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How to Make A Nourishing Aftershave Balm

Shaving is hard on the skin. Everyone has personal reasons for doing it – men and women alike. The act tends to dry out skin, often makes us itchy, can cause red bumps, and much more. Still, most of us continue to do it for a number of reasons. I am one of those people, too, there’s no judgment here. We can take better care of our skin, however; by making a simple and nourishing aftershave balm.
Make a simple and nourishing aftershave balm from natural ingredients. This is great for men's faces and women's legs to give back what shaving takes away.

Sunflower Petal Infused Oil

Sunflower petals are full of skin softening power and may even have some anti-inflammatory benefits. For this balm, I used balsamroot petals from the Broadleaf Balsamroot that grows wild here in northwest Montana. They’re in the same family as sunflowers, so feel free to use any sunflower petals you have access too. You can buy dried petals if you don’t have any on hand. 

To make a sunflower infused oil:

I used a solar infusion that I had made over the summer but if you want to make one quickly use this double boiler method: 

  • 1/4 Cup Oil (olive, grapeseed, almond, etc.) 
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Sunflower Petals

Bring an inch of water to boil in the bottom of a double boiler. Mix the sunflower petals and oil together in the top of a double boiler. Turn the heat down so that the water is just simmering. Put the herb and oil mixture on top of the double boiler and allow to steep for 30 minutes. The oil should stay warm but not simmering or frying the herbs.

Strain the herbs from the oil through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Give the petals a good squeeze to extract as much oil as possible. 

Allergy Note: If allergic to plants in the ragweed family (asteraceae) skip sunflowers too. Substitute calendula or even rose petals instead of sunflower petals to avoid allergic reactions.

Shea Butter

Shea butter is nourishing fat that smooths onto the skin easily without leaving the skin feeling greasy. It also enhances collagen production to rejuvenate the skin. The fact that it is also non-comedogenic means that it won’t clog pores and makes it ideal for the face as well. It even has a natural SPF giving those men another layer of protection after they shave and head out into the sun.

Make a simple and nourishing aftershave balm from natural ingredients. This is great for men's faces and women's legs to give back what shaving takes away.

Beeswax

Beeswax is a common ingredient in DIY salves and balms. It helps thicken up and harden oils but has a ton of skin nourishing benefits on its own. Beeswax helps lock in the skin’s natural moisture while also providing a protective and breathable barrier. It too is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial to help with all kinds of skin ailments. 

How to Make Aftershave Balm

  • 3/4 ounce (by weight) Shea butter
  • 3/4 ounce (by weight) Sunflower Infused Oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Beeswax Pastilles
  • 20 Drops Essential Oil (Optional, Scent as desired)

Put an inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler. Bring to a boil.

Combine the shea butter, infused oil, and beeswax in the top of a double boiler. Place the top over the boiling water. Heat until the beeswax and shea butter are completely melted. Stir well.

Remove from heat. Stir in the essential oil if using.

Pour into a container and let sit until solidified.

A note about color: The green color in the pictured aftershave balm is from using grapeseed oil to infuse the sunflower petals. Different colored oils will result in different colored balm. 

How to Use Aftershave Balm

After shaving and lightly drying the skin off, spread the balm onto skin to seal in moisture. This can be used on the face or legs and works just as well for men as it does women. 

Take care of that skin naturally (and make some amazing gifts) with this easy and nourishing aftershave balm.

 

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Lauren

Wednesday 16th of October 2019

What substitute would you recommend for the included sunflower oil? I do not have access to make or purchase this! Thank you!!

Kathie Lapcevic

Monday 21st of October 2019

You could just use regular oil like olive oil - it might not be as soothing as the infused sunflower but it's worth a try.

Kari Q.

Tuesday 19th of June 2018

What kind of device to you use to measure liquid weight?should I know this? LOL

Kathie Lapcevic

Tuesday 19th of June 2018

I just use a kitchen scale. Put a container on the scale, set it to zero add liquid to the measured amount.

Josef

Monday 15th of January 2018

Thanks for the info, so enlightening! What is the average shelf life of this formulation?

Kathie Lapcevic

Tuesday 16th of January 2018

I would use it up within 6 months.

Jenn

Friday 8th of December 2017

What size container did you use?

Kathie Lapcevic

Monday 11th of December 2017

The container in the photo is something I reused from something else. I would say it's about a 4 ounce container.

Jonni olson

Saturday 7th of January 2017

Can you use the sunflower carrier oil or the vanilla infused jojoba oil rather than making the infused oil? I don't have the petals to make my own. Thanks!

Homespun Seasonal Living

Saturday 7th of January 2017

I'm sure you could use any oil, the benefit might change a little but there's no harm in experimenting.