Brushless Shaving Cream

#1 son (18 years old) is off to University and wants to move from an electric razor to wet shaving - apparently the electric doesn't remove all his bum fluff!

I was thinking of getting him a Sensor Excel to start with (I can see him losing copious amounts of blood if he goes direct to a DE), but would like him to avoid the canned goo and use a good brushless cream.

I've used Proraso in the past without a brush with good results, but availabilty and cost are a prime concern.

Suggestions?

I haven't used a brushless cream myself, but you might take a look at the sticky at the top of this forum on brushless creams, it's incredibly comprehensive.

It also covers creams meant to be used with a brush and whether those creams could be used brushless to the same degree of efficacy.

I use brushless more than lather creams now and have become a big fan of them.

Unfortunately in the UK if you want to buy something in the chemist your choices are more limited than in North America. Here we have easy access to Lucky Tiger Mollé and Barbasol Brushless. Personally I used those two creams and Ingram Brushless in rotation and would not hesitate to recommend them. However you would need to order them from the US.

Ingram Brushless (the green tube) is an excellent cream from the UK, but has been discontinued since 2008. You can still buy it online in the UK and the price is very reasonable, so that may be your best option. I have heard that Boots made a tube of brushless cream, I do not know if they still do, or how good it is. Either way you will probably need to purchase something online. A last option would be a cream called Shavex which you can buy on Ebay.uk, but again, I have not used it personally so I cannot speak for its efficacy.

Saturn said:

I haven't used a brushless cream myself, but you might take a look at the sticky at the top of this forum on brushless creams, it's incredibly comprehensive.

It also covers creams meant to be used with a brush and whether those creams could be used brushless to the same degree of efficacy.

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I think Saturn's idea is a great place to start. Most creams can be used sans brush, though I think they don't work as well and waste more product when used that way. If you are looking for a latherless cream you may try locating some Barbasol Therapeutic or Provence Sante.

Looks like you guys have The Body Shop in the UK. You might try the Maca Root Shave Cream. Not sure on your price the States its about $10 a tube and $15 a tub. I use it and you can either brush lather which takes about a peanut size dollop for 2-3 passes worth or use it as a brushless finger lather still takes about the same size but you need that amount again for 2nd pass. Only thing is you have to smell it, smells like fresh linens, some people like the smell(me) and some dislike it. Hope that helps!!

Jay

Many creams can be used effectively without a brush by just rubbing them into your beard with your wet fingertips. This will help prep the beard for shaving as well. Proraso would be a good one to use as you buy a large tube at a reasonable price. Lucky Tiger Molle' is also a good choice. It cannot be used with a brush but works well and is cheap, at least here in the States.

Clinique and Original Source creams/gels are both good and readily available in the UK

Boots sell hacketts brushless shaving cream, think its about £6.50!

Musgo real works well with or without a brush.

I would still get him a brush and a good puck of soap.

My current favorite brushless cream is Cremo Cream but I don't think it's available in the UK.

A product that is available and I've heard good things about is King of Shaves Alpha Gel. I believe it's rather inexpensive too.

http://www.kingofshavesdirect.com/category.asp?cat_id=UK_120&nwbr=UK

RazoRock said:

My current favorite brushless cream is Cremo Cream but I don't think it's available in the UK.

A product that is available and I've heard good things about is King of Shaves Alpha Gel. I believe it's rather inexpensive too.

http://www.kingofshavesdirect.com/category.asp?cat_id=UK_120&nwbr=UK

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+1 on the cremo cream. Another possibility would be the Burt's Bees variety assuming it is available.

My brother uses Proraso cream in tube with little or no brush.

Rub onto face, a little lather with a cheap synthetic brush, then shave with a cartride 18,000 blade razer. That's what he does. I've done it once when in a real hurry and it's not the worst shave I've ever had. Better than canned foam IMHO.

I don't use them very often but a couple that I have used and found to be good, low cost, and easily found in drug stores, Target, Walmart, etc...are Nutrogena and Barbasol

taffy said:

Boots sell hacketts brushless shaving cream, think its about £6.50!

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Boots do their own brand of brushless cream, it is about £1 a tube. I haven't tried it myself, but if it is as good as their own brand brushed cream then it is a winner.

I'd say get him Prorasso and an inexpensive brush. Then he has the option either way.

If you are set on the idea of him just smearing something on his face I wouldn't go with the option of using a regular shaving cream and then using it without a brush. I would go with a true brushless cream because they are made to perform optimally on nothing but a wet face. A regular shaving cream doesn't reach optimal performance until it is built up into a lather by being mixed with water and air by a brush.

It would work to use a regular cream by just smearing it on your face but it wouldn't work nearly as well as using a true brushless cream.

Musgo and Proraso will both do well.

Cremo Cream is one of the worst products I have ever tried. I would rather shave with canned goo before using that stuff again. Brutal IMHO.

The best i've ever used is Shiseido Men.
It's expensive but very good.

SUNA said:

Cremo Cream is one of the worst products I have ever tried. I would rather shave with canned goo before using that stuff again. Brutal IMHO.

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Did you follow the instructions on the tube?