Skip to content
Imagine plucking every hair out of your beard with tweezers instead of shaving with a razor. This is how ancient man was believed to remove unwanted hair, with a clamshell that plucked the hairs out a few at a time. Lucky for us, the technology for getting a nice and clean face and body has advanced to much more comfortable practices.
One of the most innovative aspects of the at-home and comfortable shave was the shaving cream. Invented by an MIT professor named Frank Shields, who struggled with a tough beard and sensitive skin. Before he came along in 1919 to create the first Barbasol formula, men used a horsehair brush to whip soap into a lather.
Today, we will give you a rundown on what shaving cream is, how to choose what is right for you, and how to use it.
What is shaving cream?
Most guys get shaving creams mixed up with gels and foams. Most of the aerosol products that men use that are sprayed onto your hand are full of alcohol. These are difficult to get a proper close shave with as the foams include many bubbles to create a light and airy texture, making it impossible to see where you're shaving.
Creams are most often sold in tubes and are thicker than foams but thinner and less transparent than gels. One of the main benefits of shaving cream over other forms of shaving tools is the versatility of application. They are easy to apply by hand, and you don't need to see bubbles or foam - just enough cream to protect from the razor blade.
What is shaving cream made of?
Nearly all shaving creams have the same basic ingredients - stearic acid, triethanolamine, glycerin, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate, and water. Stearic acid is one of the main ingredients in soap making, and triethanolamine is a surfactant, or surface-acting agent, which does the job of soap, albeit much better.
While one end of a surfactant molecule attracts dirt and grease, the other end attracts water. Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate is an emulsifiere that holds water to the skin, while glycerin, a solvent and an emollient, renders skin softer more supple.
We use natural and organic ingredients in our Natural Shaving Crème and stay away from synthetic fragrances, artificial colors, or harsh detergents. The addition of Aloe Vera Leaf juice assists in the hydration of your skin, leaving your face feeling refreshed.
Why is it essential to use shaving cream?
Protection, comfort, and for the sake of your skin are the main reasons you should be using shaving cream.
While ancient man used to yank hairs out by their roots, our much more sophisticated process allows for the shaving cream to add hydration and lubrication to shaving, minimizing the risks of redness, razor burn, and irritation.
Shaving cream acts as a natural moisturizing barrier between your skin and your razor. The result is a closer shave that leaves your skin feeling smooth, calm, and fresh.
Is shaving cream worth it?
One of the primary purposes of shaving cream is to hydrate. While you may be thinking that means hydrating the skin of your face, what it is doing is hydrating the hairs and making them softer and easier to cut.
The value that this adds is that the less force you have to use during the shave, the more comfortable you will be during and post-shave.
Is shaving cream good for your hair?
While shaving cream is designed to moisturize your beard hair to make it softer and easier to cut, it is not designed to do anything other than assist in its removal. However, moisturizer and lubrication are excellent for the skin, which remain even after the hair is gone.
Is shaving cream better than gel?
The differences in cream vs. gel make the question of which is better one of personal preference. While shaving cream is light and airy, making it easy to apply and remove with water, shaving gel is thinner and transparent, allowing you to see what you are cutting and a quicker shave. Both add a lubricant layer to make the removal easier and protect the skin from irritation, nicks, and cuts.
How does shaving cream work?
Shaving cream is designed to complete four tasks during your shave routine. The first two have already been covered in hydration and lubrication (softening the hairs and protecting the skin). The second two are tracking and soothing.
Tracking is as simple as creating tracks as you remove the cream with your razor, so you know where you have shaved and where you haven't.
And ingredients like coconut oil will leave your skin feeling smooth and refreshed.
How to use shaving cream?
Before you apply the shaving cream, it is important to wash your face using warm water to remove any dirt or sunscreen from your skin. Using warm water also lifts the hair so allow for a smoother shave.
There are three different ways to apply shaving cream to your face:
With a brush and a bowl
When you put the shaving cream in the bowl and stir it with the brush, it creates the lather before you apply it to your face. While this can seem like an extra step, this allows you to get the perfect lather and a more even spread across your face.
With the brush and without the bowl
Put the shaving cream directly on the brush and then apply it to your face. The benefit to this technique is the bristles of the brush exfoliate the skin and can lift the hairs slightly, allowing for a closer shave.
Using your palms
This is the most basic method, putting the cream in your palm and rubbing them together to create a lather. This is the quickest, easiest, and cheapest since you need no other tools.
Apply to all areas of the face where you have unwanted hair and follow by running the blade across the face in the direction of hair growth.
Recap
We've come a long way from yanking hairs out by the roots using a clamshell thanks to innovators like Frank Shield and those that followed in his footsteps to make shaving one of the more comfortable parts of your grooming process.
VITAMAN Shave Crème is made for high-performing men who know the value of looking and feeling their best. Proudly made in Australia, Vitaman Shave Crème is formulated with the finest, natural ingredients like organic White Tea Leaf Extract, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Coconut Oil, and Vitamin E. This means it’s perfectly suited to all skin types, including sensitive skin.
With VITAMAN Shave Crème, you can finally banish shaving irritation, in-grown hairs, and nicks and cuts. Heck, you might look forward to shaving for the first time in your life!
