Shaving Gel vs Shaving Foam

I picked up shaving gel rather than foam the other day when out shopping.

Maybe I’m missing something, but what’s the advantage, if any, of gel over foam? The gel just seemed a complete faff and messy to boot. After all, all you’re doing is turning it into foam.

I’ve always been of the other opinion, why does anyone bother with foam?

Always preferred gel – smoother and goes further I find.

Home = badger brush and bowl
Travel = King of Shaves shaving oil

What is this gel of which you speak? Is that something for a bad shave?

At home, Gel. It’s smoother I find.

Away from home, soap or if it’s a hotel and I’ve not got mine, just wet and shave.

Maybe it’s just me then. I found when I was trying to get the gel to “foam up” it was just messy and faffy. Maybe it takes some practice.

Foam might not have the “creamy” gliding feel when you shave …

I must be missing something – why are you trying to get gel to foam? Or are you talking about something completely different to what I use?

I use KoS ‘non-foaming’ gel too. Top stuff.

I think the foaming gels are a bit old fashioned and pointless myself – if you want foam buy foam.

slainte 🙂 rob

nah , you want this stuff:

Bluebeards revenge

My tub is going strong after six months (I went for a Kent brush, but they include one in this deal)

Good stuff that Bluebeards revenge.

No you want cheap & good Palmolive shave stick.

I find shower gel works alright.

Kev

Aqueous cream. Thread closed.

This thread will be filled with people posting how they use a real razor handed down generation to generation through the family. Then use a brush made from honey badgers and a soap stick with extract of tears of baby Jesus.

Tried King of Shaves stuff – seems to leave an oily residue which is really hard to wash off? Bit like using Bearing grease to shave with…

Dunno where normal people buy it but I get it from the soap factory in Ashby, about 99p* a block and fits in a wooden bowl that was similarly cheep. Soap + brush I found gave noticably better shaves and much less iritation than gels or foams. Never tried oil.

*Probably £20 from Crabtree & Evelyn or JohnLewis once it’s got its lable on.

I like the KoS shaving serum over their Gel, and I also find a little KoS oil on first helps to keep rash/burn down.

Gillette shave foam + Mach3 + shaving in the shower = job done.

All these fancy razors, brushes, oils and serums are just another level of equipment fetish. I’m surprised you lot haven’t started comparing them by weight yet. 🙄

Shaving soap.

Real men just use a rusty old stanley knife blade and rain water.

Either:
The Real Shave Company’s Oil
Or
Dermalogica’s Oil
And
a simple Mach3

KOS Shave Gel, works for me in the shower.
However its simply not Niche enough for this place, sorry. 😕

I just buy the cheapest gel I can find – normally Superdrug.

I have no idea what blades I use – it is just a simple two blade razor. Gilette?

The whole thing leaves me really disinterested really and tend to agree with what Drac said above ^^^

I tried that oil (at a point when I was trying to be cool and/or down withcha kids or whatever).

It was actually crap. All it seemed to do was clog up the razor and leave my face feeling like I had washed in olive oil.

Foam comes in a pressurised metal can and so probably destroys more of the planet than gel.

Foam and Gel are both basically water so therefore the same…… both are cr@p.

Palmolive stick
Bluebeards (not used it but heard good things though)
or my fave (£1.50/stick that lasts 6 months)

and a brush

It was actually crap. All it seemed to do was clog up the razor and leave my face feeling like I had washed in olive oil.

Agreed – never seen the appeal of being all oily.

Foam comes in a pressurised metal can and so probably destroys more of the planet than gel.

Oh, and just out of interest, are the people on here who are really into shaving the same ones who are really into hi-fi?

GrahamS – see aracer’s picture above

Oh, and just out of interest, are the people on here who are really into shaving the same ones who are really into hi-fi?

And ride fixies.
And roast their own coffee beans.
And only drink obscure Hungarian wheat beers.

Hi-Fi no, fixie yes, coffee no and will drink almost anything 🙂

sounds like you’re using too much oil. about 6 drops works for me. no foam or gel.

When I used* it I did only use a tiny bit – a couple of drops or so – still found* it oily.

*I still use it now and again as it is in my overnight toiletries bag because it takes up much less room than a tin.

Real men grow beards of course.

guess you’re just an oily skinned type 😉

Personally I use extract of gozz from the Ficedula subrubra and have it flown in fresh each day, anything lesser just isn’t shaving.

Shaving oil = face ripping experience, followed by an oily face.

Heard Martin Lewis on radio saying to try the wife’s hair conditioner for the best, and most economical shave.

Tried it (2 years ago)
He was right

Holy Molly, I am in agreement with m_f. Whatever next?