Homemade family Christmas gifts ideas

How to make homemade shaving cream with coconut oil and shea butter that smells of a delicious rosemary-mint pairing. Great for personalized Christmas gifts or just to pamper yourself.

Around the same time that I started washing my face daily with the Ginger Coconut Oil Body Scrub I had concocted in the kitchen, I also had the revelation that post body scrubbing, you could shave your legs without using shaving cream. Shaving cream and I are lifelong enemies. I have to buy some pretty expensive slathering lotion for it to do its job without leaving me looking like I had a run-in with a barbed wire fence, and I, frankly, am complaining about it. Shortly thereafter, my husband, who sports a perpetual 5 o’clock shadow (you don’t believe me, just click, click, and click), was distraught when said expensive shave cream ran out, leaving him standing in the shower, the water streaming down with nothing but bar soap and a dull razor to do the job. Despite his relaxed work wear and general lack of requirement for such things as a smooth face, he was in desperate need to keep up appearances (or something), which prompted me to tell him to use the scrub instead, simply rinsing off the “scrubbers” before shaving.

It was this singular event that led him to request a non-scrub shaving cream be born of the kitchen, one that he could rub on, shave off, and would leave him feeling refreshed with a smooth, razor-burn–free face. Like most things he asks for, I took my time in making it happen, but eventually, I gave in and produced such a product that now sits on the shelf next to my jar of sugar scrub.
While we use the shaving cream here, it would also make a great gift for that special someone in your life, be it your significant other, your dad, or anyone else in need of some pampering. Paired with a jar of sugar scrub, a loofah or natural sea sponge, and a facial brush, you have an easy homemade spa ready for gifting this holiday season.
Notes:

• I’ve found this works great for sensitive skin. Still, you should ALWAYS test out a small area before applying to larger areas. You may be sensitive to different oils (both essential oils and non), and you want to know before going ahead with a large application. This oil cream allows you a layer of protection from the razor as you shave, and it reduces razor burn for us, even with a dull razor.
• Unlike a traditional shaving cream, this contains no soap. Soap dries skin out, while oils will moisturize and create a protective layer over your skin as you shave. If you’ve ever used conditioner, a lotion-based cream like Trader Joe’s or Pacific Shaving Company, or coconut/baby oil to shave it’s a similar feeling. The cream will melt a bit on your skin as you apply it. This is okay. Just make a thin layer of the oil and shave as usual.
• To clean the razor off, I swish it in a cup of warm water (you can add a drop or two of castile soap if you want) between strokes. When I’m finished, I let it soak in the cup for a few seconds, give it a swish, and then hang it up as usual. I wipe the collected oil from the cup with a small square of paper and discard in the trash.
• Post shave you don’t need to clean your face if you don’t want to. All of the oils and butters in here work as natural conditioners. However, you do want to rub off the excess. Using the same method as removing the coconut oil scrub, just use a warm, wet wash cloth and rinse the skin by pressing firmly. Alternatively, you could use a light face soap or body wash post-shave, if you prefer.
• You can use both refined or unrefined coconut oil. The unrefined version will have a more coconut smell to it. The important distinction here is between coconut oil and fractionated coconut oil. Coconut oil should be a solid at temperatures below 74º F. Fractionated coconut oil is a liquid, and that is not what we want. We want a solid that will make this nice and whippable.
• The jars in the two higher photos are from Weck Canning. The jar in the bottom photo is a Fido jar.

1/3 cup shea butter (72.67 grams)
1/3 cup virgin coconut oil (72.05 grams)
1/4 cup jojoba or sweet almond oil (54.88 grams)
10 drops rosemary essential oil
3-5 drops peppermint essential oil

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the shea butter and coconut oil, stirring until just melted. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heat-safe bowl. Add in the jojoba oil and the essential oils. Stir to mix.

Place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill until solid. Remove from the refrigerator and whip using a hand beater or a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Spoon into a jar. Lid and keep in a cool, dry place.

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