9 Zero Waste Shaving Creams Giving You The Most Eco-Conscious Shave
We love a close shave as much as anyone.
But we’re cutting it pretty close every time we use non-recyclable, chemical-filled aerosol cans.
Let’s cut those out and glide over to a zero waste shaving cream that contains recognizable ingredients and uses compostable or plantable paper for packaging.
Take etee’s zero waste shave bars. They’re made with 85% organic ingredients, preventing razor burn and promoting the repair of damaged skin.
The zero waste shaving soap from Zero Waste MVMT takes zero waste to the next level with its plantable seed paper.
Lusitania Soaps’ high-lather formula is packed full of ingredients to support nourished, healthy skin.
S(h)ave some time on your hunt for shaving creams by checking out our close-shave criteria at the end of the article, or watch our video below for a couple of brands we love.
*This post contains affiliate links
QUICK LINKS FOR THE BEST ZERO WASTE SHAVING CREAM
1. 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.
About etee’s Organic Shaving Bar
Creams are fun but have you tried shaving soap bars?
etee’s zero waste shave bar is packed with 85% organic ingredients, like coconut and castor oils, cocoa butter, and bentonite clay.
Everything is plant-based, vegan, and free of harsh chemicals, sulfates, and parabens.
Instead, naturally moisturizing ingredients tackle stubble and leave you smelling like lavender or black spruce and cedarwood (from essential oils).
etee’s Ethical and Sustainability Practises
Reusable beeswax wraps were etee’s first product, and they’ve since tackled other plastic-free home and personal care products, from vegan toothpaste to eco friendly shampoo and conditioner.
etee and their customers have prevented more than 100 million single-use plastics from being produced.
Their goods are made in a Toronto-based factory that runs on renewable energy and they regularly support organizations like Hue Man Race.
Available: etee
2. ECOROOTS
*Note: Most products offered by EcoRoots are palm oil free.
About EcoRoots’ Zero Waste Shaving Soap
EcoRoots’ organic shaving soap is full of ingredients like organic oils, organic coconut milk, and essential oils.
How does the zero waste shaving soap stand up to shaving cream?
Some reviews claim that it’s better than shaving cream as it leaves a slick layer for a razor to glide over, causing less irritation and bumps.
Pair it with one of their zero waste razors or zero waste shaving kits and you’ve got the greenest means to mend that 5 o’clock shadow.
EcoRoots’ Ethical and Sustainability Practises
EcoRoots is one of our favorite sustainable stores and they have an impressive range of plastic free home and beauty essentials, all made in the USA.
You won’t find the likes of SLS or parabens and most products are palm oil free and organic.
You may see organic beeswax, but most products are vegan and everything is cruelty free.
As a member of 1% for the Planet, 1% of all sales are donated to environmental nonprofits like Ocean Conservancy.
3. JUNGLE CULTURE
About Jungle Culture’s Sustainable Shave Soaps
Handmade in Vietnam with locally sourced ingredients, Jungle Culture’s sustainable shave soaps are an effective alternative to conventional gel and foam.
The cooling mint extract and soothing aloe vera will surely turn your shave into a therapeutic self-care routine.
They’re 100% natural, vegan, free of palm oil, and last up to two years—making them the best zero waste shaving cream for those on a budget.
With everything needed for your daily shave, they offer plastic-free razors, too.
Jungle Culture’s Ethical and Sustainability Practises
UK-based Jungle Culture has a lot of low-impact, eco-friendly soaps, candles, bowls, and on-the-go essentials.
Elegantly designed they’d fit the bill as a zero waste gift.
And as a zero waste online store, they obviously use plastic-free packaging. They also make annual contributions to 1% for the Planet.
Available: Jungle Culture
4. RIGHT SOAP
*Note: Right Soap uses sustainably-sourced palm oil.
About Right Soap’s Vegan Zero Waste Shaving Soap
All of Right Soap’s shaving soaps for men and women are vegan, unscented, non-GMO, and natural.
The difference between the women’s shaving soap and the men’s shaving soap is the clay. The women’s has medicinal-grade French Pink Clay, while the men’s is made with bentonite clay.
