Written by Matthew Burke, Rough & Tumble Gentlemen
Father’s day is just around the corner, so this is the perfect time to talk about a topic that concerns most men: Shaving! Many of us have made the switch to healthier, more natural products in all parts of our grooming and cleaning routines. For some reason, hair removal and shaving can lag behind on this front.
Switching to a natural shaving soap is so much better, and today, we’ll explain why! While we’ll focus on men, this post applies to everyone since men aren’t the only ones who shave. So without further ado, these are the 6 main reasons why we think every person who shaves needs a shaving soap in their life.
No Harsh Chemicals.
The shaving aisle at the store is filled with shaving creams and gels in aerosols. Those products are filled with ingredients that make us a little concerned. In particular, they often include potentially-irritating propellants like isobutane and propane. Plus, they can also include other synthetic chemicals that may irritate the skin or disrupt the endocrine system, like phthalates, parabens, and sulfates.
Soaps offer a wonderful natural alternative. They’re made of plant-based oils that offer the skin some seriously nourishing benefits without any of the harsh synthetic ingredients.
Get a Better Shave.
A shaving soap gives a much better shave by protecting the skin and softening the hair for easier cutting.
At Perfectly Natural, the main ingredient in all of our shaving soaps is stearic acid - this ingredient is a very creamy fatty acid that’s derived from natural plant oils. It creates a rich lather that sits in a stable layer over the skin, for better protection from the blade.
We’ve also added a few other plant oils and kept a high percentage of glycerin. These ingredients condition both the hair and the skin. The razor blade has an easier time cutting through softened hair, which means there’s less pulling and tugging on the skin and therefore, less irritation. These ingredients also help the skin feel soft and moisturized after the shave.
Enjoy Different Scents.
While we don’t believe in over-scenting our products since that can lead to irritation, a little bit of natural fragrance makes shaving a lot more fun. Shaving soaps come in a lot of different scents. They give you the opportunity to experiment or to find a signature scent that you’ll stick to.
At Perfectly Natural, our shaving soaps are available in 4 different scents:
Bay Rum is a classic, with a spicy-citrusy fragrance blend inspired by the West Indies and 17th-century sailors.
Mr. Right is clean and fresh, with notes of bergamot, oakmoss, and basil.
Tranquil Sandalwood is woodsy and solidly masculine but also calm and comforting.
Lavender, Eucalyptus, and Tea Tree is a crisp, refreshing fragrance with a hint of softness thanks to the lavender.
Better for the Planet.
If you’d like your shave to be more eco-friendly, shaving soaps will help you minimize waste. According to Green Matters, soaps are better for the environment for a couple of reasons.
First, soap ingredients break down easily, so they don’t accumulate in the environment after they’re flushed down the sink. Second, because soaps are hard bars, they don’t require heavy plastic or metal packaging. They can be wrapped in recyclable paper, which is much more sustainable and also weighs less during shipment.
Another way to ensure your shaving soap is better for the planet is to buy locally which minimizes the eco-footprint from transportation. Additionally, look for companies that use sustainable ingredients like organic palm oil.
More Affordable.
Shaving soaps (yes, even artisanal ones) are surprisingly budget-friendly! A puck of high-quality shaving soap usually costs around the same as a can of mainstream shave gel.
Compared to shaving creams and gels, shaving soaps are largely waterless. This means that a shaving soap is much more concentrated - you add a bit of water yourself, lather it up with a brush, and suddenly a gram of product transforms into a massive amount of creamy lather.
Because of this, a single puck of shaving soap can last for 5 to 8 months, whereas canned shaving gel will run out within 2 to 3 months.
Develop a New Hobby.
You can use a shaving soap even if you shave with a disposable or cartridge razor, but it can also be a gateway to a very rewarding hobby: Wet shaving. Wet shaving is a traditional technique of using soap, a shaving brush, and either a safety razor or straight razor to remove your unwanted hair.
Learning to wet shave can be very rewarding because of its benefits: It’s gentler on the skin, it’s budget-friendly, it’s eco-friendly, and it’s quite interesting and unique.
Using a high-quality shaving soap is just one part of why wet shaving is so great, and it can set you on the path to totally improving your shaving routine.