Life Hackery

Shaving cream has now become a luxury item as the prices of commodities continue to skyrocket. It’s even more frustrating when shaving cream suddenly runs out, and you don’t know what to use as an alternative. Men have shaved their beards long before commercial shaving creams existed, so why can’t you do without it? The following are the top 10 alternatives to shaving cream that may just leave you with the most perfect shave you’ve ever had.

1. Soap: Shaving cream may not always be available in your house, but soap is. A bar of soap lasts longer than a can of shaving cream. Many people are forced to use soap when shaving cream runs out only to find out the results are surprisingly much better. Glycerin soap is one of the best alternatives to shaving cream. It can make even cheap razors glide well, and may even help them clean better and last longer.

2. Hair Conditioner: Hair conditioner alters the texture and appearance of all kinds of human hair: the hair on your scalp, facial hair, and body hair. It softens your hair and skin, so why can’t you use it to shave? Once you have tried it, you may not even think of using shaving cream ever again.

3. Shampoo: Most shampoo formulas are smooth enough to use as shaving cream. Shampoo will not only lather your face, it will also thoroughly get rid of pollutants on it. Just form a foam of shampoo on your face and shave away. Women can even use shampoo when shaving their legs or washing their face, since it removes makeup without stinging the eyes.

4. Baby Oil: Tired of nicks and bleeding all over your face after each shave? Use baby oil. It acts as a shield and protects your face from nicks and irritation when used as shaving cream. The blade may not glide smoothly over baby oil, but you’ll finish shaving without a drop of blood on your face. Another drawback is that it may gunk up the razor, so removing hair from it is more difficult. You don’t need to apply any lotion or cream after you’re done shaving with baby oil, because you’ll find that your face is already sufficiently smooth and lubricated.

5. Hand or Body Lotion: If you think about it, lotion has all the properties of shaving cream. It is smooth, easy to apply, fragrant, and it moisturizes skin. In many cases, lotion may even work better than shaving cream. If you have a large bottle of lotion in your house, you don’t have to spend for shaving cream for a long while.

6. Sweet almond oil: Massage therapists have traditionally used sweet almond oil to lubricate skin during massage sessions. Sweet almond oil is obtained from the dried kernel of the almond plant. It’s considered by many to be an effective emollient. You can use it as an alternative to shaving cream for a fraction of the cost. If you don’t have almond oil in your house, you can try using olive oil since it has similar properties.

7. Apricot oil: Use apricot oil if you want something cheaper than almond oil. Apricot oil is widely used in manufacturing creams, soaps, and perfumes. It can also be applied to the scalp to improve its condition. You can use plain apricot oil as shaving cream, but adding a few tablespoons of Jojoba oil and a few drops of lavender will improve its scent. This homemade shaving cream combats irritation and also leaves your face with a soothing sensation.

8. Shea butter: Shea butter is widely used as an emollient and moisturizer in the cosmetics industry. It’s also edible, used in West Africa as cooking oil, and in the chocolate industry as a substitute for cocoa butter. Shea butter reduces the shearing force between the blade and the skin when used as shaving cream. This results in a smoother, closer, and less traumatic shave. You also don’t need to apply creams and lotions after shaving because the butter nourishes and moisturizes the shaved area.

9. Dishwashing liquid: You typically use dishwashing liquid to make your dishes squeaky clean, but you can also do the same to your face. Dishwashing liquid is a highly foaming mixture with low skin irritation. If you’re in a hurry and you can’t find a soap or a bottle of hair conditioner around, get your hands on the dishwashing liquid and shave away.

10. Peanut Butter: Barry Goldwater, a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party’s nominee for President in the 1964 election, wrote in his book, “If you don’t mind smelling like peanut butter for two or three days, peanut butter is darn good shaving cream.” According to numerous testimonials online, it works. One guy even tried it on YouTube, and although his brand of peanut butter was too thick at first, it eventually got thinner and smoother when mixed with water. His conclusion at the end of the experiment was that it “can” work. Another person who tried it claimed that it’s much better than shaving foam.

Whatever you do, remember to lock the door in the bathroom when you’re shaving with any of these alternatives. After all, you don’t want someone to walk in while you’re spreading peanut butter on your chin in front of the mirror.