American Crew Shave Gel Review – Transparent, But Odd or No Scent
American Crew Shave Gel
American Shave Gel is pricier than many others. However, I do feel like a smaller amount goes a long way. While it does what it needs–in terms of providing glide and preventing irritation–that PVA glue scent was not pleasant.
Pros
The gel lubricates very well and helps the razor glide as it should
Small amounts go a long way, and adding water during the shave gets it lubricating again
It contains Aloe and Tea Tree Oil that's good for the skin
Cons
A bit pricier than others
Check the ingredient list if you have skin sensitivities (potential mild irritants)
The scent and lack of was a put-off
Continuing on the campaign to find the best shaving gels for improving razor glide and irritation prevention brought me to a tube of American Precision Shave Gel.
Why add the word Precision? Never mind, only the marketer knows that–it sounds good, I guess!
My last shaving gel test, use, and review was with the stuff from Bulldog, which was priced very well; it had a nice gentle scent and cooling feeling and was pretty good overall. While the American Crew is thicker and more transparent, I had a bit of trouble with the scent, or lack of it, and after smell!
The gel seems to be quite popular with quite a lot of other guys, according to reviews I checked out, and it gets a lot of positive reports. However, it does not get quite as much attention as Bulldog Shave Gel.
Description and Features
The tube is the same style as we get with most shave gels, with a wide toothpaste-like tube design and a pop-up cap. 150 ml/5.1 fl. Oz of gel is pretty much the norm, too.
Ingredients
Nothing is mentioned about free from or natural ingredients on the tube or website. Many companies like to shout about being organic, etc., so I was surprised not to find anything.
We have a bunch of ingredients, and a couple of stars of the show are Aloe and Tea Tree. Aloe is found in other shave gels that are known to soothe, hydrate, and moisturize skin. Tea Tree Oil can reduce oiliness and contains antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, among other potential benefits.
The humectant Glycerin assists with lubrication and glide with the other ingredients like Aloe.
Check out the full list of ingredients if you have any skin irritation concerns, as it does contain fragrance.
Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Bisabolol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-11, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Farnesol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzophenone-4, Parfum (Fragrance), Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben.
Scent
The label and website clearly state it has a fragrance, and reviews I found on Amazon had guys mentioning they like the scent. However, I did not get any scent at all, and I have a great sense of smell.
I do get a mild fragrance when smelling the gel from the tube cap, but not when applied.
I am fine with having no scent. I am happy to go fragrance-free and scent up with an after-balm/shave if wanted, but I was left with a kind of PVA glue-type smell.
The PVA (which reminds me of using Marvin glue at school) hung around for longer than I would have liked.
Applying and Shaving Experience
I used American Crew on three occasions–shaving with multi-blade razors (i.e., cartridge razors).
I found it easy to apply, and it did not require a large amount–a bit less than the last gel I used, Bulldog. It was very transparent and did not lather up at all, even after massageing it well into my stubble.
I would reapply a small amount between shaving rounds (passes) but only a small amount extra, and then add a little water to wake up the leftover gel on my face. The gel is quite thick!
My skin felt fine after the shave, and it gave me the needed lubrication to help the razor glide and the protection that’s required to prevent irritation.
I also head-shaved on one occasion, and the gel worked very well. While massaging it into the hair (what’s left) on my head, the gel whitened up a bit into a mini lather or just whiteness. I do massage a lot, though, so don’t worry if you want it to be transparent, as it is very transparent while facial shaving- even after managing into the stubble well.
Value For Money
The gel costs about $13 on Amazon and $15 on the official website. In the UK, it costs about £8 per tube.
It’s a bit more expensive than the Bulldog gel I used, but I reckon it may last longer and go further.
For myself, I reckon the Bulldog is a better deal, as I did not mind the whitening of the gel that I get with the Bulldog gel.
Final Thoughts – Should You Buy American Crew Shave Gel?
If a gel remaining transparent is important for you, then the American Shave Gel ticks that box when others might not.
The biggest issue for me was the PVA glue type after scent, which lingered. That is a deal breaker, and if it wasn’t for that, then this would have beat the last gel I used, Bulldog.
I am going to be using and reviewing many more shave gels, including some of the pricier stuff, so do look out for other reviews (I am not done yet).
