Best Shaving Cream for Straight Razor (2023 Buyers Guide)
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Today we will look at the best shaving cream for a straight razor.
You probably fell in love with wet shaving for the clean and close shave you’ve seen it give men. Making the shift, you expected to go through a learning curve laden with some nicks and cuts. But you’ve been getting a lot of those lately. While you might blame your straight razor’s aggressiveness or quality, something else might be the problem – a subpar-quality shaving cream.
Shaving with straight razors requires special shaving cream. You cannot get away with a quick thin lather when shaving. For this reason, we’ve prepared a list of shaving creams we’ve determined are among the best for classic wet shaving with straight razors.
Note: Straight razor shaving creams have a rich lather and are made with moisturizing elements, including natural oil and glycerin.
Let’s dive right into it.
Best Shaving Cream for Straight Razor (at a Glance)
Last update on 2024-08-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1. The Art of Shaving Bergamot & Neroli Shaving Cream – Best Shaving Cream for Straight Razor
The Art of Shaving Bergamot & Neroli Shaving Cream is the best straight razor shaving cream designed to deliver comfort and quality performance. Its texture is like that of a high-quality lotion, and it produces a rich lather with a few brush swings. Alternatively, you can use your fingertips to generate a thick layer of lather on the skin – only be prepared to use a little more cream.
The cream lifts and softens the beard for a comfortable and close shave, and it also protects the skin from razor burns and irritation. This shaving cream excels as the best with the addition of Bergamot and Neroli essential oils. These oils give the cream a refreshing citrus scent layered with sweet floral.
Bergamot is known to help remove impurities and dirt, while Neroli is known to cleanse oily skin. Other ingredients include coconut acid and glycerin, which reduce inflammation and hydrate the skin.
- Light scent but is enjoyable
- Comes in a tub or tube
- Good for sensitive skin
- Part of a shaving collection
- Has a burning sensation
- The scent dissipates over time
2. Taylor of Old Bond Street Peppermint Shaving Cream – Classic Shaving Cream for Straight Razors
Wet shaving started regaining popularity in the past couple of years. But even with its popularity, there are still men who have not yet tried it. If you are one of those who have stumbled upon the concept of wet shaving recently and are putting together your straight razor shave kit, then you should throw in the Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream. As it is, this shaving cream is probably the default shaving cream for wet shaving beginners – and there are good reasons why this is so.
The Taylor of Old Bond Street line comes with lots of fragrances as well as shaving soaps and continues to amaze many with its lotion-like consistency coupled with its ability to make a rich lather. For a long time, these two qualities were mutually exclusive. So it’s understandable why people are impressed by it.
Now, the Taylor of Old Bond Street brand was first established in 1854 by Jeremiah Taylor. It was a popular brand with your grandfather. Heck, it just might be what your grandfathers used when shaving.
And since a shaving cream’s scent is important to most men, we feel it’s good we mention it early in the review. The Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream has a fresh Peppermint scent. It has a cool and minty scent. But hey, if you don’t dig the Peppermint scent, there are still many options to choose from. The additional scents include;
- Almond
- Grapefruit
- Lavender
- Coconut
- Sandalwood
- Rose
- Lemon and lime
But aside from the scents, this shaving cream is designed for high performance. This means that it will provide you with a rich lather that isn’t too airy.
Moreover, the cream’s texture when fully lathered feels slick. As such, when you apply the cream to your face, it provides excellent cushioning that will facilitate a comfortable shave. After the shave, your skin will feel smooth and moisturized.
Complementing the cushioning is the glycerin added to the cream. The glycerin moisturizes and smoothens the skin even more. Given the addition of glycerin, the cream is ideal for men with dry and sensitive skin.
When purchasing this shaving cream, we insist that you buy a shaving brush as well. While you might be tempted to scoop it with your finger and rub it in your hands to lather, it will not yield a rich lather. If you want high performance with this product, you should invest in a complete wet shaving kit. So yes, you will need a bowl as well to help with the lathering process.
