The Men’s Attitude is reader-supported! We might get a small commission if you purchase something after clicking our links, at no extra charge for you.
Picking the best shaving gel is always not a walk in the park, especially if you prefer trying different products.
It’s always a good idea to try different shaving gels, but what exactly do you need to do in order to end up with a shaving gel that will give you the perfect shave?
There are many shaving gels available in the market, and these shaving gels come loaded with different ingredients. You need to know what ingredients to look out for when deciding which shaving gel is the best for you.
You don’t want to buy a product that will leave your skin irritated with razor burns, cuts, and nicks.
Keep reading to find out what you should know before you buy a shaving gel.
A Quick Glance At The Top 3 Shaving Gels
Another Close Shave Gel for Sensitive Skin
Another Close Shave is our top choice. It is made from 100% natural ingredients. It causes no irritation and is a good choice for people with sensitive skin.
Clinique for Men Aloe Shave Gel
Clinique needs no introduction. It is one of the most recognizable brands in the cosmetics industry. This gel contains aloe vera, making it a really good choice for dry skin.
Mane Tame Shaving Gel
Mane tame shaving gel is a really good shaving gel that contains Vitamin C and E. It has really good lubrication, and it moisturizes the skin.
A Brief History of Shaving Creams & Gels
For centuries, men have used shaving soaps to shave and avoid getting visible cuts. Shaving creams started being popular during World War I, gradually replacing the use of soaps. If you don’t like gels, read our 2 articles: The Best Shaving Soap for a Manly Shave and The Best Shaving Cream for your Daily Routine, and follow the instructions on how to choose a good product.
At this time, the market started seeing the introduction of shaving creams in canned packing. Getting your shaving foam by pressing a button was an intriguing thing at this time.
As foams became popular, the use of traditional shaving soaps declined in many parts of the world.
In the ’70s, shaving gels were developed. Making shaving soaps even more unpopular.
Today, it is hard to find the use of traditional shaving cream on some continents, such as the Americas.
A lot of time is needed to form a lather, which is why shaving gels rose in popularity.
You’ll notice that shaving gels do not need too much involvement to form lather like with traditional soaps.
Top Shaving Gels
1. Gillette Fusion Hydra Gel, Moisturizing Shaving Gel
A drop of this shaving gel is enough to create a well-lubricated surface for the razor to glide without causing cuts on the skin. Gillette is a globally recognizable brand that many men and women prefer.
This shaving gel is produced with the final user in mind.
It’s one of the few shaving products produced with advanced glide tech (AGT), that will help your razor slide, giving you a deep, effortless shave.
Pros
- Good lubrication
- Advanced Glide tech
Cons
- It comes in a canister
2. Clinique for Men Aloe Shave Gel
Clinique for Men Aloe Shave Gel comes with natural ingredients that are good for the skin.
However, it comes with ingredients that we have advised men to avoid, such as Glycols and Parabens.
The good thing is that it comes with aloe vera, which reduces the impacts of harmful ingredients, as we discussed above.
This shaving gel comes with zero fragrance which is a positive as you know all the ingredients it contains.
Pros
- It contains aloe-Vera which is great for the hair and skin.
- It doesn’t have a strong smell.
- It works great for dry skin.
Cons
- It is costlier than other shaving gels.
- The price to the ratio of gel is a bit high.
3. Mane Tame Shaving Gel
The ingredients in this shaving gel will protect your skin all day long.
Mane Tame Shaving gel is ideal for men who want to see where they’re shaving as this gel is non-foaming.
It provides good lubrication, which is ideal for a clean shave and its smell is fresh and light.
It has vitamin C, vitamin E, and Aloe Vera; it provides moisturizing hydration during the shave, which is good for men with sensitive skin.
Pros
- It contains moisturizing ingredients like Aloe Vera
- It contains Vitamin C & E
Cons
- It is a new product so has yet to prove to be a dependable product for the long term.
