To an outside observer, there’s not a lot that is manly about shaving your legs. Someone, like say my wife, might tease a guy for shaving his legs. So if that were the case, you can bet that I’m generally not super excited to jump in the shower and use her purple flower encrusted shaving gel can. So a guy, maybe me, might go looking for a manly alternative. Apparently there’s a market for it, because more companies have been stepping up with shaving creams, gels and oils targeted to athletes, with phrases like, “for men AND women” printed right on the label. I’m going to compare and contrast four of the top choices; Brave Soldier Shower Shave, DZ Nuts Bald, Sportique Shaving Oil and Leg Lube. Check it out after the jump…
My first purchase in this category was the Brave Soldier Shower Shave. This stuff is incredibly slick, makes a nice lather to keep track of where you’ve been. It also has, hands down, the easiest dispenser to use. The pump handle makes grabbing a little more a breeze. It reminds me of an amped up handsoap, and I found that it works much better than your regular razor-brand can, albeit it costs significantly more at $15. Even my mom started buying it after using it staying with us on a trip here.
Second up, was DZ Nuts Bald, which boasted secret ingredients that would stunt hair growth to make your shave last longer, I was completely impressed by this, and was promptly told that “all the chick ones have that too.” Grrr. This one is the lather king and smells really soapy. It makes for a nice slick surface, although for some reason I cut myself a ton with this one. Maybe too much lather is blocking my view, or I’m still moving too much while I giggle about the name. I do have to admit, I notice no less growth when I use this one. Costs the same as the Brave Soldier at $15.
The next one I tried came in my previously reported care package, Sportique Shaving Oil, which was a little different in that it was an oil. It was the most expensive of the bunch at $20, but I didn’t like using this one at all, because I had a really hard time knowing where I’d shaved. My hair is too light and/or thin to be a guide of its own. As far as the razor on your skin, this stuff is wonderful, and I was hardly irritated even after several passes trying to insure I got it all. It is perfect for putting a little on outside the shower to take a pass and get spots you might have missed.
At this point, I took the advice of the Sportique label, and tried applying it first, then putting something with more lather over it, in this case the Bald. This combo produced awesome results. If it weren’t so time consuming, and wasteful of two products, I’d probably do this each time. I think this trick will be reserved for those long gaps in grooming.
Last but not least, as I walked out of another shop, a friend confirmed that I shaved then tossed me a bottle of Leg Lube and said, “you only need a little.” Of all the products, this one was instantly my favorite. You put one bead all the way down your leg and work it in. It smells ridiculously good, and lathers just the right amount to let you know where you’ve been without blocking your view of where you’re going. I haven’t cut myself once since I started using this, and always get the best shave with this one. Bonus: this is the cheapest of the bunch, by A LOT, at $9.
Overall, I’d rate each of the four as better than anything I’d used previously, and if you’re sick of getting weird looks at the pharmacy, then go check out your local bike shop where they understand you. Given the choice, I’ll be sticking with Leg Lube from here on out, but would gladly use any of them again, if availability was a factor.
