If you’re someone who regularly shaves, you’re likely familiar with the struggle of finding a shaving cream that actually works to prevent nicks and irritation, all while keeping your skin feeling soft and smooth. As someone with sensitive skin, I really struggle with this — sometimes I dread whipping out my razor in the shower because it seems like no matter what, my skin sensitivities will flare up. 

We at InStyle recognize the importance of great skin prep, especially pre-shave, which is why we took matters into our own hands to test out 18 popular shaving creams and determine which truly do the job they’re supposed to do. From standard drugstore creams to more luxe gels, we tried them all over a two-week period, making sure to evaluate each one’s texture, lather, efficacy, and how it made skin feel and look overall. Through our tests, we narrowed the pool down to 10 products that make shaving a more enjoyable experience. 

Whether you want to avoid razor bumps along your bikini line or are trying to prevent annoying nicks and cuts, these are the best shaving creams that will give you the smoothest shave ever. 

Best Overall

Fur Shave Cream

Our Ratings

• Feel

  5/5

• Distribution

  5/5

• Efficacy

  5/5

• Skin Look

  5/5

Shaving any part of your body can potentially lead to some irritation, which is why it’s crucial to use a shaving cream that will provide your skin with the utmost moisture and protection. Through our testing, the Moisturizing Shave Cream from Fur continuously wowed us with its silky smooth texture that completely eliminated razor burn, bumps, and ingrown hairs, and left our skin feeling baby soft.

This cream not only has moisturizing ingredients like olive oil and aloe, but also exfoliating agents like lemon peel oil, which work to eliminate dead skin and leave the smoothest finish. Furthermore, the lather on this cream adds to its list of positive attributes — it starts off super creamy, almost like a conditioner, but spreads easily to cover larger areas (like your legs). Though the bottle is small, a little goes a long way: You only need a nickel-sized dollop to adequately cover your legs, and then some. 

It’s worth noting that this shave cream has also been tested by gynecologists, so you know it’s pubic area-safe. However, this cream is suitable for any areas of your body you’re looking to shave — just make sure to use it on wet skin for the best results. 

Key Ingredients: Olive oil, aloe, coconut-derived cleansing agents, marshmallow root extract | Size: 5 oz | Texture: Cream | Scent: None

Best Budget

Skintimate Shave Gel

Our Ratings

• Feel

  5/5

• Distribution

  5/5

• Efficacy

  4/5

• Skin Look

  4.5/5

If you’re looking to spend less than five dollars (yes, you read that right!) on a shaving cream, look no further than Skintimate Skin Therapy Dry Skin Shaving Gel. With a dense yet fluffy formula, the gel beautifully coats your skin, douses it in much needed moisture, and prevents annoying nicks and cuts.

Even if irritation is common for you post-shave, this gel truly works to keep those sensitivities at bay and wards off pesky ingrown hairs. Plus, the inclusion of moisturizing ingredients like vitamin E and olive butter in the formula keep your skin supple post-shave, and make it an excellent option for those with super dry or sensitive skin. 

The one downside? The strawberry scent isn’t subtle, so if you’re fragrance-averse we recommend opting for something else. 

Key Ingredients: Olive butter, vitamin E | Size: 7 oz | Texture: Gel | Scent: Strawberry

Best Splurge

Oui The People Moisturizing Shave Gel-to-Milk

Our Ratings

• Feel

  4.5/5

• Distribution

  4.2/5

• Efficacy

  4.5/5

• Skin Look

  4.5/5

Craving a more luxe-feeling shaving cream? The Sugarcoat Moisturizing Shave Gel-to-Milk from OUI the People can provide you with just that, thanks to its innovative, serum-like formula that leaves your post-shave body bump-free and supple. The brand claims this gel-to-milk formula properly “primes skin for an effortless shave,” and we can’t help but agree. Although this product doesn’t have the same lather effect as a traditional shaving cream, its milky-textured formula provides skin with a lightweight cushion that preps it for a close, clean shave. 

Formulated with ingredients like marula oil, dandelion root extract, and vitamin C, which leave skin feeling soft, irritation-free, and brighter (respectively), this gel has everything you need for an overall lavish shaving experience and therefore lives up to its higher price tag. 

