How to Make a Shaving Soap Base

Making your own soap and skincare products at home gives you control over the ingredients you use on your body. In addition to soap bars and bubble bath, you can make your own shaving foam or shaving soap base. The ingredients you use for shaving soap don't differ greatly from many other soap bases and you can completely customize the soap base to deliver a truly beneficial and soothing shave.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2 cup palm kernel oil
• 2 cups aloe vera gel
• 6 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 cup distilled water
• 2 tbsp borax
• 6 tbsp kaolin clay
• 3 tbsp vegetable glycerin
• Glass bowl
• Mixer
• 6 drops menthol oil
• 6 drops preservative
• Large bowl with lid

Instructions

1. Pour all of the ingredients, except the menthol oil and preservative, into a glass bowl and mix them with a hand mixer for about two minutes. Oil and water don't ordinarily mix well, however, the addition of borax for improving the lather also creates an emulsifying action to bind the water and oil.

2. Microwave the bowl on high for about three minutes.

3. Use the hand mixer to beat the mixture on high for five continuous minutes. This allows the mixture to cool and foam up as you mix it.

4. Add the menthol oil and preservative to the foamed mixture. The menthol provides a slight cooling sensation and the preservative keeps the formula stable and long-lasting. Such preservatives include sodium lactate, but the borax acts as a slight preservative as well.

5. Beat the mixture on high for an additional five minutes.

6. Pour the foamy mix into a storage bowl and let it further cool, uncovered, for about an hour. Add essential and fragrant oils as desired for immediate use.

Tips & Warnings

• Lavender, sandalwood and cedar essential oils make soothing and fragrant additions to shaving soap base.

References

• Soap Making Resource: Complete Soap Making Resource Site