How to Make Homemade Shaving Cream in 5 Steps

1. Melting the Butter

   Melt the shea butter and coconut oil in the double boiler. Place them in the double boiler on medium heat. It will take approximately five minutes for them to melt. During the summer, the coconut oil will be softer and can be added a few minutes after the shea butter as it won't take as long to turn liquid. Once they have melted, remove the boiler bowl from the heat.

   DIY Double Boiler

   If you don't have a double boiler, you can easily create your own using a pot and a mixing or glass bowl. Fill the pot half full with water and set it on medium heat. Bring water to a boil, and place the bowl in the water.

2. Mix the Oils

   Once the shea butter and coconut oil mixture has cooled for a few minutes, stir in the carrier oil and essential oils.

3. Place Mix in Freezer

   Allow the mixture to cool in the freezer for 10-12 minutes. You want it to be firm but not hard. As it cools, the mixture will become more opaque. Depending on the bowl used, the mixture may cool unevenly; this is okay. Remove it from the freezer once most of it has turned solid.

4. Whip It

   Using a hand mixer, whip all the of ingredients together for about 2-3 minutes. You'll notice the mixture will be lighter in color and have a fluffy yet creamy texture. This is an important step to make sure the melted shea butter doesn't become gritty.

   No Hand Mixer?

   You can also use a stand-up mixer, whisk, or even a fork if you don't have your own hand mixer. A non-electronic tool will just add a few more minutes to the time it takes to whip the mixture.

5. Pour Into an Airtight Container

   When the mixture is fully whipped, pour it into an airtight container for storage. It's easier to access if the container has a wide opening.

Variations

There are many ways that you can make this shaving cream fit your specific needs. By using different carrier oils, essential oils, or even adding soap, you can change the benefits this homemade skin care product will provide.

Varying the Carrier Oils

Many oils are considered moisturizing, but each one has properties. Research shows that olive oil has properties that are great for drier skin. Grapeseed oil is known for easily absorbing into the skin and providing antioxidants. Argan oil helps the skin maintain a barrier to retain moisture, and studies show it is anti-inflammatory. To make your shaving cream do extra work, choose a carrier oil that has some extra advantages.

Essential Oils

Varying the type of essential oils used in your shaving cream can have benefits beyond making it smell good. Tea tree oil is antibacterial; however, it can sometimes irritate the skin, and thus should be used at a concentration of less than 5%, according to one study. This recipe meets that recommendation, calling for 20 drops, which is less than a millimeter. In addition, lavender is a popular essential oil that is considered to lift mood and relax the senses.

Adding Soap

Not everyone loves oil on their skin. If this sounds like you, you can instead add 2 tablespoons of castile soap during the whipping step; this will help you more easily wash away the mixture from your skin. The addition of the castile soap, however, will keep it from being used in other ways, like as a body butter.

Troubleshooting Tips

You'll find with this shaving cream that a little bit goes a long way. However, if you want more of it, or if you are having issues with the texture of the cream, here are some tips:

• The mixture is too thick: If the mixture is too hard and you are having trouble whipping it, you may have left it in the freezer too long. Let it sit out at room temperature for about 5 minutes and then try again.
• The mixture is too runny: The mixture being runny could be a number of problems. First, try to put it back in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. It may not have set enough. If that doesn't work the ratio of ingredients probably wasn't correct. There may be too much oil or not enough shea butter. To fix this melt a little more shea butter, let it cool a little bit before mixing with the original mixture and then place in the freezer.
• There is not enough of the mixture: For every one part of carrier oil, you'll need two parts of shea butter and two parts of coconut oil. So, if you have 3 ounces of carrier oil, you'll need 6 ounces each of shea butter and coconut oil.