If you ever feel like going frugal, a great way to save money is making some homemade shaving cream. We searched for the easiest homemade shaving cream for men recipe and also tried out the result to see how well a homemade shaving cream performs compared to store bought shaving products.
After looking through several recipes and losing myself in Pinterest for a few hours, I learned that there are too many recipes available. As a beginner, my goal was to find the easiest homemade skin product recipe that there was because the fewer the ingredients that faster it is to get this done.
Overall, homemade shaving cream recipes are made with these 3 basic ingredients which are pretty easy to find online:
- Shea Butter (get at Amazon)
- Virgin Coconut Oil (get at Amazon)
- Olive Oil (bought at local supermarket)
Some recipes also add in Pure Castile Soap (unscented) but since I’m going for the most simple recipe I tried the one with only 3 ingredients as listed above.
You can add additional ingredients if you’re feeling creative, these are optional:
- Essential Oils (for fragrance)
- Vitamin E (helps preserve your final product)
Making Your Own Shaving Cream
The recipe I choose to use for this experiment is from littlehouseliving.com because it was simple and pictures are always helpful. Here are the ingredients and quantities you’ll need:
1/3 Cup – Coconut Oil
1/3 Cup – Shea Butter
1/4 Cup – Olive Oil (you can also use jojoba oil)
Step 1. Melt the Coconut Oil and Shea Butter on the stove over a low heat. It will melt quickly so be sure to stir constantly.
Step 2. Put the mix into a heat resistant container and mix in the Olive Oil. You can also add in an essential oil of your choice at this step for fragrance. I had some Eucalyptus Oil so I added in 4 drops.
Step 3. Place this mix into the fridge for at least an hour. Go play video games.
Step 4. Take it out of the fridge and into a bowl where you can mix it with an egg beater. You’ll notice the texture is similar to that of butter, so it’ll whip up nicely into a creamy texture.
Step 5. Place the cream in an airtight container. I got a few snack containers at the supermarket, if you want to get really fancy you can get small glass jars with airtight lids.
How Good Does It Work?
Making the recipe is the first half of the process and the other half is actually trying it out. After whipping together all the ingredients I was ready for my first shave.
Lathering
My first option was to use a shaving brush to apply the cream – but I quickly learned that because of the oil ingredient it will not lather up like other soaps. This is a pro because it won’t dry up your skin but a con for those who like a nice lather when they shave.
Texture
It’s also important to apply a small amount since it’s oily it will spread out nicely and you’ll also end up with some oil on your face after shaving. You can wipe this off with a warm towel or just leave it on as a moisturizer.
Shaving
I wanted to use my double edge safety razor but then I realized this was more of a shaving oil and a disposable razor was my best option. The oil would clog up my safety razor and it was too much of a hassle.
I expected a smoother shaving experience, I previously trimmed down my beard but even with that I have to admit that I’ve enjoyed a smoother shave with shaving creams that I’ve bought online.
Conclusion
Using a homemade shaving cream for men is definitely a money saving option and if you’re interested in using a shaving oil that really moisturizes your skin and isn’t allergic to any of the ingredients. It was too oily for shaving but it did moisturize my skin which is great for this dry winter weather.
If you like to apply shaving creams/soaps that lather up then this is not for you. If you like to use a safety razor then skip this option as well.
If you use disposable razors then definitely try this out but remember that you only need to apply a small amount or else it can get kind of messy.
If you haven’t tried the Proraso shaving cream then I highly recommend you try it out before even thinking of making this at home.