The Best Shaving Creams for Sensitive Skin

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Reviewed by Dr. Diana Rangaves, PharmD

Sensitive skin shouldn’t hold you back from having the perfectly coiffed beard of your dreams or having seal-smooth legs that give you the “wow factor.” Whether you prefer weekly shaves to help tame your fast-growing Wolverine hair or prefer a turned-out mustache with perfectly pointed tips, the right shaving cream can help you reach your beard or body goals.

Sensitive skin is synonymous with hard-to-please, itchy, irritable patches—or possibly having sensitivity issues all over your body if you have skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis—that are, you guessed it, hard to please.

Shaving already irritates the skin without adding inflammatory shaving creams to the mix. That’s why using a soothing, calming balm—aka shaving cream—can make grooming a better experience.

With the right tools, you can get a close shave without stressing out your skin. Here are the best shaving creams for sensitive skin for ladies and gents all around the globe.

1. Blu Atlas Shave Cream

Whether you want to look like a hairless cat or you’re just after a smooth, irritation-free shave, Blu Atlas Shave Cream—-the best shaving cream for sensitive skin—can help you achieve your ideal look, nick-free.

Unsurprisingly, so many folks experience nicks, bumps, and other types of irritation while sliding a sharp blade across their skin. That’s what makes shaving cream so essential. Products like shaving cream are the smooth-talking barrier between your skin and grooming shears, blades, or razors. It protects your skin, boosts moisture, and helps the skin feel fresh and fabulous.

Shave Cream is a thick, supportive product that helps you shave quickly and efficiently without irritation. Men and women with sensitive skin are flocking to this nourishing, soothing shaving product. It elevates your grooming rituals by providing a creamy barrier between your skin and sharp blades.

All you need is a thin layer of Shave Cream to cover the desired area completely. While Shave Cream is formulated for use on the face and neck, it works well anywhere on your body. Even though you only use a thin layer of cream, it’s strong enough to prevent nicks, bumps, cuts, and other types of shaving irritation. That’s because the 99% naturally-derived ingredients work hard to envelop your skin in moisture and nutrients.

Skin-safe ingredients like aloe vera enrich the skin with powerful antioxidants and vitamins while ensuring it stays hydrated. Oat bran extract is a natural inflammatory that fights irritants that bother the skin as you shave. The ingredient also provides antioxidants that soothe and calm down irritation. Tocopheryl acetate, a specific form of vitamin E, works with the skin to heal any inflammation or irritation.

If you want a smooth, close shave but you have sensitive skin, then a product like Shave Cream from Blu Atlas is your new hair-free BFF. The brand offers ways to save your hard-earned cash. Get up to a 20% discount with each purchase, or take a peek at their bundles that will have you looking in the mirror and exclaiming, “Oh my god. My skin looks AMAZING.”

Get a close shave without compromising on your skin quality with the best shaving cream for sensitive skin, Blu Atlas Save Cream.

2. Vanicream Shave Cream

Call your grandma, aunties, and everyone you know because you’ll be screaming from the rooftops about this shaving cream for sensitive skin. It doesn’t matter if you need to shave your legs, pits, face, or toes; this gentle, no-nonsense formula cuts out all the junk so your sensitive skin can remain calm and peaceful after every shave.

Vanicream is a popular brand that formulates products specifically for those with dry, irritated, or sensitive skin. They ditch harsh ingredients like preservatives, parabens, botanical extracts, alcohol, gluten, dyes, fragrances, and formaldehyde to provide an irritation-free shave.

Shave creams for sensitive skin help keep the skin hydrated while the sharp blade glides across a specific area. Those with skin sensitivities often struggle to find a grooming product that’s thick enough to create a solid protective barrier between the skin and the blade, and that’s where Vanicream’s Shave Cream really excels.

Protect your skin while getting a close shave with one of the best shaving creams for sensitive skin—Vanicream Shave Cream.

3. Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel 

Irritated skin, who’s she? Positively Smooth Shave Gel is formulated to help you shave all your hairy bits with zero irritation. Got hair on your face? No problem? Dealing with hair on your chest? This gel’s got it covered. Whatever shaving troubles or irritation you suffer from, the right shaving cream can make grooming a breeze. 

Positively Smooth Shave Gel is a lightweight gel that transforms from a cooling gel into a rich lathering foam. Skin-supporting ingredients aloe, soy, and vitamin E turn a typically irritant-laden shave into a calming, gentle experience. You can safely remove hair all over your body, including your face, legs, pits, and more delicate areas. 

Aveeno proves you don’t have to break the bank to find the best shaving cream for sensitive skin. You’ll likely find it in grocery or drug stores, making it an easy IRL “add to cart.” If the price doesn’t win you over, then maybe the silky, smooth formula will. It prevents those dreaded cuts, nicks, and bumps whenever you shave. 

