How to Make Your Own Shaving Cream

Last Updated: January 14, 2022

Using shaving cream instead of soap or just water helps you get a closer shave with fewer nicks and cuts. Store-bought shaving cream can be expensive, and it's full of chemicals you might not want to slather on your body. Homemade shaving cream works just as well, and you can make it with ingredients you may already have on hand. These recipes are perfect for both men and women.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Creamy Shaving Cream

1
Gather your ingredients. This shaving cream is made from natural oils that blend to create a smooth, nourishing shaving cream. Your razor will glide easily across your skin if you use this rich formula. You'll need the following ingredients:^{[1]
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- 2/3 cup shea or cocoa butter
- 2/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 10 drops essential oil of your choice
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- Jar with a lid
2
Melt the shea butter and coconut oil. Both shea butter and coconut oil are solid at room temperature, so it's necessary to melt them in order to blend them properly. Measure out 2/3 cup shea butter and 2/3 cup coconut oil. Place the ingredients in a small saucepan. Melt them over low heat, stirring occasionally until they liquify, then remove the pan from heat.
- If you're using coconut butter in place of shea butter, melt it with the coconut oil.
- Don't let the ingredients come to a boil; use just enough heat to help them liquify. Boiling the oils will change their texture.
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3
Stir in the olive oil. Use a spoon or whisk to incorporate the olive oil with the melted shea butter and coconut oil.
4
Add ten drops of essential oil. Certain essential oils are good for the skin in addition to having fresh scent. Customize your shaving cream to create the perfect scent for you. You can combine essential oils to give the cream even more depth. For strongly scented essential oil, use up to 20 drops.
- Lavender, rose, grapefruit, fir, ginger, vetiver, and peppermint essential oils all make wonderful additions to shaving cream.
- If you're sensitive to strong smells, add just five drops of oil or leave it out altogether.
5
Chill the mixture in the refrigerator. Pour it into a mixing bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for an hour or two, until the mixture is thoroughly chilled. The oils will slightly solidify, and the mixture should look pale yellow and waxy at this stage.
6
Mix in the baking soda. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator, take off the plastic wrap and pour in two tablespoons of baking soda. Using an electric mixer or a hand whisk, beat the mixture until it becomes light, fluffy and creamy.
7
Spoon it into a storage container. A glass mason jar makes a great container for homemade shaving cream. You can use any container you'd like, as long as it has a lid. When you're ready to use it, just slather on a scoop of shaving cream wherever you need it.
- Store leftover cream in a dark cabinet out of direct sunlight and heat.
- Homemade shaving cream will keep for a month or two. If you want to preserve it for longer, try mixing in the contents of one vitamin E capsule; this acts as a natural preservative.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Sudsy Shaving Cream

1
Gather your ingredients. This blend contains castile soap, so the shaving cream has a nice foamy lather when you apply it to wet skin. If you like a sudsier cream to use on your face, legs or underarms, this homemade recipe is for you. Here's what you'll need:
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons shea or cocoa butter
- 1/4 cup aloe vera gel
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 cup liquid castile soap
- 10 drops essential oil of your choice
- Empty liquid soap dispenser (preferably a foaming dispenser)
2
Melt the shea butter and coconut oil. Both shea butter and coconut oil are solid at room temperature, so it's necessary to melt them in order to blend them properly. Measure out 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) shea butter (or cocoa butter) and 1/4 cup coconut oil. Place the ingredients in a small saucepan. Melt them over low heat, stirring occasionally until they liquify, then remove the pan from heat.
3
Blend with the aloe vera, baking soda and liquid castile soap. Pour all the ingredients together into a blender. Blend on high for several minutes to fully mix the ingredients together; this will prevent the oil and soap from separating later. The resulting liquid should have the texture of thick liquid soap.^{[2]
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4
Add ten drops of essential oil. Some castile soap comes with a scent, so you can skip this step if your shaving cream already has an aroma. If you want to add your own essential oils, stir in 10 drops of your favorite oil or blend.
- You can add up to 20 drops of essential oil if you like a stronger scent.
- Try one of these mixtures: rose and vetiver; sandalwood and orange; fir and mint.
5
Pour the mixture into the liquid soap dispenser. Your shaving cream is now ready to use; just pump some out as you need it. It will foam as you apply it to your face. If the mixture separates in the container, shake well to recombine the oils and soap.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Two-Ingredient Shaving Cream

1
Choose your ingredients. The point of using shaving cream is to provide a smooth surface that allows your razor to glide easily over your skin and cut through your hair without snagging. You can achieve these results without using a fancy cream; all you really need are oil and a moisturizer. Here's what to get:^{[3]
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- 1 cup oil, such as melted coconut oil, almond oil, or olive oil
- 1/3 cup moisturizer, such as aloe vera gel, honey or rosewater
2
Blend the ingredients in a blender. Pour the oil and moisturizer into a blender and blend on high for a few minutes to thoroughly mix your two-ingredient cream. The resulting mixture should be loose and creamy.
3
Add extra ingredients if you'd like. While you might love the idea of using just two easy ingredients, it's fine to make a few additions if you want to customize your shaving cream. Try any or all of the following:
- Up to 10 drops of your favorite essential oil
- One tablespoon baking soda, if you like a thicker cream
- The contents of one vitamin E capsule, to help preserve the shaving cream
4
Store your shaving cream in a squeeze bottle. This will keep it fresh and make it easy to dispense exactly as much as you need for each shave. This two-ingredient shaving cream should be stored in a cool, dark place so the oil doesn't spoil.

Community Q&A

Question

Can you use cooking oil instead of coconut oil?

Community Answer

Cooking oil is not good for the skin and may cause a breakout. Coconut oil works well in this case because it easily moisturizes the face and has molecules small enough to penetrate hair follicles and moisturize within. However, extra virgin olive oil can be used but it doesn't have the same skin benefits as coconut oil does. Other oils that could potentially work are vitamin e oil, avocado oil, or even jojoba oil. Vegetable, canola, sunflower, or peanut oil will clog pores and may cause a breakout.
Question

Can you make slime with any of these ingredients?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. All you need is glue and plain white borax. If you want your slime colorful, you can add some food coloring.
Question

How long does the two ingredient cream last?

Community Answer

It depends on what you use for your moisturizer. Aloe vera and honey are totally fine. However, rosewater is liquid, so it might foster more bacteria. I'd suggest 3 months for the aloe vera or honey, and 2 weeks for the rosewater.