Discover the art of luxurious self-care with homemade shave cream. Explore the benefits of essential oils, nourishing shea butter, and Vitamin E for skin health. Elevate your daily shaving routine while crafting a unique experience tailored to your preferences.
Shaving is a daily ritual for many, and a good shave cream is a critical part of that routine. It’s an understated luxury that we often overlook, usually picking up a canister of commercial shaving cream without a second thought.
But what if I told you that a homemade shave cream recipe could revolutionize your grooming routine and, even better, elevate your skin health?
Well, buckle up, because we’re about to embark on a journey into the smooth and radiant world of DIY shaving cream. You might be raising an eyebrow, thinking that this sounds a tad complicated, but let me assure you, it’s simpler than you’d imagine.
With a handful of natural ingredients and a few spare moments, you can whip up a lather that not only gives you a close and comfortable shave but also nourishes your skin, leaving it hydrated and healthy.
Now, doesn’t that sound like an upgrade from the chemical-laden foam that comes out of a can?
What Are the Ingredients for Homemade Shave Cream?
The secret to a top-tier homemade shave cream lies in its ingredients. While we won’t get into specifics right now since the recipe below has those, we’ll focus on the properties of some key components that make a homemade shave cream truly stand out.
First, let’s talk about essential oils. These aromatic oils are the lifeblood of plants and they can add a touch of personalized luxury to your shave cream.
A few drops of lavender oil can create a soothing and relaxing cream, ideal for a nighttime shave.
If you’re looking for something invigorating to kick-start your morning, peppermint oil or sweet orange oil is your go-to. Tea tree oil is excellent for its antimicrobial properties, ideal for preventing razor burn.
Sandalwood Oil, with its rich and warm scent, makes for a truly opulent shaving experience. The options are nearly endless, allowing you to tailor your shave cream to your preferences.
When it comes to essential oils, brand does not matter nearly as much as some would have you believe. What matters is purity. If an oil is not pure essential oil, you run the risk of it being cut with an ingredient you may not want in your final product. Common things oils can be cut with are water, olive oil, jojoba oil, rubbing alcohol and more.
On to the next magic ingredient: shea butter. Shea butter is a skin superfood that hails from the nuts of the shea tree. It’s rich in vitamins A and E, both of which are excellent for the skin. Vitamin A is known for its ability to improve numerous skin conditions, including blemishes, wrinkles, and eczema.
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that can help reduce UV damage to the skin. Shea butter is also incredibly moisturizing and has anti-inflammatory properties, making it a remarkable ingredient for soothing and softening the skin.
In a shaving cream, it can provide a thick, luxurious lather while also nourishing your skin while also acting as a preservative to help your shave cream last longer.
No homemade shave cream wouldn’t be complete without a good preservative, and that’s where Vitamin E oil comes in. While Vitamin E is well known for its skin-nourishing properties, it also acts as a natural preservative, extending the shelf life of your homemade shave cream.
It’s a potent antioxidant that fights off harmful free radicals, which can cause spoilage. Plus, it’s gentle on the skin, making it an excellent choice for sensitive skin types.
This homemade shave cream recipe also uses castile soap and coconut oil. Coconut oil is extremely moisturizing and helps to solidify your shave cream a bit more than just pure shea butter would. You can use any castile soap you want. If you have bar castile soap on hand, follow THESE instructions to make homemade liquid castile soap. That way you’ll save even more money!
How Do You Make Homemade Shave Cream?
One final tip about making homemade shave cream is that you must use a metal bowl. The reason for this is that the coconut oil and shea butter melt easily. In a cold, metal bowl, they will both stay solid long enough to whip up into the creamy texture you’re looking for.
I also recommend using a hand mixer over a stand mixer. In order to whip the ingredients, you will want a faster speed than a stand mixer usually gives. You can do it with a stand mixer, but it does tend to take a little longer.
Making your own shave cream offers a host of benefits. Not only do you get to control what goes into your product, but you also get to create a shaving cream that’s tailor-made for your skin type and scent preferences.
Plus, it’s a fun and rewarding DIY project. It’s about taking a moment for yourself, transforming a daily chore into an act of self-care.
Homemade Shave Cream
Equipment
- 3-4 4 oz jelly jar
Ingredients
- ⅓ C. Coconut Oil
- ⅓ C. Shea Butter
- 1 Tbsp. Castile Soap Unscented
- 10-15 Drops Essential Oil of your choice
- ½ tsp. Vitamin E Oil Optional
Instructions
- Place mixing bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes and allow the coconut oil and shea butter to come to room temperature if they are not already.
- Add coconut oil and shea butter and beat with a hand mixer until fully combined and until the mixture tripled in size. If the coconut oil begins to melt, place the entire bowl back in the freezer for a few minutes to cool it down.1/3 C. Coconut Oil, 1/3 C. Shea Butter
- Once the mixture has tripled in size and has a whipped texture, add both the castile soap, the Vitamin E oil if using, and the essential oils. Whip gently for a few moments until both are fully incorporated. Spoon the homemade shave cream into jars and store in the fridge with lids on. Allow to come to room temperature before using.1 Tbsp. Castile Soap, 10-15 Drops Essential Oil, 1/2 tsp. Vitamin E Oil
Notes
- Store homemade shave cream in an airtight container in the fridge as the coconut oil will melt and the entire mixture will liquefy if kept at room temperature.
- Use of vitamin E oil will preserve it for longer, however, use the mixture within 2-3 weeks for best results.