The 10 Best Shaving Gels

If razor burn is the worry, Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel is the safe first try. It has no added fragrance, a common cause of sting on touchy skin, and it's made with oat and vitamin E. The gel works into a light lather as you rub it in and rinses off clean. Aveeno makes it for both men and women. Its glide is only average, though, so a dull blade will still drag and tug.

For a cheap daily shave that still glides, Gillette Series Sensitive is a solid choice. Blades move smoothly over its thick lather, and aloe is in the mix to calm skin. It comes as a pair of cans, so one order lasts most shavers a long while. The catch is the scent. It's light, but people who react to fragrance can feel a sting, and they'll do better with a fragrance-free gel.

Leaving out both fragrance and dye makes Gillette Satin Care Ultra Sensitive a sensible pick for legs and underarms that redden after shaving. The gel foams into a rich lather, and Gillette says dermatologists have tested it on skin. Its can has a rust-proof bottom, so it won't leave orange rings on the edge of a tub. The thick white lather does hide fine lines, which makes careful bikini edges harder to see.

Because Bump Patrol Cool Shave Gel stays clear on the skin, you can see a beard line, a neckline or the edge of a fade as you shave. Shaving Advisor called it the best clear gel it had tried and noted how far a small dab goes, which makes up for the small tube. Menthol gives it a cold tingle after a close pass. That same menthol can sting on nicks or skin that's already raw.

Harry's Foaming Shave Gel starts as a gel and blooms into a dense foam, which gives the blade a soft cushion. Aloe and hyaluronic acid are in the mix for moisture, and Harry's leaves out parabens and sulfates. The current can is the sensitive-skin version, with a light scent. Each pack holds three slim cans that fit a gym bag. They're small, though, so a daily shaver runs through a pack fairly fast.

Big cans keep the cost of each shave low with Edge Sensitive Skin Shave Gel, sold as a pair. The blue gel works into a lather with aloe and cooling agents meant to calm skin as you go. Edge has made shave gel for more than half a century, and this is its milder formula. It still carries a light scent, so anyone who reacts to fragrance should patch test it on the wrist first.

Nivea Men Sensitive Shave Gel skips alcohol, which can dry and sting freshly shaved skin, and adds chamomile, vitamin E and provitamin B5 instead. It lathers into a soft foam with only a faint scent. In a long-running comparison of canned gels, it gave a clean first pass but only modest glide and cushion, so a second pass over stubborn spots can tug. It's sold in a three-pack.

Barely any foam is the point of King of Shaves Cooling. It spreads thin and see-through, so you can shape a beard edge or a sideburn without guessing. Aloe and tea tree oil give it a cool, fresh feel, and the formula is vegan. A small amount goes a long way, and blades glide well over it. With no white lather, though, it's harder to tell which spots you've already shaved.

Made for legs, underarms and the bikini line, Skintimate Skin Therapy Sensitive works into a creamy lather with aloe, vitamin E and olive butter. That mix leaves skin feeling soft after the shave. The brand belongs to Edgewell, and this gel comes in a three-pack, enough for weeks of showers. It does carry a light scent, so very reactive skin may be happier with a fragrance-free gel.

Bulldog Original Shave Gel leans on plants: aloe, camelina oil, green tea and a blend of essential oils. It's a non-foaming gel in a squeeze tube that spreads smoothly, rinses fast and works well with cartridge razors. The British brand pitches this one at normal skin and has a separate line for sensitive skin. Those essential oils give it a natural scent that reactive skin may not tolerate.