I’ve always been cursed with really stubborn hair and super sensitive skin for as long as I can remember. The story of my first time shaving included a bottle of Nair that my cousin Sara and I convinced her dad to buy us for “my mom” (because we were too embarrassed or scared of getting caught buying it for ourselves.) We had no idea how long it would take, how badly it would burn or how it actually just doesn’t work all together. My whole family was getting ready to go to Fuddruckers while Sara and I were still in the tub with the dumb Nair. My sister smelled it through the door and blew our cover by yelling at us for using her Nair loud enough for the whole house to hear (if we only knew she had a bottle of Nair, then we wouldn’t have made Uncle Mark buy it!) At this point, I panicked and took a razor to my dry legs to finish the job. Ouch!

Needless to say I didn’t start shaving consistently for another year after that and when I did I always had razor burn, rashes and ingrown hairs. In my early 20’s I did laser hair removal for a couple years and although it drastically reduced the amount of hair I have, it isn’t completely gone (it might be because my skin is so fair), so when I shave I still experience ingrown hairs. From there I started waxing, which was a little better. I started experimenting with a variety of ingrown hair serums, which helped by only about 70%. A few months ago, I found out that the serums I was using contained gluten along with other fillers and could have been the cause of the razor burn/rashes/breakouts I was getting too.

Finally I decided enough is enough and that there has to be a recipe out there that I can make and control the products so that I know for certain it is gluten free, all natural, plant based, etc. Sure enough I found an awesome recipe through this Young Living community that I’m a part of from @familyteatree on Instagram. I am so happy that I made this. I’ve noticed a huge improvement in my hair follicles, and my skin. I haven’t had a rash or razor burn since using it and my ingrown hairs have decreased by 98%! I never thought that was possible! The secret is that I use it after every time I shower. I learned this from Mandi who is my wax specialist at the European Wax Center location at Hilton Village in Scottsdale. She explained to me that I should be using a gentle exfoliant each time I shower (I switch off between my essential oils sugar scrub, an exfoliation wash cloth, and my Dermalogica body scrub), followed by a sprtz of the after shave spray after toweling off. Then I use lotion and this has helped me to avoid ingrown hairs, but also delay how quickly I need to go back for another wax. Also, I’m not the only person who uses it in the Fox household. Aaron loves it too! I probably should make a larger bottle of it because I keep refilling every couple of months.

Where To Buy

To make it super simple, I created this Amazon Ideas List on my Amazon Store Front, so you can find all of the ingredients that I’m using. I always do my research before going into the store or ordering off of Amazon, so you can trust that they’re gluten free and natural. The only items that aren’t included in the Amazon Ideas List is distilled water, which you can purchase from any grocery store, and the essential oils, which I always purchase from Young Living. I’m enrolled in the Young Living’s Essential Rewards program so that each month I’m able to choose which oils I need to replenish and through this program I receive freebies and points towards future purchases.

If you’re wanting to use a variety of essential oil products, I highly recommend purchasing a starter kit to give you a wide variety of Young Living’s most popular oils. You can select the kit that is best for you by clicking on this link, oilwith.me/tfk, which will take you to the Young Living essential oils starter kit page. There are a lot of different offerings, so if you’re confused like I was initially please reach out to me so I can walk you through the different benefits. When you’re ready to place your order, use Enroller Number 1604750 at check out to sign up with me and gain access to the Young Living community where I find all of my recipes! If you want to start with a couple oils only, I also offer my unopened supply for sale on Poshmark.

The Ingredients List

Spray Bottle (2 ounce ): I tend to make smaller recipes initially to test it out and to make sure I love it before making a larger recipe. I included two different offerings of these type of bottles. One offering is just the bottles with caps if you already have a funnel and the second offering has a funnel, a cleaner and labels. 

Witch Hazel: I found an unscented, alcohol-free witch hazel by Thayers from Amazon and included it in my Amazon Storefront. If you’re unfamiliar with the benefits of witch hazel, I suggest reading this linked article. Generally speaking, it’s great for inflammation and neutralizing free radicals among other things. 

Carrier Oil (Jojoba or Sweet Almond): I purchased both organic jojoba skin care oil and organic sweet almond skin care oil from Aura Cacia at Whole Foods. I wasn’t sure which product was the best in terms of clean ingredients and being gluten free, so I read up on their website and found this company to be my best option. I’m glad to know that I can re-order on Amazon moving forward. The reason I use jojoba and sweet almond is because neither or them will clog your pores. One is more expensive than the other, so it really just comes down to personal preference between the two.

