7 Shaving Soap Bars for a Smooth, Sustainable Shave
Looking to ditch your chemical-filled aerosol can in favor of a bar soap? But you’re not sure if they’re any good for shaving?
We’ll, let us put your doubts to rest.
A shaving soap bar can absolutely create a lush lather and help you achieve the smoothest of shaves—without all the toxic compounds and non-recyclable packaging.
These shaving soap bar brands (which we spotlight in our below below) are using natural and organic ingredients to get rid of that 5 o’clock shadow.
But for those of us that are ready to take zero waste shaving cream to the next level, we also worked up a lather by sharing a DIY shaving soap recipe.
We also provide some tips below for how to use these products in conjunction with your zero waste razor, too.
*This post contains affiliate links
QUICK LINKS FOR SHAVING SOAP BARS
1. ECOROOTS
*Note: Most products offered by EcoRoots are palm oil free.
EcoRoots’s Organic Shaving Soap Bar
Say goodbye to prickly skin, packaging, and unpronounceable ingredients with the organic shaving bar from EcoRoots.
It’s handmade in the USA with USDA-certified organic coconut oil, avocado oil, and essential oils, along with other natural and organic ingredients that come together in a rich lather.
You can incorporate the organic bar shaving soap as part of a zero waste kit that also includes one of EcoRoots’ rose gold safety razors.
About EcoRoots
EcoRoots’ business ethos is rooted in zero waste practices.
From skin and hair care products to beauty essentials and items for around the kitchen, this ethical online shopping center does it all—without plastic.
In addition to putting the ‘eco’ in eco-friendly packaging, they feature products that are always cruelty-free, mostly palm oil-free, SLS-free, non-toxic, and mostly organic.
All EcoRoots proprietary zero waste products (like their hand soaps) are vegan, but they do retail some products from other brands containing organic beeswax.
The Colorado brand is a contributing member of 1% for the Planet that supports organizations like Ocean Conservancy.
2. BROOKLYN MADE NATURAL
*Note: These bars contain lanolin and are thus not vegan.
Brooklyn Made Natural’s Zero Waste Shaving Soap Bar
Brooklyn Made Natural makes shaving… well, natural.
The shaving cream bar soap utilizes bentonite clay as the magical ingredient—as it exfoliates, detoxifies, balances, and calms the skin.
Lanolin (animal-derived) provides extra moisture and makes for a richer lather.
The pine and cedarwood combine to make an intoxicating woodsy scent loved by both men and women. These scents are 100% pure essential oil-derived.
This organic shave soap comes with a reusable tin and with an optional 100% biodegradable beechwood and boar hair shaving brush.
About Brooklyn Made Natural
With products like natural loofah alternatives and zero waste dish soap holders, Brooklyn Made Natural helps us clean everything more mindfully.
The sister-operated Etsy shop started making natural products in their Brooklyn apartment.
Now they’re in Los Angeles but their cruelty-free, zero waste skin care products still remain all-natural (some 100% organic).
They are free of palm oil, synthetic fragrances, and other chemicals.
Everything is shipped from California in 100% plastic-free packaging (carbon offset if ordered through etsy, too).
Available: Etsy
3. ETEE
*Note: etee’s shaving soaps are vegan and palm oil free but they are not a 100% vegan company, and last we knew, they still used palm oil in some products but were looking for more sustainable options.
etee’s Organic Shaving Bar
Check out etee for a plant-powered, frothy foam shave in Black Forest and Lavender scents.
With 85% organic ingredients, you’ll have Mother Earth to thank for moisturized skin.
You won’t have to thank any animals, because the shaving bar soap is 100% vegan and cruelty-free.
There are also no harsh chemicals, parabens, sulphates, or aerosols.
About etee
etee is one of our favorite zero waste online stores.
Whether you need cruelty free toothpaste, eco friendly shampoo, zero waste laundry detergent, or an eco friendly gift, they can meet your needs to a T(ee).
A disastrous kayaking trip is the fortunate event that put this brand on the map.
While they started with beeswax wraps, the Canadian company now has a massive range of handmade goodies—produced in an HQ powered by renewable energy, no less.
