Best men shaving lotions according to redditors

Shower normally with hot water; this will soften the hair. I generally shave only at the end of a shower as other products might clog my pores.

Exfoliate; this will remove dead skin and dirt, which will help keep it from clogging the razor, promote the release of any ingrown hairs, and further soften the hair.

Lather with a moisturizing shaving soap or if you run out of shaving specific products, hair conditioner works in a bind. Let lather sit for a minute or two; it will further soften the hair.

Starting from the base of your ankle, shave in short strokes (maybe 3-4 inches) upwards against the grain, rotating around your leg; longer strokes evidently can clog the razor faster.

Rinse the blade after every rotation; not rinsing will force you to take multiple passes, and that is something you want to avoid.

The backs of the legs takes practice. I contort myself so I can see for the most part. Calfs are easy to see, but hamstrings are not. If you cannot contort yourself, lift your knee to your shoulder so you can see your hamstrings and shave downwards against the grain from the knee to the butt.

Go slow. A woman's legs are one of her best assets; take care of them.

Do not neglect your toes, thighs, arm pits and knuckles. Arm hair is optional, but even ciswomen can have hairy arms and not give a shit.

Rinse with cold water; as cold as you can possibly endure. This will snap shut your pores and help mitigate bacterial invasions. It helps stops razor bumps, ingrown hairs and acne.

Pat dry with a clean towel; never rub dry because you will exacerbate any micro cuts and make them worse.

Moisturize wherever the blade touched you. Even pros get get micro cuts, so you might want to invest in a medicated moisturizer.

The reward for being diligent?
Rub your freshly shaved legs together; it feels like heaven. It's really quite addicting.

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Edit: added stuff

Buy this.

Use these with it.

Lather up with this.

Shave in the shower using this.

Be careful with Nair. Seriously, I scarred me (literally and figuratively). Test it on a small patch of skin, preferably your arm or thigh, and if you're good to go (no burning), nair away!

As for whether or not you should even do anything.. Lady, just do what you think feels/looks the best. There is no right or wrong way to trim your pubes. Try trimming (to whatever length!). You don't like it? Try shaving. Shave it all, shave just your bikini line, whatever. That not your thing? Go au natural. When you do choose to be intimate with a partner, it might be a courtesy to trim for them -- but you don't have to do anything that you don't feel comfortable with.

If you head on over to r/sex, there are a ton of threads about the best way to shave (to reduce bumps/razor burn, get the closest shave, etc). I use Kiss My Face moisture shave because it's so gentle, and either a brand-new or once-used disposible men's gillette. You want lots of lather and a sharp blade. I shave around once a week, sometimes less.

• A safety razor is best-- shaving has been so much quicker and easier for me since I got one. They're cheaper and way more effective than anything marketed towards women.
  
• Try a shaving oil instead of cream. I use this one from tree hut.
  
• Some light physical exfoliation before shaving can help get everything to the surface for an easier shave. I use Mizon black sugar scrub on my body.
  
• Tend Skin is great for preventing ingrowns, as others have said. I'm looking for a low-cost alternative though, because the price is kind of steep.

I recently changed my shaving routines to help with dry skin on my cheeks. It turns out the Barbasol I'd been using since I was a teenager was drying me out pretty bad now that I'm an old fart.

I went old school and got a badger hair shaving brush, some unscented shave soap and a soap bowl. I also got a pre-shave oil with camphor and some unscented after shave moisturizer to use instead of the astringent I'd been using for years.

Wow, what a difference! My skin is so smooth now after I shave, and the moisturizer has stopped all the itchy dryness that used to come in the afternoons. I didn't believe it until I tried it for a month.

My neck is precisely the same way...every pass is with, against and across the grain no matter which way I go.

I've also dealt with a fair bit of irritation on account of that. My best solution so far has been a good shave oil. There are number of great products for this sort of thing, and you can also use a good glycerin-based pre-shave cream or lotion. My personal recommendations for each:

• Oil: Art of Shaving Pre-shave Oil
  
• Cream/Lotion: Geo F. Trumper's Skin Food
  
• Cream: Proraso Pre and Post Shave Cream
  
  
  (Note that I just link what I use, AoS and Geo both offer a few other scents in their respective products...sandalwood is just my "thing" if you will).
  