Distilled Water: This can be purchased from anywhere. I picked mine up from Fry’s. 

Organic Aloe Vera Gel: Not all aloe vera gels are created equal. I always hated putting on aloe vera gel growing up because it would feel so sticky afterwards. There were many times I would go into our backyard and cut off a piece of our aloe vera plant instead because it felt so much better on my sunburns. I’m so thankful I found RealAloe Gel. It has a certified gluten free label on it too! When it mixes with the other ingredients it thins out and is easy to spray without clogging. Make sure you shake vigorously before spraying each time.

Essential Oils: Like I mentioned above, I purchase all my essential oils from Young Living because I love their Seed to Seal policy, which allows me to trust that they are using ethical standards when harvesting the oils and I know that what I’m getting is real and clean instead of synthetic oils that other companies sell. If you want more information on why I’m using essential oils, click here to read my blog post. If you want more information on how to get started with a kit to fit your needs, go to oilwith.me/tfk or click here. Continue reading to see the breakdown of which oils I recommend using in your after shave spray.

The Essential Oils

I use cedarwood, tea tree, blue cypress and lavender in my after shave spray mainly because that is what I already have in my cabinet, but also because of the natural properties for each one and the scents. There are many other alternatives that you can use if you don’t have these essential oils or you can narrow down the recipe to use only one or two oils.

Blue Tansy: This essential oil possesses skin-cleansing and soothing properties and may help reduce the appearance of blemishes. Blue Tansy can moisturize and help beautify the skin when added to a moisturizer as well. The aroma is a sweet, floral fragrance.

Blue Cypress: This essential oil is used to moisturize dry skin. It also has a historical use as a component in perfumes. The scent is similar to other evergreen trees with a touch of lemony sweetness.

Carrot Seed: This essential oil is produced from distillation of the seeds of the wild carrot plant and produces a mildly sweet aroma with earthy, herbaceous notes. Do not confuse this essential oil with the Carrot Seed Carrier Oil as they are very different. Carrot Seed essential oil repairs skin damage and tightens skin to prevent sagging.

Cedarwood: Cedarwood is one of my favorite essential oils and Aaron’s too! It has cleansing and moisturizing properties that make it a great addition to your favorite skin care products. When applied topically, it can help maintain the appearance of healthy, youthful skin, while also acting as a natural deodorizer. Added bonus, you can massage Cedarwood oil into your scalp to enhance the appearance of healthy-looking hair. If you’re wanting to purchase oils from my unopened supply, I have Cedarwood available on Poshmark.

Eucalyptus Blue: This essential oil is beneficial to use on skin due to it’s reputation as a purifying, cleansing, clarifying and immune-boosting oil. Also, it’s know to reduce or eliminate harmful surface and airborne bacteria and infections on contact.

Frankincense: Frankincense is another one of my favorites, but since I use it in so many of my mixtures already I decided to skip it in this specific recipe. However, it promotes the appearance of healthy-looking skin and may help reduce the appearance of uneven skin tones.

German Chamomile: German chamomile is on my list to purchase next! There are so many great uses for this oil like tossing into your salad dressing or adding to a cup of tea based on the powerful antioxidants it provides. However, for uses on your skin its anti-inflammatory action can restore and soothe irritated skin. Plus, the use of it promotes feelings of calmness; calming occasional nervous tension, and supporting a normal, healthy outlook during PMS.

Lavender: Lavender essential oil is my go-to for almost all things! For this specific recipe, I recommend using lavender because it may help to cleanse and soothe minor skin irritations. Also it may help reduce the appearance of blemishes and it supports aging skin.

Patchouli: I have not used this essential oil before, but I read that it has a powerful, musky scent, and because of its complex aroma, Patchouli uses often include perfumes, soaps, incense, and essential oil blends. For this recipe it can help create a healthy, youthful-looking glow for your skin.

Tea Tree: This essential oil is very versatile and ranges from home cleaning solutions to skin care. It may help reduce the appearance of blemishes, maintain healthy-looking hair and scalp and it may work as a naturally derived deodorant.

Credits

Fashion styling and modeling by Katrina Fox of The Foxy Kat and TFK Styling, thefoxykat.com@thefoxykat1

Photography by Alyssa Ryan of Alyssa Ryan Photography@alyssaryanphotography

Jewelry courtesy of ENJI Studio Jewelry@enji_studio_jewelry

Makeup by Leiah of The Sparkle Bar, @thesparklebar

Hair by Selena of Gossamer Salon@gossamersalon

Location at Mountain Shadows Resort@mountainshadowsaz 

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