When we were in New Mexico for Christmas this past year, my brother gave Seth this super fancy shmancy shaving cream from Bath and Body Works. It smelled like Eucalyptus and basically felt like a full out spa treatment for your face.
He really enjoyed using it but recently ran out. And by ran out I mean legit ran out…that dude did everything short of using a high powered vacuum to get every last little bit of shaving cream out of there.
So I thought to myself, “Self – we can either buy Seth another painfully overpriced tube of this stuff from Bath and Body Works (my favorite place in the entire world by the way…I spend half our salary during October stocking up on Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin lotions and candles…and then the other half in December on their Christmas scents…) orrrr we can try and make an equally awesome version at home!
But for reals…making homemade stuff like this is so much fun! I did it as much for myself as I did for him…but he doesn’t have to know that…shhhhhhh.
Reasons why making products like this at home is awesome:
1. It’s fun.
2. It’s so satisfying to use a product that you made yourself.
3. It makes awesome gifts.
4. You can control the ingredients and scents to be perfect for you.
5. It’s fun.
So naturally I wanted Seth to test this stuff out before I posted it on here in case it was a huge bomb, and he loved it!
It gives you a nice smooth shave and moisturizes your skin like nobody’s business. He said he liked it “way more than the bottled shaving creams we usually get” and even liked it better than the fancy B&BW kind because of how soft it made his skin afterwards.
Like a baby’s butt (my words not his…).
And ladies…it makes their faces nice and kissable too ;).
So initially this was just supposed to be a “homemade men’s shaving cream,” but then I decided I wanted to try it on my legs.
And ohhhhhhhhh my goodness….
Best shaving experience of my life. I don’t particularly enjoy shaving but this stuff might change my mind. It seriously feels like you are running silk over your legs instead of a razor – it makes the process SO smooth!
And then your legs are so amazingly soft afterwards. I was expecting my legs to feel a little greasy after I finished, but they didn’t at all!
Soooo…now I am partially talking my gift back and changing it to something I made for the both of us. A shareable gift!
Totally using it every time I shave. Goodbye cheap Barbasol shaving cream!
And here’s the thing – it’s not even that expensive! The only product I had to buy for this was shea butter. I already had coconut oil, already had essential oils, and already had olive oil.
And the shea butter at my local health store was ABSURDLY expensive, but I got an entire pound on amazon for 8 bucks…and you only use a quarter of that in this recipe (I’m using the rest for a whipped shea body butter that I will post at some point in the future).
I’d consider 8 bucks super cheap for a big ol’ jar of this fancy shaving cream!
So here’s how you make it (sooo easy!):
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of coconut oil (4 oz)
1/2 cup shea butter (4 oz)
1/4 cup olive oil
Eucalyptus essential oil – how many drops you want to use will depend on how strongly you want the shaving cream to smell. I would start with 20 and go from there.
Instructions:
In a double boiler,* add in the coconut oil and shea butter – break the shea butter up into smaller pieces before adding it so that it melts faster.
Once everything is melted, transfer to a large bowl and stir in the olive oil
Place in the fridge and leave there until everything has solidified – it doesn’t have to be hard, just no longer liquid-y – kind of like softened butter
Once it has solidified, transfer to the stand mixer bowl (or use a hand mixer and leave it in the same bowl) and whip for about three minutes, or until stiff peaks form.
As you are whipping the shaving cream, add the essential oils. You can stop this process periodically and rub a little bit of the cream on your skin to test the scent level and decide whether or not to add more essential oil.
Transfer to an airtight jar and store in your bathroom!
Enjoy the best shaving experience ever!
*To assemble a double boiler, fill a medium pot with a few inches of water. Place on the stove over high heat and place a glass bowl on top of the pot. The bottom of the glass bowl should not be touching the top of the water – if it is, then your water level is too high and you need to pour some out. Bring the water to a simmer, and it will gently melt your ingredients that are in the glass bowl.*
This recipe makes about 2 cups.
Notes based on comments:
- I have had a few questions in the comments regarding the shaving cream melting when placed on your skin. The shaving cream will melt as you rub it onto your legs (because of the low melting temperature of the coconut oil), but it still has the exact same wonderful effect – it just becomes clear! So when this happens to you, don’t think you did anything wrong! Just keep on slatherin’!
