I really do not know the answer to this issue. I though caned foam is a type of shave cream now I am getting the sense that it isn't. Please help by setting me straight.
The canned stuff, gels and whatever are almost always completely industrial in nature and since they are in a can they must have chemical propellant qualities added to them. They might also have preservatives but don't quote me on that part of it. Creams and Soaps on the other hand are much more natural and lack the chemicals needed to basically spray it out of a can. There might be some other differences but typically I see the whole industrial thing and know that is all I need to know. The performance is typically lacking compared to the better creams and soaps too from what I know.
The main difference is that 95% of the canned goo doesn't contain water at all or only in very small amounts. Water is a MUST in shaving in order to soften the whiskers -> no water -> whiskers are as hard as wire
Is there a common brand of real cream on the market. I have barbasol sitting around, but I think that this is goo not cream.
Canned Foam, Canned Cream, Canned Gel, Canned Goo are all generic terms for over the counter canned shave cream or shave gel. Most of which fall far short of performance compared to the soaps and creams we use. I do have a can of Aveeno Sensitive Skin Shave Cream lying around I use as a pre shave lather product on occasion.
I may be in the minority but I use the word 'foam' for the aerosol canned stuff and 'cream' for the toothpaste-like stuff that comes in squeeze tubes. Technically both are creams. I bought a can of aerosol foam a few days ago, Old Spice Moisturizing Shave Cream — Sensitive which is made in Canada. Price one dollar for the large 14.6 oz can. The number one ingredient is water, which is true of all the aerosol foams I've seen. The majority of brands contain about 80% water. You're mostly buying water. The number two ingredient is stearic acid, a soap base. The main propellent is isobutane, normally flammable but harmless spraying water. Minor ingredients include aloe vera gel and lanolin. The standard chemistry textbook recipe for aerosol shaving cream is 79.6 percent water, 8.2 percent stearic acid, 3.7 percent triethanolamine, 0.5 percent lanolin, 6 percent polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate, and 2 percent glycerin. Triethanolamine is a surfactant which does the job of soap only much better. While one end of a surfactant molecule attracts dirt and grease, the other end attracts water. Lanolin and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate are emulsifiers that hold water to the skin, while glycerin, a solvent and an emollient, makes the skin softer and more supple. Unlike the bulk of shaving creams and soaps on the market, aerosol shaving creams are regulated by the FDA. Some of the "natural" creams and soaps have dangerous amounts of alkali or acid and some have oils that burn sensitive skin. Coupled with a cheap hot lather device that fits over the can such as the $15 Conair, aerosol shaving cream can equal about any of the shaving hobby stuff. In 1950 shaving soap was dominant but even though it cost more aerosol shaving cream practically annihilated it in just a few years. Aerosol shaving cream is basically just a soap and water spray, a good ready made lather. I use the same hot towel prep for aerosol as I do for soap. These days I do prefer brush and soap but the quality difference is very slight. Richard
I've been shaving with a Gillette DE since 1956 but I've never tried a gel or cream in a tube. I started with foam, it worked and I never tried anything else until this year. Wednesday I ran across this in a store for 99 cents so I figured it was worth a gamble. This gel is also mostly water, followed by cetyl alcohol, then soap, aloe vera, fragrance and vitamin E. Doesn't sound all that bad. Cetyl alcohol is what used to be called whale oil but these days it's usually made from palm or coconut oil. It's excellent for shaving being both a surfactant that attracts water and an emollient to make skin softer. The after shave is mostly water, followed by mineral oil, cetyl alcohol, soap, glycerine, aloe vera, fragrance and vitamin E along with about a half dozen chemicals unknown to me. This isn't the kind of AS I normally use. Still it was only 99 cents for both. I haven't opened them yet. Made in China which really isn't surprising. Richard
I used to use a canned aerosol foam, but realized that this was the MAIN problem area in getting a really good shave. It is actually drying to your skin, and really never gives you anything more than a thin layer of questionable lubrication. Now I use shave creams and soaps with a brush, and am most satisfied.
I think I used foam from a can (Barbasol) 6 times in my entire life, and it never gave me the kind of performance I get from a good lather cream or soap. In fact, it left a big irritation all over my face and neck, so I finally threw it away. I've never tried a gel, and I don't intend to.
I'm not at all a fan of canned shaving gel or foam. However, I've been using lately Nivea's Men Sensitive Shaving Foam and I've been impressed with the shave and how it leaves my skin feeling fresh. If I'm going to use a canned shave product it will only be Nivea.
I think the quality of the lather is a big difference too. When you use a soap cake or cream and a brush to make lather it is a much denser higher quality lather. A cake of soap last a lot longer then a can of goop. There is also something to be said for the ritual of making lather with a brush. To me that is a huge part of the traditional aspect of wet shaving.
The last gel I tried was Edge. I suddenly realized, my face smells too much like Edge-how am I going to make any aftershave overpower THAT? No more gel.
canned stuff never seemed as slick as some of the soaps i use today. i think the brush plays a big part in getting the skin prepped compared to just rubbing it on as well
I'm sure it does. I feel safe with the "oldie" canned creams/foams, like Rise and Barbasol. I guess there's SOME fragrance in those, but aftershaves outdo them. But the canned creams/foams do a nice job in whisker-removing.
Whether it comes in a can, tube, jar, tin, or stick -ingredients are the key. Next in line is your face prep & the way you use the product. I like different products for face lathering than bowl. Finally, I find that the tools you use make a difference. I use different products with a boar brush face lather than a badger brush bowl lather. I also prefer a thinner lather with a cartridge blade than I prefer for a DE shave or a straight razor. So, I tend to not rule out a product till I find that it doesn't work for me. The key is to find out what works for you.
I have been using the cheap soap cake from my local grocery store and I still think that stuff works better than the $5 cans of foam that last half as long if that!