Key Ingredients: Marula oil, aloe vera, dandelion root extract, vitamin C | Size: 5 oz | Texture: Gel-to-milk | Scent: Light and fresh

Best Foaming

Flamingo Foaming Shave Gel

Our Ratings

• Feel

  4.5/5

• Distribution

  5/5

• Efficacy

  4.5/5

• Skin Look

  5/5

Many shaving creams have a delightful foaming effect, but through our testing we found Flamingo’s Foaming Shaving Gel to be the most effective at keeping skin conditioned and bump-free. The secret sauce lies in the foam’s thick texture — it creates a nourishing, cloud-like barrier that stays in place until you glide your razor along your body. Even if water comes in contact with it, it doesn’t wash away which is an impressive feat in our book.  

The formula is so rich that you may need to rinse your razor more often to ensure you’re getting an actual close shave every time. However, it’s worth even the slightest bit of trouble because your razor seamlessly glides over this product and makes for the silkiest, easiest shave. Plus, with moisturizing and soothing ingredients like aloe and bisabolol, this shaving gel-to-foam formula is ideal for anyone dealing with the casualties of shaving sensitive skin, like excessive irritation or razor bumps. It even has a unique, spa-like scent with notes of iris, Sicilian lemon, and suede, adding an air of luxury to this affordable shaving cream. 

Key Ingredients: Aloe, bisabolol | Size: 6.7 oz | Texture: Gel-to-foam | Scent: Notes of iris, Sicilian lemon, and suede

Best for Bikini Line

Truly Coco Cloud After Shave Moisturizer

Our Ratings

• Feel

  4/5

• Distribution

  4/5

• Efficacy

  4/5

• Skin Look

  5/5

• It’s made with a slew of moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, mango butter, and coconut milk. 

Truly Coco Cloud After Shave Moisturizer not only looks good enough to eat (c’mon, tell me that doesn’t look like cupcake frosting in the container?!), but it’s also the ideal product for ultra-sensitive areas, like your bikini line. Made with super moisturizing ingredients — including shea butter, coconut milk, and mango butter — you’ll be hard pressed to find any signs of irritation after incorporating this into your shaving routine. 

We’re obsessed with how smooth this makes even the most delicate areas feel, yet it’s crucial to remember to lather, lather, and lather this product some more so you adequately cover the area you want to shave. The thickness of the formula makes this a bit difficult to spread, but the extra elbow grease is worth it in the end — we didn’t experience any bikini line bumps post-shave while testing this, which is an incredible feat in our opinion.  And, its coconut-y scent makes the experience that much better.

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, mango butter, coconut milk, jojoba oil | Size: 2 oz | Texture: Cream | Scent: Coconut

Best for Sensitive Skin

eos Shea Better Shave Cream

Our Ratings

• Feel

  4.5/5

• Distribution

  4/5

• Efficacy

  4/5

• Skin Look

  4.5/5

Anyone with sensitive skin knows how dreadful shaving can be — whether it’s rows of razor bumps, patches of itchy and tight skin, or an ingrown hair here and there, your skin often becomes a battleground once the razor glides across it. Luckily, the gentle shea-butter based formula found in eos Shea Butter Dry Skin Shave Cream is formulated especially for those struggling with irritation-prone skin — it’s even hypoallergenic and gynecologist-tested. We didn’t even feel the need to slather on a lotion post-shave with this cream, thanks to its gentle, moisturizing formula that gives you a close shave sans any irritation.

While the shea butter is the star of the show, the inclusion of colloidal oatmeal, a soothing ingredient traditionally used to keep skin conditions like eczema in check, also deserves some recognition. These two together are a powerhouse against skin sensitivities — there’s no doubt that this lotion-like formula will prevent that aggravated, post-shave feeling no matter where you use it. What’s more, it works on both wet and dry skin. But it’s worth noting that when using this in the shower it turns translucent, which made us use more than necessary to ensure we were fully covered. Thankfully, with the affordable price tag we don’t mind repurchasing this often. 

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, colloidal oatmeal, coconut oil | Size: 7 oz | Texture: Cream | Scent: None

Best Natural

Lather Almond Shave Crème

Our Ratings

• Feel

  5/5

• Distribution

  5/5

• Efficacy

  4/5

• Skin Look

  4/5

If you’re seeking a natural shaving cream that’s free of synthetic fragrances, parabens, sulfates, and dyes, the Almond Shave Cream from Lather is a fabulous option. Made with natural ingredients like almond oil, coconut oil, and shea butter, this creamy formula is ideal for shaving sensitive skin, which is just one of the handful of reasons why this is our go-to natural shave cream option.