- In regards to it clogging your razor or making your shower slippery – since this is an all natural product, it might be a little heavier in your razor than the store bought varieties. This was zero issue for me; what I do is just keep a little cup of water in the shower and swirl the razor around in there every few shaves. Super easy and quick! As for the slippery floors, this didn’t bother me either. It can make your floor a bit oily, but I never had any problems with that.
- A few people have had problems with the mixture not solidifying in the fridge after melting everything together. The only thing I can say here is to make sure you have the right products before starting. Particularly, make sure you don’t have liquid coconut oil. If you look in my pictures above, you can see (in several of them) some crumbled shea butter in the upper left corner and a spoonful of coconut oil in the upper right corner. Make sure both products are solid. The shea butter is very solid, kind of like a block of soap, while the coconut oil is solid but soft and spoonable. If you use these products, everything should harden right up to the consistency of softened butter in your fridge.
I would love to try this for one of my sons who is an all-natural man. As I get closer to retiring, these types of projects are starting to look very fun and interesting. The replies to many questions and comments is that you haven’t made this in quite a while. Why is this, if you don’t mind me asking ? Have you perfected a better version ? Have you found long term effects like drain clogging or other? How safe is this for people in the country with septic tanks ? And why have you stopped using this ?. Sorry, don’t mean to sound like a doubting Thomas but I am curious. Thank you
Hello! Nope – there’s nothing that I found to be problematic about this shaving cream (I don’t know about the septic tanks). I really enjoyed making and using it! This is a food blog where I sometimes throw in a random life post or DIY post here and there, so I don’t actually do DIY projects very often. Not tons of time for it either with 2 kids plus a job! I hope you try it and love it though!
Love to read this article. It gives me some great Information that I’m looking for, thanks and keep sharing :)
Can you use refined shea butter for this or does it have to be raw?
That’s a good question. I don’t have a ton of experience in homemade skin care, this was kind of a new venture for me, but after doing some research, I feel like it would work the same way! I can’t guarantee it’ll work the same way, but I wouldn’t be afraid to try it!
I really REALLY wish you had posted this a while back imstead of it just arriving the day before Father’s Day. I think I’d like to try making this for the males in my family, my dad, my brother and my nephew. I may even make a jar for their tenant and farmhand. I think they may get a kick out of it and trust me, I’ll be given an honest opinion if they like it or not. However, I have mone of the imgredients and need to track them down. Not possible before tomorrow. I’ll just do it and give a surprise gift to each of them in a couple of weeks.
I posted it three years ago in early June, but I’m sorry you’re just now running across it!! I hope it works out great for you and the guys in your life love it!
Wow, Pamela 😂
Sassy! Anne, you are so classy. Keep it up!
Oh my goodness, there HAS to be a quicker way of melting the shea butter….lol I cut the block up in small pieces too!
Did you use a double boiler with the stove turned on high? I don’t remember mine taking long to melt, but it’s been a long time since I’ve made this. Sorry it took you so long – that’s annoying!!
I had it on “simmer”. I was boiling gently. I got fed up and microwaved the mixture and it STILL didn’t completely melt the chunks of shea butter…..?! I got the green block of the Shea Moisture brand of shea butter.
That is so weird! The only thing I can think of is that the shea butter is different in some way than the kind I used. I don’t know much about shea butter, but is it possible the kind you used has extra ingredients/oils/preservatives in it and wasn’t totally “raw”? Maybe that would make a difference? To sum it up, I have no idea why it didn’t melt easily for you, haha, but different brands acting differently is the only possible reason that comes to mind. I’m sorry I can’t be more help with that!
Figured out my problem. This is raw shea butter soap with frankincense and myrrh extracts. Totally missed that when I bought it. Ugh. Now on to buy the real stuff at Earth Fare, in time to make it for father’s day…
Oh no! That does make sense that it wasn’t melting then. Ugh – hate that you have to buy it at Earth Fare, so much more expensive than ordering it off Amazon! Hopefully it works better for you this time around! Come back and let me know :).
Love this idea! These ingredients are amazing together and it’s not too complicated.
I like you to use coconut oil in a mixture of ingredients in making it, because coconut oil can moisturize the skin so the skin will not dry after the shaving
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This isn’t a shaving cream. This is a whipped body butter. Nothing wrong with using it as a shaving cream, but for Pete’s sake, don’t call it a shaving cream.
