Natural DIY Shaving Gel || Easy Aloe Vera Gel Recipe

This diy aloe vera shaving gel takes just 3 ingredients to make. It will give you a nice smooth shave, and leave your skin feeling soft and supple. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll never go back to store-bought shaving cream again.

The main purpose of shaving gel is to eliminate skin irritation that can be caused by the use of a razor. It helps the razor you use to shave effortlessly glide across the skin, removing unwanted hair as it goes.

If you want your shaving routine to be free of the unnecessary harmful ingredients that are often found in commercially produced products, than you will need to explore natural alternatives to them.

For me, making my own homemade shaving gel is the most sensible way to achieve this goal. And the recipe I’m sharing with you today is simple, free of harmful chemicals, and effective.

Sounds perfect, right?!?! That’s because it really is!

Why You Should Make Your Own Shaving Gel

Commercial shaving products, like all other commercially produced products, are made for profit. The health and safety of the consumer is not the top priority of the companies that make them.

The skin is the largest organ in the body. It covers the entire external surface of the body. And yet, it is still often viewed as some sort of barrier that prevents harmful elements from entering the body.

The fact is, skin absorbs most things it comes in contact with quite readily. And that alone is reason enough to avoid synthetic skincare products. Using body products that are made from natural ingredients is the best option, in my opinion.

Natural products made in your own home can be customized to suit your own personal needs and preferences. They are less expensive than mass produced products, and you can control the quality of the ingredients that go in them.

Ingredients Needed To Make DIY Aloe Vera Shaving Gel

There are many recipes out there for homemade shaving cream. And I’m sure some of them are quite good. The recipe provided in this post is designed be beneficial to the skin, without requiring too many ingredients.

It uses just 3 easily accessible ingredients. And one of them is optional. It is basic diy natural skin care at it’s very best.

Here’s a list of the ingredients you’ll need to make it …

• ALOE VERA GEL -Aloe vera gel provides many skin benefits. It is known to help alleviate dry, itchy skin. It encourages skin to retain moisture and has soothing properties. It is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties.
• SWEET ALMOND OIL – Sweet almond oil has been used to treat dry skin conditions for hundreds of year. It is an emollient, which means that it reduces water loss from skin. Thereby encouraging it to retain moisture. It also has antibacterial properties.
• LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL – Lavender oil soothes and calms the skin. It reduces redness and irritation. And it has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties.

Aloe vera gel and sweet almond oil are the two ingredients in this recipe that it cannot be made without. Lavender essential oil adds additional beneficial properties to the mix. 

And it adds a pleasant scent that is very nice to have in your gel. But you can make an effective recipe without it. 

Choosing Aloe Vera For This Recipe

The very best option, as far as purity is concerned, is to use aloe straight from the plant itself. The problem with that option is two-fold. The first issue is supply.

Aloe vera plant stalks are not always available for purchase in many places. And growing enough aloe plants, to harvest your own aloe vera gel, to make your own beauty products is not really a reasonable venture for the average person.

The second issue with using fresh aloe vera is that it’s shelf life is extremely short. It will last just 24 hours when not refrigerated. And your lucky if it lasts a full week in the refrigerator.

I purchase my aloe vera gel in the store. The purest I have been able to find it is 99%. If you are purchasing your gel from a store as well, take the time to research the extra ingredients it contains.

The inexpensive brands that are found in discount stores have a lot of extra ingredients in them. In the end, they are not much better for you than commercially produced shaving cream. 

How To Make DIY Aloe Vera Shaving Gel

It takes just minutes to make your own shaving gel, and it goes a long way. Personally, I make small batches at a time. But you can make a large batch if you like.

It will store for quite some time. It’s made of all shelf stable oils. But, if you get water or bacteria in the batch it will go bad on you. And believe me, it’s pretty easy to contaminate a batch when you’re using it in the shower.

The measurements that are provided in the recipe below are for a one cup batch. It’s a pretty reasonable amount for most people. 

The truth is, the recipe is nothing more than a mixture of equal parts aloe gel and sweet almond oil, with a few drops of lavender oil added if you like. It’s that simple. That’s why I mix it as needed to shave my legs.

Substituting Oils In This Recipe

You can use just about any oil that you have on hand to make this recipe. Fractionated coconut oil works really well. Be sure that you use the fractionated form of coconut oil though.

Regular coconut oil will solidify in your pipes over time and cause a plumbing issue. Olive oil and jojoba oil are also good choices. Avoid things like castor oil, as it’s too thick and will clog up your razor.

Full disclosure, I’ve grabbed cooking oil from the kitchen cupboard in a pinch and still had a great shaving experience. Don’t make using cheap, low-grade oil a practice as it’s not a great choice from a health standpoint.

But, if you find yourself with no other options … I say, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!

How To Use DIY Aloe Vera Shaving Gel

Using diy aloe vera shaving gel is really no different than using any other shaving gel. Simply apply it to wet skin and shave as you normally would.

If you’ve premade a large batch of shaving gel, you may need to reblend the ingredients before you apply it to your skin. They tend to separate some over time.

And, as mentioned earlier, be careful not to allow your natural shaving gel to come in contact with water or any other substance really. Keep it as pure as possible. The best way keep it from becoming contaminated is to put it in a pump bottle. 

If you have sensitive skin or are prone to razor burn you’re going to find that this method of hair removal is a pretty stellar option for you. It is great for all skin types.

And, dare I say … I even find that it results in a closer shave! 

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If you try this recipe and love it, please give it 5 stars! It supports my work more than you may realize, and I appreciate that a great deal!

You can also show your support by tagging me on Facebook @sustainableslowliving and/or Instagram @slowlivingbydianegail when you post a pic of your finished shaving gel.