4. Harry’s Shave Cream 

No more nicks, bumps, or unwanted stubble; just clear, smooth skin free from hairy hair. Did we need to use the term “hairy hair”? No. Do we love the term “hairy hair”? ABSO-FRICKIN-LUTELY. Especially when it’s the brand “Harry’s” that can help you with your hairy hair (see what we did there?).

Harry’s uses natural ingredients like cucumber and aloe to nourish, refresh, and hydrate your skin as you shave. The shave cream lathers richly and feels like a cloud as it glides over the skin. Imagine a soft, fluffy, foamy cloud that carries an aloe formula to prevent stress or irritants. The formula also contains natural oils to help deal with the post-shave blues and prevent dryness.

While Harry’s Shave Cream is formulated for the face, you can use it all over your body and get protection from nicks, bumps, and cuts. The formula does contain extracts like eucalyptus and marula oil, which may irritate some skin types. However, you shouldn’t have much to worry about because the product is also 100% free from sulfates and parabens.

5. Gilette Ultra Sensitive Shaving Gel for Men 

Tame that mane of unruly hair on your face, neck, chest, pits, or knobbly hobbit feet with this thick, creamy shave-assisting gel. Gilette Ultra Sensitive Shaving Gel is a derm-approved shaving gel for folks who want a wallet-friendly option. Just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean Gilette skimps on the ingredients, though.

The grooming product is a great grocery store pick using a blend of good-for-skin ingredients and materials that help with shaving. Rich emollients like shea butter and glycerin envelop the skin with their thick, protective textures, allowing you to get a close shave without harm. While some love the texture, others don’t and say it feels too thick. The shave gel is lightweight and lathers up into a rich foam, making shaving fast and simple.

Whether you want to shave your face or body, Gilette’s pick for sensitive skin is a bottle you can trust.

6. Andalou Naturals Botanical Shave Cream

Shave off unwanted hair with a helping hand from nature. Botanical Shave Cream from Andalou Naturals is the best shaving cream for sensitive skin for folks searching for a vegan, all-natural product that supports the health of your skin. It’s safe for all skin types, even those with dry, irritated, or sensitive skin.

Vegan probiotics, rosehip oil, argan oil, and aloe vera are the dream team ingredients that prevent nicks, bumps, cuts, and irritation. Get a close shave with a safe, natural product that doesn’t stress out the skin. Natural ingredients are well-known for their nutrient-dense, rich, moisturizing capabilities that help soothe, nourish, and hydrate while you shave. While the shaving cream creates a protective barrier, the natural ingredients work hard to soothe and refresh your skin.

You don’t have to be a hippie, a nature activist, or live in the burbs of California to appreciate this shave cream. It’s an effective formula that helps you get rid of hair quickly, free from irritation.

7. Edge Sensitive Skin Shave Gel

Wanna be hair free? Then call 1(800)HAIR-FREE-NOW. Or, even easier, pick up a bottle of Edge Sensitive Skin Shave Gel and wistfully watch your hair wash down the drain. If you’re like us, you may recognize this prolific cylinder as the absolutely fun and fantastic shaving cream your dad or grandpa used when you were a kid. Heck, if you were lucky, maybe they even let you play with some and give yourself a beard while splashing around in the bathtub. Because who doesn’t love a Santa Claus foam beard?

Edge’s grooming product is a super thicccccc gel-to-foam formula that’s a triple threat. It helps protect, moisturize, and soothe the skin as you shave. While you shave, this thick bad boy helps reduce irritation to sensitive skin by preventing nicks, bumps, and cuts. The foam even has a cooling sensation, so your skin feels crisp and refreshed after each shave.

Ladies, don’t fret. This gel isn’t just for your man’s outdoorsy beard. You can use this finely crafted gel for your pits, legs, arms, or whatever you deem necessary because nobody can tell you what to do with your hairy bits.

8. Kiehl’s Close Shavers Squadron Smooth Glider Precision Shave Lotion

Wow, that’s a mouthful. We’d love to hear you say that five times fast. “Kiehl’s Close Shavers Squadron Smooth Glider Precision Shave Lotion.” As if! Even though we can’t say the name five times fast, it’s still a top-notch product for ladies and gents with sensitive skin.

Kiehl’s is a popular brand that formulates natural, safe-for-skin body and hair products and has been operating for over a century. That’s a lot of time to get their formulas right! The shave lotion’s formula uses gentle, soothing products to protect and moisturize the skin as you shave.