The latter is more potent and known for its detoxing properties.
Both are moisturizing, allow the razor to glide, produce a dense lather, and are designed to reduce itchy skin, red bumps, and razor burn.
They do include sustainable palm oil in addition to other plant oils.
Right Soap’s Ethical and Sustainability Practises
All Right Soap products are handmade in small, quality-controlled batches in the owner’s Florida home.
Available: Etsy
5. SAVON DILIGENCES SOAP
*Note: Savon Diligences’ zero waste shave soap contains beeswax.
About Savon Diligences Soap’s Natural Handcrafted Shaving Soap
Appropriately named The Barber, Savon Diligences has one of the most all-encompassing zero waste shave bars around.
It’s made with natural, non-GMO, mostly-organic ingredients (and love)—all of which are biodegradable, palm-oil free, and cruelty free.
It does include beeswax, however.
Moisturizing aside, tea tree and thyme essential oils (in safe, less than 2% concentrations) provide the antibacterial and antiseptic properties.
For that reason, The Barber is also ideal for women who have just given birth for use in sitz baths. It can even be used instead of medicated shampoo.
Savon Diligences Soap’s Ethical and Sustainability Practises
Since 2005, the Quebec-based shop has been making natural skincare and body products like soaps, natural deodorants, and shampoos and conditioners.
They also make zero waste dish soaps, too.
Every product has a clever name and a cute story.
The ingredients are sourced from transparent, ethical suppliers. The shea butter, for instance, comes from a fair trade women-led Malinese business.
Available: Etsy
6. LUSITANIA SOAPS
About Lusitania Soaps’ Vegan Shaving Soap
As one of the best zero waste shaving creams, the 100% natural shaving soap from Lusitania Soaps keeps it old school with a brush.
It’s free of tallow, chemicals, and synthetics like parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.
Instead, it’s formulated with vegan, plant-based oils that soothe and support skin with antioxidants and vitamins.
Two unisex aromas are available, both derived from essential oils: Terra Firma (Pine, Nutmeg, and Patchouli) and Wild Flower (Lavender, Clary Sage, Palmarosa, and Vetiver).
It’s housed in a metal container that’s easily recycled or reusable.
If you have sensitive skin you can pair the zero waste shaving cream with their moisturizing hair and beard oil.
Lusitania Soaps’ Ethical and Sustainability Practises
Inspired by the founder’s grandparents who “were self-sufficient in a way that would make many modern people envious,”.
Lusitania Soaps takes pride in creating products that are pure, honest, free of fragrances, toxic chemicals, and animal testing.
At every stage of production, they aim to minimize waste and water consumption. They compost everything they can and make their own simple, natural cleaning products.
Their shipping is 100% sustainable packaging, such as paper tape, geami paper bottle protectors, and crinkle paper filler.
If you live in New Jersey, where the brand is based, cut down on the impact of shipping (even though it’s offset) by picking up your order.
Available: Etsy | Lusitania Soaps
7. BADGER
*Note: The shavings soaps are vegan but not all Badger products are. We aren’t sure of their palm oil sourcing policies so will be confirming directly with the brand.
About Badger’s Men’s Shave Soap
Badger’s organic shaving soap will give you a bump-free shave, because of the low furocoumarin bergamot, a non-photosensitizing essential oil that reduces redness and irritation.
The formulation is USDA certified organic and free of fragrances, chemicals, phthalates, and gluten, but it is not palm oil free. It contains organic palm oil but we aren’t sure if it is RSPO-certified.
It comes packaged in a recyclable cardboard box.
Badger’s Ethical and Sustainability Practises
Badger is a family-owned and operated Certified B Corp based in New Hampshire.
Their workplace ethics set a high bar with the likes of maternity and paternity leave and a program that allows parents to bring a baby to work for the first 6 months.
10% of their pre-tax profits are donated to organizations that support children.
While not all plastic free, Badger is working towards this goal across their entire range of products.
Available: EarthHero
8. ZERO WASTE MVMT
*Note: The shaving soap is palm oil free but other products appear to contain common palm oil derivatives.
About Zero Waste MVMT’s Organic Shave Bar
Do you enjoy a rich lather?
