Best Shaving Soap For Sensitive Skin – Our Top 3

People have different skin types. I think you already know that since you are searching for the best shaving soap for sensitive skin.

Know Your Skin

Before we go look for a shaving soap for your sensitive skin, we have to find out about your skin first. What irritates your skin?

Soaps are made from oil and fat that react with lye. I have been experimenting with some oils to create my own shaving soap. The process is actually simple but not easy.

You just mix oil with lye and you have a soap. Then you add fragrance. Put it in a container and let it cure for at least 4 weeks. The average cure time is between 6-10 weeks. Curing is the time for lye to finish its duty and disappear. 😀

Now you know the soap making process, let’s go deeper and investigate the cause of irritation for your skin.

Fragrance.

You might think that fragrance is just a scent. No harm in it, you say. Actually, you are wrong. Fragrances are extracted from plants. The purest form is called an essential oil.

People have been reported to have a severe allergic reaction when inhaling the scent from a pure essential oil. That’s why when you use aromatherapy, you only put 2-3 drops of essential oil to the burner.

That’s how strong it is. Check yourself if you have a certain reaction to a certain essential oil or fragrance. I would highly suggest you to get an unscented soap for your sensitive skin.

Lye.

This is a hydroxide that being used to emulsified oils into soap. This is a very corrosive chemical. Usually for skin use, we superfat the soap between 5%-7%.

Or you can use the term “lye discount”. The purpose of the discount is to let the lye dissolve entirely and leave 5%-7% oil alone. Two benefits from the superfat: the remaining oil can moisturize your skin and a safety buffer for your lye.

Curing time is also important. If you order from a soap artisan (like me), you should ask how long the soap has been cured.

Talking about chemical, there are certain chemicals that have been known to irritate skin for some people:

SLS (Sodium Laureth Sulphate). This is a chemical to help soap produces more bubbles. Just that. You know what? Bubbles don’t clean. I created a soap that produces no bubble and little lather but still cleans.

Other chemicals. Hahaha… No, I am not being lazy. There are too many chemicals in a mass-produced soap. They put chemicals to help whiten your skin, build more lather, helps lather stability, etc.

You don’t need them. My own handmade shaving soap only consist oils and lye. It works just fine. No need for additional chemicals.
Colorants. This is also not necessary in a shave soap. You should make sure that if a color is present, it comes from a natural source.

Oils and Fats.

Do you know that animal fats can have a reaction to your skin? Yes, they can. Tallow and Lanolin are great ingredients for soaps. But some people in shaving forums reported they have certain reactions when they use these soaps.

If you know you have irritation tendencies toward tallow and lanolin, choose plant base oil soaps. Animal fats, of course, are not preferred by animal lovers.

Beware! Plant base oils can also have a reaction to your sensitive skin. Some producers use nut oils. Yes. Almond oils, Hazelnut oils, Macadamia nut oils are some of the examples.

Those nut oils are really good for your skin. That’s why people use them.

Olive oils are the mildest but too expensive for a soap ingredient. Palm oils are being avoided by environmental-cautious people. Soap makers are divided about which oils are the best.

Try to find a soap that has beneficial oils for your skin. Shea butter is on top of my mind. Coconut oil is in the second place. You may argue about other oils with me but I will not go into a debate.

I agree that there every oil has its own benefit for our skin. In my soap making adventure, shea butter and coconut oil are amazing for your skin.

Recommendations

I will recommend you to get an unscented soap for now. I know that an unscented soap is not attractive. It is better to go unscented and have a better shaving experience rather than have a scent and skin irritations.

For oils and chemicals, I leave that to you for your own decision. Tallow and lanolin performs really well. Plant oils don’t disappoint you.

Now that you know what to look for (or avoid) in a shaving soap, let’s see the best shaving soaps for sensitive skin:

Soap Commander Vegan Shave Soap (Integrity – Unscented)

The Soap Commander “Integrity” is our top candidate. This soap is made from plant oils. No fragrance added. The soap comes with a bowl that is deep enough for you to lather easily. The lather is creamy and rich.

Ingredients:

• Stearic Acid
• Distilled Water
• Shea Butter
• Coconut Oil
• Potassium Hydroxide
• Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide
• Castor Oil.

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Taylor of Old Bond Street Natural Shaving Cream

Preservative and fragrance free. This brand is a well-known brand in the shaving world. Don’t be fool with the word cream. It is actually considered as a soap.

You’ll be surprised with the lather it builds. The lather gives a superb protection against the blade. Your skin will be grateful for this.

Ingredients:

• Aqua
• Stearic Acid
• Myristic Acid
• Potassium Hydroxide
• Coconut Acid
• Glycerin
• Allantoin
• Triethanolamine
• Sodium Hydroxide
• Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil
• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
• Vitamin E.

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The Art of Shaving Soap with Bowl, Unscented

This unscented shaving soap provides a rich foamy lather that helps protect the skin from irritation and razor burn. It comes with a teak wood bowl. Really nice.

Ingredients:

• Potassium Palmitate, Sodium Palmitate, Potassium Stearate, Potassium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Glycerin, Water (Aqua), Palm Kernel Acid, Lecithin, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentasodium Pentetate, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Titanium Dioxide (CI77981), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Iron Oxides (CI77491).

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Conclusion

I know that it isn’t easy to find a great shaving soap. I really recommend you to find all natural soaps. When I researched about this topic, even soap producers still put things that may irritate your skin. That’s why I posted the ingredients above.

Researching the best shaving soaps for sensitive skin has led me to the three soaps above. I love how Soap Commander developed a soap that is close in recipe to mine. All natural vegan soap.

Just remember that shave soap is one factor that determines how good your shaving experience is. Technique, razor, blades, and aftershave are also playing a big part. You need to learn the proper shaving skill.

You may also want to check Best Shaving Cream For Women – Top 6.

What about you? Do you have a favorite? Share it with me!