In the world of shaving, there has always been a battle between shaving soap and shaving cream for men. These two classics have been neck-and-neck for decades to be the best shaving product. With many men using their razor and its ally on a daily basis, now is the time to investigate this titanic battle. The result? A clear winner. But first, let's take a quick look at both products. And after that? Round one.
What is shaving soap?
A nostalgic product that has been around for a long time and was probably used by your great-grandfather. Known from the old school TV commercials in black and white. Shaving soap was not only used in the past. It has always been and remains a popular product. Shaving soap is a hard soap that must be whipped with a shaving brush and water, usually in a shaving bowl . When you start whipping your soap, it will create a rich lather. It takes some practice to get the right amount of lather for your face.
What is shaving cream?
Shaving foam for men came on the market in the 1960s . Unlike shaving soap, which needs to be whipped, shaving cream comes ready to use. It is an airy substance, often packaged in aerosol cans. There are four types of shaving cream: traditional shaving cream (shaving soap with potassium hydroxide), aerosol sprays, transparent shaving gel and shaving gel .
Why do you need shaving soap or shaving foam?
Shaving is a ritual you want to get the most out of. You want smooth and well-groomed skin without wounds or irritations. Shaving soap and shaving cream both help with this. They put a protective layer on your skin, so your razor has less chance of damaging your skin. Only positive points, so we don't understand why people nowadays still shave without these products! But, enough talk. It's time to ring the bell, let the battle begin.
Which is better for your skin?
Ingredients are quite important in a shaving product. The ingredients must ensure that your skin does not get irritated, is nourished and cared for. Now it is of course true that all shaving soaps and shaving creams contain different ingredients. But there is a big line.
In shaving soap you will find almost no to little chemical junk. Shaving soap does contain many different nourishing and natural oils that make your skin quite happy. The ingredients that are common are:
- Peppermint oil: anti-bacterial
- Castor oil : nourishes and softens
- Almond oil: great for dry and sensitive skin
And there are often many other ingredients in shaving soap, such as coconut oil, avocado oil, shea butter, aloe vera, calendula, chamomile, etc. All of course with a very nice effect.
Shaving cream is another story. For example, shaving cream contains a lot less natural oils and fats. In addition, shaving cream often contains more chemical ingredients and is packaged in a metal or plastic canister. This in turn can cause microplastics in the product.
A shaving cream is also known to give off a lot more scent. Alcohol is antiseptic, but also very irritating. Will your skin be less happy? So let the first point be easy to forgive. Shaving Soap wins this round.
Current score = 1-0 for shaving soap
Which is most comfortable?
As for comfort, both products make your shave comfortable. But shaving soap focuses on comfort and skin care, while shaving cream focuses on convenience. So shaving soap wins here.
Current score = 2-0 for shaving soap
Ease
As for convenience, shaving cream for men is easy to use. It comes ready to use from the can and is easy to apply to your face. Shaving soap requires a little more skill to whip up and apply. So shaving cream wins here.
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We just said it: shaving cream is easy. It comes ready to use from the can and is easy to apply to your face. Shaving soap, on the other hand, takes some time to master. It takes a bit more skill to whip up and apply. Shaving cream is a lot easy to use and therefore wins its first point here.
Current score = 2-1 for shaving soap
Sustainability
In terms of durability and price, shaving soap is generally more natural, durable, and lasts longer than shaving cream. Both products are available in different price ranges.
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Again, not every product is the same. But we can agree that aerosols are not good for the environment. A shaving cream also contains more chemicals than a shaving soap, which is of course not good for your green footprint. In general, shaving soap is a lot more natural and sustainable.
Current score = 3-1 for shaving soap
Price
You can make it as expensive as you want of course. For example, you have shaving soaps of 2 euros and shaving soaps of 50 euros. You have a reasonable shaving cream from 7 euros to 35 euros at The Alpha Men. That's the nice thing about the diversity in both products. Beginners don't have to spend a fortune and connoisseurs can go for the unique products. Therefore, both products score a point here.
Current score = 4-2 for shaving soap
Which lasts longer?
We're not going to beat around the bush. Shaving soap lasts a lot longer than a shaving cream. Shaving soap is a lot more concentrated and therefore you need less than a shaving cream. In the end, you also get more value for your money, even if your shaving soap seems more expensive when you buy it.
Current score = 5-2 for shaving soap
Benefits at a glance
Before we declare the winner, we have listed the pros and cons for you. This way you can also simply declare your own winner and it does not have to be the same as ours.
Benefits of shaving soap:
- Most natural ingredients
- Good for your skin
- Durable
- Contains no to few chemicals
- Lasts very long
- Comfortable to use
- Extensive price range
Benefits of shaving cream:
- Easy to use
- You don't need to learn any technique
- Extensive price range
- Easy to apply on your face
And the winner is…
- Easy to use
- You don't need to learn any technique
- Extensive price range
- Easy to apply on your face
And the winner is…
Our clear winner that packs the most punches is the shaving soap . Of course everyone has their own preferences, but we cannot ignore all the advantages. Less chemical junk, good for your skin, durable, lasts a long time, wide choice and the most comfortable shave? We think that should be enough reasons!
Of course we have quite a few shaving soaps in our range. And as we said, it can be as cheap or expensive as you want! Take a look around yourself and if you have any questions regarding this battle, we would of course like to hear from you. You know where to find us!
Shave away!
Your friends, The Alpha Men.