Shaving Cream Reviews

Everyone thinks of the convenience of dry shaving when considering electric shavers, but until you’ve tried a good wet electric shave don’t make your mind up just quite yet.

Even if you don’t strictly need to use any sort of lubricant in order to get a shave, a good shaving cream can make the whole experience much more pleasant and do wonders for your skin.

Here I’ve collected some of the most popular creams you can buy online and have had a close look at each one’s promises and the overall opinion of people who have bought them. Based on this I’ve highlighted a number of top picks, which are right at the top of the list. The rest are not ranked in any particular order.

So let’s get to it and have a look at their creamy centers.

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BEST OVERALL: Taylor of Old Bond Street
Sandalwood Shaving Cream Bowl

Taylor of Bond Street has a pretty fancy name and is very popular to boot, but none of that has any bearing on whether the actual stuff you apply to your face is any good.

The actual container is lovely and comes in the form of a classic shaving cream bowl. It’s even cream-colored.

As the name suggests, the main fragrance in this product is sandalwood, but what you should really pay attention to is the inclusion of cedar. Cedar is great, but quite a few people have allergic reactions to it and may end up with irritated skins. So if that’s you, you’ll have to cross this particular cream off your list.

The rest of the bouquet is literally a bouquet. It includes lavender, rosemary, jasmine, and just plain old rose. A mix that seems like it would be a hit with the ladies.

People who have used the cream note that the smell is very pleasant indeed. So, the flowery formula seems to have paid off. The only criticism that I can see is that some people find that it dries the skin somewhat, which suggests that if you are someone who already has dry skin issues this may not be great. Alternatively, you can pair it with a moisturizing aftershave.

Overall though, this seems to provide an excellent traditional shaving experience and comes with a recommendation from, well, a lot of smooth-shaven people.

BEST VALUE FOR THE MONEY:
Cremo Original Shave Cream

I love that Cremo refers to this as “astonishingly superior” shaving cream. Who exactly is astonished? I know that it’s supposed to be us as the customer, but I just love the idea that they went out to make some shaving cream and then were just astonished that it was better than they meant it to be.

In any case, this cream definitely does not come in what I would describe as an “astonishing” package. It’s pretty much just a regular old squeeze tube.

What is astonishing is that Cremo says this tube is enough to last 90 days and yet it only cost a few single dollars. The ingredient list is pretty good as well. It includes macadamia seed oil, aloe, lemon extract, papaya, olive, and so on. Cremo says that this product only needs to be applied in a very thin layer and that it will also cut down on irritation and nicks and cuts.

OK, it is starting to sound a little more astonishing, I’ll admit. But, there is a price to pay for this amazing shaving experience. You need to rub your skin with the hottest water that you can stand for 30 seconds.

The big question is whether these claims stand up to real world use.

Incredibly enough, it seems as if the claims do stand up in reality. Customers confirm that it lasts as long as Cremo claims and they are as positive about the shave itself. Whether these attributes are as useful when getting an electric shave is debatable, but in general I think this is a cream deserving of being labeled a top pick.

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

THE BEST BUDGET PICK:
Gillette Foamy Cream for Sensitive Skin

Gillette’s catchphrase is famously “The Best a Man Can Get”. Whether that’s literally true or not is debatable, but there is no doubt that they have been one of the most consistent and popular brands in shaving for many years. Gillette may not make the fanciest stuff, but it’s rare that any of its products fail to meet expectations.

The Gillette foam is meant for use with sensitive skin. It makes use of higher levels of aloe and other skin nourishment, which should prevent bumps and irritation. This is also a good choice for those of us who would rather leave the strong scent to the aftershave. Apparently this also helps cut down on the irritation, since some of the scents that they use in other products are a source of problems themselves.

This product also claims to be longer lasting. Gillette says that it’s good for a full 52 shaves, which Gillette also cheekily says is more than Barbasol, who I suppose is their main competition in this product segment.

The general user consensus is that this is an excellent general shaving product, although no one seems to specify whether they used it for electric shaving or for regular safety razor shaving.

In terms of being good for sensitive skins, that is something which seems to be true. The price is excellent as well, that is if you buy it in bulk. The link here will bring you to a pack of 12 on Amazon, which is a really solid choice.

BEST FOR SENSITIVE SKIN:
Pacific Shaving Company Natural Shaving Cream

I have to say that even though this is just a normal tube package I quite like the bold graphic design and lettering being used here. It’s very appealing and modern. The main schtick of this cream is that Pacific says the ingredients are certified natural and organic. Of course there are plenty of natural and organic substances that are pretty bad for you, so take that bit of marketing fluff with a pinch of organic natural salt.

The formula is apparently a “low-lather” one that the company says is unique. I’m not sure why being low-lather is a positive. Perhaps some people feel there’s too much lather in their cream.

