Smooth Moves (and Legs) with New LUSH D’Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap
Did you know that most foaming shaving creams are comprised primarily of air? Well, it’s true. Those foaming shaving creams rely on compressed air to create the mousse-like, frothy, spumy effect that women find visually alluring. So what’s protecting your skin from the sharp razor you use to shave your legs and underarms? Well, that same air along with a small concentration of watery soaps and surfactants. It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out that, when pressurized air and sudsy water are the only substances protecting the skin, you might as well be shaving with the liquid in your kid’s bubble wand toy. Without a pillowy cushion between the skin and a razor’s cutting blades, it’s no wonder so many women suffer from razor burn and ingrown hairs or consistently nick and scratch their skin while shaving. For all of these reasons, I’ve long advised women to ditch the foaming shaving gels and creams in favor of non-foaming formulas enriched with moisturizing butters and antioxidant-rich oils. Some of my favorites include the eos Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream and the Lady Cremo Shave Cream, both of which allow the razor to glide effortlessly on the skin and leave legs smooth and soft. My latest go-to product: the LUSH D’Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap ($9.95 for 2.4 oz. or 16.95 for 5.2 oz.; available at LUSH stores and LUSHusa.com).
Inspired by strawberry fluff, this shaving cream has a similar texture to that of the sweet whipped treat, which is typically made primarily with Cool Whip and gelatin. When you scoop a handful out of the jar, you’ll notice the fluffy consistency, which is slightly thicker than frosting but not quite as heavy as a strawberry cream cheese dip. When smoothed onto damp skin, meanwhile, you’ll notice it looks as if you’d applied a berry-flavored yogurt to your skin, so that some tiny lumpy bits are visible (like the curds you naturally find in Greek yogurt as a result of the clumped-up milk proteins that surface when the whey in the formula separates). These clumpy bits might be off-putting at first since they represent a deviation from typically smooth creamy formulations, but keep an open mind and remember that it’s a handmade product made with fresh, natural ingredients. Now, the more you smooth it onto the skin, the more fluid the texture will become, but I personally like to keep the consistency relatively creamy since I like there to be a light layer of the product in between my four-blade razor and my sensitive skin.
Once you begin sliding your razor along the surface, you’ll notice it moves seamlessly, gliding down the perfectly slippery surface while also effectively trimming any stubble. You should run the razor under water relatively often as you shave but no need to fear that the richness of the formulation will gunk up your razor — just a bit of water will wash off any residue on those blades. When you’re finished with your shaving routine and you emerge from the shower, you’ll notice your legs feel smooth and soft — no irritation, no bumps, and no chafing.
So what’s in this pot o’ wonders? Well, the LUSH D’Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap is formulated with fatty acid-rich cocoa butter, which is known to nourish and soften skin; coconut oil, a natural humectant that draws moisture to the skin and locks it in, making it smooth to the touch, and which also has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties; and rosehip oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties that make it very effective in healing itchy and flaky skin, as well as treating eczema and psoriasis. The whipped, marshmallow-y texture, meanwhile, is the result of a mixture of the aforementioned ingredients and fresh strawberries, egg whites, maple sugar, and fair trade vanilla absolute.
My one gripe: despite the claims, this shaving cream smells nothing like strawberries. In fact, it doesn’t even smell like any strawberry-flavored treat ever — not yogurt, jam, fruit bars, ice cream, Twizzlers, Starburst, bon bons, shortcake, or cereal bars. I can’t even detect a strawberry note in the aroma! In fact, I notice more of a cinnamon-y scent that’s vaguely reminiscent of a stick of Big Red gum. It’s not an unpleasant scent (though I’m not swooning over it either), but it’s far from berry-like.
Still, this could very well be the most effective shaving cream I’ve tried in years — and a real treat for women with skin that’s prone to inflammation and irritation.
Check out a few close-up photos of the cream and its charming packaging.
It may be called D’Fluff but there’s no fluff or filler in this happy shaving tale!
