grooming
By Rachael Griffiths, a writer at the Strategist covering beauty, fashion, and travel. She joined the Strategist in 2021 after interning for the site.
Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
In this article
- Best shaving cream for men overall
- Best less-expensive
- Best for sensitive skin
- Best budget for sensitive skin
- Best unscented
- Best shaving soap
Finding the right shaving cream for your skin is just as important as finding the right razor. And while shaving cream has become shorthand for a whole range of products you use to shave with — including gels, foaming gels, and foams —the function remains the same. The right shaving cream lubricates your blade, helping your razor to glide over your skin. In doing so, it can prevent nasty bumps, rashes, and red patches — and even quench dry skin as you shave.
Now, if you’re male identifying, I’m going to make an assumption based on my years of expertise as a grooming writer. If you’re looking for a shaving cream, chances are your main priority is finding one that can be used for shaving your face. That’s why my best pick below — a menthol-scented Proraso cream that was a hit with four barbers I interviewed — is geared toward shaving the face only. I know that you may want more than just your face hairless, though (as I’ve chatted with experts about in my guide to manscaping tools), so I’ve also included plenty of options suitable for both the face and body, recommended by ten grooming experts I interviewed. I also cross-referenced these picks by double-checking ingredients, reading reviews, and poring over dozens of sub-Reddits and Youtube clips.
Once you’re done here, round off your shaving routine by reading my guides to the very best razors for men and the very best aftershaves.
What we’re looking for
Ingredients
Ingredients
Shaving is a potential irritant no matter where you’re shaving. That’s why I’ve looked for formulas with hydrating ingredients and also humectants (ingredients that actively pull water into the skin). Gently exfoliating ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) were also recommended to me by dermatologist Dr. Naana Boakye as they improve skin’s texture with repeated use. I’ll talk more about scents below: Depending on how sensitive your skin is, you may wish to avoid them. But one ingredient I’ll always recommend avoiding is alcohol — it will only further dry out your skin.
Scent
Scent
If your skin is on the sensitive side, I recommend avoiding shaving creams that are strongly scented. Many products are only lightly scented, which dermatologists have told me is absolutely fine for sensitive skin types. But if you’re unsure, or you just don’t want to dilute the smell of your aftershave or cologne, I’ve included an unscented option, too.
Texture
Texture
What you shave with comes down to personal preference, but it’s worth noting that some formulas are more hydrating than others (like foams, for example).
Best shaving cream for men overall
$10
Ingredients: Coconut oil, lactic acid, glycerin, menthol | Scent: Menthol Texture: Cream
This Proraso formula has been recommended to me more times than I can count. It’s creamy, ever-so-lightly scented, and glycerin packed. Russell Manley, owner of New York’s Ludlow Blunt, says the Italian brand’s history appeals to him (the company began as a barber shop in 1908 and began to produce products in 1948), but he adds that the formulation is impeccable. There are several Proraso lines, each color-coded. Green is for toning the skin (“refreshing”), white is for sensitive skin, red is for coarse hair, and blue is for protecting the skin.
Barbers love the green line because it not only moisturizes but gently exfoliates the skin over time thanks to the inclusion of lactic acid. Exfoliation is the key to keeping ingrown hairs to a minimum.“Glycerin — a key ingredient since the turn of the century in all shave creams — lactic acid, and menthol work in combination to open up the pores and raise the beard hair,” says Manley. “This helps to ensure a close shave with lower likelihood of ingrown hairs.” And while the cream is scented, Joey Furlan — who owns Hair by Joey in Arizona — tells me the scent is light and refreshing, making it suitable for any type of shaver. For its affordable price point, hard-working ingredients, and overall shave experience, I’m awarding Proraso the top spot of best shaving cream for men overall.
Best less-expensive shaving cream for men
Ingredients: Coconut, Macadamia oil | Scent: Subtle citrus | Texture: Cream
Cheaper still is this drugstore option from Cremo. It’s a similar price to the Proraso, but in a bigger bottle. In fact, writer and trusted New York Magazine contributor David Walters once wrote about how his bottle lasted him almost a year and a half. Walters has sensitive skin yet said “shaving with Cremo is surprisingly close and comfortable — no nicks, no irritation, no accidental shearing of the epidermis like thin-sliced deli turkey.” This is due to the cream’s ingredients, which include hydrating fruit and nut oils. The product’s longevity is down to its texture: The cream is water activated, meaning it only lathers up when wet, so you can mix a teeny portion with water for each use. Those with really sensitive skin types can give the mentholated cooling version a go, too.
