A shaving cream pie is intended as an object used for comedy or derision, and is not actually intended as an edible dessert like other types of pie. It can be created using a crust, though a light tin pie pan is all that is really necessary, which is then filled with shaving cream. The intended purpose is to create something that resembles a cream pie, but does not have the possibility of spoiling. A shaving cream pie is not necessarily dangerous, though injuries can occur as a result of someone being “pied” and ingredients in some shaving cream can cause eye irritation.
The most common use of a shaving cream pie is in comedy, where it is often a prop that is thrown into someone’s face. This causes an audible and visible “splat” as the shaving cream explodes out from the pressure of the pan striking the face of the target. Such a collision is not done at sufficient speed to hurt a person, but instead makes the target look ridiculous as his or her face is covered in shaving cream afterward. Due to this comical appearance, some activists have utilized these objects to make politicians or celebrities appear ludicrous, by striking them with such a pie during a speech or other public event.
A shaving cream pie can be made quite easily, by simply using a light, tin pie pan and filling it with an adequate amount of shaving cream. This cream can come from a can or other source, though some individuals prefer to use soap and water to make their own. While a pie crust is not really necessary in the pan, it can be included for a more complete pie. The overall effect is intended to create something that looks like a whipped cream pie, but which uses shaving cream instead.
Whipped cream is not used for a number of different reasons, including the fact that it can stain clothes and is often more expensive than shaving cream. Since whipped cream is a dairy product, it can also go rancid, while a shaving cream pie does not contain any dairy. Use of a shaving cream pie is not without its consequences, however, such as the possibility of injury when someone attempts to dodge or deflect such a pie. Ingredients in commercial shaving cream, such as menthol, can also cause eye and nasal irritation, which does not typically cause any long-term effects but can still be painful.