I have to say your commenter name cracked me up. If you like a foamy, soapy shave then this definitely isn’t for you, but it works great as a shaving cream and leaves your skin nice and smooth!
Made this for my bro for Christmas. He rang to tell me best shaving cream ever and he will be back for more. Thank you. Do you have a good aftershave too.
I’m so glad it worked out for you, Kaaren! I don’t have a DIY for aftershave, no, but maybe it’ll be something I look into!
About how long does it take to solidify in the fridge? I am thinking of including these for a holiday gift make-and-take party, but I want to make sure we would have time to whip them up during the party too. I quickly scrolled through the comments and didn’t see anything. Sorry if you addressed this already!
That’s a good question, Kelly. I’m wracking my brain to remember – it’s been years since I made this shaving cream. I feel like I remember it not taking very long…maybe thirty minutes to an hour? BUT – I could be remembering wrong! I know a few commenters said it took a while for it to firm up for them, but I remember it not taking too long…Almost the time it would take if you put a big bowl of warm melted butter in the fridge. Sorry I can’t be more exact in my answer!
Thank you so much for responding! I can’t wait to try this out!!
I was just wondering how long this product will last once made? Does it melt after a while it stay whipped up?
It lasts several months for sure! It stays nice and creamy – just keep it in an airtight container. It’ll only melt if you keep it in a room that’s too warm – coconut oil has a very low melting temperature.
Just an FYI: I make a cream to use as a lotion base and diaper cream that I make out of shea butter, coconut oil and essential oils. I don’t melt the oil or butter, just make sure it’s at room temperature, then whip up either in your mixer or a handheld mixer. Then No need to cool it down in the fridge.
I also wouldn’t microwave them, due to removing some nutritional value from the coconut oil and shea butter which is so good for you!
Can you melt the butter and oil in the microwave rather than use a double broiler?
I followed the instructions to a T….my mixture has been sitting in the fridge for 2 hours now and is still in liquid oil form. Is there certain brands you need to use to get this to work because mine is not solidifying.
That’s weird! The oils you use all solidify when cold, so they should be firming right up…I’m really not sure what went wrong there…sorry I can’t give you more advice!
I’m wondering if you used liquid coconut oil……
I just used regular coconut oil, but it has a super low melting point, so before you refrigerate the whole mixture, it is in liquid form. And then in the fridge it hardens to the point of softened butter.
I just made this last night. I put mine outside (-5 degrees) I live in Minneapolis. It still took over an hour. Just be patient. Turned out great!
I’m glad it turned out well for you, Bridget!
Same thing is happening to me.. :(
That it’s not solidifying? Did you use the solid coconut oil that comes in the cylindrical container that you spoon out? It should firm right back up to the consistency of softened butter after it’s in the fridge for a little bit!
Mine won’t really get whipped…I don’t have an electric mixer but i’ve been whisking it for a while. Should I add more coconut oil maybe?
Hmm…well, before you whip it, you need to make sure it solidifies to the point of softened butter in your fridge. Is that something you did? Also, this takes some really heavy whipping, so I can see it not working as well with a hand whisk.
Does the coconut oil have to refined or unrefined? The unrefined has a strong coconut smell and I think it may conflict with eucalyptus smell. Let me know what you think.
I think I used refined…I’m not totally positive. If the scent conflicts with the eucalyptus, you could always add extra essential oils until the scent is where you want it. It might be safe to go with refined, though, to cut out that potential issue! Good question!
trying to determine how far in advance you can make these to give as Christmas gifts…. how long will they store/last. If i started now would they still be good to give in December.
thanks for any advice you can give.
Hey Rachell! Good question. They will keep for a very long time – I would say you could make them now and just keep them tightly sealed in a cabinet until Christmas!
Have you ever used Tallow in place of coconut oil? I have a client that is sensitive to it…trying to find a recipe for her.
Hey Sarah! The only problem I see with this is that Tallow has a much higher melting point than coconut oil, so I’m not sure it would be as creamy and whipped, and it might solidify more than this original version as it cools. But if you try it out, make sure to come back and let us know how it works!
Ew, Tallow!!! Gross. That is like rubbing a hamburger on your legs and shaving….gross!! I would recommend avocado butter or Kokum butter as a replacement. Even coffee butter would be nice and vegan. ;) Don’t get me wrong, I’m a beef eater from birth, but not on my body or in my soap. And, if she has an allergy to coconut oil, sometimes shea butter will cause a reaction, as well.
