Schaf Ultimate Comfort Shave Cream
by tfowler
Sorry about missing last week.
Returning to the world of Schaf products, this week we’re looking at Schaf’s shave cream. This is the first Schaf product that I don’t have universally good things to say about. Like all of the Schaf products I’ve tried, the shave cream doesn’t have any scent to it at all, which is an obvious plus for those looking for scent-free shave cream. This would mean, I suspect, that it would also make for a good shave cream for those with sensitive skin. It is also very lightweight and very smooth to the touch.
Now, the product tub says to simply massage the shave cream on your face and shave. I decided to forgo the instructions and try to lather it up with a shave brush. This did not work well. At all. It didn’t make a lather one bit, it just sort of disintegrated. Okay, so I’ll follow the instructions. This is, however, my main complaint with the product. One of the reasons why classic wet shaving with a double-edged razor makes for such a close, nice shave is building the lather with the brush. When you brush on shaving cream, the brush action lifts whiskers and stubble away from the face – this prevents razor burn and helps make for a closer shave. When you pat shaving cream onto your skin – like you would from one of those spray cans – you’re mashing the whiskers down into the skin. This can cause irritation and make for an uncomfortable shave. The Schaf is the same principle – you’re massaging the cream onto your skin, so you’re not getting the benefit of the brush. I really didn’t like it for that reason.
Anyway, the shave itself. The shave, once I applied it the way as instructed, was pleasant enough. The cream is a very good lubricant, and I got a good close shave with it. I did have some minor irritation, though, but I can’t say it wouldn’t be more than what I would “normally” expect – some days you’ll get some irritation, others you won’t, no matter what cream you use. Oh, also, the shave took longer, because rather than whipping on cream after each pass with my brush, I had to go back and lather up with my hands.
Now, I don’t think that this shave cream will displace my go-to shave cream. But, considering that it provided nice lubrication and was scent free, I tried to find a way to use it. I’ve tried using it as a pre-shave treatment for my skin. I apply a thin layer of the shave cream, by hand, before I lather up my regular shave cream with my brush (like you would for any pre-shave treatment). Combining this cream with another made for a very pleasant shave. It allowed my razor to easily glide across my face, and I didn’t have any nicks or irritation. It is possible that the shave cream could be used as a pre-shave treatment quite effectively.
Bottom line, it won’t become my go-to shave cream. That said, it might be for you if you have very sensitive skin, don’t like scents, and don’t shave with a double-edged razor.
Schaf ultimate comfort shave cream
Schaf Ultimate Comfort Shave Cream (as a shave cream): 3 / 5
Schaf Ultimate Comfort Shave Cream (rejiggered as a pre-shave treatment): 4 / 5
tl;dr: not the greatest shave cream I’ve used, but would be great for those with very sensitive skin. Also, is a great pre-shave treatment.
The Vegan Dandy 
Hi,
Shaving, at east for men, is very subjective, personal, and sometime controversial.
But the science of shaving occurs at a microscopic level. That is to say the the blade draws against the skin, cutting the hair as it scrapes against the skin.
Many men feel a 1-2 inch of foam provides more lubrication than a quarter inch of foam. It does not, because the only lubrication and protection the skin obtains is from the extremely thin layer of lubrication that is directly on the skin where it meets the edge of the blade.
Thick foam is only useful to see where you have passed your razor.
Pre-shave oils work well because once the oil is added, it adheres to the skin and no amount of foam or other shaving cream will provide any benefit, expect to show where your blade has passed. I believe you mentioned Schaf Shave cream is a good pre-shave treatment. We would suggest that anything you apply top of any pre-shave treatment contributes little to no benefit to a closer or more comfortable shave. In fact, pre-shave oils, while very effective since oil is a very good lubricant, actually clogs multi-blade razors — making them much less effective and contributes to nicks.
Also, shaving foams and gels contain lots of air bubbles. And I think we all agree that air is the worst lubricant. So any foam or gel that lathers (with air bubbles mixed in) delivers less lubricant to the skin.
This is why we created a cream. It provides superb lubrication and slip, and there is no air bubbles as it lathers (in fact, any ingredients that contribute to lathering not only add air bubbles, but are also a major cause of irritation), so without air bubble, more emollients and lubricants stay close to your skin. It also rinses off your blade extremely easily.
Lastly, one of the best way to test any shaving product is to see if any lubricant remains after your blade has passed. I urge you test any foam versus any good cream and you will notice creams leave far more product behind after the blade passes. This is a good thing as it means the lubricant stayed between the blade and your skin – which it the ultimate role of any shaving product.
Cheers!
Peter Schafrick
Founder, Schaf Skin Care
I stopped using shaving foam and gel for all the reasons above, and switched to shaving cream which one lathers up with a brush, and once you get good at building a lather (which does take some practise), there will be very little air bubbles in your lather – that’s the sign of a good lather. I did find that your shave cream had very good lubrication, which I did enjoy a great deal.