Shopping
The 7 Best Aftershaves For Women
We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.
While a quality razor and a moisturizing shaving cream are both needed to achieve a painless, smooth shave, don’t count out the importance of utilizing the best aftershaves for women either. These products contain ingredients to help with your specific post-shave needs — whether that’s fighting ingrown hairs, soothing irritation and redness, hydrating the skin, or a combination of these things — and they come in a form that feels good on your skin and is convenient for you to apply. Aftershaves for women are often packed with skin-benefitting ingredients, so always read the product label to ensure that it’ll help with your unique needs.
If razor bumps and ingrown hairs are a concern, look for aftershaves with chemical exfoliants like salicylic or glycolic acid to help to get rid of razor bumps, allowing ingrown hairs to come out of your pores. Dealing with red, irritated skin? Ingredients like tea tree oil and witch hazel have anti-inflammatory properties, while peppermint oil can be incredibly soothing. If hydration is a need of yours, look for aftershaves with ultra-moisturizing ingredients like aloe vera (which is soothing, too) or oils like jojoba oil or castor oil, among others. If you have sensitive skin, consider avoiding picks that contain alcohol or synthetic fragrances and dyes — these could be irritating or drying.
Aftershaves come in a variety of forms with different application methods, so consider what’s most suitable for you. Balm formulations have a nice, creamy feeling. They’re typically rubbed directly into your skin, though less-messy roll-on picks are also available for convenience. Liquid aftershaves are refreshing on the skin, but you’ll need to put these products on a cotton ball and then wipe it on to apply. If you’re looking for an aftershave that’s quick to apply, consider a lightweight spray formulation — the only downside is that it can be a bit difficult to control where the mist ends up. Pads that are pre-soaked with aftershave are also available; they’re convenient, albeit often costlier.
From a vanilla-scented post-shave mist to a set of shaving products that includes a pre-shave wash, shaving gel, and aftershave balm, these seven aftershaves are game-changers for your skin post-shave — and Amazon reviewers confirm it!
1. A Fan-Favorite Aftershave That Tackles Razor Bumps
An overwhelming favorite on Amazon, with a 4.5-star rating overall, after 22,000-plus reviews, this aftershave from Tend Skin has a solid fan base with reviewers indicating that it seriously lives up to its claims of reducing razor bumps. The aftershave features a combination of salicylic acid and alcohol to exfoliate and clear clogged pores, allowing the hair to grow back nice and smooth — no ingrowns or irritation to be had! Safe to use on all areas of your body (including your legs, underarms, bikini lines, chin, neck, and face), the liquid aftershave should be placed onto a cotton ball, then wiped directly onto your skin once or twice a day for the best results, especially immediately following any hair removal. The cruelty-free formula only takes about 5 seconds to dry.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “This stuff works like I have never seen. I followed the directions and my red, bumpy bikini line was GONE! [...] I feel like this bottle will last a long time but I will [surely] never be without this in the future.”
2. An Aftershave Mist That Smells Like Vanilla
With key notes of toasted vanilla and gardenia, this aftershave from Tree Hut smells delightful. But the positives don’t end there: This pick is also packed with ingredients that can help to reduce the itchiness and redness associated with hair regrowth. A soothing blend of oat kernel extract and aloe work together with coconut oil and panthenol to hydrate and calm your skin.
This aftershave is suitable for use on the body or face — just spray it directly onto your skin, holding the bottle about 6 to 8 inches away from it. This pick is vegan, and it doesn’t contain sulfates, phthalates, or parabens. However, if you have sensitive skin, be aware that it contains fragrance and alcohol.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “I rarely leave reviews but this stuff is too good not to! I’ve suffered with extreme skin irritation on my legs after shaving for the last 4 years and have tried 20+ products. None of them have helped at all, but this product immediately provides relief and prevents any itching at all! It’s literally a miracle product. Added bonus that I absolutely love the scent.”