While the shaving cream is slightly expensive, some men have gone on record to say that it can last for six months. As such, it’s doubtful that it will feel like a waste of money.
- It needs a shaving brush to yield great results
- It’s an old-school shaving cream
- It’s ideal for use with classic straight razors
- It’s expensive
3. Pacific Shaving Company Natural Shaving Cream – Travel-Friendly
Pacific Shaving Company Natural shaving cream contains safe, natural, and plant-derived ingredients that help provide the smoothest shave without causing razor burns or irritations. The ingredients that help achieve these properties include Shea butter and Aloe.
Although you can get a single tube, there’s an option of getting a pack of two, three, four, six, and 12. A single tube is 3.4 ounces. It might seem small, but the formula is concentrated enough to last about 100 shaves.
- Vegan formula
- A little goes a long way
- Good for sensitive skin
- More expensive than the average shaving cream
4. American Shaving Sandalwood Shaving Cream for Men – Timeless Scent
This is yet another piece that’s ideal for men with sensitive skin. The American shaving Sandalwood Shaving Cream for Men contains a combination of natural ingredients that help men achieve close and comfortable shaves without worrying about razor burns and skin irritation.
Although it’s marketed for all skin types, it does a great job on men with sensitive skin or a coarse beard. It generates a rich lather that softens and hydrates the beard while helping the skin become flexible and supple. This allows the straight razor to glide over the skin effortlessly.
For a refreshing feeling, the shaving cream features a sandalwood barbershop scent. The bold and earthy fragrance has a timeless allure. Last but not least, America provides a satisfaction guarantee with every purchase.
- Can lather it without a shaving brush
- Comes in a compact package
- Timeless sandalwood fragrance
- Easy to use
- The fragrance might be intense for some men
5. TCM Men’s irritation-free Shaving Cream – Excellent Value
If you are looking for a straight razor shaving cream that’s especially great for sensitive skin, this TCM Men’s irritation-free Shaving cream is it. TCM markets this cream as cruelty-free since it’s made from all-natural ingredients, including cucumber, Aloe Vera, Green Tea Extracts, Sunflower Seed Oil, Moringa Oil, Shea butter, and peppermint oil.
These ingredients moisturize, soften and lubricate the skin when wet shaving. They also help to prevent skin inflammation from ingrown hairs and razor burns.
As a wet shaving enthusiast, you’ll love that this cream lathers easily with both soft and hard water. Not only does it leave the skin refreshed and rejuvenated, but it also leaves behind a fresh and aquatic scent.
- Great smell
- Lathers well with both hard and soft water
- Provides an irritation-free scent
- Ideal for sensitive skin
- Excellent value
- It’s a little pricey. But for the value it offers, it’s well worth it.
6. Knightsbridge Shaving Cream – Good for All Skin Types
Knightsbridge created a product that’s simple yet gets the job done efficiently. It’s made from the finest ingredients, including essential oils that protect and moisturize the skin while providing a close shave.
Even better, the unique formula produces thick, pillow-like clouds of lather with minimal effort. You can lather up using your hands or a shaving brush. Whichever method you prefer, a little cream will go a long way.
The Sandalwood scent is classic, wonderful and masculine. But if you’d prefer a different scent, you can choose from Bay Rum, Aloe water, and charcoal. Overall, the scents are medium-strong, which is perfect for a man.
While most shaving creams leave the skin dry and in dire need of a post-shave routine, this straight razor shaving cream does the opposite – leaves the skin moisturized and feeling soft.
Knightsbridge is confident in the quality of its product that they offer a 100-percent money-back guarantee. If you encounter problems with your shaving cream, let them know.
- Creamy and moisturizing
- Good for all skin types
- Available in different scents
- A little cream lathers exceptionally well
- The fragrance isn’t overpowering
- Comes in a small container
7. Rocky Mountain Barber Company Shaving Cream for Men – Natural Ingredients
Rocky Mountain Barber Company was formed in 2015 in Canada to bring change to the Men’s grooming industry. To do this, the company decided to use natural ingredients in their products and focus on small batch production that’ll allow them to deliver quality products every time.
