Homemade Shaving Cream

When I visit my fin-laws I find all sorts of homemade products tucked away in the cabinets. My mother in-law makes juices, teas, ointments and more.
Using natural ingredients to make homemade products is something our family has steered away from. We succumbed to the convenience of store-bought items full of chemicals and nasty ingredients.
I started our venture back into “homemade” with shaving cream. This recipe uses only four ingredients and is easy to whip up.

 

 

DIY Shaving Cream

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup shea butter
• 2 tablespoons olive, jojoba or sweet almond oil
• 2 tablespoons liquid castile soap

Instructions

Step 1: In small saucepan, melt shea butter and coconut oil over the lowest heat setting over the stove. Stir occasionally until fully melted.

Step 2: Add olive oil and stir until fully blended. Remove from heat.

Step 3: Transfer mixture to a medium-sized bowl or any size jar and place in the fridge until it’s solid.

Step 4: Remove from fridge and get ready to whip it up. If it’s in a jar you’ll need to transfer it to a medium-sized bowl first. Whip using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Scrape sides down as needed. Add castile soap and whip until fluffy ~ about 3-4 minutes depending on how cold your mixture is.

Step 5: Spoon shaving cream into an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.

To use, apply a thin layer to skin and shave. Makes about 4-6 ounces whipped.

NOTE:
The ingredients in this recipe are shelf stable for quite a long time on their own without a preservative. However, if water gets into the jar they will spoil much more quickly. I pat my hands dry with a towel hanging right outside the shower before scooping the shaving cream out.

 

 

 

 

Recipe courtesy of Mommypotamus:
http://www.mommypotamus.com/natural-homemade-shaving-cream/

Growing a Garden

Potatoes from fin-law’s garden.

Food is expensive in Finland. Fresh fruits and vegetables are particularly pricey. Combine high prices with the fact that Finns are green and that might be why many opt to grow gardens.

The Finnish growing season for vegetables is short due to their Nordic location. However, with days being extremely long (20+ hours) and full of light, flavors become condensed.

My finn-laws have a large garden where they grow potatoes, carrots, peas, cucumbers, rhubarb, black and red currants, gooseberries,  and strawberries.
My mother-in-law stores the fruits and veggies in a cellar to extend the life. She freezes some of the fruit and makes homemade juices and jams.

Bottles of homemade juice

This year we’re expanding our garden. We rented a plot of land at a local farm and will attempt to grow more vegetables and fruit.
My goal is to have a freezer full of homegrown food, like my mother-in-law.