This DIY shaving cream uses pure, natural ingredients and is light and fluffy. I like to include a secret ingredient for the ultimate glide and skin soothing.
Easy homemade DIY shaving cream
I have another recipe on my blog for a shaving butter recipe. That one is more like a whipped body butter with castile soap. It’s very nice, but sometimes you something more light and fluffy, like commercial shaving cream.
This DIY shaving cream whips up into a nice, light and fluffy mixture. You can keep it plain, or add your favorite essential oils for scent. It also makes a great handmade gift for Dads!
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Why make your own shaving cream?
Commercial skincare products are full of nasty toxins (source). When you make your own natural shaving cream at home, you can use only pure and simple ingredients that are completely safe, and work very well.
You might be wondering, how can I make shaving cream at home? It’s actually way easier than you might think.
This DIY shaving cream uses just a few pure ingredients, and goes together quickly and easily. I love how well this simple shaving cream works! It gives you a close, smooth shave while moisturizing and soothing skin.
The secret ingredient
Speaking of moisturizing and soothing skin, you’ll notice that I use a somewhat unique ingredient in my shaving cream: grass fed tallow. If you’re new to tallow skin care, read all about why grass fed tallow is so amazing for skin here.
Once you try tallow on your skin, you’ll be hooked! If you’re not able to use tallow, you can easily substitute shea butter in this recipe and make a shea butter shave cream. That will give a similar consistency and work well.
If you’re looking for the best ever DIY face moisturizer, check out my tallow face cream recipe here.
DIY shaving cream directions
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup tallow (can substitute shea butter)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup olive oil (or any other liquid, skin friendly oil)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 48 drops essential oils
Instructions:
- Measure tallow, coconut oil, and olive oil and put in the top of a double boiler.
- Allow to melt until liquid.
- Pour into mixing bowl and allow to solidify until solid but still soft.
- Whip with hand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add 2 tsp baking soda and whip to combine.
- Add essential oils and whip again.
- Store in glass container.
- Use with clean, dry hands.
Tips and tricks for making your own shaving cream at home
Like I mentioned before, you can customize your homemade shaving cream by using different essential oils. For a masculine scent, I love the Wood Spice Synergy by Plant Therapy. That would make a perfect DIY shaving cream for Dads.
When I make DIY shaving cream for myself, I like to use lavender, grapefruit, or whatever blend I’m currently really enjoying.
If you use this shaving cream in the shower, it might make the shower floor slippery. Just a heads up to be aware and be careful.
This shaving cream will last at room temperature for quite a while. Just make sure to use clean, dry hands whenever you use it.
More DIY Skincare Recipes
How to make lotion with shea butter
Have you ever made shaving cream?
What ingredients did you use? Which essential oils are your favorites to add for scent? Let me know in the comments!
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DIY shaving cream with tallow
This DIY shaving cream uses pure, natural ingredients and is light and fluffy. I like to include a secret ingredient for the ultimate glide and skin soothing.
Materials
- 1/4 cup tallow (can substitute shea butter)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup olive oil (or any other liquid, skin friendly oil)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 48 drops essential oils
Instructions
- Measure tallow, coconut oil, and olive oil and put in the top of a double boiler.
- Allow to melt until liquid.
- Pour into mixing bowl and allow to solidify until solid but still soft.
- Whip with hand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add 2 tsp baking soda and whip to combine.
- Add essential oils and whip again.
- Store in glass container.
- Use with clean, dry hands.
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Hi! I LOVE your recipes but this one didn’t turn out so great 😢 after tried to whip it, it was still liquid and not whipped.. I went to your YouTube recipe and it calls for 1/4 cup olive oil and not 1/2 cup as it is mentioned in this recipe.. I just wanted to let you know! 🙏🏽 I’m going to try it again with 1/4 cup olive oil instead and hopefully it’ll fluff up!
I made your beef tallow balm and am absolutely hooked. Hands down amazing. Even got my husband now using it as a nightly moisturizer to help rosacea and I’m using it as a deep conditioner. Can’t wait to try this shaving cream recipe. Thank you so much for your vast knowledge. Wondering if this will clog up my razor? Any tips on how to keep razor in good condition.
New to your blog, and looking forward to making some of your recipes. Please can I ask if you can omit the Essential Oils in all the recipes that you share that mention this?
Many thanks, Alex
Yes! Essential oils aren’t totally necessary, just good to mask the scent of tallow, or personal preference. They can be definitely left out on a shaving cream if used on sensitive areas
Am a big fan of your DIYs from Mumbai. Your recipes and instructions are crisp and clear and so easy to follow. A big thank you for sharing with us. Been wanting to make this shaving cream for dad but only one drawback….. this cream will not be solid / creamy like yours in this Mumbai weather. It becomes kinda runny due to the heat. Coconut oil too is liquid here, never solid. How do I make the shaving cream stay in its true form? Can I add in a bit of soywax or beeswax in it? If yes, then in what ratio/ quantity? Look forward to your suggestion. ???? thank you in advance!
This is great thanks! Just wondering if I add rose water will it make it go bad?
Yes, if you add anything that contains water, you’ll need to use preservative. I like Optiphen Plus 🙂
Hi
Bhavna Gajjar here
I am also having same problem
My Shaving cream is not like you shows in your video. It is liquid not in cream form.