Kukui nut oil, vitamin E, and eucalyptus oil work together to provide a safe, clean, close shave while preventing cuts, bumps, and nicks. Apply the transparent lotion to your skin, glide your razor over it, and get hair-free skin—it’s that easy. Folks who use it religiously are obsessed with the zesty aroma of the lotion and how soft their skin feels after each use.

Kiehl’s Shave Lotion is one of the best shaving creams for sensitive skin and will help you live your best hair-free life.

9. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

Sometimes you’re living that edgy, avant-garde lifestyle, and a typical grooming product simply won’t do. Some bold, fearless folks turn to creams or lotions to get their shave on. CeraVe’s creams can help you get a smooth, close shave and are an ideal replacement for shaving creams.

New to the “using lotion as a shaving product club”? We’ll induct you into this secret society and gift you with your membership card. So how does one “shave” with lotion? First things first, clean the area you want to shave with body or face wash (if shaving your face). Then you can swipe the body lotion onto the same place. Ensure the lotion is spread evenly over the area and is lying on top of your skin (ideally, you can see a thin layer of cream). Gently shave the area; your razor should smoothly glide across the skin.

Shaving with body lotion is excellent for those bold, fearless types and those who ran out of their trusty shaving gel or cream and have a lot of body hair to deal with. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream can help protect your sensitive skin while providing a smooth barrier between your skin and razor. When you’re in a bind, don’t overlook body lotion as an alternative to shaving creams, gels, or foams.

10. Fur Shave Cream

We had to toss in this unique shaving formula. Fur Shave Cream is a special grooming product that targets delicate areas of the body, like the pubic area. And, of course, you can also use it all over the body.

Due to its unique targeted formula, it contains rich ingredients that help prevent razor burn, nicks, bumps, and other types of irritation, because they know how much it can stress out the skin. Ideal for sensitive skin, the key ingredients aloe, olive oil, marshmallow root extract, and coconut-derived cleansing agents allow you to have a razor-burn-free shave. So basically, they want to help you live your best life, and you’ll never have to deal with an itchy crotch ever again.

Fur Shave Cream is the best shaving cream for sensitive skin for folks who want to shave their whole body.

What you need to know about shaving creams for sensitive skin

Think you already know everything about shaving products that help give you gleaming, dewy fresh skin? We’ll fill you in on some of the industry’s best-kept secrets, how to choose the right shaving cream, and tips on how to get your money’s worth.

How to choose a shaving cream for sensitive skin 

You shouldn’t rely on thick drugstore creams. No, you fine creature, you deserve the best. Here are the top tips on how to find your perfect match and the top features to look for. Your hair-free skin is going to look incredible.

Know your skin type and concerns

Understanding your skin type can help you quickly dial in on the right shaving product. Do you suffer from sensitivities, dryness, itchiness, acne, or other skin issues? You can quickly lock in the right shaving cream by cataloging your skin issues.

How do you know if you have sensitive skin? Well, it’s often marked by forms of irritation and symptoms that are, quite frankly, annoying as hell. Common symptoms include tenderness, itching, burning, stinging, dryness, redness, inflammation, tightness, soreness, and even sensitivity to the sun.

Deal with any of these on the reg? Then you likely need a grooming product formulated specifically for sensitive skin. Products for sensitive skin are often fragrance-free and free from harsh ingredients.

Are you dealing with other skin concerns like acne-prone or oily skin? You may benefit from a shaving cream with exfoliating effects that keep your pores clear and clean from buildup. It’s easy to create buildup in pores as you shave. An easy trick to avoid clogged pores is to avoid heavy, oily shaving creams. Try out products with minimal lather, as they often contain fewer oily ingredients.

Good ingredients for sensitive skin 

As you’re shopping for shaving cream for sensitive skin, the number one thing you should consider is the ingredients. Folks with sensitive skin should look for all-natural plants and botanicals that help soothe the skin before, during, and after a shave. The right ingredients go a long way in reducing irritation, nicks, bumps, and other common after-effects of shaving.

Look for products made with naturally-derived or organic ingredients. They’re softer and more soothing to the skin. A few high-quality ingredients include aloe vera, jojoba oil, coconut oil, oat bran extract, and almond oil.

Ingredients to avoid 

We probably aren’t the first to tell you that cheap grocery and drug store products harm your body. They’re chock-full of harsh, irritating chemicals that cause reactions like redness, itchiness, flakiness, dryness, and other types of irritation.

There’s an easy fix: stop buying products with toxic ingredients. Avoid ingredients like formaldehyde, sulfates, parabens, PEGs, phthalates, artificial fragrances and dyes, and mineral oil.

