Shaving cream

Shaving creams commonly consist of an emulsion of oils, soaps or surfactants, and water.

This substance combined wood alkali and animal fat and was applied to a beard as a shaving preparation.

The innovative product appeared on the American market under the name Barbasol and offered men an alternative to using a brush to work soap into lather.

Shaving creams contain 20–30% soap [potassium or triethanolamine (TEA)], up to about 10% glycerine, emollients, emulsifiers, and foaming agents.

Aerosols are diluted creams dispensed from pressurized cans with the aid of hydrocarbon propellants (up to about 10%).

[11] The flammability of the hydrocarbons is offset by the large amounts of water in cream formulations.