Shave Soap Recipe
Hey Bulkers!
If you’re starting to think about what to do for those special guys in your life for Father’s Day, we’ve got a bunch of ideas!
This solid shaving soap is so simple to make. Using melt & pour shave base for a nice thick lather, it also packs the benefits of bentonite clay (which is known to be wonderful for the skin) and finishes with the earthy, manly fragrances of Bergamot and Cedarwood.
It’s perfect for any guy who enjoys a good shave!
You’ll need:
1 lb Shaving SFIC Melt & Pour Base
2 tsp Bentonite Clay
1 tsp Glycerin
These two fragrances smell fantastic together. Earthy with a hint of citrus! I like the citrus fragrance to be a little more prominent so I used more drops of the Bergamot than the Cedarwood- but you can mix these however you prefer!
Begin by melting down the shaving soap base in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup using short intervals in the microwave. This works best if you cut the soap into evenly sized cubes so that melting occurs at the same pace.
Once melted, remove from the heat source and stir in the bentonite clay. Make sure to work out all of the little clumps with a fork or whisk.
Add in the essential oils (a few drops of each) and the liquid glycerin and stir to combine.
Carefully pour the mixture into the mini heremes jars filling each ¾ of the way full.
Stir again to be sure no clumps of clay have settled at the bottom of the jar and skim the remaining bits off the top with a spoon. You may not get every tiny piece out but that’s okay- the clay will work into the lather as the brush swirls the surface when shaving.
Allow the soap to cool and harden completely before use. To use, wet a shaving brush and create circular motions on the surface of the soap until a lather forms. Swirl the brush with the soap lather over the skin and shave.
Happy Father’s Day!
ENJOY!
Shave Soap Recipe
I love this recipe! I added a bit of colloidal oatmeal just for fun & we love it in our house!
YOU SHOULD SELL THIS AS A ALL INCLUSIVE KIT, AND HAVE IT FOR SALE YEAR ROUND.
How much does this recipe make? 2 cups?
Yes, this will make two cups of the recipe; hope this helps Debbie!
Would I be able to use different fragrances? I’m a girl and we made this for my dad, but it works for me, too.
Yes, you can different essential oils at http://www.bulkapothecary.com/categories/essential-oils/pure-therapeutic-grade/
Hope this helps!
can you use fragrance oil with this recipe like the john paul gauthier man? or would it be safer to only use essential oils?
You can use any fragrance oils that are skin safe; however, essential oils are more natural option.
It’s better to use essential oils since it’s going on the face. A fragrance oil may cause break outs.
how oes the skin react to it does it make you break out after
It is safe for most skin types; you can test it on a small area of your skin first to check your tolerance level.
I wonder if this will work for people suffering with after-shave bumps due to ingrown hair? If not, please can you suggest what formula/recipe would work. Thanks.
You can try it on a small area to test you tolerance, but we do not provide medical advise/suggestions.
It should be helpful as the bentonite clay gives the soap “Good Slip” meaning a smooth shaving experience. 🙂
A hemp oil added will help with the burn from the razor lessening the direct contact to raised skin in the sweep of the razor.
Do you sell the shave brush in your store?
Sorry we do not sell shave brushes.
You can certainly substitute if you have another melt and pour soap base you prefer!
can you add menthol to it to make it feel more refreshing?
Sure you can.
What would be the best amount of Menthol to use in the above mixture to get the optimal refreshing feeling?
can you use the aloe melt & pour vs. the shaving melt & pour?
Yes you can.
Can rhassoul clay be substituted for the bentonite?
Yes.
where can i find the shaving brush? you guys should sell it
The art of shaving sells these.
Can i use moroccan red clay powder instead of the 2 tsp Bentonite Clay?
Yes you can.
What is the shelf life of this finished product?
Also looking for the shelf life of this?
This should last 2-3 weeks.
Will it turn rancid after 2-3 weeks?
Without a preservative, the possibility exists.
I have Liquid germall Plus, what would I add the standard 0.5%?
Anywhere between 0.1% to 0.5% of total weight/volume formulation is safe.
Great, thanks for the tip!
Could you use the goat milk melt and pour?
It would be best to stick to a shaving melt and pour base for this recipe, as it lathers better. Hope this helps!
Does this recipe hold up well when moisture is present in the jar?
This recipe got me interested in trying out shaving soap! My follow up question:
Will shaving soaps in a jar need preservatives?
Thanks!
If moisture is introduced, you will need to use a preservative such as Germaben ii E. If you’d like the recipe to last longer than 2 to 3 weeks, it is recommended that you use a preservative.
How long will the product last with the preservative? Thanks
Approximately 1 year to 1.5 years.
How much do these jars hold? How many would I need for 1 pound of soap? Also, how much preservative would be needed per pound? Looking to make this for Christmas gifts.
