Homemade Shaving Gel

Ditch that old shave cream or shaving gel that’s filled with toxic chemicals. Learn how to make your own Homemade Shaving Gel with natural ingredients.

Did you know that most shave creams and shaving gels in the store are loaded with chemicals? I didn’t really think about it until I started getting rid of chemicals in my home. That’s when I turned over every bottle and jar in my home and started reading the labels.

It’s so easy to make this Homemade Shaving Gel… I’ll show you in just a minute but first let’s talk about why you need to avoid those shaving products in the store.

Ingredients to Avoid in Shave Gels and Shaving Cream

Go into any department store or drugstore, and you’ll see a whole section of shaving cream and shave gels for both men and women.

When you turn over the bottles and read the labels these are some of the common ingredients you’ll find in them:

Retinyl Palmitate: An ingredient composed of palmitic acid and retinol (Vitamin A). Data from an FDA study indicate that retinyl palmitate, when applied to the skin in the presence of sunlight, may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions. ¹

Triethanolamine (TEA): A strongly alkaline substance used as surfactant and pH adjusting chemical. It’s a known immune and respiratory toxicant and allergen. ¹

Isobutane: A hydrocarbon gas; used as a propellant in aerosolized products. It’s a known immune and respiratory toxicant and allergen. ¹

Methylisothiazolinone: A widely-used preservative that has been associated with allergic reactions. Lab studies on the brain cells of mammals also suggest that methylisothiazolinone may be neurotoxic. ¹

Parabens: This preservative is used to extend the shelf life of shaving creams and shave gels. Parabens mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors. ¹

Fragrance: Synthetic fragrances are typically proprietary (a secret formula that companies don’t have to disclose to the public) and may contain as many as 4,000 different ingredients. Yet, it could be listed on a label just once as a “fragrance”.

And this is the short list… As I researched different shave creams and shaving gels, I found the ingredients list can vary from product to product. On average, there were 20-30 ingredients per bottle – again that doesn’t even take into consideration that “fragrance” could contain even more chemicals.

So if you don’t know any different, you may think that’s how you make shaving cream… you need 20-30 ingredients. But really you just need 4 plus some essential oils for a natural fragrance. I’ll show you how to make your own DIY Shave Gel, and if you want to learn more check out my webinar on a non-toxic home here.

How to Make This DIY Shave Gel – Step by Step

1. In a 2 oz. bottle or jar, combine 4 tbsp aloe vera gel, 1 tsp fractionated coconut oil, 1/2 tsp vegetable glycerin, 1/2 tsp vitamin E oil, 3 drops Cedarwood essential oil and 3 drops Orange essential oil.

2. Shake well so all ingredients are mixed together.

About the Ingredients

• Aloe vera gel is a natural moisturizer and helps to soothe the skin. It works well to disperse essential oils too.
• Vegetable glycerin helps to keep the DIY Shave Gel well mixed. It also serves as a moisturizer.
• Vitamin E oil is rich in antioxidants and help to deeply moisturize the skin.
• Fractionated coconut oil is a form of coconut oil that stays liquid even when it’s cold. It helps to moisturize the skin and great for all skin types.
• Essential oils are used as a natural fragrance and help to soothe and moisturize the skin.

An Easy Homemade Shaving Gel

It’s so easy to make your own DIY Shave Gel. In fact, after the first time, you’ll see that it takes just a couple of minutes with just a few ingredients: aloe vera gel, fractionated coconut oil, vegetable glycerin, and vitamin E oil.

Easily Adaptable

Essential oils give this recipe the fragrance, and you can completely customize it for your preference. Another favorite essential oil combination that works well is pine and lavender – just do 3 drops of each in this recipe. It has a masculine scent. For a more feminine scent, try 3 drops each of lavender and ylang ylang.

How to Use this Shaving Gel

On wet skin, apply a layer of this shave oil. Use a razor to shave hair. The oil allows the razor to get a smooth shave.

Top Tips for This Homemade Shaving Gel

• Make sure you use fractionated coconut oil as it stays liquid even when it’s cold outside. If you use regular coconut oil, then this recipe will firm up and won’t be as easy to spread on the skin.
• No fractionated coconut oil? You can use sweet almond, apricot kernel, avocado, or even olive oil instead. Just look for cold-pressed, organic oils.
• Apply to wet skin for the smoothest shave.
• Shake well before using.

More DIY Tutorials

• DIY Natural Aftershave Spray
• DIY Personal Care Products for Men
• 100+ DIY Beauty + Skin Care Recipes

Did you try this Hawaiian ahi tuna poke bowl recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and comment below to let me know how it went. You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Want More DIY Recipes?

Check out my book Natural Beauty Made Simple. It comes with 45 homemade skincare recipes with a set of printable labels and gift tags. You can download it instantly to your phone, computer or e-reader, so it’s portable and can go with you anywhere!

With this book, you’ll learn how to:

• Make your own organic beauty and skin care products for less than $25 a month!
• Learn simple techniques to make your own skincare – without the fuss of complicated recipes or hard-to-find ingredients
• Get tried-and-true recipes that work to nourish the skin and make it look more radiant than ever before
• Create beautiful gifts for friends and family with the printable labels and gift tags I’ve included with this book

References

1. Skin Deep Database