Cream, but I think you should also ask a dermatologist before using it.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello! Your reviews have guided me to great shaves throughout the years and I am truly appreciative for the details you provide. While I realize this article is fairly outdated, I was wondering what shaving cream for an electric razor you recommend now for people with sensitive skin. I tried the Speick and, unfortunately, it’s leaving my skin red and blotchy. Bummer because I love the lather and smell. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Chaz,
Many thanks for the kind words. Sorry you didn’t get good results using Speick shaving cream — it’s usually a really safe choice. I would suggest trying other soft creams (that come in a tube). I also have sensitive skin the ones that also worked great for me are Nivea Mild shaving cream (original variation, navy blue packaging), Proraso for sensitive skin (white), Palmolive and the Beard Lube from Jack Black. The latter contains menthol, so it may not work for everyone.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I recommend Cremo shave cream. $6 to $8.50 per tube and they last super long. Two ways to use it:
1: Apply the amount the tube recommends to your face and rub in water until it’s slippery. Wet again if you feel it drying out.
2: (Best for sensitive skin in my experience). Put the cream in your palm and lather it by rubbing in water as it’s still in your hand. Consistency should be less creamy and more like watery lotion. Rub in to face.
The ones labeled ‘moisturizing’ seem slightly better for sensitive skin than the ‘original’ label but they don’t smell as good in my opinion. Not a big deal as the smell doesn’t stick around.
Was surprised that it wasn’t mentioned but I understand there are alot of shave creams.
I’m new to this website and really liking it. Super informative.
Hi Alex,
Many thanks for the comment. I live in Europe and here Cremo is pretty much impossible to find. At the time of writing the article I haven’t had the chance of trying it. I did purchase it from the USA a few years later and I can confirm that it’s a really good inexpensive shaving cream.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Do you need to use a pre shave lotion as well as a cream?
No — in fact, you would only use an electric pre-shave lotion right before a dry shave. For wet shaving, you only need a shaving product (shaving cream, gel, soap, oil, etc).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu