What Is Shaving Gel

A Shaving gel can be identified as a lubricant. As the name suggests, this product comes in the form of a gel. It is made in a way that it can form a shaving barrier while keeping your skin moisturized. Many prefer it over the other products for shaving because it guarantees a snappy and quick routine.

This product comes with a thick consistency, which is why most men use just a thin layer of it when shaving. The reason is that shaving with a thick gel may make it hard for you to rinse off the product, which is a disadvantage if you are in a rush. Despite that, no one can deny how good a Shaving Gel is. It can even produce the smoothest shaving with a cartridge razor, provided you apply or spread it correctly.

Benefits of Using a Shaving Gel

There are several benefits that you can get from using a shaving gel. The most common benefits are:

Convenient to Use

One great advantage of a shaving gel is that it is convenient and quick to use. It should be part of the tools in your kit for shaving, considering the kind of convenience it offers to users. The fact that it is quick to use also means that shaving will not take too much of your time, especially in the morning. This is a good thing, especially if you have a hectic schedule.

Unlike other shaving products, you no longer need additional tools and equipment for the preparation. It would be unnecessary to invest in the world’s best shaving bowl and mug. You may use a premium shaving brush but take note that it is unnecessary.

Translucent

A shaving gel also has a major advantage of being often translucent. With that, you will never have problems seeing what you are doing clearly. You can also see the exact spot where you are shaving. It is beneficial, especially if you plan to clean up your beard or trim it. Since you can clearly see everything, you can do the shaving properly, even if it requires careful detail, like when you are going after a stubble or chiseled looks. It even works well when you are using the pivoting head of a disposable razor.

Hydrates Well

Some products that you can use for shaving can cause skin dryness. This especially happens if you live in a place with a harsh climate. It may cause your facial skin to fight for each bit of moisture. If your skin is dry, then the shaving gel is ideal for you. It is the best option if you are looking for a moisture-rich product. It even resembles the work of a good skin moisturizer without oils.

How Does a Shaving Gel Work

A high-quality shaving gel works by making the process of shaving your beard or facial hair a lot easier. You can expect it to function just by smoothing a sufficient amount of it over the area where you intend to shave, your face specifically. It works by offering protection while providing a smooth glide.

Just make sure to go for a shaving gel with glycerin and moisturizing oils. That way, it will function to your advantage. Do not forget to put a pre-shave oil to prevent irritation, too. It is because some shaving gels, especially subpar ones, consist of low-quality ingredients, like parabens that might irritate the skin.

Pros and Cons of Shaving Gels

Pros

• Highly versatile as you can use it for various skin needs and types. It is even useful for those who have sensitive skin. You can also use it along with a safety razor or a foil shaver that doesn’t cause ingrown hairs because of its versatility. Moreover, it works well in shaving other body parts apart from your face, like your chest, head, and pubic area.
• Can be applied even without water. This makes it a hassle-free product for shaving. It already contains oils for softening facial hair, so water is no longer necessary when it comes to spreading it.
• Can be brought anywhere. It is a great option if you want to have something to use for shaving without hassle during your travels.
• Easy and quick to apply, making it the most convenient choice among those who shave regularly
• Softens facial hair. This specific benefit promotes ease in removing the hair while boasting of its fantastic moisturizing effects.

Cons

• Quite hard to rinse when you apply too much of it.
• May clog your razor in case of extremely thick consistency.

These flaws of using the shaving gel make it truly necessary for you to apply this product correctly and properly. That way, you can prevent experiencing the mentioned problems.

What Is Shaving Cream

Shaving Cream is one of the men’s best buddies with its ability to help them remove excess hair, particularly those around the face. You can apply this product to your skin to promote hair removal. The main purpose of this cream is to keep your skin and hair moisturized and soft, thereby eliminating the discomfort often linked to shaving. It can, therefore, help result in smoother skin after shaving.

Benefits of a Shaving Cream

What makes a shaving cream truly good to use? Here are just a few of its notable benefits or advantages:

Moisturizes Your Facial Hair

One proven advantage of shaving cream is that it adds moisture to your facial hair when it is time to shave. With that, expect the copper-wire and tough hair strands to become softer, promoting ease in cutting and shaving them. It can, therefore, lead to you applying less force when you use it. The result is a higher level of comfort during and after shaving.

Easy to Monitor or Keep Track Off

Another remarkable benefit of shaving cream is that you can easily monitor the entire process. This means that while shaving a line of cream, it is easy for you to become more aware of the specific facial parts or areas that are either shaved or not yet shaved. With that, you can easily see if you have missed some spots. It can also lessen those unsightly lines of hair that may only be visible once you are already outside.

Promotes a Gentle, Close and Smooth Shave

You also have an assurance that the shave this cream can create is gentle, close, and smooth. The main reason is its thickness and consistency. It is capable of sticking to your skin more effectively. Moreover, it lowers your risk of dealing with cuts and razor burns afterward. It also makes your hair rise when applying it in the opposite direction. With that, it would be easier for you to attain a clean shave.

How Does a Shaving Cream Work

You can expect the shaving cream to work for those who are after the wet shaving process. With its thick lather, it works well in raising hair from your skin while guaranteeing that you will get a clean shave. Most of these shaving creams also come formulated with ingredients of top-notch quality.

With that, they work by softening and conditioning your hair, keeping them healthy and shiny, too, apart from helping you remove the excess. You can also find those with hydrating properties truly beneficial. Hydrating shaving cream is good for the skin, so you do not have to worry too much about the after-effects of shaving when using it.

Pros and Cons of Shaving Creams

Pros

• Nourishes your skin, further resulting in a flawless shave.
• Available in a wide range of pleasant and delightful scents and fragrances. With that, it may be unnecessary to select an aftershave with a pleasant scent and apply it after shaving since the shaved spot will already smell good.
• Easy to rinse, assuring users of a rapid cleanup process.
• Low risk of clogging your razor. With that, you will also have an easier time washing and cleaning up the blades of your razor, thereby increasing their lifespan or longevity.

Cons

• Still requires water to form a nice lather.

Ingredients to Look for in Shaving Gel and Cream

When shopping for high-quality shaving gels and creams, it is necessary to spend a substantial amount of time studying their ingredient list. Among the good ingredients you have to find in both products are the following:

Pure Oils

Ensure that both the gel and cream contain pure oils, particularly the healthy and genuine ones, like jojoba, almond, and coconut oils. What is great about these pure oils is that they are capable of supplying your skin with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

Aside from that, the presence of these oils in your chosen shaving gel and cream makes it possible for the products to help in retaining the balance of your body’s natural oils. With that, you also have a lower risk of under-producing and over-producing them.

Essential Oils

You need to check out whether the gel or cream you are eyeing contains essential oils, especially if you are serious about finding a product with a nice scent. It would be best for you if the scents come from essential oils.

The good news is that shaving product manufacturers now make it a point to use some of the most popular essential oils during the manufacturing process. These oils are beneficial due to their pureness.

Aside from having nice scents, these essential oils do not also have harsh and negative side effects as they are naturally taken from plant extracts. Just make sure to learn how to use them properly to guarantee a safe and smooth result.

Conditioners

Find out if conditioners are included in the products, too. If your skin is the sensitive type, though, it would be much better for you to find a product containing Aloe Vera. It acts as an excellent conditioner while soothing your skin with the help of its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Another possible skin conditioner that is present in several shaving gels and cream is coconut oil. It works effectively as a conditioner as it keeps your skin protected and well-hydrated. It can also retain its softness in between each shave.

Ingredients to Avoid in Shaving Gel and Cream

While you can find several good ingredients in high-quality shaving gels and creams, there are also certain ingredients you have to stay away from, including:

Sulfates and Parabens

Sulfates are responsible for the lather created by certain products, especially shaving creams. The problem is that they also have harsh effects on the skin. As for the parabens, they tend to have a negative effect on your hormonal functions. With that, it helps to avoid these ingredients when buying shaving products.

Dyes and Artificial Fragrances

Both dyes and artificial fragrances are not that necessary, so it would be much better to steer clear of them. Apart from that, these ingredients tend to trigger several major skin issues, like clogged pores, skin dryness, and allergies. Be aware of such effects before buying and using a shaving gel or cream containing dyes and artificial fragrances.

Alcohol

Make sure that your chosen shaving gel or cream does not contain any alcohol, too. You need to avoid this ingredient even more if you have sensitive skin. The reason is that alcohol has the tendency to eradicate the natural oils of your skin. It may cause your skin to be vulnerable to getting too exposed to environmental contaminants that may lead to other issues.

Shaving Gel vs Cream Comparison

If you are still undecided about which between the shaving gel and cream you should choose, then this section of the article can help. It compares the two products based on the following key and essential factors:

Lather

One major difference between the shaving gel and cream is the lather. The thickness of the shaving gel makes it possible for you to use it as is. Meanwhile, if you are using a shaving cream, you need to work it into a lather first before you can use it to your advantage. Some find the need to form a lather less convenient and more time-consuming compared to using a shaving gel.

Lubrication

In terms of lubrication, the shaving gel seems to have an edge, especially if the user is someone who has sensitive skin. Some even say that it is the most effective lubricant in the shaving products industry. It is mainly because of the moisturizing base in it, which consists of Vitamin E and Aloe Vera.

Waterless Shave

If you are looking for a shaving product that does not require the use of water, then the shaving gel is ideal for you. In fact, it is the only presently available product, which allows shaving without using water. The waterless shave promoted by the shaving gel is a big advantage if you want to speed up the process due to your busy schedule.

Glide

You also need to check the glide for both products. A good glide means that you can easily and effortlessly move the razor on your skin when shaving. The good news is that both the cream and gel seem to have the same levels of capability in terms of glide, promoting ease in shaving.

The only thing that makes the two different is that the gel tends to form a barrier between the skin and razor. If you are vulnerable to skin irritations, ingrown hairs, and razor burn, then you may want to pick the gel because of this protective barrier. You may also want to use an aftershave balm to prevent razor burn.

Fragrance

Both the shaving gel and cream have either not-so-subtle or subtle fragrances. If you want yours to have some sort of a scent, then you can pick either of the two. However, if your skin is prone to getting irritated, then it would be best to go for a fragrance-free product.

A lot of shaving gels at present are devoid of any fragrances, making them better options if you do not want to cause any form of irritation to your sensitive skin. Note that some fragrances come from unnamed chemicals that might lead to skin irritation, so it would be better to go to the safe side and pick those without them.

Consistency

In terms of consistency, you will notice that the shaving cream boasts of a more velvety and smoother texture. With that, expect it to spread more evenly with a low risk of clogging the razor blades. The gel is thicker, which may cause globs of the product to build up between the blades. It may slow down the process of shaving. Despite that, it still seems to work great in shaving or removing extra thick hair.

Ease of Use

You can also choose between the shaving gel and cream based on which one is easier to use. Some prefer the gel because it no longer requires water. They find it more convenient since they can just spread it on the area without having to use any other product. The problem is that when you need to add water to the gel, rinsing it off may be more difficult compared to the cream.

Skin Conditioner

Shaving gel and cream also seem to differ on the skin conditioners they contain. One thing that makes the two different in this specific area is that the gel has oil-based conditioners. It is the reason why many prefer to use shaving gel. With oil-based conditioners, the product can easily penetrate your skin. The gel can provide sufficient skin conditioners, provided you also pair it up with other ways to condition your skin.

Hair Softener

When it comes to hair softening, the shaving cream has a bit of an advantage. It is because it has some ingredients that deeply get into your hair shaft, thereby softening it. It is a good thing especially if you have stiffer and coarse hairs that are more difficult to shave and remove. By softening them, you can simplify the process.

Price

The two also differ in price. A lot of high-quality creams for shaving are expensive, but you will also notice that the gels have a higher cost, particularly if you consider the number of times you need to shave and how much of it you can obtain from a single container.

In most cases, daily shaving may cause one shaving gel container to last for a couple of months (2 months). A high-quality shaving cream packed in a bowl is a much better choice if you want to spend less with a product that can last a bit longer even if you use it for shaving every day.

How to Use a Shaving Gel

Step 1 – Prepare your skin

This step should involve the necessary preparations, like trimming the facial hair if it is particularly long and thick. You also need to shower before shaving and exfoliate your skin using a washcloth or loofah while showering.

Step 2 – Apply the shave gel

Just squirt a bit of the gel into your hand. Rub it with two to three fingers using circular movements. The first squirt of this gel may result in a shiny and thick liquid. You may want to lather it up with at least two fingers and rubbing it with circular movements. It will cause the gel to diminish its color, making it turn white. Once it lathers up just the way you want, put it on the specific parts of your body or face that require shaving.

