Shaving Creams That Deserve Their Iconic Status

A great shaving cream makes for a great shave - a pleonasm if there ever were one! There’s nothing quite like a rich and warm cushioning lather whipped into yielding submission with the motions of a brush, applied to the face with gratifying ease and abundance. More than this romance, however, a quality lather creates a slick surface that acts as the medium between you and your razor, softening skin and hair, and helping the blade glide over the hairs, cutting them without discomfort and minimising any chance of irritation or excessive drying.

Most shaving creams employ a fairly standard blend of glycerine and fatty oils that achieve the above functions. It’s the nuances that set each product apart. For aficionados who relish choice and crave specificity, the selection of fats becomes paramount, while the aroma derived from a blend of fragrance oils can transform the experience of the shave entirely. Each shaving cream caters to a unique spectrum of skin types, shaving preferences, and aromatic desires. In this article, we unveil our top four selections for you to explore.

Luxury Pick: Castle Forbes Lime Shaving Cream

If you delve into the world of shaving forums and ask those in the know what their favourite shave cream is, eventually you're going to come across the name Castle Forbes. Made in a real castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, while Castle Forbes also make fragrances, it is their shave creams that have received the most acclaim and are known for their dense lather, concentrated formula and for being fragranced only with the purest essential oils. Handmade in small batches to ensure quality and consistency, it's a small and boutique operation.

In addition to a first class lather, thanks to a selective mix of fats derived from natural materials, Castle Forbes Lime Shave Cream possesses an incredibly zesty and fruity fragrance of limes, and adds a real burst of citrus zing to your shave. If you're going to treat yourself, or someone else, this would be our pick.

Best Value: Proraso Shaving Cream: Refreshing Eucalyptus & Menthol

No list of the best shaving creams would be complete without Proraso. Though it may not boast the opulence or exclusivity of some of the contenders on this roster, it wins the award for the best value - and perhaps even the most nostalgic. 

Indeed, it's a frequent entry point into the world of wet shaving, and after trying this most people don't see the need to try any others and settle on this one for life. A testament to its virtues. It's fragranced with a hefty punch of eucalyptus and menthol, a classic Italian barbershop scent. And we love the retro packaging, too.

Good for Sensitive Skin: Taylor of Old Bond Street Jermyn Street Shaving Cream

This shaving cream is gentle on the skin, lathers in a sinch, and is super slick when applied, easing the blade over the hair and skin, making it perfect for those new to the wet shaving circuit. It has been carefully formulated, and is allergen-free perfect for those afflicted with sensitive skin. It contains a nourishing combination of protective aloe vera, coconut, cacao seed butter, and allantoin - which produces comfort never at the expense of slickness. The end result is wonderfully soft skin that is lightly fragranced with a pleasantly faint cooling sensation.

Most Moisturising Lather: Geo F. Trumper Coconut Shaving Cream Bowl

Geo F. Trumper's Coconut Shaving Cream is revered for its texture and feel, with a lather that cushions unlike anything else. Thank Coconut Oil extracted from the pulp of the namesake ingredient, rich in naturally occurring fatty acids (Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid) that makes the lathering process effortless, and gives a wonderful ‘slip’ to the product. After a shave the skin is left hydrated and soft.

This cream also comes in convenient tube format - we love this product for travelling, as it easily packs away and lathers generously even without the aid of a brush - one less thing to carry around. Furthermore, using an exotic scent like coconut is an excellent way to break from routine, imperative when one travels to exotic locales!