Here is what I recently discovered. The cutlery shop where I buy my straight razors recommended using Vaseline Coco Butter Body Lotion as an after shave balm. It works great. I recently tried it as a shave cream and the experience was superb. It gave me one of the smoothest most confortable shaves I have experienced. It is an excellent skin lubricant and the razor just glides over my face without any discomfort. The lotion is also not expensive. Give it a try.