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Beards may be fashionable these days, but personally, I've always been a clean-shaven kind of guy.
I already use an eco-friendly razor, but when I found out about some of the toxic ingredients in traditional shaving products, and the awful plastic packaging they use, I knew it was time to research the best natural shaving creams as well.
The problem was, none of my local stores stocked any!
So I set out to find the best natural alternatives to traditional shave cream, with sustainable packaging and certified organic ingredients, but still provide an ultra-close shave and are kind to sensitive skin.
After months of testing, I've whittled it down to four top recommendations that tick all the boxes...
✔ Made in the USA
✔ Organic Ingredients
✔ No Packaging - Zero Waste
Ingredients: Saponified oils of Sunflower*, Coconut*, Castor*, and Safflower*, Lemon Essential Oil, Lavandin Essential Oil, Eucalyptus Essential Oil, Bergamot Essential Oil, Lime Essential Oil, Bentonite Clay, Coconut Milk Powder, Cocoa Butter*, Shea Butter*, Avocado Oil*, Rosemary Extract.
*Organic
They Say: Say goodbye to itchy skin and bumps when you shave with our Organic Shaving Soaps, a delicious mix of citrus and lemon notes enriched with shea and cocoa butter. A foamy treat that also helps reduce plastic waste.
We Say: What I love about EcoRoots is they make loads of their own products.
This gives them complete control over ingredients, supply chain ethics, etc., and leads to some incredibly environmentally friendly creations. None more so than their organic shave soap.
Packed with sustainable and USDA-certified organic ingredients, this is my soap of choice when shaving. It’s so good that I even persuaded my dad to switch to it from the Pears soap he’d used for decades.
It produces a rich, creamy lather that allows your razor to effortlessly glide over any part of your body covered with hair.
There is no packaging, so you'll get a 100% plastic-free shave that is also Vegan and Cruelty-Free.
Use this soap with a good quality eco-friendly bowl and brush (more on this later), and you’ve got yourself a sustainable shaving cream that gets a firm seal of approval from me…and the old man!
✔ Natural, Plant-Based Ingredients
✔ Long Lasting
✔ Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Ingredients: Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium (Neroli) Flower Oil, Boswellia Serrata (Frankincense) Gum Resin Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Geraniol
*From essential oil
They Say: Olio E Osso Liscia Shave Oil is a protective, nutrient-dense shower oil for a cushioned shave and soft skin. Olio E Osso Liscia Shave Oil is a silky smooth operator!
We Say: Mrs. M loves this shave oil. She uses it to shave her legs in the shower and gets excellent results.
A little goes a long way due to the waterless oil-based formula.
A note of caution, though. Shaving with oil rather than traditional cream does not work for everyone.
Personally, I find it too oily and not protective enough when shaving my face. But I know others swear by it. If you prefer a more traditional product, then Burt's Bees Cooling Shave Cream is likely to be a better option for you.
✔ 99% Natural Ingredients
✔ No Parabens, Phthalates, Petrolatum, SLS
✔ Good for Sensitive Skin
Ingredients: water, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, stearic acid, glycerin, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, silica, sodium borate, glucose, cetyl alcohol, natural fragrance, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, caldndula officinalis flower extract, lonicera japonica (honeysuckle) flower extract, lonicera caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower extract, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, anthemis nobilis flower extract, tocopherol, surose stearate, xanthan gum, sodium phytate, alcohol, phenoxyethanol, limonene, linalool.
They Say: Get an ultra-smooth shave and a cool, refreshing finish from our soothing shave cream, formulated to go easy on your skin.
We Say: If, like me, your skin often feels hot and irritated after shaving, then this could be the product for you. Burts Bees claims that their natural shaving cream leaves behind a cooling sensation to make skin feel refreshed instead of hot.
I was skeptical as I've been burned before (pun intended). But I have to say I ended up being very pleasantly surprised.
After using this product every day for a week, I noticed a significant difference in the smoothness of my face, and a huge reduction in that dreaded burning sensation.