  I use the AoS oil mostly, but I prefer the Skin Food. The problem, of course, is that the Skin Food costs as much as Unicorn Blood, so it's not exactly economical...considering that my pitch to the wife in getting her on board with my new way of shaving relied heavy on the "Save money" part of it, it's kind of hard to explain a 40 dollar bottle of skin lotion...in any case, it's a treat or a gift for me. I love it, but the oil does just as good of a job. The only difference is that with the oil, I have to use a little bit of remaining lather from the cup and rub it over my face to remove any excess oil (not a big deal, and if you don't it's not as though you will look greasy).

Take a look at the sidebar, it has good information. HERE is what I recommend for DE kit. Check out all the information links in that post. Below is an example from Maggard Razors:

• Razor: Any of the Edwin Jagger razors; DE86, DE89, DE81, or DE83.
  
• Brush: Semogue 1460 or Omega 80097.
  
• Shaving cream/soap: RazorRock Don Marco soap.
  
• Blade sampler: 35 blades 7 types. (I'd throw in feather blades as well)
  
  Total: About $65.
  
  If you don't have any aftershave products, you can pickup some Nivea sensitive aftershave balm from your local supermarket, should cost around 5 dollars.
  
  Or if you are on a super tight budget then get the following from Amazon.
  
  
• Sodial Razor $2.25
  
• Omega 10049 (white) boar brush $12.50
  
• Kiss My Face shave - Lavender and Shea $3.29
  
• Blade sampler $15
  
  Total: $33

I steal this stuff from my wife's shelf when I'm shaving my neck and cheeks edges on my beard. It's pretty great and a tiny drop covers a lot of skin.

Opaque shaving foam is for cave people.

That sounds like severe razor burn or maybe minor razor bumps. Some people can have truly sensitive skin and react quite severely when shaving frequently (check out the guy in the wiki article). You can even get a military waver for shaving the reaction can get so bad.

I only changed two things to my daily shave routine when I added my scalp to it. I switched from soap to shave butter produced by Van Der Hagen, and I started swapping out my disposable Bic razors every 2 days instead of every couple weeks.

The irritation on my head also lessened quite a bit when I started taking my time. I dedicate 30-45 minutes to shaving my head, and use it as a rather zen way to start my day.

I've basically adapted this routine. After shaving, I also exfoliate daily, and use Tend Skin and moisturizer twice daily. I can second her Lubriderm recommendation, their basic moisturizer is the best I've tried. I also use Kiss My Face shave soap applied with a brush; it's probably the best thing I've ever used for shaving, legs or face.

EDIT: Oh, and before I forget: I don't use any oil, at all. I tried a homemade body scrub containing coconut oil, as well as using coconut oil as a moisturizer, and while I love how my skin feels when I use it, it makes my razor burn worse. x.x Experimenting with baby oil had similar results. My current scrub is half a cup each of granulated sugar and sea salt, and two tablespoons of lemon juice. I scrub down my whole body, except my face, with it.

Magic Fragrant Shaving Powder

Review on this product had great insight on how to use it...


That's not to say it doesn't work at all. Just that it doesn't work nearly as well on coarse hairs that it does on fine hairs. In other words, if you're wanting this for your back, legs, arms...you'll be largely amazed at how well it takes off hair. You're unlikely to be impressed with groin, face, etc. where the hairs may be more coarse.


For my case, I bought it for my face. There, it took three treatments before I saw even the slightest hint of smooth, hairless skin. Even then, it still left stubble on the neck and under my jaw. Comparing this with a safety razor where I could get these hairs quite easily, this was a bit depressing. What it did do a good job of was minimizing razor bumps and ingrown hairs.

A lot has been made of the mixing strategy. Yes, it's pain. But that's because the instructions are faulty. If you mix the way it tells you on the can, not only will you be stirring forever, you'll end up with a very slimy, very inefficient solution that will make you think you got scammed. I'm going to help you.

