We’ve had a ton of requests to start including shaving creams in our reviews. We have done a few. We feel we have left out some excellent shaving cream brands and products, and, well, we would like to redeem that. The great thing about most of the shaving creams we are going to review is they are still able to be used with a brush! We know how much sacrificing the brush would kill you guys, so we made sure to find creams that we liked, but you could still apply with a brush. We believe this process leaves your gives you the best possible shave and leaves your skin exfoliated without going the plugged in route.
Also, we’re not talking about Gillette or Barbasol here. We’re talking about high-end, smaller manufactures of a quality product. It has been a bit of a task going through all these shaving creams, but here is our recommendations for the best shaving creams for men!
What’s in Your Shaving Cream and What Does it Do?
We are going to pump the brakes for Uno memento! We want to give you some information that may help you in the decision making process when you are selecting a shaving cream.
These days we are all more aware of not only what we are putting in our bodies, but what we are putting on our skin as well. So, it is with this in mind that we want to tell you about what is in your shaving cream and what its purpose is. We promise not to be a complete snooze in this section!
The Bones:
For the most part, the basic ingredients of shaving creams are pretty standard across the board. The main areas that differentiate one shave cream from another are the quality and proportion of said ingredients. Each component acts essentially as the skeleton for the cream and holds the whole thing together with a function that is unique and important. When the amount of ingredients is altered, it results in the texture of the foam as well as the consistency being different. The price usually goes up in this case too, but sometimes eating Top Ramen for a while is worth an impeccably shaved face.
Typically the following ingredients are responsible for the foaming goodness that is shaving cream. There are fatty acids and various oils that help to moisturize the skin and keep it smooth. Glycerin helps the whiskers and skin to hang on to moisture and ultimately affects the thickness of your cream. Things like sodium and potassium hydroxide are added to help the product produce a lather which then works to hold the hairs up. There is of course water in shaving cream as well that helps to spread all of the ingredients out evenly and softens the texture of the foam too.
Lube It Up:
Some form of lubricant is essential to a good shave and a very important element of a good shaving cream. Sure, you can technically use oil, water or even your own spit to shave, but they aren’t nearly as effective as shaving cream since they don’t reduce friction all that well…not to mention using your own spit to shave is just gross.
A good shaving cream helps the razor sail through your hairs and slices them with ease rather than hacking away at them painfully like a machete through the jungle. Having oil in your shaving cream will also add much needed moisture to the skin and even make the remaining facial hair you have softer.
Repair Time:
Shaving is pretty rough on your skin and can certainly leave your face feeling like the Sahara. You are, after all, removing a layer of skin with all of those whiskers. You’ll want to be on the lookout for a shaving cream that has high quality healing ingredients added to moisturize, reduce irritation and even protect your skin. Try to look for shaving creams that have repairing and soothing ingredients like vitamin E, aloe, green tea and other essential oils. They will all work together to heal, moisturize, protect and even provide you with some anti-aging benefits.
Our Top 5 Picks:
Tribute Supply Co. Shaving Cream for Men:
The Tribute Supply Co. shaving cream is a great product. Those who are use to grabbing a $2 can of Barbasol might be surprised at the price, but you will definitely see the difference once you apply it. Tribute Supply Co. has been dominating the high-end shaving cream market for years, and they are still going strong!
Whether you decide to apply this shaving cream with a brush or by hand, you wont have to worry about wasting the cream. It was our fear that when we decided to use this by hand, that we would use a ton more, this wasn’t the case. The fact that this bowl is more expensive is redeemed by the fact that a little bit of it goes a long way.
Jack Black Supreme Triple Cushion Shave Cream:
Jack Black, no not the actor/singer, but the shaving cream brand is a great quality product. The can is swanky and attractive. The cream is incredibly rich and protective. Jack Black’s triple cushion prides themselves on providing three lathers for protection, hydration, and comfort.
At first, we thought this was just a marketing ploy. However, you can really see the difference with the three layers of lather. Again, this product can be used with or without a shaving brush. Also, don’t let the size fool you! A little bit of this stuff goes a long way. Unlike soaps where you have to whip up a lather, just a little pinch of this shaving cream will give you a thick, full lathering.
The Body Shop For Men Maca Root Shave Cream:
To be honest, we weren’t too familiar with this product prior to using. However, The Body Shop for Men quickly caught our attention. One of the first things that we noticed were how long it lasted. I mean, if you missed a spot, just splash some water on it, and it gives new life to the soap. It was pretty darn impressive. Like some of the other products we have found, just a little dab of this stuff goes a long way. For this reason, we think the cream might compete with the shaving soap economically. We were under the impression shaving soap lasted longer hands down. But after using this stuff, we can see the competition.
The Body Shop for Men shaving cream will give you a premium shaving cream experience without breaking the bank. Most other premium shaving creams we have come across can cost the upwards of $20+, but you can get The Body Shop for Men shaving cream for ~$15. Overall, we were impressed.
Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream Bowl:
We have given you a rundown of Taylor of Old Bond Street before. We have only recently started using the product more, and we are very impressed. Not only does the Taylor of Old Bond Street have a bad ass name, and accountability from staying in the family since 1854, but it works like a champ as well.
The product provides an amazing lather. It smells great. Even if you do not have a brush, just building the lather in your palm will still leave you with a great lather. The look and performance of this shaving cream will certainly help you do a little throw back shaving!
Proraso Eucalyptus Shaving Cream for Men:
This product is by far the least expensive, but don’t let that fool you. We have reviewed some Proraso products on here, and we are quite fond of them. Proraso prides themselves on having a rigorous manufacturing process to produce a high-quality product. The tube is quite small compared to the bowls we have been reviewing, but this product is still very economical. The cream only requires a very small amount to produce a thick lather which can be applied by a brush or by hand.
The Proraso has shaped up to be one of the best bangs for our buck when it comes to high-end shaving cream. They have come up with a new formulat (to be honest, we don’t know what the old formula was like, but it’s great!). This product left out skin feeling moisturized and healthy at about 1/3 of the cost as other products out there. Overall, we are very impressed.