Pre-Shave Cosmetics. What to Choose: Shaving Foam, Shaving Soap or Shaving Cream?

A smooth shave would be impossible without a rich lather that serves three main functions: it lubricates, opens up the pores and desensitizes the skin. You can get this lather from various types of pre-shave cosmetics, such as shaving soaps, foams, and creams.

Choosing between these types can be confusing, especially when you’re not aware of the major differences between them.

Shaving Soap

A shaving soap is a kind of soap that is whipped up into a lather before shaving. Shaving soaps have been in use since the early nineteenth century. Their popularity has died down ever since shaving creams and foams were introduced. However, this pre-shave is still used by many people who prefer the traditional ways.

Best-Selling Shaving Soaps

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Shaving Cream

Shaving creams generally contain oils, soaps, and water to give lather for a perfect shave. Shaving creams are available in tubes and pressurized cans. In order to create lather out of the cream from tubes, a shaving brush is required.

Best-Selling Shaving Creams

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Shaving Foam

Shaving foams can be bought in pressurized containers and they do not need to be lathered up. They can be simply applied to the face; this eliminates the need for a shaving brush. 

Best-Selling Shaving Foams

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The following pros and cons of each of the pre-shave products highlight the main advantages and disadvantages. These may vary from people to people, and there is no hard-and-fast rule regarding the best option from the three. You should choose a product that works best for you.

Pros & Cons of Using Shaving Foam

Shaving foams come in pressurized containers and are the easiest of all to use.

PROS:
  • Extremely easy to use; all it takes is to apply the foam to the face without the need to create a lather. This saves time and is convenient for many people.

CONS:
  • It is generally expensive
  • It can be quite messy
  • Does not remove any dead skin cells as no shaving brush is required to create the lather

Pros & Cons of Using Shaving Soap

Traditional shaving soaps still haven’t been eliminated by the newer types of pre-shave cosmetics. Here are some pros and cons of using a shaving soap.

PROS:
  • They are generally slicker because of the numerous ingredients such as glycerin, lanolin, tallow and bentonite clay. This provides a smoother shave, especially for people who have dense facial hair.
  • They generally are easy on the skin because some of them do not have any scents added to them that may cause allergenic reactions in some people

CONS:
  • It can be difficult to get a rich lather from soaps for people who are new to wet shaving
  • They can dry the skin

Pros & Cons of Using Shaving Cream

Shaving cream is quite popular among new and seasoned wet shavers. Here’s why:

PROS:
  • They are easy to use even for those who are new to wet shaving
  • They can provide considerable protection to the skin because of the added additives

CONS:
  • The scents can sometimes irritate the skin of some people

There is no single type of pre-shave cosmetics for men that fits everyone. Try different types (soap, cream, foam, gel) and choose the one that you feel most comfortable with.

My name is John Shaver. I am an avid men's style enthusiast. I decided to start this website to review all my favorite shaving products and share some shaving and beard growing tips. As a member / participant of American Hair Loss Association and Professional Beauty Association, I can say that my advice has a value. Hope you enjoy!

1 Comment
  1. Which is the best right now

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