Also, not only does this formula leave your skin feeling heavenly after a shave, its super thick, lotion-like consistency spreads evenly, so you don’t need much to cover larger areas. We’re thankful that a little bit goes a long way because the tub is rather small — we wish there were larger options available. 

Key Ingredients: Almond oil, shea butter, coconut oil | Size: 4 oz | Texture: Cream | Scent: Exact scent not listed, but made with essential oils

Best Oil

Olio E Osso Lisica Shave Oil

Our Ratings

• Feel

  5/5

• Distribution

  5/5

• Efficacy

  4/5

• Skin Look

  4/5

If you’re not a fan of foamy formulas and thick creams, consider an oil for your shaving routine instead. Using Olio E Osso Lisica Shave Oil is a fantastic way to perfectly prime your skin for contact with a razor, thanks to its moisturizing formula that features olive, meadowfoam, and grapeseed oils. Further, we love just how soft and supple it leaves our skin.

Confused on how to use this? There’s no difference in execution between the oil and other, foamier formulas: Get your skin wet, apply the oil, and shave away! We will note that this is a thicker oil, and it sometimes clogs the razor, ultimately extending your shaving time. However, the smooth, silky results are worth it. 

Key Ingredients: Olive oil, meadowfoam oil, grapeseed oil | Size: 4 oz | Texture: Oil | Scent: Notes of bergamot, neroli, frankincense, and tea tree

Best Drugstore

Gillette Cleanser + Shave Gel

Our Ratings

• Feel

  5/5

• Distribution

  3.5/5

• Efficacy

  5/5

• Skin Look

  5/5

Is there anything better than strolling through the aisles of your local drugstore and being able to find exactly what you need for your shaving routine? The Gillette brand is a drugstore staple, and its Venus 2-in-1 Cleanser + Shave Gel performs like any high-end product would. We love how we can literally feel the difference in the smoothness and softness of our skin with this one — no, we’re not exaggerating.

What’s unique about this formula is that it has a clear color, so you can actually see the area you’re trying to shave (which is ideal for those more sensitive regions). While there’s less lathering going on with this product due to its cleanser-like consistency, the formula still provides an irritation-free shave in the end. As a bonus, it does more than just function as a shaving product: It can also be used as a regular body cleanser, and it even has a gynecologist stamp of approval so you won’t have to worry about any potential pubic area flare ups after using it. 

Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba seed oil | Size: 6.42 oz | Texture: Gel | Scent: None

Best Hydrating

Athena Club Cloud Shave Foam

Our Ratings

• Feel

  4.5/5

• Distribution

  3.8/5

• Efficacy

  4.5/5

• Skin Look

  4.2/5

This fluffy, cloud-like foam actually makes shaving a bit more fun — and its amazing skin benefits will get you excited to use it again and again. Athena Club Cloud Shave Foam has a super thick foam consistency that you’ll love if you prefer a good lather from your shaving products, and the ultra-conditioning formula ensures you won’t feel any tightness or itchiness post-shave. Our skin feels nothing short of smooth, soft, and hydrated when using this, which is likely thanks to this product’s star ingredients: Aloe leaf juice and oat extract. Both of these are championed for their soothing and hydrating abilities, so this is a great option for anyone who usually suffers from sensitivities after shaving. 

While Athena Club is known for its affordable health and beauty products, the shave foam’s formula feels luxurious, which is not always a common feature in low-budget finds. The subtle scent adds a nice touch, with notes of rose, sage, lime, vanilla, and cedarwood — all natural fragrances, too.

Key Ingredients: Aloe leaf juice, oat extract | Size: 6.7 oz | Texture: Foam | Scent:Notes of rose, sage, lime, vanilla, and cedarwood

Our Testing Process

To start, we spent about a week researching the top-rated shaving creams on the market. After honing in on online ratings and expert recommendations, we spent two weeks putting the 18 most popular shaving creams to the test. We had all of our testers incorporate the shaving creams into their routine so that they could analyze the performance of each and write down their insights during the process. In doing so, our testers rated every shaving cream on a scale of 1 to 5 in four key categories: Texture, lather, efficacy, and how it made skin feel and look overall. Once the data was collected, we were able to narrow down the original pool of products to the 10 best shaving creams.

