How do you use shaving cream?

Lindsay explains that when using shaving cream, it’s generally best to lather the cream in your hands first (especially if it’s a foaming gel) and then apply it to wet skin, covering the area you want to shave. You’ll want a thick layer you can’t see through but not so thick that you won’t be able to pull a razor through it. You might want to do this out of the shower (or water spray), so you don’t lose all your product down the drain, as well.

Can I just use my shower gel?

Technically speaking, yes. But Lindsay tells us that the key difference is, “body wash formulas are designed to rinse off quickly and easily, whereas a shaving gel is designed to stay on your skin until you shave it off. The goal of a body wash is to remove dirt and oil, whereas the goal of a shave gel is, more specifically, to condition and provide a layer of cushion between your skin and the blades of the razor.”

Does shaving cream expire?

It does! Your best bet is to refer to your product packaging, as different formulas will have different expiry dates. A good general rule of thumb is to bin anything that’s changed colors or textures.

The 12 Best Shaving Creams of 2022

Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.

Voluntary body hair removal, namely shaving, can be the bane of all beauty tasks. But when you factor in super lush shaving cream, things can take a turn. All of a sudden, a mundane task feels more like a self-care activity, not to mention your hair-free skin will feel all the better for it (hello, silky limbs).

But not all shaving creams are created equal, so to help you separate the okay from the epic, we’ve curated an edit of the best right here.

Keep scrolling to shop for the best shaving creams.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Flamingo Foaming Shave Gel at Shopflamingo.com

This thick and fluffy formula helps razors to glide over the skin.

Best Drugstore:

Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel at Amazon

This moisturizing shave gel helps you shave less often as it minimizes the appearance of hair over time—and it's at the drugstore.

Best for Sensitive Skin:

Vanicream Shave Cream at Amazon

This shaving cream formulated for sensitive skin will help you shave without redness or inflammation.

Best for Bikini:

Fur Shave Cream at Ulta

Safely shave your bikini area without worrying about nicks and bumps.

Best for Razor Bumps:

Ursa Major Stellar Shave Cream at Amazon

Get rid of razor bumps for good with this natural shaving cream.

Best Oil:

Tree Hut Bare Moisturizing Shave Oil at Amazon

Ditch shaving cream for this oil-based formula that nourishes and leaves the skin feeling silky smooth.

Best for Small Areas:

Shea Moisture Tea Tree Oils & Shea Butter Non-Foaming Shave Gel at Amazon

See what you are shaving with this clear gel formula—it's great for small areas like the face, chest, or armpit.

Best for Nourishment:

Eos Shea Better Shave Cream at Amazon

This non-foaming shaving cream is packed with natural ingredients and leaves the skin super hydrated.

Best Body Wash:

Gillette 2-in-1 Cleanser + Shave Gel at Ulta

Shave your body and cleanse it with this two-in-one pick.

Best for Hydration:

Billie Shave Cream at Mybillie.com

Formulated with a plethora of hydrating ingredients, this pick works to deeply moisturize skin.

In This Article

Our Picks
Final Verdict
What to Look For
Why Trust Byrdie?

View On Shopflamingo.com

What We Like

Doesn’t run or drip
Non-drying

What We Don't Like

Contains fragrance

This Foaming Gel from Flamingo is like shaving with a cloud. It’s thick and fluffy without being drippy and ensures your razor will glide across your skin. You’ll be left with smooth, soft limbs (and zero knicks). The elevated lavender packaging is also a win for your bathroom aesthetic.

Key Ingredients: Aloe vera, allantoin | Size: 6.7 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

View On Amazon View On Bed Bath & Beyond View On Walmart

What We Like

Little goes a long way
Contains skin-soothing ingredients
Affordable

What We Don't Like

Easy to pump out too much product

Aveeno is a trusted authority when it comes to body care, and the Positively Smooth Shave Gel is no exception. The light gel foams up when it comes into contact with skin and water, ensuring a close shave with minimal irritation.

