• SumoMe

Billy Jealousy Hydroplane Shave Cream

Every once in a while I’ll get some samples in of something that is really unique, and it’s always refreshing. Billy Jealousy Hydroplane Shave Cream is exactly that. What is most unique about this is that it is silicone-based. I had no idea what that would entail, honestly, because this is the only silicone-based shave cream I’ve come across. Well, needless to say, I was surprised.

This shave cream has the consistency of something like gelatin or yogurt. On application, it looks like you have goo all over your face. It doesn’t foam up, which is odd; rather, it sort of draws hairs up with the gelatin-type stuff sitting on your face. I’m not really sure why they called it a “shave cream,” when it’s more like a gel of sorts (especially because their traditional “cream” already has that description).

Regardless of the name, I used this product about twice as many times as I would normally use a product before reviewing it, because it took me a while to get used to, and it was hard to make a conclusion. One thing that I didn’t like about the Hydroplane is that I couldn’t use my shaving brush. For whatever reason, it never worked out too well, and my hands were always more effective at applying it. This was sort of annoying, but it’s not a deal-breaker.

However, the shave was pretty solid. I was concerned with the gel mucking up in my razor, but it washed out fairly easily. I was also concerned about the gel-type material clogging my drain, but the ingredients tell me that it’s water soluble, which is good (and I can’t imagine shaving with something that wasn’t water soluble). Razor burn was nonexistent (which should be expected), and my skin wasn’t too dried out at the end. Mechanically, this is really the same as other high-end shave products; but practically there are some noticeable differences.

Esquire gave this the award for “best shave cream,” which is surprising considering how much more I prefer Billy Jealousy’s Whipped Cream. Billy Jealousy Hydroplane Shave Cream is really good, but I still think there are better options within the Billy Jealousy line that will not only give you that traditional wet shave that we all know and love, but will get you more bang for your buck. I do appreciate the novelty of the silicone-based cream, though; but given the option I’d take the other fork in the road and head towards the Billy Jealousy Whipped Cream.

Do you prefer the silicone-based shave creams over the glycerin-based? Let’s compare in the comments below.