Shaving for Your Skin – Shave Gel Vs. Cream

Admit it, when you read the words “shave gel and cream” you thought of the aerosol can in the cabinet over the bathroom sink, right? Don’t worry – you’re in good company! Since the invention of canned shaving foam sometime in the 1940s – possibly as a weapon of mass destruction by razor burn – these convenient press-and-smear products have flooded our shelves and most of us barely suspect the existence of better alternatives. Shaving foam is convenient. Period. But what does your skin have to say about it? 

Shaving foam is convenient. But what does your skin have to say about it?

Time-Saving vs Real Shaving – The Importance of Using a Gel or a Cream

The truth is that while you think shaving foam is very convenient and time-saving, your skin doesn’t think very highly of it. Most men are reconciled to shaving as necessary daily torture. We are all in such a hurry and so fixated on time that we don’t stop to consider healthier alternatives. Shaving foam doesn’t need to be lathered, it comes out ready to be applied. But precisely because it is light and airy and does not require a brush when applied to the face – it doesn’t coat the hairs on your face properly. It presses the hairs flat against the face and when you shave, the razor drags more along the skin, causing significantly more razor burn. With gels and creams, there is less drag and less razor burn. This allows for a closer and healthier shave, and in the long run, saves time by causing fewer skin problems.

The razor drags more along the skin, causing significantly more razor burn.

The Shaving Gel – A Thicker, Sleeker Alternative

Gels and creams, on the other hand, especially if applied with a good brush, allow the hairs to be kept upright. Moreover, gels and creams moisturize and coat the skin, protecting it during and after shaving.

Gels do not foam up, do not require water, and are easier to apply. In fact, time-wise they are just as efficient as the shaving foam. But gels are thicker and sleeker. They are more lubricating than even creams, adding an extra layer of protection. They are an excellent choice for more sensitive skin. Another advantage is that shaving gels are transparent and allow you to see the skin underneath. Professional barbers tend to favor gels for this reason. It makes precision shaving easier and is good for those with sensitive skin or areas. Try it and see what your skin thinks.

Both gels and creams offer a superb shave experience. Still, there are some slight differences in performance.

Professional barbers tend to favor gels for this reason.

The Shaving Cream – The Traditional Gentleman’s Wetter Dream

Gels being thicker, tend to clog up the razor more easily. The extra layer of lubrication and moisturizing may not be to everyone’s taste. They do not foam up, which means a different shaving experience, yielding a more cloying feeling. You can see through them to your skin, but it also makes it harder to trace where your razor has already been. They are more difficult to rinse off.

Creams, on the other hand, offer a traditional shaving experience. Men tend to find them more aesthetically pleasing. You apply them with a brush and this raises the hairs on your face, for less drag and burn. Creams are softer than gels, wetter on your face, and penetrate the skin for deeper moisturizing. They won’t clog up your razor and are easier to rinse away. Because creams are not transparent, they make it easier to trace where your razor has already been.

Creams, on the other hand, offer a traditional shaving experience.

What Your Skin Thinks

In the rush to economize on time we tend to forget how important our skin is. Smooth and healthy facial skin is vital for our overall health and status. Opting for the easier canned option, we think we save time, when in fact we waste on dealing with the consequences of bad shaving. Smoother, healthier skin is more important than the extra minutes it takes to lather up shaving creams or the extra buck it costs to buy a gel.

In fact, there’s always more you can do for your skin, before and after shaving. Particle’s Face Wash is designed to cleanse the skin prior to your shave, for a smoother, safer experience. It removes the build-up of oil and grime and prepares the skin for close and pleasant shaving. Its combination of natural ingredients like Allantoin, Cinnamomum Extract, and Aloe Vera soothes the skin, reducing and preventing irritation. Shaving doesn’t need to be torture. Try it – think with your skin.