If you want a close and comfortable shave, you need to have the right tools for the job, and one of them is a high-quality shaving cream.
You can have a great shaving technique and a sharp razor but if your shaving cream isn’t good enough, you’ll end up suffering from skin irritation and maybe with some little cuts on your face.
We here at Shaving Pro built this guide to help you find the perfect shaving cream. We have tested and reviewed what we consider to be the top 5 shaving creams today. You’ll also find some useful stuff about shaving creams, so you can make a more informed decision when buying one.
Best Shaving Creams of 2023
We love this shaving cream made by Jack Black (not the actor!). The Supreme shaving cream provides a triple-layered protection system that acts a barrier between your skin and the blade, helping reduce irritation, redness and nicks.
This shaving cream can be used with your fingers or a shaving brush. We prefer the second option, it seems to work better with the cream because it’s thick and requires some water to form a rich lather.
The Supreme Cream has a very nice fragrance, you could describe it as a soothing soft floral scent.
The results are excellent, once you let the cream work for some seconds your beard is shaven away easily. You don’t feel like you are pulling your facial hair at any point, and leaves no redness - even on sensitive skin. After using this shaving cream your skin will feel supple and soft. The protective layer seems to do a great job at keeping your skin hydrated.
Featured Ingredients: Macadamia Oil, Jojoba Oil,Glycerin, Organic Edelweiss Extract.
If you don’t have a shaving brush or prefer using your fingers, Cremo is one of the best shaving creams in the market, and it’s somewhat different from what you’d expect from a “traditional” cream.
To use it, first you rub your skin with hot water for 30 seconds. Once your skin is wet, you put a small amount of Cremo in your hands and rub it on your face.
So what’s different? Well, upon rubbing this Paraben-free shaving cream you’ll notice that it doesn’t build a rich lather like creams with foamy formulas. As a matter of fact, it feels like you are using soap on your face. But don’t be fooled! This is how it’s supposed to work. According to the package the product “contains unique molecules that become impossibly slick when mixed with water”.
Once you start shaving you’ll see how good this cream is. I have coarse beard hair, and with this cream, shaving felt like spreading hot butter on a bread. Zero nicks, zero cuts and zero irritation. It’s super comfortable and comes in 4 presentations: Original Formula Classic, Cooling Formula Refreshing Mint, Original Formula Sandalwood, Skin Clearing Formula Unscented.
Another thing that we liked about it is that it lasts way longer than other shaving creams. I’ve had the same tube for several months, and I still have more to use!
Featured ingredients: Macadamia Seed Oil, Aloe, Calendula Extract, Lemon Extract, Papaya Extract, and Olive Leaf Extract
Proraso is an Italian company that has been in the field of high quality shaving creams since 1948. It’s one of those creams that provide a unique experience from the moment you have it in your hand, which makes it perfect for classic shaving enthusiasts. You can find it in three varieties: "Refreshing & Toning", "Protective & Moisturizing" and "Sensitive Skin".
The formula is highly concentrated, you only need a small amount of cream to build a rich and thick lather. It contains eucalyptus oil to tone and purify your skin, and menthol to leave it refreshed and revitalized. Both ingredients give the cream a nice scent that lingers for the right amount of time.
The tube packaging lets you take just the exact amount of cream you need and it keeps it fresh for a long time.
Although you can apply it on your face with your fingers, you'll get better results if you employ a shaving brush. You need only a small amount of cream to create a rich lather. To use it, apply the shaving cream on your face and massage it with your brush or fingers for about 30 seconds. Then start shaving away.
After shaving, your face will feel smooth and healthy. With this product there’s no need to have an aftershave in your skin care arsenal! To learn more, you can check out our full Proraso shaving cream review.
Featured ingredients: Eucalyptus oil, menthol.
Taylor of Old Bond is a well-known brand for classic shaving enthusiasts, the company has existed since 1854, so you can imagine the experience they have! This shaving cream comes in different variations, but the one we love the most is Sandalwood, it has a nice fragrance that lingers for just the right amount of time. Its natural ingredients makes this cream one of the best choices for men with sensitive skin.
This shaving cream comes in a bowl, so after you have used it all up, you can keep it to shave with a brush. However, it make take some time to fully empty the container: you only need a small amount of cream to create a thick rich lather.
The consistency of the lather creates a nice slippery cushion between the razor and your face. It feels specially-comfortable. The first pass is always super slick, but you may want to add a few drops of warm water every once in a while as you continue to shave.
