For most men, shaving products are the only skincare investment they ever make. Hence, it is all the more important to make that grooming session worthwhile and beneficial by using the best shaving creams for men. Such a product luxuriously lathers around the face and cushions the blade action from the razor to prevent cuts or abrasions. According to California-based dermatologist Dr. Sam Ellis, “One of the benefits of using shaving cream is that you can see exactly where you’ve shaved, so you don’t risk going over the same area multiple times. Sometimes those multiple passes can increase your risk for irritation and ingrown hair”. 

A good quality product softens your facial hair and allows the blade to slide smoothly for better results. “They really ensure a close shave that is super gentle (on your skin)”, says Ellis in reference to shaving creams with a thick and creamy lather. However, while there are a plethora of drugstore shaving gels, creams, and butters that claim to be suitable for sensitive skin, finding a gentle and soothing formulation can be difficult. Hence, we have curated a list of premium-quality shaving creams with the best formulas to take this hassle off your shoulders. Keep reading to learn more.

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  Best Overall

  AVEENO THERAPEUTIC SHAVE GEL

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Fortified with oat extracts and allantoin, this shave gel by Aveeno helps reduce inflammation and irritation caused by shaving (1) (2). So, folks with sensitive skin out there can trust it to pacify their skin from the razor action. It contains skin conditioners such as vitamin E, aloe extracts, glycerin, and panthenol that luxuriously soften the skin and improve its texture. Besides, they subtly lubricate the skin so the blade goes on more smoothly — preventing skin abrasions. 

Key Ingredients:

- Oat extracts

- Vitamin E

2

Best for Coarse Beard Hair

L’OCCITANE HOMME CADE SHAVING CREAM

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Take your grooming routine to a whole new level with this French-crafted essential – L'Occitane's Cade Shaving Cream. Crafted in France, it is a blend of rich cade wood essential oil and nourishing shea butter, creating a creamy foam that ensures a smooth and irritation-free shave. It will tame even the most coarse beard hair while giving you a close shave. All you have to do is lather it on wet skin, shave, and rinse.

3

Best for Indulgent Experience

Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream

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Go for this delightful men’s shaving cream by Taylor of Old Bond Street to indulge your senses while shaving. The cream has a sweet, woody, and earthy fragrance of sandalwood that makes you feel fresh and rejuvenated after application. Formulated with the moisturizing properties of coconut acid and glycerin, the product helps condition your skin and lubricate the razor blade for a smooth shave.

Key Ingredients:

- Glycerin

- Coconut acid

4

Most Nourishing

MARIO BADESCU SKINCARE SHAVING CREAM

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This lavender-scented shaving cream from Mario Badescu will transform your shaving routine for a task into a blissful form of self-care. It has a one-of-a-kind non-foaming formula that has a creamy and concentrated texture, nourishing your skin with the utmost protection and moisture while you shave. Additionally, the calming lavender scent adds a touch of relaxation to the experience. You just have to apply a thin layer after and shave as usual - your skin will feel fresh, smooth, and pampered.

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NIVEA MEN SENSITIVE SHAVE GEL

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This lightweight shave gel for men by Nivea foams into a rich lather that improves your razor glide and provides a close shave. Enriched with chamomile and witch hazel extracts, the product helps pacify the inflammation and itchiness caused by the blade action (3). Besides, the product is free from harsh alcohol, dyes, and menthols that are notorious for worsening the tingles caused by shaving — an ideal choice for frequent use.

Key Ingredients:

- Vitamin E

- Chamomile 

- Witch hazel

6

Premium Shaving Cream

Proraso Shaving Cream

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This premium shaving cream for men by Prorarso gives a cooling sensation that alleviates any tingles and irritation caused by the razor action. It gives a rich foamy lather to your face that enhances the blade movement and provides a close shave without abrading your skin. The product helps purify your skin from dirt and debris and makes you feel clean and fresh. Besides, the product is free from parabens, silicones, mineral oil, etc. 

Key Ingredients:

- Menthol

- Glycerin

- Eucalyptus oil

7

Best for Energizing your Senses

Pacific Shaving Co Caffeinated Shaving Cream

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Made with natural and safe ingredients, this shaving cream by Pacific Shaving Co. employs the goodness of caffeine in energizing your senses for an enjoyable morning shave. The product has a concentrated formula that foams richly when mixed with water, so a little quantity goes a long way. It helps alleviate redness and irritation and makes your skin look healthy and nourished after shave. Adding to that, it softens your facial hair before you shave to prevent skin abrasion or razor burns. 

Key Ingredients:

- Coconut oil

- Glycerin

- Vegetable caffeine

- Aloe vera leaf juice

- Plant-based potassium stearate

8

Best for Natural Ingredients

Van Der Hagen Shave Butter

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Unlike foamy shaving products, this shave butter by Van Der Hagen provides intense moisturization and softens the hair follicles for a smooth shave. Formulated with macadamia oil and botanical butters, the product generously lubricates the skin for a razor glide and leaves your skin feeling supple and silky. It also helps prevent pesky cuts and razor burns by pacifying the blade action. What makes this product special is that it is free from filler ingredients and harsh chemicals — a perfect shaving product for sensitive skin. 

Key Ingredients:

- Macadamia oil

- Shea butter

- Cocoa butter

- Mango seed butter

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THE ART OF SHAVING NEW YORK SANDALWOOD Shaving Cream

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Rich in fatty acids, this moisturizing shaving cream by The Art Of Shaving New York provides a smooth shave by bolstering your razor with a good lather. The product is clinically tested for sensitive skin and it is enriched with the nourishing properties of glycerin and coconut acid. With a warm and indulgent natural sandalwood scent, this men’s shaving cream invigorates your senses. You can use this product with or without a brush to make the best of it. 