Step 3 – Get your razor

Hold it against your face and position it at a 30-degree angle. It provides just the right amount of contact between the blade and skin. It can also lead to a smooth and close shave. Apply precise pressure with a downward direction once you begin shaving. Ensure that you also shave in a similar direction as to where your hair grows.

Step 4 – Put on a lotion or aftershave

Do this once you are done shaving your facial hair. It is to moisturize your skin and prevent it from getting too dry.

How to Use a Shaving Cream

Step 1 – Ensure to wet your face first before starting

This is crucial in ensuring that you get optimal results.

Step 2 – Prepare your shaving brush

Soak it in hot water for several minutes. Take extra caution on the temperature. It should not be too hot to prevent your face from getting burned. After that, remove excess water to prevent the brush from dripping.

Step 3 – Get your shaving bowl or mug

You do not need to buy one specifically designed for shaving. Any mug capable of fitting the shaving brush while still providing sufficient space for circular motions will work.

Step 4 – Pour some drops of water into the mug

You can then grab your shaving cream. Put some of it in the mug – a dime-size of the product would do.

Step 5 – Begin to swirl the shaving brush

Do this until the time when the foam begins to build up. You will notice it becoming foamy at the start while swirling. Eventually, though, it will transform into a thick lather.

Apply it to your face and start shaving.

Does More Spending Mean More Quality

No, spending more money on a shaving gel or shaving cream does not necessarily mean that you will be getting your desired quality results. It will still depend on the ingredients included in the products, consistency, and other important factors. You have to find out which among your options is reasonably priced enough while giving you the quality and the specific result you want.

Do’s and Don’ts With Shaving Gel and Cream

Do’s

• Consider your unique personal needs. Remember that our shaving needs will always be different from the others. Determine your own needs and use this information to decide which between the shaving gel and cream will work for you.
• Prepare and cleanse your face. Make sure that your face is fully prepared to receive either the shaving gel or cream before using it. It should be cleansed prior to the application.
• Use the right razor. Note that some metals and oils are incapable of mixing well. It is even possible for shaving gels to speed up the process of causing corrosion and rust buildup in the razor. You may want to use disposable cartridges or razors if you think that you are prone to experiencing such a problem.

Dont’s

• Do not rush the shaving process. It is especially true if you are using a shaving gel. You need to prevent rushing the process as it might lead to razor burns and skin irritations.
• Do not forget to rinse your face. Rinse carefully after shaving to prevent breakouts. This is also a big help in ensuring that your skin stays fresh and clean.

FAQ About Shaving Gels and Creams

Can shaving gel cause acne?

There are instances when a shaving gel can cause acne, but you can prevent that from occurring in various ways. One is to replace your razor’s blades regularly. Make it a point to wash the razor properly, too. Another thing that you can do is to apply a pre-shave oil. It can help soothe the area, thereby preventing irritations that may trigger acne.

When to use a shaving gel?

You should use a shaving gel if you want to shave your facial hair but you know that your skin is quite sensitive. The fact that it offers a higher level of protection and lubrication makes it ideal for those with irritable and sensitive skin. It is also a good choice if you don’t have a lot of time to spare for shaving. The reason is that it is easy and quick to use and apply, assuring you of a fuss-free experience.

How much shaving gel to use?

This will depend on the area you are shaving and the thickness and length of hair, among many other factors. If you are planning to use it to shave your facial hair, then you can rest assured that you will only be needing less of it compared to cream. It is due to its high level of concentration. With that, even just a small amount of it would be enough to help you shave your facial hair.

When to use a shaving cream?

Shaving cream is ideal for you to use whenever the hair you intend to shave is thick or coarse. The main reason is that the cream works effectively in softening the hair. Aside from that, it makes it possible for the razor you are using to glide more efficiently, further promoting ease in shaving.

How much shaving cream to use?

If you are using shaving cream, then you will probably use more than what you typically use in a gel per shave. It will also depend on various factors, like the thickness of your hair and the consistency of the product. In most cases, though, you will be using around three to four grams of the cream per pass. This should produce sufficient lather that will give full coverage on your beard or facial hair.

Conclusion

Both the shaving gel and shaving cream have their individual pros and cons. It would be up to you to decide which one is most suitable for your preferences. Find out which between the two can give you your desired comfortable close shave and decide based on that.

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