
Everything you can use when shaving cream just isn’t available
The hunt for something easy, effective, and cheap
There are a few things capable of making shaving worse than it already is – and running out of shaving cream one leg in is definitely one of them.
Most everyone has their go-to second choice to just finish the job (mine personally was soap), but I decided to try out a few products to see if I could come up with something better.
Plus, if it’s less costly, it’s a win-win!
I normally use Skintimate at around $3.79 per can
In order to get creative, I came up with quite a few options – accessible both in and outside of the shower – that I had never even thought of trying in a pinch or as a replacement for the classic shaving cream. (I’ve been seriously missing out.)
All in all I tested six different back-up shaving solutions and ranked them according to results: process, practicality, and price factor. Here they are – worst to best.
Cocoa butter lotion
Alba Botanica cocoa butter lotion ($10.79)
I had high expectations for the cocoa butter. I thought my legs would be smooth and soft and I would be able to skip the post-shave lotion, but I was sorely disappointed.
I applied a relatively thin layer, and with the water it thinned out, but the lotion was just too thick. It didn’t allow for a close shave—my legs still had the bumpy remains of stubble afterwards.
On the up side my legs didn’t get dried out, but that perk is not worth the lack of smoothness (let alone the price tag), so I’m going to keep the cocoa butter out of the shaving process from here on.
Aloe
Rite Aid brand after sun aloe gel ($5.99)
The aloe gel was overall pretty good. It goes on clear, which to some people is advantageous because they can see where they’re shaving, but to me it’s a drawback because I forget where I shaved, so I ended up missing spots.
It did leave my legs decently smooth and hydrated, but it’s nothing special and I personally don’t always have aloe readily available.
It’s also a bit pricey, so I wouldn’t make it my go-to back up, and it’s not great enough to replace shaving cream for me. If I do ever face the horror of shaving with a sunburn though, aloe would be my first choice.
Soap
Dove soap (about $4.49 for a pack of 2)
Soap is okay. But that’s all – just okay. It’s not horrible, but it’s certainly not great.
It goes on and comes off easily, it doesn’t clog your razor, and you don’t need a ton (I went a little overboard for the photo).
After shaving with soap, my skin was a little dry and not as smooth as I’d like, but for what it is—accessible, practical, and cheap—it’s a decent option that likely will always be there when everything else fails.
Honey
Hannaford brand honey ($3.49)
I know what you’re thinking because I thought it, too: shaving with honey seems ridiculous, messy, and unnecessary. I was very hesitant to use food in the shower (for obvious reasons) but I was very pleasantly surprised.
First off, the thick, sticky substance is not nearly as messy as one would think; when it gets wet, it definitely loosens and smoothens up. The application is pretty easy (I would recommend just squeezing it out of the bottle straight onto your legs, instead of dumping it onto your hands first, just to keep it cleaner) and it can be rinsed off with a wet face towel.
The result is super smooth, super soft legs without even putting lotion on. I definitely am going to consider using honey from time to time, because it works so well, but just because it is a food product that I don’t have lying around my bathroom and there is a little extra care involved in de-honeying of your legs, I won’t make it my go-to.
Baby oil
Johnson’s baby oil ($4.79)
Smooth, smooth, smooth legs. It is clear, and if you’re not careful, you could have a slippery accident in the shower, but it is so effective.
I poured on enough oil to cover my leg (from what I could tell) and my razor slid so easily, I didn’t worry at all about nicking myself. I did reapply a little bit, just because I wanted to make sure I was getting my whole leg, but I didn’t even use that much in the process.
It goes on smooth and rinses off super easily. On top of being smooth, my legs were super soft from the moment I got out of the shower until the end of the day, without even using moisturizer. In terms of cost, the price isn’t drastically higher than shaving cream, and it works great, so I would definitely recommend trying baby oil as a back-up or even a replacement.
Conditioner
Suave Naturals ocean breeze conditioner ($1.99)
I am putting hair conditioner at the top of my shaving cream substitutes because it checks every box—it’s effective, easy, practical, and cheap.
Everyone has conditioner in their shower, and if you don’t for some reason, or you use some fancy/expensive conditioner you wouldn’t want to waste on your legs, you can buy a big thing of it for a little more than half the cost of a can of shaving cream (like the Suave I used).
It’s really easy to put on and rinse off obviously, and it’s so silky that my razor slid easily and I could see where I had shaved, so I got every spot. Conditioner is also pretty thin, especially under water, so I got a really close shave and my legs were so smooth, hydrated, and soft. The one and only downside is that I ended up using a lot of conditioner, but I’m sure I can figure out how to use it sparingly.
It’s always in my shower, it’s cheap, it works great—I might just have to make the switch.