Natural DIY Aftershave Recipe for Sensitive Skin

Jump to Recipe

Print Recipe

My other half has thick hair, which means most conventional shaving products irritate his skin. I’ve been making homemade shaving options for him for years now. A DIY aftershave is the perfect way to follow up a natural shave routine. This homemade aftershave tightens pores, soothes irritations, and softens skin.

Make DIY Aftershave With Natural Ingredients

Most aftershave products are made with lots of alcohol and smell potent… but not in a good way. DIY aftershave though is a great way to get skin-soothing ingredients. By making it ourselves, we’re skipping the toxic chemicals and overpowering smells.

Some people prefer an aftershave balm or aftershave lotion, but this recipe is thinner and more of an aftershave spray or splash.

This aftershave recipe has lots of variations, but don’t be intimidated. You really only need 4 ingredients! From there, you can get as fancy as you like to customize for scent and skin type.

Nourishing Essential Oils

We’ve talked about our base ingredients, but which essential oils are good for aftershave? And what about herbs? Essential oils are an easy way to scent the aftershave, but they offer so much more.

Here’s a breakdown of some different essential oils and what they do for skin:

• Juniper berry – Antiseptic and astringent to tighten the appearance of pores.
• Sweet orange – Brightens dull skin, uplifts the mood, and fights a broad array of germs.
• Lavender – Uplifts and calms the mood. Good for any kind of damaged skin, relieves itching and soothes painful, damaged skin.
• Patchouli – Good for chapped and damaged skin, eczema, psoriasis, and oily skin.
• Sandalwood – Helps dry, sensitive, oily or chapped skin. Also useful to reduce the appearance of scars.
• Vetiver – Calming, relaxing and uplifts the mood. Soothes cuts while it eases stress.
• Cedarwood – Woodsy smelling and good for irritated or sensitive skin.
• Tea tree – Good for damaged skin, soothes irritations and itchiness.

Other good-smelling options are chamomile, bergamot, eucalyptus, frankincense, peppermint, and grapefruit. Tip: Be careful to dilute the bergamot and grapefruit essential oil enough so they won’t cause phototoxicity. Peppermint and eucalyptus can also be irritating so should be well diluted.

You can read more about how to safely use each essential oil here.