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If you shave any part of your body on a regular basis, you’re probably familiar with razor burn or at least mild irritation. Eos Shaving Cream for Sensitive Skin gives you a close shave while preventing post-shave inflammation — for less than $5 a bottle.
Today in dark confessions: I kind of enjoy shaving my legs. The entire process, from the lathering up to the meditative strokes of the razor, to the fact that it’s a great excuse to spend five extra minutes in the shower on cold winter mornings, is therapeutic to me.
What I don’t enjoy, however, is razor burn. My skin is sensitive, so even in the summer, I slather my legs in about a gallon of moisturizer to avoid the dry sting that comes after shaving. I’m not saying the shaving creams on this list eliminate the need for moisturizer, though I did skip it while testing them to get a clear idea of how hydrating the formulas really were. But they will ensure that you need to apply a lot less.
There are amazing shaving creams to be found at just about every price point. Whether you’re shopping drugstore brands or fancy ones, it’s important to pay close attention to the ingredients before making a purchase. All of my top picks have soothing components like aloe, vitamin E, and essential oils to keep even desert-dry skin feeling soft and smooth after an encounter with a razor.
SEE ALSO: The best shaving cream for men
The best shaving cream for women overall
Why you'll love it: Eos Shaving Cream for Sensitive Skin delivers a smooth shave and cuts down on razor-induced discomfort for an excellent price.
I was initially skeptical that Eos Shaving Cream for Sensitive Skin was going to be as soothing as it claimed. Since I began shaving my legs and underarms about 15 years ago, I’ve been (razor) burned by many creams and gels in the process — all of which promised to give me a close shave and silky skin free of bumps and redness.
But the Eos Shaving Cream for Sensitive Skin lives up to the hype. Of all the shaving creams I tried for this buying guide, this one left my sensitive legs and even more sensitive underarms the smoothest and least irritated. That's likely thanks to the aloe, oats, and lavender butter in the formula. It also lacks one major irritant found in many beauty products — added fragrance. I can personally tolerate a bit of a scent in my shaving creams, but if you get itchy just thinking about it, consider picking up a bottle of this stuff.
I skipped moisturizer while testing all the options for this guide, and while I still craved my usual layer of body lotion, Eos Shaving Cream for Sensitive Skin did cut down on my usual post-shave hypersensitivity in a major way.
I’m not the only fan, either. Seventy-five percent of the 558 Influenster reviews give the product 5 stars, and it has an overall rating of 4.6 on the platform. “Usually creams create little red bumps on me but because this product is so gentle and fragrance-free, there is absolutely no irritation,” one fan writes.
Pros: No razor burn or irritation (even without moisturizer), less than $5, no added fragrance
Cons: Creamy texture might take getting used to if you typically use gel
The best travel shaving cream for women
Why you'll love it: Meant The Do-All Conditioner minimizes the number of products you have to stuff in your carry on by acting as a conditioner, hair mask, and shaving cream all-in-one.
Someone explain to me why, in the year 2018, we still have to deal with packing toiletries we travel? Wake me up when Amazon invents the technology necessary to ensure that I never have to stuff a week’s worth of toiletries into a quart-sized plastic bag again. Until that day, I’ll be bringing The Do-All Conditioner by the multitasking skin care brand Meant on all my vacations.
The entire concept behind Meant is innovative. As Refinery29 points out, all the products in the range do double-duty. The Do-All Conditioner, in particular, acts as a conditioner (or “moisturizing everyday hair mask”) and a shaving cream for both face and body. Shaving with conditioner is a commonly cited beauty hack, so this product makes sense.
In fact, the old shaving with conditioner trick inspired Meant founder Lindsay Knaak-Stuart to create this product in the first place. She told Women’s Health, “I had heard of people using conditioner in a pinch when they ran out of shaving cream. If you consider both are hair, then it seemed really logical to me.”
I’m happy to report that the concept works like a charm. I got a nice, clean shave with this and my skin felt calm and soft after I dried off. Although you can shave with whatever hair product you currently have in your shower, I like using The Do-All Conditioner because it was formulated with ingredients like aloe leaf juice, babassu oil, and apricot kernel oil specifically to moisturize and soothe the skin.
Pros: All-in-one conditioner and shaving cream, lovely gel consistency, amazing for travel because it cuts down on packing
Cons: Clogged up my razor more than other formulas I tried
The best shaving gel for women
Why you'll love it: Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel helps minimize the appearance of hair over time, and it’s gentle enough to use on even the most sensitive skin types.
You shouldn’t judge a beauty product by its fragrance, but the fact that Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel smells, to me, like a hot cup of chai tea makes it one of my favorite things to put on my body. It helps that it’s a great shaving cream, with or without the glorious scent.
Made with natural ingredients like moisturizing soy extract and soothing aloe leaf juice, Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel is gentle-yet-effective. It was the first shaving cream I ever really got excited about, and I’ve been using it on and off ever since I discovered a bottle in my parent’s bathroom.
This comes out of the can as gel and works up to a foamier consistency as you rub it in, so it’s great for fans of lather. Despite the texture, it doesn’t dehydrate skin the way so many shave gels do. I never nick myself while using this stuff (unless, of course, I press down too hard on the razor).
Not only is Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel one of my personal favorites, it’s popular online, too. Best Products named it one of nine best shaving creams for smoother legs and it has 878 Influenster reviews. I can’t speak to the claim that this shave gel prevents hair from growing back quickly, but several online reviewers said that as one of the reasons they loved it so much.
“I really do believe it keeps my legs smoother longer. I've noticed that I can longer in between shaving when using this compared to other brands,” says one Influenster user.
Personally, I notice fewer ingrown hairs on my legs when I shave with Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel.
Pros: Lathers up nicely, prevents cuts, ingrown hairs, and razor burn, soothes sensitive skin, could help hair grow back less noticeably
Cons: Strong scent could be a drawback if you are sensitive fragrance
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