You need:

• A mixing cup. You can use any cup, or you can get official and get something like Edwin Jagger Porcelain Shaving Soap Bowl With Handle, Black
  
  
• A spoon. Or something else to stir with. I prefer a spoon but it's up to you.
  
  
• A shaving brush. You can use your hand, but I strongly recommend against it. Just get a shaving brush. Like Escali 100% Pure Badger Shaving Brush
  
  
• A large towel - you'll use both ends. Or if you're not into messing towels up, consider something like Kleenex Hand Towels Everyday, 60 Count where you can throw them away when done.
  
  
• A preshave balm or lotion, or oil. You want something that is NOT alcohol based. Something like John Allan's Slick Water Lotion, 2 Ounce
  
  
• Something to tame the skin afterwards. Something like Proraso Aftershave Lotion, Refresh, 100 ml
  
  Mind you, the above are just recommendations. Choose whatever products you want, just make sure they are comparable to the above. Or don't use them, but be prepared to be frustrated with your results.
  
  First, to give you a sense of scale and scope. A heaping teaspoon is enough for a grown man's entire face. If you're doing legs, arms, chest, etc, bump it up to two teaspoons. This is just to have enough when you're done mixing. Next, your water ratio should be just enough to end up with a consistency between pancake mix and cake batter; not runny, but not overly thick. You'll know it when you see it. Imagine perfectly made oatmeal "stick to the ribs" style. That's what you want. So if you have a heaping teaspoon of powder, put maybe a barely full teaspoon of cool water in. Then stir slowly using the spoon (or whatever). It will look like it's not mixing; it is. It just takes a while.
  
  Here's the hint: you'll know when you're almost done because you'll get hit in the face with a smell that I can't describe, but you'll know it for what it is. If you've ever used NAIR, or any similar depilatory, it's the exact same smell. Once that smell hits you, you'll notice the mixture getting thicker and it'll all make sense (finally). Usually takes me about 2 minutes end-to-end. If you end up with a consistency that seems watery, use a flat edge (i.e. a knife or something) and add a bit more powder, then continue to stir. Conversely if it feels way too thick (like paste), add a half teaspoon of water and continue stirring. After you do it once, you'll get the hang of it.
  
  Second, DO NOT do this after a shower or after washing your skin. It should probably be the first thing you do after getting up on the days you do it (which is every other day, NOT once a day). Why? You want your skin to be oily, to have some coating to protect it, in addition to the preshave. This is how you can get the best result without burning sensation. So don't wait until after showering to do this.
  
  Now, prep your location. By prep, I mean use the preshave, something that is designed to protect your skin from burn and irritation. DO not use regular lotion, it won't do anything.
  
  Now, it's important to note that this, when mixed, is essentially a plaster. It will go on wet and then dry, just like a cast. That's okay. But be prepared for it to "flake" everywhere. Try not to move too much. You don't want to make a mess.
  
  Apply using the shave brush as if you were applying shaving cream or foam. But go in strokes against the grain. The goal is to lift the follicles and help the mixture do its thing. Make sure you get good coverage. You'll notice that the bottom of the mixture looks dry; that's okay. It'll still apply like a plaster. But feel free to drip a bit of water in there if you're not sure.
  
  You'll need to wait between 7 and 10 minutes (depending on skin sensitivity) for the mix to work. During this time, clean out your mug and shave brush. The mixture should rinse rather cleanly in cold water, but the brush will take some hands-on help (it's safe). Depending on how long it stays on you may or may not feel a tingle. That's a good sign. It should not burn.
  
  After the time has passed, this is where people get confused. You can use a dull pseudo razor (like Pseudo Shaver), if you want, but I found much better results just using a warm, damp towel. You can warm up the water while waiting for the mixture to dry, and if you use the disposables, have one that is your warm water towel and one that is your dry towel. Or you can use a single towel that serves both functions. Wipe the mixture off in firm, slow strokes against the grain. Then clean the towel off and go back over the area vigorously to get the remainder. Dry off with the other towel. Finish up with the aftershave.
  
