The Many Uses of Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap: Shaving Soap

Dixie

Shaving cream and I will never be friends. I just don't like it. At $3 a pop for the cheapest, and I do mean CHEAP, cream it isn't really that expensive, but it just seems so expensive. Each bottle lasts for only a few weeks, you have to use so much product each time, and the empty bottles create so much waste. There is a better way. For the past ten years, I've used shave cream or gel maybe three or four times. For a while I used Suave conditioner, which does a decent job. Then I discovered Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap. The late Dr. Bronner claimed that his soap had 18 different uses; well, it has a lot more than that and shaving is only one.

I hear y'all now, "Wait a minute, Dixie. Soap to shave with? Wha...?!" I'm for real. It took me a little while to get used to the idea, too. When you think about it, though, it's not that different from the way out grandfathers shaved. They used a shave soap bar and a brush to lather; I'm using liquid soap and a mesh sponge for my own lather. Dr. Bronner's soap is pretty strong and the instructions on the bottle and on the website say to dilute it with water if you're going to wash your body with it. For shaving, there are no instructions. I probably should dilute it with water, but I'm a rebel and I want the thickest lather I can muster. The way I figure, I need as much protection as I can get between my skin and the razor blade. And I've never had a problem with dry skin when using it straight to shave, so I'll continue to use it straight up. 

The shave I get when I use the soap? Awesome. Seriously, as long as I'm using a sharp, clean razor like a good girl I get a great shave with no irritation. Since the soap itself is a coconut oil-based Castile soap, it moisturizes your skin without clogging up your razor. The most fun thing about the Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap, though, are all of the different scents you get get to choose from, none of which are cloying or fake. My personal favorite is two parts of the rose-scented to one part of the peppermint soap. But lavender, eucalyptus, and almond are also favorites. My suggestion is that you play around with them and see what fun combinations you can make. 

Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap used for shaving comes in at a solid 8/8 tentacles. It gives a good shave and at about $10 for a 16-ounce bottle from the Dr. Bronner's site or Amazon and local retailers like Target, you really can't beat the price. Each 16-ounce bottle will last you at least 6-9 months, depending on how often you shave your legs. Not ready to commit to 16 ounces? You can always try the 2-, 4-, or 8-ounce size. And if you really love it, there is a 32-ounce, half-gallon, and one-gallon size with which to show your devotion to smooth legs. 


Rating: 8/8 tentacles

You might also like: Arbonne's Ginger Citrus Body Butter, Gold Bond Sheer Ribbons Silk Softness, Pond's Cold Cream, and Trader Joe's Honey Mango Shave Lotion.