You’ll never find plastic in an etee product, but you will find mostly organic ingredients. It’s estimated that their products have prevented at least 100 million single-use plastic items from being manufactured.
Available: etee
4. KATIE MAE NATURALS
*Note: Some bars contain beeswax but there is a vegan option.
Katie Mae Natural’s Natural Shaving Soap Bar
Katie Mae Naturals offers three bar soaps for shaving.
There’s a vegan Orange Vanilla soap that uses animal-free shea butter and kaolin clay for a silky lather and smooth shave.
The other two (Patchouli or Lavender and Cedarwood) contain beeswax combined with organic oils and butters. They cleanse well and have a deeply nourishing creaminess but are not vegan.
If you make a purchase, you’ll join more than 14,000 other raving Katie Mae customers.
Here’s just one shaving soap review: “The razor slides on the skin like butter. It’s so perfect I just ordered 4 more.”
About Katie Mae Naturals
Katie Mae wants to do away with plastic and the 160 chemicals most women expose themselves to through beauty products daily.
The brand’s eco friendly lineup includes zero waste shampoo, deodorant, lotion, zero waste sunscreen, and more.
Ticking almost all the boxes (depending on how crucial being strictly vegan is to you), every item is free of cruelty, synthetic fragrances, parabens, preservatives, phthalates, dyes, fillers, sulfates, and palm oil.
The products are handmade by Katie Mae and her husband on their family’s 100-acre farm. Ingredients come from either their own garden, local suppliers, or Fair Trade sources.
Everything is shipped in recycled and biodegradable or compostable materials, and even the labels are printed on recycled paper. They’re doing a lot more to go green, too!
Available: Etsy
5. ETHIQUE
Ethique’s Zero Waste Shaving Bar
The only thing better than a zero waste men’s shaving soap bar is one that also doubles as a shampoo.
Ta-da!
Presenting: Ethique’s Tip to Toe, the do-it-all shampoo and shave bar.
Made with plant-based ingredients like kaolin clay, cocoa butter, lime, and mint oils, the ingredients work together to create a soft and rich lather that lifts hairs for a close shave.
It’s also vegan, not tested on animals, certified palm oil-free, and saves 2,750 mL of water.
The only thing it can’t do is actually shave a face (though Ethique will probably figure that one out, too).
About Ethique
Ethique is the Certified B Corp and Carbon Neutral company that’s prevented more than 11 million plastic bottles from being manufactured since 2012.
Check out their range of not just adult shampoo, but organic baby shampoo, organic body wash, eco friendly laundry detergent, and other zero waste cleaning supplies.
Everything comes as a plastic-free bar, including the zero waste deodorant.
Aside from their two operating locations (in New Zealand and the US), they have a positive presence worldwide—especially since 2% of their sales are donated to charity.
Available: Ethique | Amazon | Holland & Barrett (UK) | Nourished Life (AU)
6. MIEL BOTANICALS
Miel Botanicals’ Handmade Shave Soap
Ever heard of a shaving soap bar that sounds so good you want to drink it?
With Miel Botanicals’ handmade Craft Beer Shave Soap, now you have!
It’s handmade in Scotland with artisan craft beer from a local Scottish microbrewery. Combine that with shea butter, kaolin clay, and essential oils for a fresh and herb-a-licious shave.
These ingredients have been carefully chosen for their suitability for sensitive skin. If reddened skin or a rash is your post-shave norm, this one will help keep skin feeling smooth and soothed.
If a beer-y good shave isn’t your cup of tea, there’s also a Prosecco & Rose Shave Soap and an unscented version.
Aside from the convenient reusable tin these bars come in, you can also get them in a kit that includes a safety razor and a vegan shaving brush.
About Miel Botanicals
UK’s Miel Botanical makes award-winning shaving soaps for men and women.
They want to bring back the joy of traditional shaving and are using locally-sourced ingredients and slow, traditional techniques to make their shave products and preserve all of their natural goodness.
Everything is free of animal products, chemical nasties, and palm oil.
Available: Etsy
7. FORMULARY 55
*Note: These shaving soap bars contains RSPO-certified palm oil.
Formulary 55’s Vegan Shaving Soap Bar
Formulary 55 provides a shave that’s fresh, invigorating, and herbal—without parabens, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, and artificial colors or dyes.
