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According to the doctors we consulted, shaving cream is a product worth investing in that can be incorporated into your hair removal routine. Board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, explained that shaving cream can soften the hair, moisturize the skin and improve the way the shaver slides. "Shaving is an interaction between the blade, hair and skin, so you need to address all these factors in order to shave smoothly," he said. William Huang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Wake Forest Baptist Health, added that this cream also forms a "thin barrier" between the razor blade and your skin, which means you are unlikely to have unsightly Redness and lumps. Shaving cream can also prevent the resulting razor burns and hair ingrown.

Skip the best shaving cream

Sometimes, choosing a shaving cream requires trial and error, Huang pointed out-understanding your skin needs and reading the ingredient label "can help you find the ideal shaving cream."

"I tend to keep it simple-if it is good for your face, it is good for your body, but not vice versa," he said.

Shaving cream usually consists of a combination of ingredients that “keep the hair in the position where the razor cuts most efficiently,” explains dermatologist Adam Mamelak, MD. The ingredients will vary from brand to brand, but there are some outstanding ones.

Huang personally looks for moisturizing ingredients that support the skin barrier and reduce inflammation, such as aloe vera, glycerin, and oatmeal. He is also passionate about antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E. Emollients such as lipids and shea butter "restore the skin barrier", while moisturizers such as glycerin and aloe vera "moisturize the skin by sucking water into the skin and strengthening the skin barrier," explained Azadeh Shirazi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist Say.

If you have sensitive skin or suffer from eczema, please choose a shaving cream that is clearly marked as a sensitive skin label, Huang suggested, adding that "most major product lines" produce sensitive skin shaving cream, including Gillette, Well-known brands such as Skintimate, Edge and Nivea.

As for the worst ingredients in shaving cream, fragrances, alcohol, sulfates, and glycols are among the best on Huang's list because they cause skin irritation. Mamelak also recommends staying away from perfume and glycol, adding that mineral oil can clog pores.

Carefully read the favorite retailers of shopping readers, such as Wal-Mart and Target. You may be confused when you see products that look similar to shaving cream on store shelves. To help you familiarize yourself with various shaving aid options, we asked MD about the main differences between shaving cream, shaving gel, shaving foam, and shaving powder.

Before shaving, you need to prepare some equipment to get the smoothest shave results at home. Expert advice includes body scrubs, sharp razors, shaving creams and body lotions for your skin to help lock in moisture after shaving.

You can find men's and women's shaving cream and razors on Amazon, Walmart, Target, CVS and Walgreens. You can also order directly from brands such as Billie, Dollar Shave Club, Flamingo and Athena Club. We collected the shaving cream recommended by MD that they think is worth ordering.

This shaving gel has received nearly 15,330 reviews on Amazon and recommended by three medical doctors, with an average rating of 4.7 stars. Haung likes to use this Aveeno shaving gel on his sensitive skin because it is fragrance-free and specially formulated for dry skin-it contains a mixture of moisturizing oatmeal, vitamin E and glycerin. Shirazi said Aveeno's Shave Gel is very suitable for use on the face and bikini area, and it is gentle enough for people who are prone to razor bumps. According to Marisa Garshick, MD, a dermatologist certified by the board of directors, this "moisturizing" shaving gel is made from a blend of "soothing" aloe vera and vitamin E, and has a "light" fragrance.

According to Shirazi, this Amazon’s number one best seller has a lotion-like consistency and is “very moisturizing”. Garshick said it contains a variety of "sedative" ingredients, such as moisturizing shea butter and shea butter, and colloidal oatmeal that helps soothe the skin. EOS Shea Butter Shave Cream has more than 18,100 reviews on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.6 stars.

Mamelak recommends this sandalwood shaving cream because it contains moisturizing glycerin and coconut oil. Shirazi called this a "great" shaving option, noting that it "glides smoothly" and has a "light smell". This shaving cream has nearly 3,120 reviews on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.8 stars. For a complete beauty kit, please consider ordering the brand's pre-shave, after-shave cream, after-shave lotion and brushes, as well as the razor holder.

Mamelak says that shaving gels are generally drier, so they are not suitable for dry skin. But he recommends this non-alcoholic gel to people with sensitive skin because it contains a blend of soothing ingredients such as chamomile, witch hazel and vitamin E. This shaving gel has an average rating of 4.7 stars out of nearly 11,750 reviews on Amazon.

If you want to experience a refreshing sensation while shaving, Mamelak would recommend Kiehl's shaving cream-it contains soothing menthol and cooling camphor. He also pointed out that Ultimate Brushless Shave Cream contains moisturizing sesame oil. It received an average rating of 4.5 stars from nearly 150 Kiehl's reviews.

This shaving cream contains lactic acid, which is a popular alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA), known for “doing a great job in improving overall texture and tone.” Rita Linker, MD, board-certified dermatologist Tell us before in our AHA guide. According to Mamelak, it also contains glycerin, which moisturizes the skin and helps the shaver to slide on the skin. Proraso claims that its shaving cream is free of mineral oil, artificial colors, silicones and parabens. It has an average rating of 4.7 stars from nearly 5,550 reviews on Amazon.

Both Garshick and Shirazi recommend this shaving cream to people with sensitive skin because it does not contain fragrance, preservatives and parabens. "It nourishes the skin by minimizing the friction between the skin and the razor blade, helping to reduce irritation and lumps," Shirazi said. Vanicream Shave Cream has an average rating of 4.2 stars out of more than 800 reviews on Amazon.

Zeichner recommends this shaving cream because it contains emollient ingredients-vitamin E, aloe vera and coconut oil-which help soften the skin. It also contains hyaluronic acid. Zeichner pointed out that hyaluronic acid can relieve inflammation and protect the skin when cutting hair with a razor. It has an average rating of 4.6 stars from 10 reviews on The Detox Market.

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Nicole Saunders is the former deputy business editor of NBC News Select, covering health and lifestyle.

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