It's definitely one of the best shaving creams I've tested, and I was happy to see it contains no artificial fragrance. It even offers a similar level of razor glide that I get with my beloved Ecoroots shave soap.
The only downside is that, unlike the previous brands I recommended, the packaging isn't plastic-free, recycled, or biodegradable. This is an area in which I feel Burt's Bees can and should definitely improve.
It’s also a tad on the pricey side. Although the 6-oz tube should last you many months.
Ingredients: Sodium Palmate (Organic Palm Oil & Sodium Hydroxide), Sodium Cocoate (Organic Coconut Oil & Sodium Hydroxide), Water, Organic Glycerin, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Bergamot Oil, Sodium Citrate, Organic Vetivert Oil, Organic Aloe, Organic Sandalwood Oil, Organic Cardamom Oil, Organic Vanilla Extract, Organic Black Pepper Oil, Organic Myrrh Extract
They Say: Luxurious all natural lather improves razor glide for a smooth non-irritating shave leaving your skin soft and clean without residue or dryness.
We Say: Badger Organic Shaving Soap creates thick lather within seconds when I use my wet brush in circular motions. My razor glided smoothly across my skin without tugging or irritation.
Badger Organic Shaving Soap leaves my skin feeling soft after each shave. I've experienced none of the dryness or tightness I've had with some conventional shaving creams. My skin feels hydrated throughout the day without needing additional moisturizer.
The essential oil blend used by Badger smells light and pleasant without overwhelming my senses. I also love the versatility of Badger Organic Shaving Soap when traveling. I use it as body soap during camping trips when I need to pack light.
Badger manufactures this shave soap in New Hampshire using 100% solar power and uses zero plastic in its packaging. It was very close to being my overall winner, but the Ecoroots soap just edged it out thanks to its zingy lemon-and-lime scent.
To get the perfect lather and coverage from your eco-friendly soap/cream/gel of choice, you also need a decent brush and bowl.
The Men's Shaving Kit from KIKC offers a good balance of quality and value.
Shaving cream aids the shaving process in three key ways:
Most traditional shaving creams contain harsh chemicals (parabens, phthalates, SLS, etc.) that can dry your skin or lead to irritation.
It potentially gets even worse. Some shave creams have been linked with issues such as reduced sperm count.
Replacing your regular shave cream with a natural alternative, made with high-quality natural ingredients, can have many benefits, including:
My mother-in-law swears by natural shave cream to soothe sunburn. I get the thinking behind it; some shave creams contain some key ingredients that soothe skin.
However, by far the best skin care product I’ve ever used for sunburn is Badger Aloe Vera After Sun Gel.
In my opinion, safety razors and organic soap is the best environmentally shaving option.
I recommend a fantastic safety razor in my eco-friendly razor roundup.
PURE by Gillette is their most eco-friendly shaving cream offering. It’s more environmentally friendly than their standard creams & gels. However, there are still better options available for a sustainable shave.
Sugaring is a popular alternative to shaving, especially when trying to avoid razor burn and razor bumps in the more intimate/delicate areas.
When I started planning this article, I intended to distinguish between the best shaving cream for men and women.
However, as I got stuck into the testing, it became clear that both men and women can use most products.
Sure, some products are better for legs and the pubic area, and some are better for faces, but who am I to tell you what product you should use based on gender?
I’ve tried to cover why the products in this article made the cut and their intended use. I hope this helps you make an informed decision as to which option best suits your needs.
What I do know is…every product in this article has serious eco-credentials and gets the thumbs up from at least one member of the Miller household.
Where do you buy your eco-friendly shaving products? Have I missed your favorite brand? Do you have a killer DIY recipe for zero-waste shaving cream alternatives? Drop me a line and let me know.
Our core values mean we always prioritize sustainability over profit. We carefully evaluate and personally test every product to ensure they meet our high standards. All products recommended in this article were tested in accordance with our Review Methodology.
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