After a couple of years in the industry, their approach to production seems to be working, and the Rocky Mountain Barber Company Shaving Cream for Men is the perfect example. This shaving cream formula includes rich natural ingredients and is perfect for different skin types. The glycerin and coconut oil added to the formula moisturize the skin, and the sandalwood essential oil soothes sensitive skin.
You can apply the cream with your fingertips or use a shaving brush, and you’ll get a rich lather every time.
- Lubricates and moisturizes the skin
- The scent profile is the same in their after-shave balm and oil, so you won’t have to worry about conflicting scents
- Lathers nicely
- Has a menthol cooling sensation
- The scent doesn’t last all-day
- The cream needs a little moisture to lather
8. Rockwell Shave Cream for Men Barbershop Scent – Sensitive Skin & Thick Facial Hair
Like Rocky Mountain, Rockwell is another company that’s intentional with the quality of its shaving creams. But instead of producing small batches, they leverage their experience in the men grooming industry to manufacture shaving creams that form rich and protective lather with or without shaving brushes.
Although the formula used is perfect for all skin types, it does a great job on men with sensitive skin and thick facial hair. Men looking to protect their skin from cuts, tugging, nicks, razor bumps, and ingrown hair should use Rockwell shave cream.
The protective ingredients include glycerin and coconut oil that moisturize and prepare the skin for a comfortable shave. Allantoin and Aloe soothe the skin and elevate the shaving experience. The classic scent described is achieved by blending Neroli, cedar, and anise.
Finally, there’s a satisfaction guarantee that shows how confident Rockwell is in its product.
- Has a compact design
- Ideal for all skin types, including sensitive skin and thick beards
- Contains protective ingredients
- Stays on the skin long enough for several passes
- Expensive shaving cream
9. EZ Blade Shaving Gel – Waterless Shave
If you are up for trying new things, the EZ Blade shaving gel is perfect. The first thing we should point out about this shaving gel is that it’s a shaving gel, not a cream and that it’s neon green! Since it’s a gel, it does not lather, and you don’t need a shaving brush. Scoop it with your fingertips and spread it evenly on your skin to get a clear lubricant. You can shave without water with the gel and not suffer razor burns.
The gel’s formula opens skin pores and softens and relaxes the skin and coarse beard for a smooth wet shaving experience.
Note: you need to shave fast before the gel dries. Once you are done shaving, use water to remove the gel.
- Clear gel so you can see where you are shaving
- Has a strong minty fragrance
- Waterless shave, which is fast and easy
- Glides the straight razor over the skin
- You need to apply a lot of the gel for a good shave
- Doesn’t remove easily
10. Cremo Coconut Mango Moisturizing Shave Cream – Great Moisturizing
This is yet another great no-lather shaving product. Cremo is popular for producing quality creams, and this shave Cream isn’t any different. But how does it work?
The Cremo shaving cream works by washing your face with warm water and applying a small amount of cream. Although this cream isn’t the most lubricating, it quickly covers the skin to provide a nice blade glide for the razor, protecting the skin from ingrown hairs and razor burns.
Cremo Shaving Cream has a strong, tropical smell. Unfortunately, the scent isn’t for all men. As for performance, a little cream goes a long way. The 6 oz. tube can serve you for 90 days.
The ingredients include Macadamia Seed Oil, Aloe, Calendula Extract, Lemon Extract, Papaya Extract, Olive Leaf Extract, and more which contribute to great skin health. Paraben-Free.
- Made from organic ingredients
- Ideal for sensitive skin
- Has great lubrication
- It’s no lather cream
- Some men are bothered by the fragrance
What You Should Look For in a Straight Razor Shaving Cream
With so many good shaving creams on the market, it can be difficult to pick the best for you. Consider the following factors.
Skin Type
This is crucial since different shaving creams are designed for different skin types. Men with dry skin should use shaving creams with moisturizing and hydrating properties, and those with damaged skin will benefit from rejuvenating creams. On the other hand, men with sensitive skin use vegan shaving creams designed from natural ingredients.
