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We should reframe shaving. I think it's got a reputation as the big chore of a man's grooming routine. Fragrances are fun. Brushing your teeth is a plain necessity. Everyone tells you your skin-care routine should be long and complicated as a form of "self-care." But everyone wants to get through shaving as fast as possible. No one takes time to enjoy it. Electric razors and modern cartridge razors all advertise close shaves that happen as fast as possible. I'm not on that shit.
Yeah, it's annoying and, as is raw denim, an old-school cliché, but I'm really into the whole ritual of shaving these days. I'm using single-blade razors, a badger-hair brush, and weird products from England. My finacée says it's a matter of time before I'm doing Peaky Blinders cosplay and carrying a straight razor. Do I care? No. I have to shave twice a week; I want to make it enjoyable.
The easiest way to dip your toe into elevated shaving is with a shaving cream that actually smells good, protects your skin, and gives you a nice, close cut. Even if you don't want to go whole hog with the brushes and the razors, buying a nice shaving cream is going to improve your life. In my experience, these are the best options.
A First Step into Luxury Shaving Creams
The Art of Shaving Sandalwood Shaving Cream
Pros
Really cannot recommend a shaving-cream brush enough- A nice first luxury cream—rich and smells wonderful
- Big maker, stock is always available
Cons
- More of an investment than you might be used to
- Not everyone wants to use a brush to apply cream
I'm going to be annoying and just come out and say it: I think guys should get back to spreading shaving cream with a brush. It can be real badger or a synthetic replica. It just adds a nice bit of exfoliation to the experience, and it wakes up all the follicles you're about to shave.
If you're with me on this journey, a classic shaving cream like this one from the Art of Shaving is what I consider the perfect first step. A little bit goes a long way, so don't be shocked by the price tag. As far as lather, it's one of the best I've tried. It smells lovely, and it deals with sensitive skin incredibly well. There's nothing it lacks.
The Best Shaving Cream Overall
Kiehl's Close Shavers Squadron Brushless Shave Cream
Pros
- My favorite if you only want to use your hands
- Really gentle, great for sensitive skin
- Menthol gives a cool barbershop feel
Cons
- Product can go pretty quickly if you're lathering with your hands
As for the best-of-the-best no-brush shaving cream, I'd go for Kiehl's. Shaving companies make nice shaving creams, but I really believe that it's a skin-care company that's going to make the best stuff for your face.
Kiehl's Close Shave Squadron gives a nice lather just with your hands. The menthol gives it a nice barbershop feel, so if you have the time, I love to pair this with an at-home hot towel. (This also helps you lather sans brush.) Just let the hottest water you've got soak a hand towel, and toss it on your face for 30 seconds.
Only thing here is you don't necessarily get the long-lasting-ness that you do with creams, soaps, and butters that use a brush. Hands-only means you need more product to get a lather.
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Pros
- A drugstore go-to
- Lathers incredibly well
- Doesn't strip the skin of any excess moisture
Cons
- We prefer more specialty options
When I got a job in high school, this was my first jump away from the Barbasol my dad taught me to shave with, because I could buy it at the same place. To this day, I still have great respect for the Nivea shave gel.
It goes from gel to a really nice foam and is nice and economical. The chamomile, witch hazel, and vitamin E three-step covers the bases of soothing, toning, and moisturizing, respectively. It's affordable, is great for the skin, and can be found just about anywhere.
Pros
- Shave butter is nice if creams leave your face dry
- Lather is a bit thinner, making it easier to see edges
- Widely available
Cons
- You can just use a cream, then a better moisturizer afterward
- Van der Hagen advertises it as a two-in-one; I don't agree
Now there's also the prospect of shave butters. These lather thinner than a cream, but they're more moisturizing than a soap.
Van der Hagen's shave butter is widely available, but for me it's got a shave experience closer to that of artisanal options. Shea, mango, and cocoa butters make it incredibly moisturizing, so much so that Van der Hagen advertises it as a two-in-one where you just rub in excess butter as an aftershave. From a logistical standpoint, that didn't work for me. (A lot of cut hairs are loose on your face post-shave.) It's also too rich as a moisturizer for my liking. I thought it was plenty moisturizing when used as a regular cream: lather, shave, rinse, and then moisturize afterward if you need.
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Pros
- A nice menthol barbershop-style cream for a brush
- Classic name, a lot of people love this one
Cons
- Prefer Kiehl's if you're just going to use your hands
Proraso is the typical first stop when getting into upgraded shaving. On this list, it's very similar to the Kiehl's option, with a barbershop menthol vibe. The reason I would choose Proraso is if you want to use a brush and do all the wet shaving but you don't want to dive into the more artisanal stuff. For that, it's wonderful, and it might be the only shaving cream you ever need.
My Favorite Luxury Shaving Cream
Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream
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Pros
- Love that old-world luxury
- Scents are really incredible
- Leaves your skin just a bit nicer than the drugstore options do
Cons
- The price, obviously
Taylor of Old Bond Street is my personal favorite of the bunch. It's stuffy and menswear-y, and the shaving soaps and creams are just phenomenal. I'm recommending the shaving cream here in sandalwood, but it's just as good as a shaving soap. The difference would be that the soap is a thinner lather, not as rich and moisturizing as a shaving cream, if that tends to upset your skin.
As for the scent, Taylor of Old Bond Street's Sandalwood is a cult favorite in the world of guys who care about this sort of stuff. I like Tobacco Leaf, but Sandalwood is the crowd-pleasing standout.
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Pros
- One of the easier-to-lather shaving soaps out there
- Barrister and Mann has amazing scents
- Nice if you don't like the rich lather of a cream
Cons
- Soaps are more specialized and old-timey than any creams
- Not as moisturizing as a cream or butter
I briefly mentioned shaving soaps above, but it's kind of the final frontier of caring about your shaving. Prior to the widespread adoption of shaving cream after World War I, shaving soaps were what men used. That gives you a little insight into the guy who still likes to use them today. Working up a lather is a bit more labor-intensive than with cream, but it's more about enjoying the ritual.
That said, shaving soaps can be a great option for you if you find you have really sensitive skin. There's a ton of small-batch makers, and across the board stuff is made with natural, time-tested ingredients. I'd say an unscented shave soap is as gentle on the skin as anything you can use.
As for shaving-soap brands, like I said, you can go deep and find some guy who makes tallow shave soap out of his garage. (If you never knew, making bar soap really is not hard.) Those are cool options, but in the interest of something mass-market, Barrister and Mann is a very well-respected name. All the options lather easily, and it makes a wonderful collection of scents—all pretty masculine, but if you're this deep into it you probably want that.