- It isn’t the most affordable shaving gel on the market.
4. Organic Natural Shave Gel for Sensitive Skin by Another Close Shave
If you are looking for a shaving gel that creates a conducive environment for your razor to glide, look no further.
The ingredients are completely natural and will not cause allergic reactions no matter your skin type.
Because Another Close Shave is an organic and 100% natural shaving gel, it is beneficial to men with sensitive skin as it contains several moisturizing ingredients, such as aloe, essential oils, and Shea butter.
Another ingredient Another Close Shave contains is vetiver oil, which works as a natural antiseptic, so you won’t have to worry about infections and bacteria.
Pros
- It contains completely natural ingredients.
- There are no chemicals in this shaving gel.
- It provides men with a smooth shave.
- It keeps the skin from getting irritated.
Cons
- It comes in a relatively small bottle.
- Not everyone loves the smell.
5. Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel
This is a brand that many dermatologists recommend when it comes to shaving products. It comes loaded with ingredients good for your skin, like colloidal oatmeal.
When you apply this shaving gel, it spreads evenly, protecting the skin and moisturizing it all day long. Colloidal oatmeal contains anti-oxidants that are very effective in protecting the skin against infections. It also contains flavonoids that absorb UV rays.
This shaving gel contains no artificial fragrance, although it has triethanolamine, an ingredient we advised you to avoid.
The Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel was created for dry or sensitive skin.
Because it does a good job of moisturizing dry skin and the oatmeal helps to protect against bumps, the Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel is a popular choice amongst men.
Pros
- It contains oatmeal and other lubricating ingredients.
- It aids in providing men with a smooth shave.
- Men who use this product like the cool and fresh feel afterward.
- It is highly affordable.
Cons
- The pump is a little difficult to manage.
- The smell isn’t for everyone.
Who Wins?
Generally, before you decide which product to buy, you need to read the ingredient list. The next thing to consider is your skin type. Is your skin sensitive, dry, or normal?
After analyzing the above five shaving gels, we liked the performance of the organic natural shave gel for sensitive skin by Another Close Shave. Our decision was based on the fact that this shaving gel is made from all-natural ingredients that are healthy for your body and skin.
It will not cause allergic reactions no matter your skin type, and the price is fair. Every time you buy a shaving gel, you need to know what you are buying. Do not buy a product that will complicate things for you.
If you plan to try some of the products that have been reviewed here, we would like to wish you all the best, and we hope we have helped a bit.
How to Use Shaving Gel?
Using a shaving gel is very simple. All you need are your fingers and the gel itself.
- Get some gel
Get some shaving gel on your fingertips and rub it between them.
- Apply it
Apply it gently on the area you want to shave.
- Shave
Start shaving.
Shaving Gel FAQs
Difference Between Shaving Gel and Shaving Foams
Many shaving gels come in pressurized canisters or in tubes.
We aim here to know where the difference between shaving gels and shaving foams lies and help you decide what to buy.
The main difference is that shaving foams will instantly produce foam, while a shaving gel will produce a gel that you can mix with water to shave.
A shaving gel makes it easy for the razor to glide along, reducing the risk of nicks and cuts. You should also consider using the right type of shaving razor alongside your shaving gel. This is something You can read about in the following articles:
Best Straight Razors for a Deep Shave
The Best Safety Razor for a Close Shave
Shaving gels reduce razor cuts and burns through cushioning. The lather forms a thin layer that makes it easy for the razor to achieve a close shave without causing cuts and burns.
What to Look for and Consider When Buying a Shaving Gel
It’s normal to get baffled by all the brands available when you go out shopping for a gel. There are several shaving gels in the market, so it’s very important to know what to go for.
After sampling and using several shaving gels, we narrowed the list down to 5 and then made a comparison to find a winner.
By the end of this article, you will know exactly what to look for when looking for a shaving gel.