Afterwards, your skin feels great, with no irritation or redness. Even when shaving faster than you’re used to, it’s almost impossible to get a cut with it.
The downside of this cream is that the thick lather can be hard to wash off completely sometimes, which can be a bother if you are in a hurry.
Featured Ingredients: Coconut Fatty Acid, Glycerin
Some months ago I made a trip to another state but forgot to bring my shaving cream. That’s the moment I discovered Pacific Shaving cream being displayed on the supermarket. Boy, I’m glad I tried it!
This cream is very easy to use and helps you shave smoothly even when you are in a hurry. It comes in two presentations: caffeinated and natural. I have tried the caffeinated shaving cream, and well… I don’t really know for sure the exact effect the caffeine has, but after using it in the morning my skin felt refreshed and revitalized.
To use this cream you just need a small amount of it and hot water. It’s easy to use with your fingers, and although it doesn’t build a thick lather, it does its job well. Shaving away is easy, the cream provides the right amount of glide and cushion to avoid accidents. There’s a slight smell of eucalyptus, but it’s nice and disappears in a few minutes.
Compared to other products, the 3oz tube might look small, but don’t be fooled, this cream will last for at least a couple of months.
The Pacific Shaving Caffeinated shaving cream uses natural ingredients, and the inclusion of caffeine in the formula helps adding antioxidants too!
Featured ingredients: Glycerin, Caffeine, Organic aloe barbadensis leaf juice, shea butter, spearmint oil.
Why Do You Need a Good Shaving Cream?
Have you ever wondered why you have to use cream before shaving? What’s its purpose? Many men think that it serves just to help the razor glide easily and close to the skin, but it does much more than that.
A shaving cream helps softening your beard. Shaving away dry hair is complicated, and well…painful! By lathering up and applying the cream, you are adding moisture to the area (which makes the hair softer) while facilitating the work of the razor blade at the same time. The softer your facial hair, the easier it will be to shave.
But shaving is not a gentle process for your skin, it actually causes slight damage to it, especially if you shave every day. A good shaving cream will have ingredients that minimize the damage done to your skin and helps it heal faster.
What to Keep in Mind When Buying a Shaving Cream?
Type of Skin
Getting to know your type of skin will help you narrow down your search for the perfect shaving cream. These days you can find products for all types of skin, they will include ingredients that help your skin and avoid irritation.
The types of skin are: oily, dry, normal, sensitive, and combination (oily T-zone and dry cheeks).
Ingredients To Include
Natural Ingredients
It's better to choose a cream that is based on natural ingredients. Although it's impossible to find a shaving cream with a 100% natural formula, those ingredients need to be the ones doing the work. Stay away from formulas with an excess of chemicals (more about these types of harmful ingredients later on).
Essential oils
These oils are extracted from plants such as sandalwood, lavender, eucalyptus, chamomille, and others. These oils do the job that chemicals have in low quality creams and shaving cans. They also have the added benefit of moisturizing your skin and add extra protection when shaving.
Ingredients to Avoid
Paraben
This ingredient has been traditionally used as a preservative, to lengthen the life of shaving creams and keep it in good condition. These days, sensible companies are dropping it from their formulas. The reason? Recent studies have linked its use with occurrences of cancer and other health problems. There’s nothing certain about the role of Paraben yet though, but it’s a good idea to avoid it.
Sulfates
These ingredients are listed as SLS, SLES, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, or ammonium lauryl sulfate. Their role is to cleanse the skin, but they are rough to the skin and a bit corrosive, dissolving the natural oils present on your skin (and needed to keep it in good condition).
Sulfates have been linked to hair growth problems, skin irritation and even to the development of dermatitis.
Isopentane
An agent used to mix ingredients together. It has been linked to contact dermatitis, dry skin, throat and nose irritation and headaches.
Fragrance
Yes, that’s the name of the ingredient! Some companies like the ones above share what’s on the fragrance formula, but with others you are playing Russian roulette because their formulas might contain irritating and harmful ingredients that are hidden behind a “secret formula”.
Final Words
We hope this guide helps you select the right shaving cream. Everyone is different, so although these products are our selection it finally boils down to what is more comfortable to you. It's worth to try out different brands, and this article might serve you as a starting point.
A good shaving cream is essential to having a pleasant and safe shaving experience!