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A Dozen Men's Shaving Creams Get Put to the Blade 5-20-08
For men, shaving surely ranks as one of our most bizarre daily rituals: We
take a razor-sharp blade, scald it hot with water, and scrape the hair off of
our faces and necks -- even the regions over our jugular veins. Yikes.
And to complicate matters yet more, we tend to lubricate the process with gels
and foams full of all sorts of dodgy and toxic chemicals. Like the hard slap
that greets the hapless shaver's face in the '70s-era aftershave commercial,
perusing the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep cosmetic database is a
bracing experience.
Gillette's Mach3 Comfort Gel, for example, seems like something we should be
working to ban from the face of earth, not smearing on our own faces every
morning. It's chock full o' stuff like triethanolamine, associated with "cancer,
allergies/immunotoxicity, organ system toxicity (non-reproductive),
contamination concerns."
Shaving may mean subjecting our most delicate and visible skin to direct contact
with sharp metal, but it needn't mean a daily lathering of nasty goo.
For years, I've used health-food store (what I call "hippie") shaving creams --
ones relatively free of toxic sludge and not tested on animals. But I never
really developed brand loyalty; I've always merely bought what's cheapest. For
this column, I thought I'd give the shaving-cream shelf a whirl to see if any of
the many available items offer something special in terms of quality and value.
One caveat: Many of the 12 gels and creams I tested contain sodium lauryl
sulfate, a controversial substance in the hippie-product world. Derived from
coconuts, SLS is prized by manufacturers for its lathering qualities. All manner
of claims have been leveled against it. Yet it remains unclear to me precisely
how bad it is. The Skin Deep database rates its toxicity level at 2 of a
possible ten points, or "low." By contrast, the above-mentioned triethanolamine
got 7 of 10, earning a "high toxicity" tag. I avoid SLS, but not religiously.
As I performed the tests over the course of a couple of weeks, I looked for
products that smelled good, made the blade glide down my face, and left my skin
feeling supple, happy, and reasonably moisturized. Was I asking too much? Read
on.
Aubrey Organic Men's Stock City Rhythms
$8.49/6 oz.
Sodium lauryl sulfate? No
This one has a wonderful musky-woodsy aroma, and it pleasantly warms the face on
contact. Its rather tame lather might bother some, but not me. However, it took
labor to bring the razor down the cheek -- especially with a two-day beard
growth. It did leave the skin feeling smooth and supple, though. I liked this
one, but didn't love it.
Zia Men Hydra Shield Shave Cream
$9.99/5 oz.
Sodium lauryl sulfate? No
The straight-ahead soapy smell didn't do much for me; nor did the thin texture
and nonexistent lather. It performed OK on the face, but my skin felt a bit
dried out by it. This one is functional, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy
it.
Zia Men Acti Shield Shave Gel
$9.99/5 oz
Sodium lauryl sulfate? Yes
Full disclosure: Gels creep me out. But I sort of dug this one -- at first. I
liked its light piney aroma, and the light lather it developed on the face. Yet
shaving was a bit labored, and, again, my face didn't feel particularly
moisturized.
Kiss My Face Moisture Shave
$4.99/4 oz.
Sodium lauryl sulfate? No
This budget-priced, odor-free cream turned in a rock-solid performance. Its
creamy texture felt good, not making me miss the absent lather, and the razor
slid down with ease, leaving supple skin in its wake. I'd buy this one again.
Weleda Shaving Cream
$10.99/2 oz.
Sodium lauryl sulfate? No
This premium-priced cream performed like a dream. It offered a pleasing, mild,
musky aroma, and its light lather coaxed the blade smoothly over the skin. It
left my skin feeling smooth, silky, and luxuriously moist.
Nature's Gate Organics Creamy Shave Gel
$6.49/6 oz.
Sodium lauryl sulfate? No
Ooh, another gel. I didn't much like this one. It offered a faint, almost
chemical odor, and didn't lose its creepy clear-gel quality even after being
rubbed on the face. Shaving was easy enough, but it didn't leave my face feeling
all that moisturized.
Hoke2 Green Tea & Soy Shaving Cream
$8.99/8 oz.
Sodium lauryl sulfate? No
This one follows a trend I'm ambivalent about -- trumpeting all manner of
healthy-sounding foodstuffs in body products. Do the benefits of drinking green
tea extend to spreading it on one's face? Maybe. Anyway, this one showed a
shiny, almost artificial-seeming creaminess, and an odor that vaguely reminded
me of sunscreen. But it worked pretty well: an easy shave with a smooth finish.
Tom's of Maine Conditioning Shave Cream
$4.99/3.6 oz.
Sodium lauryl sulfate? No
I dug the bright minty aroma and warm tingly feeling this light cream gave my
skin. Another rock-solid performer, it left my skin feeling refreshed.
Alba Moisturizing Foam Aloe Mint
$7.99/5 oz.
Sodium lauryl sulfate? Yes
This one is for recent converts to hippie shaving products. It's a proper foam,
just like your dad used to use. And it performs well: it delivers a mild, minty
scent and slight menthol warmth, and a smooth and easy shave. My face felt
pretty nice afterward, too.
Avalon Organics Moisturizing Cream Shave
$5.95/8 oz.
Sodium lauryl sulfate? No
This aloe-heavy cream aspires to unscented status, but smells mildly of baby
powder. It has a shiny sheen reminiscent of furniture polish. But it feels good
on the face, and delivers a solid shave, with a reasonably moisturized result.
Jason 6-in-1 Beard & Skin Therapy
$7.99/8 oz.
Sodium lauryl sulfate? No
It's hard to explain why I find this one so appealing. The aroma is nothing
special -- mildly soapy, with a quality I can only describe as powdery. The
texture is unique: a light cream with a downright gritty feel. Turns out the
grit is something called "jojoba beads," which the container claims "lift the
hair shaft and exfoliate without drying the skin." It sure seems to work.
Shaving with this one feels like cutting soft butter with a chef's cleaver --
and it leaves my skin feeling clean, moisturized, and ready for the day. For me,
this one shaved away the competition.
Herban Cowboy Shave Soap
$2.99/2.9 oz.
Sodium lauryl sulfate? No
This little round of soap is meant to be used with an old-school shave brush and
mug. I just lathered it up with hot water and my hands. Its existence
anticipates what I expect will be several comments demanding to know why I don't
just use soap to shave. Damn good question. This one made a lovely light lather
and gave a pleasant herbal smell. It delivered a smooth and easy shave, but did
leave me wanting moisturizer. Overall, a satisfying experience.
The Bottom Line: Those wanting to rescue their morning shave from the
toxic shock of corporate foams and gels have many attractive options. And while
hippie shaving creams are typically pricier than a can of old-school Barbasol,
they really aren't that expensive on a daily basis. A three- to six-ounce
container usually lasts me months. There were several in the sampling that I'd
use again; but the Jason 6-in-1 takes top honors. In cash-per-ounce terms,
Jason's product also ranks as the best buy.
However, save money, time, and hassle by using the secret men have known for years. Your hair conditioner, yes that right, using your own hair conditioner not only saves time and money but offers the most satisfying shave. Conditioner makes even the toughest facial hair soft for shaving and the moisture leaves your face perfectly velvety smooth! My favorites are Desert Essence Italian Grape Conditioner, Answers From Nature Restoring Conditioner or Bella Mira Ultra Moist Magnetic Conditioner!