How to Make a Great Batch of Homemade Shaving Cream
Creamy Soap
Take a bar of gentle soap and shred it or cut it into small pieces. Bring about four cups of water to a boil in a pot. Place the soap into the water and maintain a low boil as it dissolves and melts. Remove from heat and stir in a tablespoon of glycerin. Mix well until it has completely dissolved. Pour the mixture into some Styrofoam cups and allow to cool and thicken up a bit.
The next step is to add two cups of vegetable shortening, one cup of coconut oil and any other essential oils you like to a mixing bowl. Take an electric mixer or egg beater and mix until it develops the consistency of a thick whipped cream. The aim is to pour the cooling soap mixture in with the creamy ingredients before it soap hardens. If it does harden, just place the soap mixture into the microwave for a few seconds. You don’t want it to be too hot, rather right at the verge where it starts to harden for best results. Thoroughly mix everything together.
Once the mixture has cooled, you can add it to an airtight storage container. Hinged mason jars with rubber gaskets under the lids work best. Pack the creamy soap into each container, wipe the tops clean and seal for future use. Store in your medicine cabinet or in a dark place.
Shaving Soap
Take two tablespoons of shea butter and ¼ cup of olive oil and place into a double boiler. Keep on low heat and stir until the butter has melted. Remove from heat and let cool for 3-6 minutes. It will start to thicken a little bit and develop a runny but creamy consistency. Add ¼ cup of real honey, ¼ cup of gentle or castile soap, two teaspoons of baking soda and about ¼ teaspoon of ground up vitamin E into the mix and whisk thoroughly.
Keep in mind that it’s better to have everything ready so you can add these ingredients while the shea butter, oil and water mixture is still warm. This will help to soften the honey and produce an even texture. Pour into its airtight storage container and keep the lid off until the soap has cooled to room temperature. Cover and store in a dry place. This will produce a creamy soap that will lather up when applied to wet skin. It also produces a smooth and comfortable shave.
Consider adding essential oils such as mint, rosemary or lavender to aid in soothing the skin or to enhance the scent of the cream. In any case, both of these tricks will give you a nice supply of natural shaving cream that can be transported almost anywhere. Try it for yourself and see how comfortable your next shave can be. You may think twice about growing out your beard the next time you are out in the woods or dealing with the aftermath of a disaster. Just make sure that you keep a couple of pairs of razors on hand.