  If you did everything I noted above, you should see amazing results, with certain exceptions (I could never get the mixture to work at all above my mustache, it did 97% of the job in the groin area, and 99% of the work under my jaw). Figure 15 minutes total time to do. But again, you only need to do this once every other day minimum. My arms have been smooth for three days.

Here's a cheap decent fragrance-free cream I started with and still use occasionally, but eventually you'll discover Stirling Soap and the artisans at maggardrazors.com

http://www.amazon.com/Kiss-My-Face-Moisture-Fragrance/dp/B001E6Q652?th=0

You should use it with a brush like this one:

http://www.maggardrazors.com/product/omega-s10018-s-brush-synthetic-boar-shaving-brush-4-colors/

Hey, it's not a brush, or as nice as a lather, but for travelling: - this stuff is awesome. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Somerset-SOM002-Shaving-Oil/dp/B000VXW2HU

My review is "fingerstyle guitarist"! I've got a brush/soap which is definitely preferable, but if you use a few drops of this oil, you'd be sorted and it's pretty damn small.

Soap is too dry. Find a regular face wash. Then use a pre shave oil. That should definitely help with the glide and further prevent irritation. This is something that you put on after you get out of the shower and before you shave.

High Quality Art of Shaving Sandalwood (I also use Lavender on my clients) $25

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000FGTTTM/ref=mp_s_a_1_10_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1510281356&sr=8-10&keywords=pre+shave+oil+men&dpPl=1&dpID=41zgyvoRxPL&ref=plSrch

EZ Blade (made with very, very moisturizing oils and alcohol free. Can even be used by itself but I prefer using this. Gently putting a hot towel over it. Leaving some product on then putting the shaving cream over and shaving. More conveniently for you, you can put a 4-5 drops in your palm, rub it around, and then run your hands over your neck and let the oil soak in. Then apply your lather) $12

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01DYTHBGY/ref=mp_s_a_1_16_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1510281516&sr=8-16&keywords=pre+shave+oil+men&dpPl=1&dpID=31nU%2B%2B-uUrL&ref=plSrch


If it is very bad, you may want to use a specific anti-bump product such as this one $12


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NPJHQU/ref=pd_aw_vtph_194_bs_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=B8QBYCWR5VE1GRT6TM67

Like others have already said, try shaving with a lighter hand. Razor burn happens when the hair follicle is cut below the actual surface of the skin, then digs in and causes irritation. So use a lighter hand. No need to get so close.

Hope these things help. A shaving cream with more moisturizers such as jojoba oil work very well. Jojoba oil has the smallest molecule closest to the size of our natural pores, allowing it to sink it better and actually absorb all the way.

Based on how the hair clumps on the blade, I suspect that the barber applied warm shave oil as part of his face prep routine, and is using that for lubrication.

If you are really dedicated to mediocre non-lathering shave creams...

• Everyman Jack Signature Mint shaving cream.
  
• Jack Black Beard Lube
  
• Baxter of California Super Close shaving cream
  
• Burt's Bees Shaving Cream
  
• Shea Moistur Shave Butter
  
• Van Der Hagen Shave Butter
  
• Kiss My Face Shaving Cream
  
• Pacific Shaving Company Caffeinated Shaving Cream
  
  To be fair, a few of these are actually pretty decent. The Kiss My Face and Pacific Shaving Company Caffeinated creams are actually pretty good and work well with or without a brush (though better with a brush). These two are also pretty easy to find at retail, almost every retailer I found that carries Cremo also offers at least one of these two.
  
  Having said that, using a brush with a traditional soap or cream will almost always result in a nicer lather than any of these products.

I just started using jason shave therapy after years of only using soap. Definite improvement from soap and also contains tea tree oil which is great to put on bug bites (if you're also prone to them).

My razor.

My pre-shave oil

My soap

My bowl I don't use the rest of that stuff anymore.

My face wash and moisturizer

My current aftershave. Got this from my wife who found it at a thrift store.

My brush is vintage, it's a badger hair brush.