Non-scented or Scented
The best thing about shaving creams is that some have fascinating scents that linger for hours. While some have overpowering scents, some are scent-free. If you love scents, you should consider scented creams like the Art of Shaving Bergamot & Neroli Shaving Cream.
However, if you have other scented shaving products getting a scented shaving cream will clash with the rest. In this case, get fragrance-free shaving cream.
Lather and Foam Quality
When wet shaving, you don’t necessarily need a lot of lather to get a smooth close shave. However, this doesn’t mean the quality of foam is insignificant. On the contrary, a good shaving cream produces a rich lather with a small amount of cream.
Other shaving creams or gels don’t lather or foam, yet they offer quality lubrication. Some men prefer these types of gels and creams as they can see where they are shaving and their progress.
Texture
Different shaving creams come in different textures. For example, shaving gels and creams vary greatly in texture. Gels are thick and produce a rich lather, and most gels tend to last longer than shaving creams. However, this isn’t always true for all gels, so you should always read user reviews to understand how long they last.
The texture is also important as it determines how easy it is to apply the cream or gel to your face. Thin and slippery creams are perfect when accuracy is needed. However, they are inferior to individuals who need to shave a full and thick beard.
Additional Abilities and Features
Quality shaving creams are made with ingredients and oils that offer extra benefits. For instance, cucumber, coconut, and Aloe extracts offer regenerative, hydrating, and moisturizing properties. They also help open pores and provide the cream with a better texture.
While there are numerous bare shaving creams featuring one or two ingredients, always keep an eye out for those with extra effects as they provide the best value. We have also an article about if you can use regular shaving cream with a straight razor.
FAQ
How Do You Apply Shaving Cream before Using a Straight Razor?
Before anything else, you should wash your hands before you start wet shaving. Some men prefer using soap to soften their faces, but it’s not mandatory – either way, the lather will stick. After washing your face, add shaving cream into a shaving bowl and use a shaving brush to create a rich lather, and apply it on your face.
What Shaving Accessories Are Ideal for Using with a Straight Razor?
There are different types of shaving creams that vary in texture.
- Shaving oils – these are mild and the easiest creams to apply. Many of these oils don’t have strong fragrances, but they last a decent time. Shaving oils tend to be more expensive than most creams since they are the most convenient.
- Shaving gels – these are different from shaving oils, and they usually don’t produce lather and have a gritty texture. They are easy to apply but are often difficult to rub off after shaving. But because of the gritty texture, gels aren’t ideal for men with sensitive skin.
- Shaving creams – these fall between shaving oils and gels. You need to emulsify the cream in a bowl before using it. But given they have varied compositions, companies have a little more flexibility to add different elements. Some have fragrances, others are non-scented, others lather, and others don’t.
Should I Purchase a Shaving Cream with Less or More Lather?
Generally, wet shaving does need a lot of lather to get a good experience. All you have to do is cover spots on your face to shave well. How much lather you apply doesn’t necessarily affect the smooth shaving process.
What Is a Vegan Shaving Cream?
Vegan is a word used to refer to organic or natural. Vegan shaving creams often have zero chemicals and have natural ingredients.
Are Shaving Gels Great for Men with Sensitive Skin?
Natural shaving creams are good for men with sensitive skin. Moreover, shaving creams designed specifically to combat rashes and skin redness work great too.
Can Shaving Cream Clog Your Drain?
Yes, they can clog your drains, especially if you live with other people that shave into the same system. However, you can remedy or prevent this by pouring ½ cup of baking soda and a cup of white vinegar into the drain to clear the pipes.
Verdict
If you want the best shaving cream for a straight razor, The Art of Shaving Bergamot & Neroli Shaving Cream might be the one for you. It will be a perfect fit with a straight razor such as the Dovo Bismarck. The EZ Blade Shaving Gel is different but allows you to trim your beard while seeing where your razor is gliding.
