Diy shaving cream (Homemade shaving cream recipe that lathers) (2023)

FAQs

How do you make the best shaving cream? ›

Combine one part olive oil with three parts pure aloe vera gel (for example, 1 cup olive oil, 3 cups aloe vera gel). Mix well and add several drops of your favorite essential oil for fragrance if you'd like. Mix well and store in a container.

The most common surfactants used in shaving creams are soap based surfactants such as Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, or other coconut fatty acids. These are neutralized with TEA, NaOH, or KOH. Additional foam stabilizing surfactants may also be used such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.

Measure out 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) shea butter (or cocoa butter) and 1/4 cup coconut oil. Place the ingredients in a small saucepan. Melt them over low heat, stirring occasionally until they liquify, then remove the pan from heat. Blend with the aloe vera, baking soda and liquid castile soap.

Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) mixed with the acid/lanolin/sorbitan compound (shaving cream) creates a mixture that is cold to the touch, otherwise known as an endothermic reaction. It is fairly rare to get an endothermic reaction in the safety of your home without using actual chemicals!

“Borax is used in the cosmetic industry to prevent or slow bacterial growth in moisturising products like creams, shampoos, gels, lotions, bath bombs, scrubs and bath salts. Manufacturers of cosmetics use borax as a buffering agent or an emulsifier to keep product ingredients from separating,” reveals Dr Sonavane.

Lubrication.

Shaving cream creates a thin layer of protection between the blade and the skin, ensuring less friction and minimizing the risk of redness, razor burn, and irritation – and fewer nicks and cuts.

Nearly all shaving creams have the same basic ingredients - stearic acid, triethanolamine, glycerin, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate, and water.

The earliest recorded use of shaving cream comes from Mesopotamia over four thousand years ago. The Sumerians used animal fats and ashes from wood to create primitive soaps which they would apply to their beards before shaving, similar to the way fur was removed from animal hides.

What was original shaving cream made of? ›

A rudimentary form of shaving cream was documented in Sumer around 3000 BC. This substance combined wood alkali and animal fat and was applied to a beard as a shaving preparation. Until the early 20th century, bars or sticks of hard shaving soap were used.

Take out your empty bowl, add a small amount of water (no more than a teaspoon) and begin swirling the brush in a circular motion. You should start to notice a creamy lather building and you should swirl the brush about 50-60 revolutions or about 30 seconds to get the most lather out of your soap.

Sugar. Sugar, and ingredients that have sugar in them can dramatically increase lather, not just the amount but the richness of the lather. These are some options for different sugars that can be used. Granulated sugar is the most simplistic form of sugar that can be added to soap.

Surfactants. Over 80% of any shaving cream product is water. Surfactants, or soaps, are used to break the surface water tension and better allow the mixing of water and other mediums, such as gases, oils or dirt. Essentially they allow the shaving cream ingredients to mix together and foam up.

Subjective Choice

While foams containing alcohol pull out moisture, gels tend to moisturise the skin a little too much, and hence, should only be used by men with sensitive skin. Creams, on the other hand, are friendly options for those who like the readymade lather, straight out of the container.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is the strongest surfactant and is very effective at stripping all oils, including the natural protective ones.

For one solution, mix 1 cup of vinegar plus 1 cup of Sprite soda (for sugar and acid) or molasses in a 5-gallon bucket. Mix thoroughly and pour the solution in a spray bottle. The other recipe recommends mixing a 12-ounce can of Sprite with a 1/2 cup of gentle dish soap.

Ingredients: Water, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Isobutane, Laureth-23, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Propane, Fragrance. Warning: Contents under pressure. Do not puncture or incinerate.

Stability: Shaving soap differs from regular soap because it includes potassium and sodium salts with a high stearic fat/oil acid content. Stearic acid creates the stable lather, slickness, and softening qualities that are necessary in a shave soap.

Last but not least, transfer the freshly whipped DIY shaving cream into your container of choice and store for use. This homemade shaving cream should keep for several months, as long as you avoid getting any water into it while showering.