Budget 

It doesn’t matter how much money you earn. You should always have a budget (or number) in mind when shopping—especially for pricey self-care products. We don’t care if you have a sky-high grooming budget of $11,000 per year or stick to a respectable budget-friendly number like $300 per year.

Your grooming budget should be the right number for you, so you can buy products that work for your body. It doesn’t matter if your great-aunt Enid insists you shouldn’t spend more than $100 per year. Your body and your money = your choice.

A good shaving cream for sensitive skin usually costs between $25 to $40. Of course, you can spend more or less than that, but a product with good-for-sensitive skin ingredients often sits in that range.

Tips and tricks for shaving cream on sensitive skin 

Here are our best tips and tricks to get the most from your shaving cream. 

How to use shaving cream

We’re not here to mock you or tell you that you’ve been using shaving cream wrong all these years. But we do want to provide a brief but thorough guide on how to get the most from your shaving cream—and hopefully leave your skin as smooth as a baby’s butt.

Before getting your razor out, you should always cleanse the area you’d like to shave. Then you can grab your shaving gel, cream, or foam, lather it up, and spread it all over the desired area. Ensure there’s enough product to help the blade glide smoothly over your skin.

You can follow these steps to shave any part of your body. Ahem, even the delicate bits. Pro-tip: One way to reduce irritation is to exfoliate the area you’re shaving before you shave physically.

Don’t underestimate the importance of razors

When caring for sensitive skin, we can’t stress the importance of the tool you’re using to groom.

You can use many types of razors, blades, or grooming machines to get rid of hair. Before grooming, please ensure your blade is sharp, not rusted, and in perfect working condition. The same goes for any grooming machine, like a beard trimmer. Using a poor-quality blade or trimmer can seriously impact the success of your shave and may cause bumps, nicks, cuts, and irritation.

What’s best for sensitive skin – foam, gel, or cream? 

Sometimes consumerism gets the best of us, and companies create 12 million products that do the same gosh darn thing. Other times, unique formulas, consistences, and types of products help create a better experience for men and women. Different shaving cream formulations, foam, gel, and cream, are similar in making a slippery, protective area between your skin and a blade. Each type has a different impact on your skin and unique textures.

First up, we’ve got shaving foam. This is the thick, Santa Claus beard-giving fluff clouds you saw your dad or grandpa use. It’s light but super foamy and provides less protection for your skin than gels or creams. Shaving gels are the goopy, slick gels that become foam when you spread them over your skin. Gels are heavier and thicker than foams, providing better lubrication between your razor and skin. Shaving creams are thicker, more dense and provide moisturizing benefits to the skin. Creams are rich, thick products that reduce irritation to the skin.

Frequently asked questions 

Can my shaving cream, gel, or foam expire? 

Yes, your grooming product expires. Check the side or bottom of the bottle or tub to check for an expiration date. If you don’t see an expiration date, you’ll need to check for signs that the shaving product has gone bad. Signs that your product may be expired include a change in color, texture, consistency, effectiveness, or smell. Also, your product may have difficulty lathering, which is a common sign it’s time to toss it out and get a new one. Using expired products is bad for the skin and especially for those with sensitive skin, as the product may be full of bacteria.

Will shaving cream dry out or moisturize my skin? 

Shaving cream could dry out your skin, but if you buy the right formula, it should be a moisturizing delight! Try to avoid cheap drugstore shaving creams—you know the cans we’re talking about—and stick to safe, all-natural ingredients that your skin soaks up—in the best way. There are many moisturizing ingredients to keep an eye out for, including jojoba oil, aloe vera, coconut oil, and almond oil. Don’t stick to your tried-and-true products if they dry out your skin. A quick switch can make your skin feel hydrated and healthier after one shave.

Is shaving cream safe for sensitive skin? 

Yes. Shaving cream can be good for sensitive skin if you narrow down the best ingredients for your skin concerns. Opt for a product formulated specifically for sensitive skin because it’ll have the best ingredients and nourishing benefits that your sensitive skin needs. Be sure to skip over products with artificial or harsh ingredients as they’ll stress out the skin and cause irritation. The best shaving cream for sensitive skin is Blu Atlas Shave Cream, which soothes the skin while you shave and reduces irritation post-shave.

What’s the best shaving cream for sensitive skin? 

Blu Atlas Shave Cream is the best shaving cream for sensitive skin. If you want to take care of your skin and nourish and moisturize it as you shave, you can’t go wrong with this well-researched formula. Shave Cream contains skin-soothing ingredients like oat bran extract and aloe vera to help solve irritation before it becomes a problem. The product is a unisex grooming product that helps remove hair all over the body. Ready for a smooth shave? Then grab a tub of Blu Atlas Shave Cream because it’s the best shaving cream for sensitive skin.