Pacific is very confident in this product. If you believe them this is the most potent, best shaving cream ever made. Even though it’s a small tube they say it will last “a long time”. I guess it’s a matter of perspective.

Marketing aside, what do people say who have used it?

Well, first of all it seems that I’m not the only one to rather cynically pick up on the whole hipster organic schtick going on here. The thing is that, it turns out the product itself is really good. It’s entirely possible that the marketing tack may be losing them customers who find the tone grating.

Either way, this non-toxic shaving lubricant turns out to deliver on its claims and seems to work best on people with sensitive skin. Whether it really is the “best” we can never say, but it definitely is worth your while to check out, despite the marketing.

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

The Art of Shaving, Sandalwood

This is yet another sandalwood cream that’s packaged in a way to evoke the idea of a vintage barber shop and some sort of old-timey quality. I can’t say I like the box much, but the actual tube is a lovely velvet black color, which always gets my approval. We really need more matte black packaging.

Although sandalwood is not the only ingredient, it’s the main note in the overall scent of the cream. The marketing material indicates that the sandalwood trees of India are rare and valuable. It’s doesn’t actually say that any of that wood is in this shaving cream, but there you have it. Either way, sandalwood essential oil is what you get.

What you won’t get are any synthetic dyes or any alcohol. This is made using glycerin and coconut acid. The Art of Shaving apparently cares first and foremost about skincare; their choice of ingredients is therefore in support of that goal. According to the company their formula makes for the best lather and the best moisturizing action.

The good news is that this seems to be widely considered one of the finest creams you can buy by customers. Well, at least it was. It seems that when this cream first came to market it was thick, exquisite cream with excellent performance. Long time customers are however complaining that the formula is being watered down, doesn’t last as long, and doesn’t give quite the same shave anymore. For that reason I can’t really recommend it, especially at the rather high price.

Neutrogena Men Sensitive Skin Shave Cream

I have heard good things about this cream from Neutrogena. I see it on quite a few “recommended” lists and it is quite popular.

It comes in just the standard old tube packaging we see everywhere today and Neutrogena says this is specially formulated for people with sensitive skin. So if your electric wet and dry shaver tends to give you bumps or other irritations this may be for you. The maker says this is for daily use and that makes sense, since many people with “sensitive” skin are really only suffering from the fact that they have to shave on a daily basis.

If you look at the response from a very sensitive clientele, it’s very positive indeed. Some people have even reversed problems such as razor bumps, making a real difference to their quality of daily life. The fact that this is also a very affordable product and it really works means that I have to make it my top pick for sensitive skins.

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

VIKINGS BLADE Luxury Shaving Cream

Well, talk about a melting pot product. This shaving cream comes from Australia, but claims a true Scandinavian heritage, hence the Viking name.

Like so many of the other premium shaving creams, this one uses sandalwood as its main ingredient. The scent is described as “traditional Swedish” which means a mix of sandalwood and red cedar, apparently.

Vikings Blade describes this as a traditional luxury lather and wax lyrical about the lubrication properties of this substance.

Users of this cream refer to it as “nostalgic” and “old school”. It takes almost a minute with a good shaving brush in order to get an adequate lather going, so that really does count as a rather retro experience.

Since this is such a straightforward, good-quality product there isn’t much to criticize. I guess one thing that’s obvious is that this has no fancy gimmicks. No magical chemical infusion that will make you younger or cure cancer. Your mileage will therefore depend on how much you value those sorts of things in your shaving cream.

The only other issue, and it’s a minor one, comes from the smell. Although this is supposed to be a sandalwood product, users report that the cedar tones come through more strongly than expected and that the overall smell is a little “strange” compared to other sandalwood creams in the same price range.

So although I can recommend it on performance terms, it may not appeal to some noses.

Barbasol Soothing Aloe Review

Barbasol is a name that just about anyone who has ever shaved will know. There is definitely something unique about the smell and feel of Barbasol products that I have never been able to pinpoint myself. It certainly feels more airy and foamy than other shaving creams I’ve tried.

The thickness and richness of Barbasol is definitely a unique aspect to consider. Whether its consistency is suitable for wet electric shaving will depend on the type of razor you have. As long as it is rated for use with foams and creams, however, there will be no harm in trying.

As a shaving foam, Barbasol is very popular with buyers. The only real criticism that anyone has is that the online price seems to be too high compared to the bricks and mortar store price. That being said, Barbasol is cheap either way and a great shaving cream, so the convenience of ordering it online may make it worth it.

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Reviews Conclusion

There sure are a lot of options in the shaving cream world to choose from these days. Back when there were only two or three good products on the market the job of picking one was much simpler. In fact, most of us probably just chose whatever our fathers or grandfathers used. That’s all changed now, it seems, and it’s no longer socially unacceptable to care about things like skin nutrition and comfort. I think overall the slew of new products is a good thing and hopefully one of my top picks here will turn out to be the right choice for you.