Best shaving cream for men with sensitive skin
Ingredients: Aloe, sunflower seed | Scented: Mild woodsy | Texture: Cream
Aloe is a wonderfully calming and soothing ingredient, and this cream is packed full of it. It also includes moisturizing sunflower seed; oat protein, which is found in lots of eczema-soothing products; and quenching shea butter. That’s what makes the cream such a great option for sensitive skin prone to angry irritation: It cools, it soothes, it moisturizes. Grooming expert Ronnie Peterson says he and his boyfriend both use Ursa Major’s shaving cream. “It’s really thick and moisturizing and non-lathering,” he explains (lathering formulas can sometimes dry out particularly sensitive skin).
Best less-expensive shaving cream for men with sensitive skin
Ingredients: Vitamin E, Soy, and Aloe | Scented: Mild | Texture: Gel
I awarded this the top spot in my overall guide to shaving creams, so it’s only right that it gets an honorable mention here. As someone with dry, eczema-prone skin, I always return to Aveeno for its gentle, hydrating formulations. The price point is pleasing, too (for its quality, I feel it could easily charge double). “For those who prefer a gel, this contains a combination of soy, aloe, and vitamin E to soothe the skin,” says Dr. Marisa Garshick, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical assistant professor at Cornell, who gives the subtle scent of this gel the all-clear for those with sensitive skin. Two dermatologists I spoke to gave this gel the okay for facial use, as it’s emollient rich and hydrating, but it’s actually designed for use all over the body. That’s where the Prorano just has the edge: It’s made specifically for use on the face.
Best unscented shaving cream for men with extremely sensitive skin
Ingredients: Glycerin and coconut | Scented: Unscented | Texture: Cream
I’m championing glycerin again as it’s such a powerhouse product in shaving creams. As Peter Solomon, owner of Tweed Barbers of Boston, explains: “The beauty of glycerin is that it really gets the cream to foam up nicely. It creates a rich, foolproof lather.” Solomon put me on to the formulas from the Art of Shaving — the brand has dozens of options including lavender and sandalwood, but I’m drawn to the unscented version. Arthur Iskhakov, owner of New York’s Barber’s Blueprint, says that while it’s expensive, “it’s very thick, so you only need a dime-sized amount. You can just wet your hands and work up a lather right on the skin. It gives a great lather.” Like me, groomer and makeup artist Robert Reyes loves the Art of Shaving too, but he’s partial to its unscented cream, which is hypoallergenic and good for sensitive skin. He says you can use it with or without a brush — but it can be fun to use one for the “total experience.” “I actually use a makeup brush,” he says.
Best shave soap for men
Ingredients: Mineral oil and lanolin | Scented: Almond | Texture: Bar
Leavitt & Peirce in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a unique store — part tobacconist, part old-school men’s-grooming specialist — and it carries a lot of hard-to-find shaving products from around the world. Owner Paul Macdonald’s favorite shaving cream is actually a “shaving soap” that you use the old-fashioned way: by placing it in a mug and lathering it up with a wet brush. It’s made by the Italian company Vitos and comes in a 1.5-pound semi-hard brick. “So what I have to do is cut a thick slice from the brick and shove it into my shaving mug,” Macdonald says. “It has the easy lathering of a shave cream without the mess. And I love the faint almond smell. Economical, too!”
Some other shaving essentials we’ve written about:
My experts
Dr. Naana Boakye, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Bergen Dermatology
Russell Manley, owner of New York’s Ludlow Blunt
Joey Furlan, owner of Hair by Joey in Arizona
Dr. Marisa Garshick, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical assistant professor at Cornell
Arthur Iskhakov, owner of New York’s Barber’s Blueprint
Heather Manto, barber and former co-owner of the Rosewood Barbershop in Austin
Ronnie Peterson, grooming expert
Robert Reyes, groomer and makeup artist
Peter Solomon, owner of Tweed Barbers of Boston
David Walters, writer and New York Magazine contributor
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