Do you love a luxurious old-fashioned barbershop shave? Or are you planning to try one for the first time? Then it’s time to put down that can of shaving cream and pick up a bar of soap. But not just any bath soap; we’re talking about shaving bars designed to care for sensitive skin. Whether they contain tallow, oils, or glycerin, they’re still better for your skin than the canned variety with its alcohols and preservatives that create dryness and irritation.
In this article, we’ll review the ten best shaving soaps that protect your face from nicks and razor burn. While they may cost more than a traditional can of shaving cream, these shaving bars will last 2 to 5 times longer. And they’re going to make your shave a much more appealing experience.
Top Shaving Soaps for Sensitive Skin
Taylor of Old Bond Street Luxury Shaving Cream for Sensitive Skin
Taylor of Old Bond Street describes their soap as “luxury shaving cream.” For convenience, it comes in a resealable bowl so you won’t need to provide a separate container for mixing it with water.
The manufacturer recommends wetting your face with warm water, then applying the soap with a natural bristle brush. It builds to a thick lather for a close shave, then leaves your skin smooth and soft. Customers describe its faint fragrance as a manly musk. And the formula is based on glycerin, aloe vera, and cacao seed butter, without any parabens or sulfates.
St James of London Shaving Cream
The St James of London Shaving Cream delights customers with rich lather even if they only use a tiny dab at a time. Although it's designated “unscented,” it has a light fragrance reminiscent of geranium and lavender, which leaves skin fresh and clean without a heavy musky odor. There are no sulfates, parabens, or alcohols.
St. James of London recommends placing a small amount of the cream in the palm of your hand or a bowl. Wet your brush, then use a circular motion to build up a thick lather. Once you have wet your face with warm water, apply the lather to your beard with the brush. Use the brush to lift the beard for best results.
Although St. James of London has been in business making shaving products since 1953, their sensitive shaving soap is based on a recent innovation: glycerin. Traditionally, shaving soap was based on animal fat or tallow. But glycerin is an excellent lubricant that moisturizes the skin and provides a close shave without clogging pores.
Paula's Choice PC4MEN Unscented Shaving Cream for Sensitive Skin for Men, and All Skin Types
If you have especially sensitive skin that’s prone to rashes and outbreaks, give Paula’s Choice PC4MEN a try. Not only does it cut down on redness and razor burn, but it also protects you from nicks. Its lightweight formula contains no fragrance, no menthol, and no parabens.
Instead, the PC4MEN shaving cream contains various skin-soothing ingredients like aloe vera, licorice extract, and allantoin. Besides shaving your face, you can use it for hair removal on other parts of your body.
Bull and Bell Bay Rum Luxury Shaving Soap
The Bull and Bell Bay Rum Luxury Shaving Soap moisturizes skin with mango butter and tussah silk. This creamy formula lubricates the razor so it glides in a close shave without causing razor burn. There is no sticky residue afterward, just plenty of cushion and lather to get the job done as enjoyably as possible.
While the formula contains odorless glycerin, its traditional scent comes from citrus, rum, and bay leaves. Once again, there are no parabens, sulfates, or preservatives that can irritate skin. And each batch is handcrafted in the USA.
Kiss My Face Moisture Shave Shaving Cream, Olive and Aloe Fragrance-Free Shaving Soap for Sensitive Skin
Kiss My Face has lots of experience combining the best botanicals with gentle ingredients to provide safe products for sensitive skin. This one has no distracting fragrance or skin-drying alcohols. Just lather up any place in your body where you need to remove hair and their shaving soap will create your razor for a creamy smooth shave.
The main ingredients in their formula are Vitamin E, plus olive and coconut oils, but it also contains aloe vera, goldenseal, and lemongrass to protect your skin against cuts and irritation. You’ll also find peppermint for antiseptic purposes and Lady’s Mantle serving as an astringent. And just like every other product from Kiss My Face, this one is cruelty-free.
Sir Hare Shaving Soap for Men
If you’re a fan of a good old-fashioned shaving experience, try Sir Hare’s Shaving Soap for Men. It uses tallow as its base ingredient instead of glycerin. This provides excellent lubrication for a smooth, slick shave. There are no synthetic preservatives, just natural components. And the bergamot, cedarwood, and oakmoss fragrance smells clean and fresh.
The soap puck comes in an 8-ounce container, so you don’t need a separate shaving bowl. Sir Hare says that you should get over 100 shaves with it. Plus, it comes with a money-back guarantee.
Henry Cavendish Himalaya Shaving Soap with Shea Butter & Coconut Oil
Henry Cavendish’s Himalaya Shaving Soap contains a high percentage of glycerin, which moisturizes your skin without clogging your pores. It also contains Shea butter and coconut oil that soften your face, leaving it silky and supple.
This mildly-scented shaving puck can last up to six months. And it comes with a 100% satisfaction money-back guarantee.
Men’s Soap Company Shaving Soap
Sharpen your straight razor because you’ll want to try this product. The Men’s Soap Company combines vegan ingredients like Shea butter, coconut oil, and glycerin in their shaving soap to give you a rich, creamy lather as you shave. It leaves your skin with a light, earthy scent and a smooth finish.
Of course, there are no parabens, dyes, or sulfates that can cause allergic reactions. The manufacturer offers an unconditional satisfaction guarantee that your shave will be comfortable every day of the week when you use their bar.
Unscented Charcoal Shea Butter Black Soap Bar for Dry & Sensitive Skin from Essentially Organic Soap
Essentially Organic Soap bases their shaving soap on natural ingredients from certified organic sources. A glance at the label reveals that they avoid GMO products in favor of organic sunflower, coconut, olive, and sustainably-produced palm oils. The formula also contains activated charcoal that detoxifies skin and Shea butter for intense moisturization.
You won’t have to worry about synthetic fragrances or dyes, or parabens or sulfates either. Every ingredient is vegan-friendly. And each bar of shaving soap is handmade in the USA.
Conclusion
Shaving can be perilous for sensitive skin. But choosing a high-quality shaving soap can resolve much of the problem. You don’t need to suffer from razor burn, nicks, or acne outbreaks if you use one of the best shaving creams.
At first glance, the price difference between a can of shaving cream and a bar of shaving soap may seem intimidating. But when you consider the fact that a puck of soap can last weeks, or even months longer than a can, you’ll see that the upgrade is worth it.