Key Ingredients: Soy, aloe vera, vitamin E | Size: 7 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes

View On Amazon View On Walmart

What We Like

Fragrance and alcohol free
Great for sensitive skin

What We Don't Like

Doesn’t lather
Not cruelty-free

If you experience extremely sensitive skin, Vanicream’s Shave Cream might be your new BFF. It’s formulated without botanicals, fragrance, alcohol, lanolin, or parabens for smooth skin with zero irritation. Simply apply a thin layer of cream all over damp skin.

Key Ingredients: Glycerin | Size: 6 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No

View On Ulta

What We Like

Contains skin-soothing ingredients
Safe for intimate areas

What We Don't Like

Can leave a film on the skin

Shaving your bikini and intimate areas can be a tricky task, but Fur’s Shave Cream is up to the task. Nourishing and non-foaming, it prevents nicks, bumps, redness, and razor burn and will leave the skin silky soft when you’re finished.

Key Ingredients: Olive oil, aloe vera, shea butter, and hemp seed oil | Size: 5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

View On Amazon View On Credo Beauty

What We Like

Smells lovely
Can use face or body
Gently exfoliates

What We Don't Like

Pricey

Want to turn shaving into a spa-like experience? Ursa Major’s Shave Cream is rich and decadent, plus it smells incredible. The inclusion of willow bark—a natural BHA—is also an excellent way to simultaneously exfoliate and thus prevent ingrown hair.

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, willow bark, sunflower, birch extract | Size: 5.3 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

View On Amazon View On Ulta

What We Like

Provides excellent slip
Contains skin-soothing ingredients

What We Don't Like

Can be slippery

Oils are a great choice if you want both a close shave and nourished skin in one easy step. Tree Hut’s oil is lightweight and spreads easily for a close shave with minimal irritation. Just be careful to not get it everywhere—no one wants to fall over in the shower or tub.

Key Ingredients: Argan, grapeseed, jojoba, and sesame oils | Size: 7.7 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Shea Moisture Tea Tree Oils & Shea Butter Non-Foaming Shave Gel

View On Amazon View On Vitacost

What We Like

Clear formula for visibility
Contains skin-soothing ingredients

What We Don't Like

Strong scent

If you’re shaving small spots like the face, chest, or armpits, this gel from Shea Moisture is ideal. The clear formula makes it easy to track your handiwork, while the shea butter and tea tree extract will nourish the skin.

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, tea tree, panthenol | Size: 6 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

View On Amazon View On Ulta

What We Like

Doubles as a skin treatment
Smells lovely
Affordable

What We Don't Like

Contains fragrance

It’s no secret lavender is wonderfully calming, and this Eos Shave Cream actually smells like walking into a field of it somewhere in Provincial France. Rich in shea butter and calming oat extract, this product doubles as a nourishing skin treatment so you can skip lotions post-shower.

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, oat extract, aloe vera | Size: 7 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

What Our Editors Say

"I adore the scent of this shaving cream; it's so therapeutic, and turns my shower into a temporary spa." — Eden Stuart, Associate Editor

Gillette Venus 2-in-1 Cleanser + Shave Gel

View On Ulta View On Bed Bath & Beyond View On Vitacost

What We Like

Doubles as a body cleanser
Safe for intimate areas

What We Don't Like

Pricey

Gillette has answered our prayers with this two-in-one wash and shaving gel. Light and foamy, it gently cleanses whilst ensuring a close, clean shave. The clear formula and fact that it’s soap-free make it ideal for intimate areas, as well. Put one in the shower, and you’ll never look back.

Key Ingredients: Coconut, olive, and jojoba oils | Size: 6.42 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No

View On Mybillie.com

What We Like

Doesn’t run or drip
Nourishing for dry skin
Prevents cuts

What We Don't Like

Strong scent

Who needs moisturizer when you can use Billie Shaving Cream in the shower? Rich and decadent, it glides onto the skin like a dream and ensures your shave is smooth and knick/cut-free.

Key Ingredients: Aloe, shea butter, olive oil, sage | Size: 6.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

What Our Editors Say

"I've never met a more luxurious shaving cream. It's made with a rich blend of shea butter, aloe, sage, and olive oil. It feels so silky and creamy on my skin. When I use this, my skin feels so soft and moisturized after shaving." — Olivia Hancock, Associate Editor

View On Amazon View On Malinandgoetz.com View On Revolve.com

What We Like

Smells lovely
Contains skin-soothing ingredients
Handy pump

What We Don't Like

Pricey

Loaded with good-for-skin ingredients, Malin + Goetz’s Shaving Cream is about as luxurious as hair removal can get. It’s creamy and nourishing, plus has a soft menthol kick for added freshness.