Green clay and coconut milk provide a creamy lather, and the sustainable shaving soap bar can also be used as a bath bar.
It’s green and clean but does contain RSPO-certified palm oil.
It comes in a handy round tin that can be used as a shaving cup then reused when empty.
About Formulary 55
Formulary 55 makes modern botanicals for bath, body, and home.
Everything the Seattle, Washington-based company stocks is 100% certified cruelty-free and vegan.
Their products are made in the USA with organic ingredients and shipped with recycled/recyclable materials.
Available: EarthHero
DIY SHAVING SOAP BAR
Ready to take that sustainable shave to the next level?
Try using a shaving soap bar that you’ve made yourself!
We’ll leave the shaving bar soap recipe to Wellness Mama, because they explain it better than us.
However, we will tell you that it can be made with ingredients you probably already have around the house: aloe vera gel, castile soap, olive oil, water, vitamin E, and essential oils.
Alternatively, if your apothecary cupboard is stocked, blend natural soap, almond oil, and white, french, or kaolin clay for an exfoliating shaving soap bar.
Watch this video for the tutorial.
HOW TO SHAVE WITH BAR SOAP AND CARING FOR YOUR SHAVING SOAP BAR
How is shaving possible without the aerosol can?
What does the process of shaving with bar soap look like?
Here’s a step-by-shave guide:
- Shave in the shower or immediately after a shower. You want your skin warm and clean because it will make for a smoother shave.
- Use your hand or a shaving brush to work the soap into a lather. The foamier, the better. If you’re having trouble, soak the soap and brush in warm water for several minutes. This will soften the bristles of the brush and make the soap easier to work into a lather.
- Spin the brush around so that it’s adequately covered with soap (or do the same with your hands). You should see soap cling to the brush bristles.
- Create a thin lather, visible as a light coat covering your skin. You want to do this quickly so that it locks in moisture before moving onto the next step.
- Once the first coat is layered on, add a thicker layer to protect your skin and make the shaving process easier.
- Begin to shave. If using a safety razor as you hopefully are, be sure to use light strokes and let the weight of the razor head do all the work. For faces and pubic regions, shave with the grain of the hair—this way you won’t get razor burn or nicks.
- If you’re asking, should I use a shaving soap bar on my legs, you should. If you’re shaving your body or legs, just be sure to shave against the grain to get a smoother shave.
- Keep skin wet the entire time and rinse your razor regularly. You’ll want to learn how to clean a safety razor properly at the end of your shave.
How to store a shaving soap bar?
For a longer life, don’t store it wet or leave it covered with hair or other residues.
After you’ve removed any particles or hair, dry the bar before returning it to its container. Otherwise, it gets mushy.
To do so, take an upcycled metal lid from a glass jar, wrap some rubber bands around it, and rest the soap on top. Just be sure it doesn’t come into contact with the metal.
Alternatively, a soap dish can be used.
HOW WE FOUND THESE SHAVING SOAP BAR BRANDS
Our ethical beauty criteria helps us shave sustainably.
- Non-toxic natural & organic ingredients: This is especially important because chemicals usually found in shaving creams don’t dissolve and can contaminate waterways and harm ecosystems.
- Vegan (or ethically-sourced animal products like beeswax)
- Palm oil-free: If not totally absent palm oil and its derivatives, we consider RSPO-certified palm oil though it’s not as ideal.
- Ethical ingredient sourcing policies
- Thoughtful packaging: We look for recyclable, at the very least, but zero waste is much better. Especially considering that aerosol cans and containers are often not recyclable.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON SHAVING SOAP BARS
Let’s s(h)ave the planet!
Silky smooth cheeks or legs are nice, but not when they sacrifice the health of our home.
You don’t have to go au natural or embrace an epic beard to be eco friendly. A simple zero waste bathroom swap to a shaving soap bar will do the trick!
In fact, it’s small changes like this (and these other 50 zero waste tips) that can have a significant impact.
The situation with our quickly warming planet may be getting hairy, but together we can cool it off. So if you know anyone still stuck on the shaving cream or (gasp!) disposable razors, share this article with them.
