The Art of Shaving – Shaving Cream Review

The Art of Shaving does sell their products online, but they also have brick and mortar stores. And what’s pretty cool is that their stores operate as both a shop for their products as well as a barber spa.

Their first store and barber spa was in NYC (which is still open today), but they have really grown over the last 20+ years and today there are over 140 Art of Shaving barber spas worldwide! These stores are usually in nicer upscale malls, I’ve seen their stores in the Galleria mall in Dallas and Galleria mall in Houston.

Alright, let’s get into the details and see if this premium shaving cream is the best one for your needs.

Key Features of Art of Shaving's Shaving Cream

Premium Ingredients — Essential Oils and Glycerin

I don’t usually hear or see many complaints about the performance of Art of Shaving shaving cream. I usually just see complaints about the price. But guess what? The Art of Shaving uses such high quality ingredients is why the higher price tag.

So what ingredients are so great in it that justify the price tag?

Well first of all, it is packed with glycerin. Glycerin is really an incredibly key ingredient. Why? Because glycerin makes it a very slick lubricant which helps prevent razor burn. Secondly, glycerin also helps hydrate your skin during the shave.

The other primary ingredients that make AoS so great is the essential oils and coconut oil. They also do an amazing job at adding even more hydration and protection.

Lastly, I think it is also critical to take into consideration what is not used. Ingredients that you see in most other shaving creams like alcohol, synthetic dyes and propellants are nowhere to be found. It really is a night and day difference between a classic aerosol can of cream or gel and Art of Shaving.

Amazing Lather That Softens Stubble and Protects Skin From Razor Burn

Art of Shaving is very easy to whip into a thick, foamy lather. And once you get that lather applied, it does an incredible job at 2 things. First, it preps the stubble for a shave by softening it up, hydrating the skin and lifting the stubble. Secondly, it helps provide some additional protection from razor irritation and nicks and cuts.

A Little Product Goes A Long Way

AoS comes in a slightly smaller container than most other wet shaving creams (5.0 ounces versus 5.3 ounces), but it still lasts a long, long time. I think it should last several months — if you use it correctly.

What do I mean by that? Well don’t overdo it when loading your badger hair brush with shaving cream. Know how to properly prep your brush and bowl beforehand, and then when you get out of the shower, just load about a nickel size of product on the bristles and then you should easily be able to work it into a lather.

Really make sure you squeeze all excess water out of the brush before loading. You really don’t need a lot of water to get the lather consistency right. It will probably take you a few trials before figuring it out and getting it just right, so be patient.

And yes, you can apply it without a brush, but it’s highly inefficient and will go through the product much quicker. I highly recommend using a shaving brush to apply it.

Mild Scent

I’ve never been a big fan of shaving creams that have a big overwhelming scent — and that’s one of the reasons I like Art of Shaving so much.

It’s a very mild but masculine scent. I’ve only used the sandalwood scent so I can’t speak to the other AoS scents, but the sandalwood scent is very similar to other sandalwood shaving creams. It has a very masculine, old barbershop type smell. I do feel like I can somewhat smell the scent after a shave, but it’s very faint. And if you use an aftershave or cologne, that should mask it completely.

If you’re on the fence about a scent, I highly recommend going into an Art of Shaving store and trying it out before buying.

Who Do We Recommend Art of Shaving For?

Art of Shaving’s shaving cream is a premium shaving cream both in terms of performance and price. It is an incredibly thick lather while still being a slick, protective lubricant.

If you have very sensitive skin and need a cream that is made from high-quality, all natural ingredients, this is one of the best. Or if you’re looking for one of the best shaving creams on the market.

And don’t forget, Art of Shaving also sells a 1.5 ounce tube of shaving cream that is great for a trial run or for use when traveling.

What Are Some Other Shaving Creams To Consider?

Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream

Taylor of Old Bond Street is probably the most popular shaving cream among wet shavers right now. It’s a really great lather and a really slick lubricant. There are plenty of scents to choose from and it’s more in the mid-range price range. Taylor of Old Bond Street is a really great value and I rarely hear complaints. Really don’t think you can go wrong with TOBS.

Geo F Trumper shaving cream

Geo F Trumper is very comparable to the Art of Shaving cream. It is made with high-quality ingredients that are easy and safe on skin and provide great protection from the blade. Geo F Trumper doesn’t get enough attention in my opinion. They make a lot of really great products, including their shaving cream.

Proraso shaving soap

Have you considered a shaving soap instead of a shaving cream? I highly recommend every wet shaver test drive a shaving soap at some point.

The main difference is that a soap is a hard pick of soap in its container so it takes a little more work to get it ready and prep for a shave. But the benefit in my opinion is that they tend to be a slightly better lubricant.

There are lots of good shaving soaps out there, but Proraso is one of the best. It’s a very slick lubricant and it lathers up really easily.