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, vitamin E, squalane, glycerin, chamomile, menthol | Size: 8.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Cremo Coconut Mango Moisturizing Shave Cream

View On Amazon View On Walmart

What We Like

Smells lovely
Top rated on Amazon

What We Don't Like

Not Byrdie clean

Not only does this Cremo Shave Cream smell like mango ice cream, but it’s packed with skin nourishers like macadamia seed oil, calendula, and olive extract. It’s concentrated, so you only need a tiny amount to ensure your skin is properly lubricated.

Key Ingredients: Macadamia seed oil, olive extract, aloe vera, calendula | Size: 6 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Final Verdict

When it comes down to the wire, Team Byrdie is seriously impressed with Flamingo’s Shave Gel (view at Flamingo). It’s an elevated take on a shower staple and really does ensure a silky, super close shave. Second place is a tie between Ursa Major’s Stellar Shave Cream (view at Amazon) and the Billie Shave Cream (view at Billie), both of which prevent rashes and razor burn while nourishing the skin.

What to Look for in a Shaving Cream

Nourishing Ingredients

BIz Lindsay, Head of Brand and Marketing at Flamingo explains that it’s important to look out for skin hydrators, such as aloe vera and bisabolol, when choosing a shaving gel—this will help to avoid that dry, itchy feeling post-shave. She also recommends choosing a formula with a humectant in the ingredient lineup (such as glycerin or sorbitol), as these will draw moisture into the skin.

Drying Ingredients

In a similar vein, Lindsay also makes a point of saying that there’s also a bunch of ingredients that are best avoided: “Sulfates can really dry out your skin, so look to avoid any products that contain those. Parabens and phthalates are two other chemicals I would suggest avoiding—we don’t include them in any of our formulas at Flamingo.”

FAQ

How do you use shaving cream?

Lindsay explains that when using shaving cream, it’s generally best to lather the cream in your hands first (especially if it’s a foaming gel) and then apply it to wet skin, covering the area you want to shave. You’ll want a thick layer you can’t see through but not so thick that you won’t be able to pull a razor through it.
You might want to do this out of the shower (or water spray), so you don’t lose all your product down the drain, as well.
Can I just use my shower gel?

Technically speaking, yes. But Lindsay tells us that the key difference is, “body wash formulas are designed to rinse off quickly and easily, whereas a shaving gel is designed to stay on your skin until you shave it off. The goal of a body wash is to remove dirt and oil, whereas the goal of a shave gel is, more specifically, to condition and provide a layer of cushion between your skin and the blades of the razor.”
Does shaving cream expire?

It does! Your best bet is to refer to your product packaging, as different formulas will have different expiry dates. A good general rule of thumb is to bin anything that’s changed colors or textures.

Why Trust Byrdie?

Emily Algar scoured the web, tested and trialed, asked colleagues, and consulted an expert to bring you the very best edit of shaving creams and gels.

Meet the Expert

Biz Lindsay is the Head of Brand and Marketing at Flamingo.

According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find enough shaving creams from Black-owned and/or Black-founded businesses to meet this percentage. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com and we will evaluate the product ASAP.

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Best Overall: Flamingo Foaming Shave Gel

Best Drugstore: Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel

Best for Sensitive Skin: Vanicream Shave Cream

Best for Bikini: Fur Shave Cream

Best for Razor Bumps: Ursa Major Stellar Shave Cream

Best Oil: Tree Hut Bare Moisturizing Shave Oil

Best for Small Areas: Shea Moisture Tea Tree Oils & Shea Butter Non-Foaming Shave Gel

Best for Nourishment: Eos Shea Better Shave Cream

Best Body Wash: Gillette Venus 2-in-1 Cleanser + Shave Gel

Best for Hydration: Billie Shave Cream

Best Luxury Pick: Malin + Goetz Vitamin E Shaving Cream

Best Scent: Cremo Coconut Mango Moisturizing Shave Cream

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