Won’t the coconut oil gunk up the drain? I have heard that u can’t put coconut oil den a drain!! Where do u put it?
Hey Diane! I haven’t ever had any issues with coconut oil clogging my drain since I’ve been using this shaving cream. Coconut oil has a pretty low melting temperature (about 76 degrees), so your hot shower will melt the oil in your drains if any does clog in there. But, like I said, I haven’t had any issues with it!
Hi! Thanks so much for the recipe! I made it for my husband for Valentine’s Day and, after parting with his temporary beard, he just tried it for the first time using a safety razor. It is so cool how your shaving cream stays in whipped form! My husband really likes the recipe (yay!) but commented that it is a little bit sticky/tacky feeling which is a tad bit challenging for safety razor shaving bc you want the razor to glide. Is it a fair guess that the stickiness can be attributed to the Shea butter? Any idea how it would affect the outcome if I reduced the Shea next time?? If the reduction is possible, would you recommend filling in the gap with a larger quantity of the coconut or olive oils??
Thanks again for your great recipe! I’m excited that my husband liked it so much!!
Hey Krissy! That’s interesting – I don’t remember it feeling sticky or tacky…maybe it depends on the type of shea butter you get?? I’m not sure! I would say it is definitely worth a try to reduce the shea and increase the coconut oil. If you try this out, be sure to come back and let me know how it works out :). I’m so glad he likes it!!
Thanks for your quick reply! It could be the type of shea butter I used – I’ll give the reduction/replacement a try once he goes through what I’ve already made and keep you posted!
Great – thanks, Krissy!!
I agree made it today and shaved with it tonight, I think I like the just coconut oil does for shaving, the Shea butter just seemed to junk up my razor!!
I love it as a body butter though, it melts into my skin I also made some into a sugar scrub.. Same prob with shaving it felt much heavier then just coconut oil, mine didn’t whip as thick and fluffy but it’s very nice!!
I do agree that you might have to rinse your razor out more often than if you were just using soap or shaving cream! Good idea to use it as a body butter, Loretta. Thanks for the feedback – I’m glad you liked it!!
Hello! Just a quick question… how much does this recipe make? One jar.. two jars..? I want to make this for all the men in my family :) Thanks!
Delaney,
It depends on the size of your jars, but this recipe makes about 2 cups!
So excited to try this! Could I use something else in place of the olive oil? I can’t stand the snell of it… lol.
:-)
Hey Brandi!
I found this article for you that discusses the different oils and what you can substitute. There is a chart a little ways down the page that shows which oils are similar to olive oil. Hope it helps :)!!
http://www.humblebeeandme.com/a-guide-to-carrier-oil-substitutions/
I’m hesitant about a coconut oil based cream clogging my razor and making my tub slippery, from the comments it looks like that isn’t an issue, can someone confirm? Thanks!
Good question! I don’t remember having issues with either when I used this shaving cream. Granted, it was several months ago, but I don’t remember razor clogs or slippery floors!
You know , for those worried about cligging you can always keep a glass ( or whatever kind of bowl you wish ) in the bathroom and rinse ur razor in the bowl and throw the water out later.
Great point, Yassina!
I had the same issue with slippery floors but mostly with clogged razors. I was wondering, do you still had the information about the brand or website for the shea butter you used? I tried switching to liquid coconut butter and adding it when the olive oil was added and helped my razor clog less but now I’m wondering about the shea butter.
It does clog your razor more than the regular store-bought shaving cream, but that’s just a result of the natural creaminess of using those products. Same with the slippery floor. What I do when I use this is keep a little cup of water in the shower, and I just swish my razor around in the water every few swipes, and that takes care of the clogging (for me it did, at least). I don’t recall what brand I used, but I know I ordered the top reviewed one on Amazon!
Hello :) I just made this as part of an xmas gift for my boyfriend, I followed all the directions and understand the shaving cream will melt on contact with skin but is it supposed to be melty at room temp too? If it’s stored in the fridge itll be harder to use
Hello! It shouldn’t be melty at room temperature, no. It should stay the “whipped” consistency that is shown in the pictures. Is it possible that the area in which you are keeping it is warmer than the rest of your house? Did you initially whip it until it formed stiff peaks?