What is the foaming agent in shaving cream? ›

Apost-foaming shaving gel composition according to any one of the above claims characterized in that the volatile liquid post-foaming agent is selected from n-pentane, isopentane, n-butane, isobutane, n-propane, isopropane, and mixtures thereof; preferably the volatile liquid post-foaming agent is a mixture of about 85 ...

Stearic acid: Commonly used in cosmetics, this waxy lipid softens the skin. Combined with TEA, it becomes a powerful thickener for luxurious lather. Isopentane: In shaving cream, this degreaser breaks down sebum, the oil your skin produces.

Borax: Helps to clean and deodorize. Use on wallpaper, painted walls and floors. Use it with your detergent to remove stains and boost cleaning power. Vinegar: Helps remove stains, wax build-up and mildew.

It's a more powerful alternative to another common chemical used as a household cleaner - baking soda. Both baking soda and Borax are effective because they are alkaline and abrasive. But Borax has a higher PH than baking soda, making it a slightly harsher but arguably more effective cleaning agent.

Some of the insects that borax kills include ants, flies, and other insect larvae. Borax is an ant poison, and it controls flies around manure piles. It also prevents larvae from growing. The main insect borax kills are termites.

It is believed that Stone Age men started shaving 100,000 years ago by using clam shells like tweezers and pulling out their beard hair. About 60,000 years ago, man discovered shaving, and started using sharpened obsidian and clam shells to shave their beards.

Hair conditioner: Conditioner smooths and softens hair and is a great moisturizing agent. Shampoo: Shampoo lathers quite well and can get rid of pollutants and grease from your skin. Body wash: Body wash acts similarly to shampoo and lathers better than conditioner.

Although soap will not offer any smoothing or moisturizing elements, it can be used as a shaving cream alternative when in a bind. Similar to lotion, we would not recommend using it every time when shaving, but it will get the job done. Just make sure to lather up the soap as much as possible, creating a sudsy effect.

Romans shaving routine consisted of pumice stone (to rub off stubble) and then a novacila to remove hair. Afterward, perfumes and oils were used to soften the skin. If you were an elite member of society, you would have a personal barber visit your household.

What did medieval people use for shaving cream? ›

Soaps as shaving creams

Before the actual advent of shaving creams soaps that were used for bathing caught the fancy of men who loved to remain clean shaven. Soap having fats was a readymade perfect solution to make the hair on the face ready to go under the guillotine.

Italian-style shaving consists of the exclusive use of freehand razors sharpened on antique stones by the barber himself, alternating hot and cold cloths and the use of exclusive handmade products.

During the 1800s, shaving was done with a steel straight razor, often by a barber. When Gillette patented the first safety razor in 1904, it became easier for men to shave themselves at home. As a result, being clean-shaven became both more convenient and very fashionable.

Sources are sketchy about the name, but one that seems consistent is the combination of the Latin term for beard “barba” and a short version of solution “sol”. The Barbasol Company was incorporated in 1920 and operated its manufacturing plant at 846 N.

Founded in Paris in 1808, Plisson is the oldest shaving brush factory in the world. The Manufacture quickly acquired great notoriety and became Napoleon's official supplier. For a long time, the symbol of the brand was the eagle in tribute to Napoleon.

Palmitic acid: This long-chain lipid is found in palm oil and animal fats. A major component in soapmaking, it helps create a thick, stable lather that enfolds follicles and holds them upright. Triethanolamine: A thickener and wetting agent, TEA allows water to flow more […]

Shaving creams contain surfactants or surface-agents which produce several bubbles that are durable and less soluble in water creating long-lasting lather.

The earliest recorded use of shaving cream comes from Mesopotamia over four thousand years ago. The Sumerians used animal fats and ashes from wood to create primitive soaps which they would apply to their beards before shaving, similar to the way fur was removed from animal hides.

Homemade shaving cream for men

The baking soda adds an extra lift to help raise hairs away from the face, making them easier to cut, while the sandalwood provides a manly fragrance.

Can you make your own shaving foam? ›

1/4 cup aloe vera gel. 2 teaspoons baking soda. 1/4 cup liquid castile soap. 10 drops essential oil of your choice.