My Process

1. Turn on your faucet and let the water heat up as hot as you can stand it without jeopardizing your comfort.
   
2. Put your shaving brush in the shaving bowl, and fill it with hot water until the bristles are inundated. Let it soak until you start shaving.
   
3. Wash your face with some face wash to remove excess dirt.
   
4. Soak a towel in the hot water and apply it to your face for at least thirty seconds, remembering to mind the neck. This will open your pores and expand the skin around the whiskers.
   
5. Massage a shaving oil into your beard.
   
6. Ring out your brush gently with your hands, and put it in the container of soap (the soap should not be put in the shaving bowl).
   
7. Use a gentle circular motion to apply the soap to the brush.
   
8. Put the brush in the bowl and work up a thick lather by brushing in a circular motion.
   
9. Apply the soap to your beard in a paintbrush motion—do not do this circularly or you may damage the bristles of your brush.
   
10. Pull your skin tight as possible in the area you will shave, and place the razor at a 30 degree angle (or less) against your face.
    
11. Shave gently in a zig-or-zag fashion with the grain of your whiskers. Shaving slightly at an angle with the grain will produce a closer shave.
    
12. Wipe off the blade on your towel, or run it under cold water. The cold water will make the space between atoms of metal contract, whereas hot water will make it expand. You'll want it to contract because it will produce a smoother shave.
    
13. Once you have completed the shave, lather up and do it again—the second pass—in order to get a very close shave. You do not need to reapply shaving oil.
    
14. Splash some cool water on your face to contract the pores.
    
15. Run an alum bar over your face.
    
16. Apply an aftershave and moisturizer, and, after a few seconds, pat your face with a towel to remove excess liquids.
    
    My Travel Kit (so pimp...I travel a lot for work).

I loved the DSC shave butter, and bought this on amazon https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OX5ZDI2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 it's pretty similar, smells like almonds :)

> Van Der Hagen

I think you're referring to [this] (https://www.amazon.com/Van-Hagen-Shave-Butter-Ounce/dp/B00OX5ZDI2). From what I can tell it's just shaving cream with a good marketing team behind it. I've never used this product, but have used Van Der Hagen shave soap a handful of times. Once I made the switch to artisan soaps I never looked back, since IMO they use higher quality ingredients and the puck/jar lasts long enough to justify the increase in price. YMMV.

I started getting a receding hairling about that age, too. Embrace it, because it's going to leave you whether you want it to or not. Get some shave butter (I prefer Van Der Hagen, which can be picked up at most grocers. I use Bic razors, but some like going all out with expensive safety razors.

Embrace it. It's gonna be a losing battle otherwise.

I shave my legs, armpits, and lady parts daily and almost never get razor burn or ingrown hairs anymore. I used to only shave once every few days because my skin would get so irritated, but I've found that with this process I'm able to shave daily with no issues:

1. Trim long hair first
   
   • Like others have said, if it's been a while since you shaved the area it's a lot easier if you trim the hair down prior to shaving. If you don't have a trimmer using scissors is fine.
     
     
2. Exfoliate
   
   • I recommend doing so once a week or so if you're shaving regularly, or prior to shaving if it's more rare of an occurrence. I really like the Lush Ocean Salt scrub and the Haus of Gloi Sugar Exfoliant
     
3. Use good razor blades
   
   • This is the most important thing. Don't use crappy disposable blades; even a lot of the "better" drugstore brands would still give me bumps and ingrown hairs (like Mach 3 Turbo and equivalents). I currently use the Dorco Shai 6 Smooth Touch blades though I bought one of the Pace 6 Plus handles because the men's razor handles are much sturdier (the Shai handles are entirely plastic and break easily if dropped, and the men's are mostly metal and a lot more sturdy).
     
4. Use a good shaving cream
   
   • Ditch the aerosol foam stuff, it's not helping you much at all. Conditioner is better than those shaving foams. There's a lot of different options, but I've found that for my skin the best are the thicker creams that contain some kind of shea or coconut butter. I really like Lush's Dirty shaving cream, but it's rather expensive so I've switched to the Van Der Hagen Shave Butter that's like 1/4 of the price and works just as well.
     
