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Most men shave without a second thought about their routine. This means that most people have never really considered if shaving cream is needed.
Maybe you could get a better shave if you switched up products.
Or maybe, you don't need any products and can save yourself some money. But are you willing to take that risk?
In this article, we'll give you a breakout of shaving cream vs gel vs foam so you can make the best decision for you.
What is the point of shaving cream or gel?
The point of men's shaving cream is to create a buffer between your skin and the razor. The extra layer creates a microscopic protective layer for your skin to help the blade glide over your skin instead of cutting into it.
Shaving products will also soften your hair, making it easier to cut. It means the razor needs less force and causes less damage to your skin.
The most obvious benefit of shaving cream is also the one that most people forget about. It's easier to see where you've already shaved if you have a face full of cream! Great visual tracking helps ensure you don't miss any spots and ensures that you don't needlessly go over the same area multiple times and risk damaging your skin.
Do you need foam to shave?
No, the foam and suds of shaving cream don't actually help. You're looking for lubrication, so the razor glides over your skin and cuts the hair.
Regardless if you are using shaving cream, foam, or gel, each shaving product has four main components.
Surfactants:
These create foam or cushions to help protect your skin. Each molecule is made up of two parts; a hydrophobic side and a hydrophilic side. This enables these compounds to hold both oil and water.
Emollients:
Emollient means "to soften," and compounds with these properties soften your skin. Emollients fill the microscopic spaces between your skin cells to moisturize your skin. The smoother layer is also easier to shave.
Humectants:
These substances moisturize the skin. A humectant is a hygroscopic substance that forms hydrogen bonds with water. Basically, it pulls water into your cells.
Water:
If you ever learned in science class, this is the universal solvent. All the other components are suspended in water to make the products smooth and easy to apply.
Is shaving cream good?
Not all shaving creams are created equally.
Initially, most men used homemade soaps, formed a lather, and used the slippery suds to help their razors glide across their skin. Then a few companies marketed unique soaps for shaving that created more foam.
And in 1949, Carter-Wallace sold the first pressurized can of shaving cream - this changed the industry forever. This new style of shaving cream was very convenient: you didn't need to work to lather it up. The shaving cream came out of the can, ready to apply, perfect every time.
To pressurize shaving cream and make it more convenient, though, chemists had to add several substances to stabilize the product and ensure it would foam once it reached the air. Chemicals like isopentane help pressurize the cans but are toxic. Definitely not something you want on your skin every day!
Even shaving creams that are not aerosolized can have harmful chemicals in them. Your body's natural oils help protect your skin during shaving and help your skin stay moisturized. Many traditional shaving creams use sulfates to create lots of lather, but this strips your body of helpful oils.
And while there are a lot of shaving creams that are actually harmful to your skin, you need to be on the lookout for products that use natural ingredients, such as our natural men's shaving products.
Is it OK to shave dry?
With so many harmful chemicals in shaving products, it's understandable why some men might want to shave dry.
- Speed: If you don't need to lather up and then rinse, you can shave in no time.
- Ease: No prep is needed.
- Convenience: you don't need to worry about packing or forgetting cream or gels for shaving. It's also great if you don't have any water handy.
- Health: if you don't use any products, you won't be absorbing any harmful ingredients.
Preparation is the key to a good shave. Dry shaving removes all the preparation that helps protect your skin from the razor. If you've ever tried shaving dry, you'll notice how the razor scraps and tugs at your hair. You'll probably also see more razor burn and nicks as the razor scrapes your skin.
Thankfully, you don't need to shave dry to avoid harmful products. There are many great shaving creams and gels you can use - like our very own natural men's shaving cream and our natural men's shaving gel.
We only use high-quality, natural ingredients that prepare your face for shaving.
Is shaving cream worth it?
If you like razor burn, enjoy a cut-up face and don't mind the uneven look of a rough shave, then a dry shave is perfect.
If a friction-free, painless, shave is something you want, then a shaving product is worth it. Finding the best shaving cream or gel makes the whole shaving experience effortless and is totally worth it.
Best ingredients for shaving cream or gel
Coconut oil: is a natural anti-inflammatory and moisturizer.
Aloe vera: this little plant makes it into almost every natural cosmetic because it's so good. It's a great moisturizer and lubricant.
White Tea Leaf extract: most shaving creams use water as a base to hold all the other components of shaving products. But the best shaving creams and gels use something stronger. White Tea leaf extract helps replenish nutrients to your skin to keep it healthy and supple.
Recap: Shaving Cream vs Gel vs Foam
Shaving products have changed a lot over the years. They've evolved from just being regular soap to being highly specialized products. Through the process, companies that create shaving products added many chemicals to make the product perform "faster," but those chemicals harm your skin and health.
Men may think about shaving dry to avoid the chemicals in most shaving products. But that no longer needs to be the only way to shave and avoid harmful chemicals. There's now a better alternative for shaving creams and gels. Several natural shaving products deliver a great shave and boost your skin's health.
Natural ingredients like coconut oil work as a surfactant and eliminate the need for harmful chemicals. Aloe works as a moisturizer and removes the need for petroleum-based products.
Instead of dry shaving, try our natural shaving cream or shaving gel.
Each product is loaded with plant-based ingredients to help you look and feel your best.