I did whip it with a hand mixer for 3 mins. Also i live in FL so that may be a thing too. Its not melty per se, its really soft, though holding its consistency.. Its more like a slightly firmer pudding lol. Im sure if its kept in the bathroom cupboard itll be fine
I could see the humidity and warmth in Florida being a possible issue! Hmm…I’m not sure what else you can do if you whipped it for a few minutes and it’s still soft. Keeping it in a cooler place might help. The bathroom cupboard, like you said, might work!
Hi Annie ! I’ve just made your shaving cream and everything works fine except that the cream is melting once it touches the skin.. :/ is there anything it did wrong ? i did exactly what you’re telling and used the same ingredients and quantities…
Hello! It does melt when it touches your skin because of the shea butter and coconut oil. So you didn’t do anything wrong! It should still moisturize and coat your skin perfectly for your razor despite the melting.
I thought i ruined it, i’m so relieved! Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s going to be a great gift for christmas.
No you didn’t ruin anything :). You are so welcome! It would be a perfect Christmas gift ??.
I used a hand mixer and it did not form stiff peaks, it is now completely liquid. Is it ruined? Is there any way to fix it?
Hey Kim! Did you let it cool in and set up in the fridge first before whipping it? I would let it sit back in there and harden up to the point of softened butter and try again.
I just made this I have a question is it supposed to stay creamy when you put it on? Mine goes back to liquid form. I’m guessing from the heat of the shower, but it did the same thing in the tub when i put it on.
Hello Miranda! Yes, it will melt when it touches your skin because of your body heat. It should still moisten and coat your skin perfectly for your razor, though!
Can you substitute the EO with fragrance oils?
I haven’t tried that personally Colleen, but I’m sure it would work just fine!
Essential oils have many great benefits for you, besides just the great smells. Fragrance oils on the other hand are loaded in chemicals that can be dangerous for you! I prefer to use Young Living essential oils because of their purity standards.
Young Living is a great brand to use!
Love this so much and super excited to make it for the hubby & I. Thanks for sharing :)
Thanks, Karrie! I hope you try it and love it :).
Could you substitute the Shea butter for cocoa butter?
Hey Abby! I haven’t worked with cocoa butter before, but I think it would probably work based on the research I have done. The consistency might turn out a bit different since cocoa butter is more firm than shea. Let me know how it works if you try it out :)!
So fun! I’ve never thought to make shaving cream before! Such a great idea!
how long will this stay fresh?
This is my first time making this shaving cream, but after researching other people’s it looks like the consensus is about 9-12 months!
wow! Annie, good one! fun DIY project!
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This is so neat, I never would have thought to make something like this myself! Too cool :)
Thanks, Sam! You should try it – super easy!
Just a clever idea! I had no idea you could make shaving cream at home. I will be trying this one!
I have a beautiful rose shaving cream that my sister gave me. I wonder if I could add some rose oil? Oooooh the possibilities. Thank you so much for the inspiration x
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Thanks, Claire! Oh yeah, you could absolutely use rose oil instead of the Eucalyptus. The possibilities are endless ;).
Rose oil would be an excellent add in, it is the best EO for skincare!
Great tip, Kristen!
This is great! What a nice little DIY project. These would make a great gift too : )
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Thanks, Natalie! It would make a great gift :).
What a great idea, Annie! I would’ve never thought to make my own shaving cream. I’m sure this is way better than the bath & body works kind!
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Thanks, Gayle! Oh yeah, I definitely think so. My legs were silky smooth all day.
I hate shaving my legs SO much! I’m totally going to make this to make it a better experience! It looks so creamy and luxurious! Thanks for sharing this – I love DIY stuff like this! :)
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I’m the same way Keri – it’s tedious and annoying! This definitely helps :).
That looks good enough to eat. I have been thinking about making my own cosmetics, as like you say, you can control what goes in to them.
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You should try it out Dannii! It is so much better than store bought!
Why have I never thought of making this at home?? Awesome idea! Way better for the environment too ;)
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Thanks, Cathleen! Try it!!
I love that you did this!! A fabulous way to make your mixer even more versatile :)
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Thanks, Sue! The possibilities of the Kitchen Aid have no end ;).
This is awesome!! What a fun DIY project!! :) So innovative!
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This looks so good that I want to eat it! Can it be Christmas already so I can get my gift?? :) You’re so awesome!!!
Haha it does look good enough to eat! Okay I’ll make you some for Christmas!