5. Switch out blades often
   
   • I switch out my razor cartridges every 3 days, which seems to be the limit before they get dull enough to start irritating my skin and giving a worse shave. Don't bother with places like Dollar Shave Club -- they literally just buy Dorco blades, re-brand them, then mark them up. Just find an online retailer and buy direct from them.
     
   • Also, if you do go with Dorco, there's absolutely no reason whatsoever to pay full price. They have some kind of sale every 2-3 weeks so I always wait until they're having some kind of 20% off or buy-one-get-one promotion before buying more.
     
6. Moisturize
   
   • Putting on a lotion that's not going to irritate your skin post-shave helps me a lot. I like the Nivea Sensitive Post-Shave Balm or the basic St. Ives Moisturizing Lotion

Ok, waterproof mascara (I find the drugstore brands are just as good as the expensive department store brands) Stila waterproof liquid eyeliner. (Its the only one that can last
All day and night long) https://www.amazon.com/Stila-Waterproof-Liquid-Liner-Intense/dp/B0031NNE56

For the face shine Filorga time filler matte. (It's the people who invented the Botox injections, little pricey but it's worth the splurge) https://www.amazon.com/Laboratoires-Filorga-Time-Filler-Correction-Wrinkle-x/dp/B00CO1O3SI
And sometimes your face gets really shiny because it's producing oil cause your not moisturizing and your skin is dry.

Also don't use powder compacts cause it's just gonna get cakey and gross after an hour or so.

For dark circles around the eyes you just need one product and that is Liz watier portfolio professional corrector (it will last for like 2yesrs)
https://www.amazon.com/Lise-Watier-Portfolio-Professional-Correctors/dp/B075DKZGD8

Kiss my face x 4 Wet shaving hobbyist. Seems it'll give a good shave

Not to sound cliche, but I grew up watching Pokemon, DBZ, Sailormoon, etc. I'm not too familiar with Japan outside of their "media" I read light novels, play JRPG's, watch/fansub anime, read/scanlate manga, eat sushi/sashimi, watch Jmovies, watch Jdramas, listen to Jpop/Jrock. Outside of their "entertainment" value, I'm not familiar enough with Japanese culture to say why I like them. But one thing that did stand out for me was how the fukashima nuclear incident was handled. Given it had literally hundreds of elderly volunteers for the clean up and shut down of its reactor. It's something that is certainly different from our American culture.

Try Keihls close shavers ultimate brushless cream, I could find a few U.K. Links. It's a bit more expensive than the cremo stuff, but still works pretty well

Edit: again, I'm not sure how much a U.K. link will help, but this one is good too https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kiss-My-Face-Moisture-Fragrance-x/dp/B000FQ2C8M

I use this and this for my body and this for my face.

I really like Kiss My Face products as well. Their cream is pretty much the only one I've used for years now.

Get some MR GLO for a fantastic pre-shave treatment. Maybe try some actual aftershave (I consider witch hazel more of a substitute for alum).

Also, why not try a pre-shave oil? I'm so close to pulling the trigger on Slick Water, which sounds fantastic, but I've only had experience with AoS oil.

Have you considered giving any creams a try? I had some issues with soaps including the same as yours so I've ended up sticking to creams. There are lots of great options online (I love many of the tobs scents in particular).

One of my favorite creams caught me by surprise, Kiss My Face brand Key lime scent is fantastic 4 bottles on amazon. Very inexpensive, pump bottle so very easy to control exactly how much you are using, beautiful lather very quickly. It might even be available locally to you. I found mine at Whole foods for about $8 a bottle. A bit overpriced but I was impatient.

Dry shave? That sounds painful. Pre shave oil would at least make that a bit more pleasant.

Edit: for those who haven't hear of it before The B.I.G. Company's Premium Pre-Shave Oil - 2oz - For the Smoothest Shave Ever - Reduce Skin Irritation - Prevent Razor Burn - Moisturize https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01E9JGISU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5G-3ybPD45N0Q

Worth it's weight in gold.

Disclaimer, will probably clog cartridges pretty quick.