What to Keep in Mind

Ingredients 

“You want to look for emollient ingredients in your shaving cream, and they should be at the beginning of the ingredient list, not the end,” says Oui the People founder, Karen Young. “Look for shea butter, glycerin, and oils.” These will ensure your skin stays adequately moisturized, ultimately preventing razor bumps and burn, as well as ingrown hairs. Furthermore, soothing ingredients like almond oil and colloidal oatmeal help keep any sensitivities at bay.

While all of the shaving creams on our list have emollients or soothing agents, eos Shea Butter Dry Skin Shave Cream contains a mix of both to prep your skin pre-shave and care for it post-shave.

Texture

“Shaving aids come in a variety of textures, including oils, foams, gels, and creams,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Deanne Mraz Robinson. Our list features every type of texture under the sun — from protective oils to ultra-foamy creams — but it’s up to you to determine which you prefer. A thinner formula, like Olio E Osso Lisica Shave Oil, may work better for those tricky-to-navigate areas on your body like your pubic area, whereas a thick cream or foam, like Athena Club Cloud Shave Foam, is ideal for larger surface areas. 

As long as you’re using something as a barrier while you shave, your skin will thank you. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Nava Greenfield notes: “The cream has the purpose of providing a smooth protective barrier between your skin and the razor so that when the razor cuts the hair, the skin around the hair shaft is protected from cuts, irritation, and resulting inflammation. It does not need to be a cream specifically, but the concept of using something to protect your skin is an important one.”

Skin type

Although every shaver, no matter their skin type, should use a protective shave cream in their routine, you should be especially picky with the products you choose if you have sensitive skin. “Chances are if you’re reaching for a shaving aid you have sensitive skin, so it’s important to seek out a product that will be helpful without triggering other sensitivities to common irritants like fragrance,” says Dr. Robinson. eos Shea Butter Dry Skin Shave Cream is our top pick for those with sensitive skin because of its fragrance-free moisturizing formula. 

Young also mentions that “using soap or heavily scented body wash can be irritating,” which is especially true for those struggling with extra-dry, itchy, and/or rashy skin. “Since we know anything we put on our skin is absorbed, using a well-made shaving cream with healing properties helps to calm and soothe during and post-shave,” she says. 

Your Questions, Answered

What does shaving cream do?

“Shaving creams create a buffer between your blade and the skin,” explains Dr. Robinson. “They are also hydrating, which softens the hairs [to make] them less coarse, and may cut down on the tugging that can spur inflammation and razor burn.”

Young notes that “shaving cream provides a layer of protection between the blade and the skin to reduce friction and help the razor glide over your skin more easily.” Further, “it helps reduce razor burn and irritation as well as nicks and cuts.”

Can you shave without shaving cream?

Although the answer is technically yes, Young notes that “even if you use the right razor, if you skip the shaving cream (or use bar soap) it can lead to irritation.” So while it’s possible to go without it, it’s not advised to do so if you want a smooth, hydrated, bump-free shave. 

Does shaving cream expire?

As with other beauty and personal care products, shaving creams can expire. The shelf life depends on each individual product, although it’s standard for an opened container to last around six months while an unused, unopened product can last a little bit longer. Usually it’s advised to store your shaving cream in a cool, dark area so you can get the most out of it before it starts looking or smelling funky. 

Do you use shaving cream with an electric razor?

You can, but electric razors are typically meant to be used without any product on, so it’s not necessary to add a cream into your routine with this type of razor. 

Can you bring shaving cream on a plane?

As long as it’s under the TSA liquid limit for carry-ons (which is 3.4 ounces), you’re allowed to bring shaving cream with you on a plane. 

Why Shop With Us

Madison Barber is both a passionate beauty product-researcher and (unfortunately) no stranger to sensitive skin. For this article, she compiled insight from InStyle testers who put dozens different shaving creams to the test in their own routines, as well as board-certified dermatologists Dr. Nava Greenfield and Dr. Deanne Mraz Robinson, and Karen Young, founder of OUI the People, for expert information on shaving creams and how to guarantee a better hair-removal experience.