Shaving cream

:"See also depilatory cream for the cosmetic potion of this name."Shaving cream is cream that is applied to the face or wherever else hair grows, to avoid razor burn from shaving. Shaving cream is often bought in a can, but can also be purchased in tubs or tubes. Shaving cream in a can is commonly dispensed as a foam or a gel. Creams that are in tubes or tubs are commonly used with a shaving brush to produce a rich lather (most often used in wet shaving). A relatively new product is shaving gel, which is dispensed as a gel then rubbed on the face to produce a lather. The main difference between these two types of lubricant is that the gel- and foam-based creams are usually alcohol based and often dry the skin excessivelyFact|date=October 2007. The tube- and tub-based creams are based on glycerine soaps that are alcohol free and tend to be much easier on the skinFact|date=October 2007. Technically, due to the drying effect of the can foams and gels, you cannot 'wet shave' with them as they are very dry—the glycerine in the tub- and tube-based soaps, on the other hand, causes the water used to soften the beard to remain on the face, providing the 'wet shave' effectFact|date=October 2007.

The gas in shaving cream canisters originally contained CFCs but to avoid patent restrictions it was found that gaseous hydrocarbons such as mixtures of propane, butane and isobutane could be used instead of the CFCs. Because of the large proportion of water in pressurized shaving cream the normally flammable hydrocarbons were not a fire hazard. Many years later the substitution of hydrocarbons for CFCs proved to be an unanticipated environmental boon.The cream itself commonly consists of a mixture of oil, soaps, surfactants, and water or alcohol, manufactured under carefully controlled conditions to ensure proper pH and consistency.

If shaving cream is not available, regular facial soap may be used in its place; however, someWho|date=October 2007 consider this an inadequate substitute for proper shaving soap as the lather is often far too runny and inconsistentFact|date=October 2007. Some peopleWho|date=October 2007 prefer not to use shaving cream at all, and may shave simply with water, for example, after a hot shower. However, this is oftenWho|date=October 2007 regarded as more uncomfortable than the use of shaving cream.

Shaving cream is not normally used when using an electric razor, however some newer models feature a wet shave.

ee also

*Aftershave
*Burma shave
*Barbasol
*Shaving

References