Quick beauty tip: Use shaving gel for men

6/13/2019

Navy blue bottle on top of pastel sponges

This is just a random thing I've recently learned that made my life better; men's shaving gel is far superior to women's (and often cheaper!).

The store didn't have any "female" shaving gels (read: pink or purple with floral scents), so I had to resort to buying "men's" shaving gel; dark blue with no scent whatsoever. And it's the best one I've ever used!

Don't get me wrong: I love pretty products.

I love seeing them on my shelf, feeling feminine and pampered just looking at them. You can totally get me to buy your brand just because you have the prettier package (unless the price difference is too big if course. I have limits ;) ).

But they dry my skin out.

For a little while I reveled in using a mix of olive oil and honey, and it was amazing! A shave has never felt smoother and it hydrated my skin as I did it. I was elated.

Yellow jar of honey with pine cones and dripping spoon

Photo by Christina Branco

But it was too much of a hassle. It made the tub all slippery and it clogged the razor up to the point I could barely shave (and yes, I tried the vinegar baths). So as much as I wanted a natural solution, that wasn't it.

(But if you find a good way to keep the razor clean, please let me know!)

So when I had to buy the men's shaving gel I was so pleasantly surprised!

It gives me a really close shave and it doesn't dry my skin out! It might not be a pretty can, but it does everything else I look for in these products. ;) I've always known about the "female tax;" the fact that products aimed toward women are generally more expensive. But I didn't know that the focus could be more on pleasant scents than quality!

So sometimes the solution we're looking for might be closer than we think. The old saying "don't judge a book by its cover" seems to apply to beauty products as well, ironically enough. ;)

Update: I have now used a shaving gel for men with aloe vera for two years, and I stand by it! Still awesome!

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