Key Ingredients:

- Glycerin 

- Coconut acid

- Sandalwood essential oil

10

GILETTE LABS RAPID FOAMING SHAVE GEL

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Fortified with niacinamide, this foaming shave gel by Gilette helps achieve an even skin tone by boosting collagen production in the skin and improving its elasticity (5). The concentrated gel foams rapidly and gives a thick lather for a smooth shave. It has the subtle, masculine fragrance of cedar and orange peel with exotic woody and citrusy notes. With nourishing extracts of sea kelp and algae, the product provides a calming sensation to your skin. 

Key Ingredients:

- Vitamin B3 + sea kelp

- Vitamin B3 + algae 

11

VIKING REVOLUTION SANDALWOOD SHAVING CREAM

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This men’s shaving cream by Viking Revolution has a slick formula that lubricates your blade generously to prevent nicks, abrasion, or razor burns. It contains emollient properties of castor oil and aloe vera that nourish your skin and leave it feeling luxuriously soft. With every shave, your skin feels calm and refreshed owing to the soothing properties of chamomile and witch hazel extract (3). To top it off, the warm and masculine fragrance of sandalwood makes you love shaving. 

Key Ingredients:

- Sandalwood

- Castor oil

- Chamomile extracts

- Witch hazel extracts

12

Jack Black Supreme Cream Triple Cushion Shave Lather

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This shave cream for men by Jack Black is rich in skin conditioners that nourish and replenish your skin. It is rich in antioxidants, which will help fight free radicals and environmental aggressors — making your skin less vulnerable post shaving. The Protective Triple Cushion technology bolsters the blade and lubricates it for a smoother shave. Besides, the product makes the shaving process less itchy. 

Key Ingredients:

- Glycerin

- Jojoba oil

- Soybean oil

- Macadamia nut oi

13

Billy Jealousy Hydroplane Super-Slick Shave Cream

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This single shave cream for men by Billy Jealousy provides three amazing benefits for an enjoyable grooming session. The formulation gives excellent lubrication for a smooth shave while bolstering your face to help remove small facial hair with ease. Also, it intensely moisturizes your face and prevents post-shave dryness. Enriched with botanical oils of grapefruit, bergamot, orange peel, ginger, and lime,  rejuvenates your skin and makes it feel fresh. 

Key Ingredients:

- Citrus fruit oils

- Ginger oil

Now that you have seen our top recommendations for the best shaving creams for men, let us go through the following buying guide to shop wisely and steps to use to make the best of the product.

1. Lubricity And Lather: To ensure that your blade glides smoothly on your face and neck and gives a close shave, it is important that your shaving cream provides great lubrication. Besides, a rich lather helps bolster the shaving process and prevents nicks, cuts, and razor burns. These are the primary features of any shaving cream that you must look for. 

2. Fragrance: A pleasant-smelling product always makes the grooming process indulgent and enjoyable, Hence, it is nice to use a product that has an invigorating fragrance to make you feel clean and fresh. However, certain overpowering or synthetic fragrances such as peppermint or tea tree oil can cause tingling sensations on your skin. Hence, people with sensitive or allergy-prone skin must stay away from shaving creams like that. 

3. Humectants: Shaving is a rough, abrasive process and must be pacified to maintain good skin health. This is why shaving creams that are rich in humectants and skin conditioners are always beneficial. Such ingredients include aloe vera extracts, calendula, hyaluronic acid, coconut extracts, botanical oils, etc. that alleviate, soften and pamper the skin. 

4. Soothing Properties: Razors often cause inflammation, irritation, burns, micro-cuts, redness, etc. when glided against your skin. Hence, it is pivotal to look for alleviating products to calm your skin from the effects of shaving. Ingredients such as chamomile extracts, witch hazel, aloe vera, etc. have remarkable anti-inflammatory properties to soothe your skin. Also, ingredients with anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties are also beneficial to protect your skin. 

5. Ingredients to Avoid: Shaving is a delicate process, which is why one should be particularly careful to avoid harmful ingredients in shaving creams. These ingredients include parabens, SLS, SLES, petroleum, synthetic fragrances, artificial dyes, triethanolamine (TEA), etc

Step 1 - Cleanse: Start the process by cleansing your face with a mild face wash. It always helps if your facial cleanser contains salicylic acid (BHA) — a gentle chemical exfoliant that helps unclog your pores from oil, dirt, and debris — making your hair follicles loose. This ensures that your razor does not come in contact with any dirt or bacteria on your face and worsen the condition by shaving. 

Step 2 - Lather: Take a pea-sized amount of your shaving cream/gel/butter on a dampened shaving brush. Lather the product around your jaw, cheeks, and upper lip area using circular motions till you have generously coated the entire region. 

Step 3 - Wash your razor blade and shave gently in the direction your hair grows. Rinse the debris between your blades occasionally for ease of use. 

Step 4 - Follow up with topical niacinamide and a nourishing moisturizer after shaving. 

So, there you have it! The above-mentioned products are some of the best shaving creams for men out there that will provide you with a gentle and smooth shave. Ensure you go through our buying guide to make an informed purchase. Remember, that no matter how good your product is, brash or hasty shaving is sure to cause ingrown hair, razor burns, and other such problems. Hence, be very gentle and precise when working with a blade. Happy shopping!