The history of shaving creams (like many things) starts with the Romans in around 500 BC, while "shaving" was a prominent practice dating back to early cave life the use of creams only starting to really take effect when the Romans started to value personal hygiene and beauty. This attitude towards cleanliness stemmed from a firm belief in the Roman god of hygiene and long lasting life, Salus.

Up to 100 AD the Greeks and Romans continued to shave face and head, some say for hygiene reasons so that lice and other such nasties could not use the hair as a breeding ground. In the military shaving the head and face prevented the enemy from using the hair as handholds.
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