What to do now please help me out.
I’m sorry to hear this! I would try chilling the ingredients and then whipping.
hi! how shelf stable is this? How long will it keep in a sealed jar? Thanks!
As long as you use clean, dry hands to remove some, it lasts quite a long time at room temp, 6 months at least 🙂
I usually shave in the shower, do you have shave cream recipes that won’t make the bottom of the shower slippery?
You could try some Castile soap in a foaming dispenser 🙂
Hi Marisa,
I love reading about tallow….
I ordered my first jar from fatworks…..I’m so excited…
I’m going to make your moisturizer which sounds heavenly, but I also want to make the shaving cream for my husband..,
I wanted to ask you…
An I add raw honey and Castile soap?
Or will it defeat the purpose of the tallow?
Thank you..
Thank you! I’m not sure, I haven’t tried making those changes to the recipe. If you do try it, let me know how it turns out!
I want to make a body scrub. I’ve seen some recipes use salt, others have used sugar. Do you have any suggestions? Would pink Himalayan salt change the texture or cause the other ingredients to react differently?
I have several scrub recipes, just type “scrub” in the search bar and they will pop up 🙂 Sugar is gentler and works best for the face or the whole body, and salt is more vigorous and is good for feet, knees, and elbows.
I tried the recipe. But it dies not result intona cream instead it’s like a thick sauce . Also the soda flakes remain and texture is not smooth . What do I do to make it to a creamy texture
I’m happy to help! I would try chilling the ingredients before whipping. Also, the recipe calls for powdered baking soda. Hope that helps!
Can you substitute the baking soda with arrowroot powder or cornstarch?
I haven’t tried it, but it sounds like it would work!
What is the purpose of the baking soda? TY
Hello,
I tried making this with Shea butter, doubled the recipe, and the butter and oils mixture never solidified. It stayed in the liquid state even after trying it in the fridge. What needs to be done different? I followed the directions to a T and don’t know why it didn’t turn out. I used 100% raw Shea butter, and Nutiva coconut oil.
Thanks
I’m happy to try and help! That’s interesting, both of those oils should solidify in the refrigerator. You might try keeping them in the fridge longer, and see if that helps.
Hi! I had the same issue, kept out in the fridge, then the garage at freezing temperatures and it remained fluid.
I ended up taking it outside in the cold and started whipping it which turned the fluid into a lotion like consistency. I then added the baking soda and pills and it now is at a creamy consistency that should work great for shaving.
I hope this helps!
I’m having the same problem, it just won’t solidify for me
You can try keeping it the fridge longer – those should solidify at cool temps 🙂
Hello! Could you please tell me how much this recipe makes? I’m thinking about doing this for Christmas gifts and putting them in little mason jars and was wondering if I need to double the recipe are the amounts that I’m making. Thank you!
It makes 8 fl. oz. 🙂
Hello! Just going to make up some shaving cream using Shea butter instead of tallow. wondering how long it lasts? You say ‘quite a while’ in your recipe. Thank you!
Great question! In my experience it lasts around 6 months if you keep water from getting into the jar. I just scoop some out with dry hands 🙂
Hey i have several friends that are allergic to coconut and palm ingredients was wondering if could use avocado or aloe extract instead of the coconut or do you have another suggestion. Thanks in advance love your recipes!
Great question. I think you could use avocado or aloe extract, but it might make the finished shaving cream have a bit softer texture. Hope that helps!
Hello. I hope your day is well.
I really enjoy your site, and I’m just now trying to make these skin care products myself for the first time. I also have a chronic illness that required a lifestyle change to survive, and finally recover from. Therefore, I know the importance of natural ingredients. However, I’ve read other articles that mention the necessity of “removing water from products” , or “making them anhydrous only” , and “using PH testing”, along with a description of making these products in what seems to be the equivalent of a pristine lab setting. The reason given for this is that the products we make will “go bad”, “become rancid”, “grow mold and other bio-hazardous entities”, or “cause skin problems such as rashes, acne, etc” from using a product that can “turn” exceptionally quickly. I’ve researched quite a few sites, and only found one that is claiming all this (while still making the same type of products), but it made me question… Would you mind addressing my fears regarding this please? I apologize if you already have a place on your site that does this. I just haven’t seen it yet. I certainly appreciate the information given herein, and would be most grateful for a response to my inquiry. I wish all the best for you and your family. Thank you. Rain
Hello, thank you so much! That is a great question. I think the best answer is probably personal experience. I’ve been making my own body care for around 15 years now, and I’ve only had great success. I do try to keep everything as clean as possible, and I’ve had no issues. As far as things going bad, the only risk of things spoiling or molding is if you’re using water. In my recipes that contain water, I either store them in the fridge or use a natural preservative. In the things I make that don’t contain water, no preservative is necessary. Mold and bacteria need water to grow. Oils can go rancid, but I make sure to make small batches and use the products before they would have time to go rancid. This period of time is usually 3-6 months, which is far before anything would go bad. I’ve never experienced rashes or skin problems from homemade products. I have from commercial ones, but never from homemade, which is why I love the homemade kind so much. I hope that helps!
Hell0! What is the use of baking soda in a shaving cream?Can we make it without baking soda?
You can, but it really adds a nice texture to the cream 🙂