Do you need shaving cream for electric shavers?

Is wet or dry shaving better?

You’ve got your wet or dry shaver, but which type of shaving should you go for? It’s time to set wet shaving against dry shaving and let them battle for the top spot as the best way to shave!

Here are the advantages of electric shaver use with shaving cream:

• Hair is a lot easier to cut when it’s wet,¹ so you’re likely to have a smoother shaving experience if you’re wet shaving.
  
  
• The shaving cream itself also smooths the way for your shaver. It reduces friction, soothes your skin and helps to flag up which parts of your face still need attention: if the shaving cream on your lower lip is untouched, that’s a pretty clear sign that you haven’t shaved there yet.
  
  
• Wet shaving can give you a closer, cleaner shave.
  
  
• This close shave also means you can take longer before having to shave again.

And here are the pros of dry shaving:

• As there’s less preparation involved and you don’t have to rinse any creams off afterwards, dry shaving is easier to do on the fly.
  
  
• If you switch from wet to dry shaving, you won’t have to worry about resupplying yourself with shaving cream or gel. Even if you’re still wet shaving, you can save money on shaving products by sometimes opting for a dry shave instead.
  
  
• Even if dry shaving doesn’t get you as close a shave as wet shaving, that has its upsides. A less close shave can mean less irritation, less prickly regrowth and a reduced risk of shaving cuts, so you might find dry shaving a more comfortable experience than wet shaving if you have sensitive skin.
  
  
• Speaking of sensitive skin: some people find their skin reacts badly to shaving cream, which is a strong argument against using it. Talk to your GP before you start experimenting, but, if you’re not ready to give up the cool sensation of shaving cream, you could try shaving creams or gels specifically designed for sensitive skin. You might have heard about natural alternatives like coconut oil, but be careful when shaving with oils, as it’s easy for them to block your drains.

But fear not: if you’ve opted for wet shaving, you don’t necessarily have to put up with razor nicks or skin irritation. We have a collection of tips to avoid shaving cuts and a guide to preventing razor rash if you’d like to learn more. if you’d like to learn more.

As you can see, both wet and dry shaving have their upsides. You might end up settling firmly on one or the other. If you can see the argument for both sides, though, a wet and dry shaver lets you choose whichever style of shave suits you best in the moment.

In summary: do I need shaving cream? Not if you have an electric shaver. Do I want shaving cream? That’s a question you can only answer yourself, but we’ve given you the tools to help figure it out.

¹ Deem and Rieger, ‘Observations on the Cutting of Beard Hair’, Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists 27(12), December 1976.