The Mini Hermes Jar holds 7.5 oz, and 2 will be need for 1 pound of soap. A range of 0.5% to 1% of the total product is the general recommended usage rate of Germaben II E.
To your statement above ^^ Can you clarify how much Germanen II E is needed for this 1lb recipe of Shave Cream?
Thank you!
If 1% of Germaben II E is used to 1 lb, that will be around 0.15 oz of preservative.
Any idea how many drops or in other measurements (teaspoons) .15 oz is? Thanks!
It roughly 0.9 of a teaspoon, so roughly 1 teaspoon should work.
I don’t have glycerin. Do I need to use it? Can anything else be substituted for it?
If you have Palm Oil or Palm Kernel Flakes those can be used. Let us know how it works out for you!
Can organic coconut oil be used instead if glycerin?
It should work, but this is something you’ll need to test; enjoy!
Can you make these labels
You can send request using this form and a member of the graphics team will contact you.
How much it would cost to have the shave soap labels with the moustach made?
What is the minimum order required?
Please fill out the custom label request form, and a member of our graphics team will contact you as soon as possible.
I made this, and I love it for me. I gave some to my brother, who loves my soaps, and he said there wasn’t as much “slip feel” as the stuff that comes in a can. What can I add to give it more “slip”?
Thanks for the feedback; you can try adding more Glycerin.
Thanks for your reply, Daniel. How much more glycerine do you recommend?
You can try roughly 1 extra teaspoon.
How long does this last? Bentonite clay and water seem like a breeding ground for bacteria!
Roughly 2 to 3 weeks without a preservative.
it’s my first time visiting your website and I’m very interested. Thank you for sharing and keep up 😉
You’re welcome, and thanks for visiting!
I just made 5 batches, using Fir Balsam oil…the feedback from the men is over the top “amazing”!!! Now my husband’s skin is soft, more pure, supple, and we both LOVE the fragrance! It’s truly a product that isfar superior than store bought shave soaps. It’s also very easy & fun to make. Thank you for the DIY recipe! Happy customers!
I’m glad it was well received, and that you enjoyed making it!
What happens if I don’t use the clay?
The clay helps the razor blade glide smoothly across the skin; in its absence, there could be some possible friction.
it’s my first time visiting your website and I’m very fascinated. Thanks for sharing and keep up 😉
How many drops of Bergamot & Cedarwood essential oils I need use to mix with the other ingredients ? Thank you.
If you add stearic acid, would it make the lather denser and more sustainable?
Stearic acid will possibly make the soap firmer, but additives like sodium citrate, sodium lactate, sugar, or rosin can possibly increase the lather. Also, you can try the following as recommended by Modern Soapmaking’s blog post “Secret to the Best Soap Recipe”:
“- Using castor oil at 5% to 10% of your recipe. (Be forewarned, using more than 15% castor oil tends to make the bar sticky, tacky, and rubbery.)
– Adding or increasing oils that support lather, like almond oil, lard, tallow, cocoa butter, palm oil, shea butter, or sunflower oil
– Decreasing oils that do not contribute a lot to lather (or hinder it), like olive oil.”
Is there a reason why this would/could not be made into a bar soap? Also, the number of EO drops aren’t specific. I would like to use Juniper or fir and/or patchouli, can you please advise on the proper amounts of each to use? Thank you so much for sharing!
You can make these into solid bars, in which case you can omit the 1 tsp of Glycerin.
Ideally, IFRA guidelines should be followed regarding fragrance/essential oil usage; fragrance/essential oil load ranges depend on many factors including concentration, base make up, desired profile, Natural vs. Synthetic etc. Testing is a requisite for everyone to perform their own due diligence before committing to production, no matter the application. You can check the IFRA Standards of compliance on usage rates for specific product types. Essential oil usage can be particularly complicated, as each essential oil has its own guidelines that must be adhered to for compliance. For example, a 3% maximum usage rate of soaping oils in a cold process soaps is generally regraded as safe by cold process soapers, while melt and pour base soapers tend to recommend around 1 teaspoon (0.0.166667 oz.) per pound of melt and pour soap base for safety.
Based on Bulk Apothecary’s research, a usage rate of 1% to 1.5% of the total melt and pour base recipe is suggested by IFRA standards; in this recipe’s case, the maximum amount of essential oil (1.5% of the recipe’s volume/weight) that can be safely used in approximately 15.5 oz (this recipe’s total weight) is possibly 0.2325 oz.
Can a stick blender be used to blend in the clay and thoroughly smooth it out?
You can try it at a low speed.
How many drops of the essential oils do you put in?
Around 0.2325 oz. or approximately 3 drops.
What is the best preservative for this recipe?
A preservative is necessary for this product, since it does not contain water; however, if you would like to protect the formulation from possible water contamination due to usage, you can use the Germaben ii E or Optiphen Plus (Paraben and Formaldehyde Free).