3. A Moisturizing Aftershave For Sensitive Skin
If your skin is sensitive, you’ll want to reach for this aftershave from Jivi. Free of alcohol, synthetic fragrances, and dyes, this pick boasts a variety of natural ingredients (some of which are organic) that help keep your skin hydrated, smooth, and irritation-free. This includes soothing and moisturizing ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile, coconut water, and vitamin E. Safe for use on all parts of the body, this liquid formulation can be wiped onto the skin using a cotton ball.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “Unlike other aftershave products I've used, I have no urge to wash my face to wipe it off! It really disappears into the skin and makes my (sensitive) skin feel refreshed.”
4. An Exfoliating Roll-On Aftershave Balm For Ingrowns & Bumps
Prefer a creamy balm aftershave, but don’t want to apply it with your hands? This pick from ESTETIST Professional Cosmetics is perfect for you, since the balm formulation comes in a roll-on applicator — you’ll love how quick, easy, and clean it is to use. With exfoliating ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid, this pick can help to minimize razor bumps in order to prevent ingrowns. The product also contains camphor, which can limit inflammation and irritation. However, this aftershave is safe for use on your legs, bikini area, face, neck, and armpits. It contains alcohol, so might not be the best choice if you have really sensitive skin.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “I love the easy roll on application. Within 10 min the redness from my razor burn was gone and the next day the bumps were hardly there. I have sensitive skin when [I] shave, so I'm glad I found a product that works for me. There[’s] no scent when it drys. I highly recommend!”
5. A Pack Of Convenient Exfoliating Aftershave Pads
These aftershave pads from Divine Derriere are so easy to use — the 50 pads are pre-loaded with aftershave, so all you need to do is wipe them directly onto your skin, and you’re good to go — and they boast a variety of ingredients that can be beneficial for the skin post-shave. Salicylic acid exfoliates to help reduce razor bumps (and thus ingrown hairs), while squalane, castor oil, and camphor oil help soothe and hydrate the skin. These pads are safe for use on your intimate areas, face, neck, legs, and underarms.
While this aftershave is vegan and cruelty-free, it does contain alcohol and fragrance, so it may not be the best option if you have sensitive skin. And if you’d prefer not to use pads to apply this product, it’s also available in a roll-on liquid format.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “I have dealt with ingrown hairs and razor burn for as long as I can remember so I looked for a product to help with that - I was pretty skeptical about this at first but it does 100% work! I haven't had any razor burn or ingrown hairs since I started using it! Definitely worth it!!!”
6. An Alcohol-Free Aftershave Spray That Soothes Skin
If you’re dealing with irritation from shaving or waxing, this aftershave from Dai New York features aloe vera and peppermint oil to help soothe the skin, plus anti-inflammatory witch hazel. To use, simply shake up the bottle, and spray the product directly onto the affected area — it’s gentle enough to use wherever needed.
This cruelty-free and vegan pick is made without alcohol, parabens, mineral oil, sodium, sulfates, or phthalates. Choose from two scent options — Menton, which has a floral and citrus scent, or Shanghai, which boasts woody and incense notes.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “Love this product! It truly relieves stinging and itching that comes from shaving. The smell is so refreshing and calming to the senses!”
7. A 3-Step Shaving Kit For Intimate Areas
Designed specifically for those sensitive intimate areas, this kit from Australian Bodycare comes with three products that’ll help to keep your skin smooth and irritation-free before, during, and after shaving. The first product — a gentle body wash — should be used in the shower prior to shaving. Once the skin is prepped, use the transparent shaving gel to get a smooth shave. The final product is a leave-on aftershave with a balm formulation that’s creamy to hydrate the skin.
All of the products in the set are vegan and feature tea tree oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties to help with redness and other irritation. They contain alcohol, so be cautious if you have sensitive skin.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “A very good buy for the price, this shaving kit has done the trick for me. Easy product was pleasant to use and the results I've gotten are great. A better shave, far less irritation, and smoother skin overall. Highly recommended if you have issues with red bumps or ingrown hairs due to shaving.”