Then the moisturizing shave bar from Zero Waste MVMT is made for you. It’s formulated with natural plant oils and Yellow French Clay to tone and cleanse the skin.
It’s vegan and free of palm oil but does contain some aroma (a.k.a. artificial fragrance).
And MVMT top off this zero waste organic shave bar with a plantable wildflower seed paper label.
They also sell a zero waste shaving bundle, single blade safety razor, and glass-bottled aftershave moisturizing oil.
Zero Waste MVMT’s Ethical and Sustainability Practises
All products from Zero Waste MVMT are made with love in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Everything is sent plastic-free and in recycled cardboard boxes and with each purchase you make a tree is planted, courtesy of MVMT.
Available: Etsy
9. FAT AND THE MOON
*Note: Fat and the Moon’s zero waste shaving cream contains ethically sourced beeswax.
About Fat and the Moon’s Zero Waste Shaving Soap
Fat and the Moon’s Olive + Shay Shave Cream is specially formulated to foam nicely and provide a smooth shave—without parabens, phthalates, and sulfates.
Olive oil, shea butter, and aloe vera keep your skin soft and moist while rhassoul clay improves the glide of the razor to reduce nicks and cuts.
While it does contain beeswax, it is cruelty free and never tested on animals.
Designed to be ultra concentrated “a little goes a long way” and one jar will last you many shaves.
Abut Fat and the Moon
Woman-owned Fat and the Moon specialized in handcrafted zero waste skincare products such as zero waste deodorant, makeup, and more.
Everything is made to order to ensure freshness out of non-toxic and ethically sourced ingredients.
Most products, like the shave cream, is packaged in reusable glass jars and all come shipped in recycled and recyclable packaging.
Available: EarthHero
DIY ZERO WASTE SHAVING CREAM
Much like learning how to clean your safety razor, one of the best ways to steer clear of harmful ingredients (think: phthalates, parabens, sulfates, and formaldehyde) is to take matters into your own hands.
à la DIY beauty products.
There’s no better zero waste shaving cream than one that comes from your kitchen.
Fortunately, making a DIY shave butter, like this one, is easy.
With a few ingredients, a mixer, stove, saucepan, mason jar, and patience to wait for the oil to cool, you’ll have yourself a homemade shaving cream in just over an hour.
Their zero waste shaving cream recipe requires the following ingredients:
- Mango butter: a moisturizer that makes the shaving cream, well, creamy
- Coconut oil: hydrates the skin and makes it easier to spread
- Castile soap: thins the cream and helps it glide easier
- Plant oil (jojoba, avocado, sweet almond, olive, grapeseed, etc: prevents the cream from being too thick, and provides additional nourishing benefits)
If you prefer solid bars, the process of making DIY zero waste shaving soap is also simple, but will require a little more time and molds (old mugs, jars, and even cardboard will do).
This recipe involves grating a bar of soap, adding some additional ingredients, and pouring into molds. You’ll need:
- A bar of natural, handcrafted soap (avoid using anything store-bought)
- 1 tablespoon of almond oil, olive oil, or aloe vera gel
- 1-2 tablespoons clay (white, french, kaolin, or cosmetic clay work)
HOW WE FOUND ZERO WASTE SHAVING BARS, SOAPS & CREAMS
For a cleaner shave and planet, we always consider our ethical beauty criteria:
- Zero waste: we looked for minimal, compostable, or plantable product packaging and companies that ship plastic free. Compared with the waste generated by aerosol cans, this is a no-brainer.
- Vegan (though we make an exception for ethically sourced beeswax)
- Palm oil free (or sustainably sourced, RSPO certified palm oil at the very least)
FINAL THOUGHTS ON ZERO WASTE SHAVING CREAM
Would you rather shave off unnecessary packaging or years of our planet?
Rhetorical question…we know!
Most zero waste shaving cream isn’t just free of the difficult-to-recycle aerosol cans, but also scary ingredients like BHT, BHA, SLES, and parabens.
If you have friends that haven’t yet embraced au naturel shaving solutions (like one of these women’s reusable razors), please help us by sharing this article and the brands who are s(h)aving the game.