- What does it smell like? While some people don’t care about the smell, some smells that are too fruity or too intense can be bothersome. Find a shaving gel with a subtle fragrance, or choose one with no fragrance. After all, you’ll be the one smelling it more than anyone else.
- Do you have sensitive skin? Men with sensitive skin have to take extra care when shaving so they don’t end up with bumps, rashes, or irritated skin. Some shaving gels contain ingredients like aloe vera and natural oil extracts to ensure that you get a smooth shave without irritating your face.
- Is it made from all-natural ingredients? While this may be a matter of personal preference, there is a reason why people want to use all-natural products, and when it comes to shaving gels, it is no different. No shaving gel is 100% natural, but you should read the ingredients and avoid shaving gels with a lot of chemicals.
- Do you have dry skin? If you have dry skin, using regular shaving gel may not cut it, and you will end up with cuts and nicks. Find a shaving gel that contains special ingredients such as shea butter or aloe vera.
- How is the packaging? Canned shaving gels have been known to dry out the skin, so if you have dry facial skin, you should consider using a tube one.
- Do you want a lather? While most gels don’t lather as a shaving soap or a shaving cream, few do. If you like the idea of a rich lather in your shaving, you probably need to consider buying a shaving cream or soap.
The shaving gel you will choose should be the one that will make you feel good using it every day. You don’t want to buy one that contains chemicals or one that has an off smell that you can’t stand. Take your time before you buy one because it is a choice that will stick for months.
Avoid Gels Containing the Ingredients Below
- Fragrance
Some shaving gels contain fragrance as an ingredient. The problem is that you don’t know what fragrance exactly is.
Some manufacturers do not disclose what’s contained in fragrances. You do not want to expose yourself to unknown contents or compounds that can lead to allergic reactions.
If you see fragrance in the ingredients list, just avoid the product as much as possible.
These come in different formations, including Benzylparaben, Butylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Ethylparaben, and Methylparaben. All these are used for bacteria prevention.
The bad news about parabens is that they can impersonate estrogen associated with breast cancer. While they are in really low concentrations in cosmetic products (0,01% to 0,03%), avoiding shaving gels with parabens is advisable.
- Glycols
Studies link Glycols with skin tightness, dermatitis, and rashes. So when you see this as an ingredient, avoid the product.
- Triethanolamine
Just like parabens, this ingredient can interfere with the normal functioning of hormones. The body will absorb it and lead to the formation of compounds that can cause cancer.
Shaving gels that have this compound should not be part of your shaving equipment.
- Palmitic acid
Palmitic acid is an ingredient that has been found to cause allergic reactions when it contacts the skin. If you spot this ingredient in your gel, do not buy it.
Even though the effects caused by the ingredients discussed above may not be immediate, using them on a regular basis will probably affect you in the long run. They might cause irritation, skin tightness, and infections.
If you have dry or sensitive skin, you should avoid using shaving gels containing alcohol.
What are the benefits of a shaving gel?
Shaving gels help to lubricate your face more than any other shaving product making it easier to shave and avoid cutting.
The fact that gel doesn’t lather will help you clearly see each spot and get a closer and more precise shave than shaving cream.
Shaving gels tend to have a much subtler smell, so if you don’t like fragranced shaving products, you should buy a shaving gel. They provide a fuss-free shave because they don’t require a brush or anything other than your razor.
A Gel is easy to clean up and doesn’t leave a mess like shaving soap or shaving cream.
Shaving gel contains very low levels of alcohol, if any, which is very good for people with sensitive skin as alcohol tends to irritate.
Generally, shaving gel is suggested for men who get bumps or irritated skin after shaving (you should always use. a top aftershave), but you don’t need to have sensitive skin to try shaving gel.
Russell is the founder of themensattitude.com. He is a barber a beard enthusiast and he is obsessed with trying men’s lifestyle products and blog about them. If you have any questions you can hit him up via the contact page.
