Emergency situation! Bear Grylls style. Imagine it …
You’re in the shower. As a modern woman, you need to shave your legs immediately for one of two reasons. Either …
1) You’re about to go on a 3rd date.
or
2) You’ve let the past 2 weeks go by without shaving your legs because you couldn’t be bothered and besides when you’re in the shower you barely have enough time to rinse the soap out of your hair before someone is yelling at you because they can’t find something they’re probably already holding. Because of this, your legs are itching. A lot. As though the hairs growing out of them are made of fibreglass insulation. Dipped in mosquito juice.
So … regardless of the reason, you need to shave your legs.
Unfortunately because you’re a busy, modern woman you didn’t remember to pick up shaving cream.
Now what?
You need to shave your legs BUT YOU’RE ALL OUT OF SHAVING CREAM!
You could use soap, but the truth of the matter is your very best #2 choice if you run out of shaving cream is hair conditioner.
As proof for you, I conducted a little experiment.
Shaving Cream VS Hair Conditioner.
The first thing I had to do in the name of science was allow the hair on my legs to grow a little bit for visual purposes. Ick.
Then I got my 157 year old razor that is almost impossible to find razor cartridges for.
I lathered up my left leg with regular, old shaving cream.
And then shaved it as per usual.
Then I got a dollop of regular hair conditioner …
… and slathered that on my right leg.
And shaved it.
The true experiment part came when about 2 hours later I forced my boyfriend to feel each leg and tell me which one felt better. After many tries he finally proclaimed the right leg to feel smoother.
For those of you who weren’t paying attention, that was the leg I shaved with hair conditioner.
As the shavee I can tell you that both legs felt good after shaving them. There was no irritation or razor burn on either leg. Something I have experienced when using plain soap.
Conclusion? Hair conditioner is a perfectly acceptable replacement for shaving cream.
I will NOT be conducting an experiment to see whether the reverse is true.
Hey Karen, nice one but wait, there’s more. Hair conditioner also makes for terrific facial cleanser, including gently dissolving mascara. Then it helps to moisturise. I love it.
I have a certain eye liner that I can never get off. I’ll try it! ~ karen
I LOve you Karen ! Please marry me!
Lemme think about it. ~ karen
Karen, I’ve become obsessed with reading your blog posts! I know this one is older but I loved it! I am glad that you conducted this experiment. I have done this as well however, I forgot which leg was which because I suffer from squirrel syndrome. Watch the movie up if you aren’t sure of what that is. Anywho, thanks for another fun post.
Hi Alicia! Glad you found my site. Off to look up squirrel syndrome. ~ karen
I’m telling you the best shaving gel is in an orange tube at trader joes. very inexpensive and silky. even some guy friends from sweden swoon over this everytime they visit and buy tubes and tubes. and you know those sweeds the guys only buy the best products.
I started using conditioner in my teens (because I was too cheap to buy shaving cream). But now I use olive oil. After I get out the shower I slather on olive oil and shave away. My legs feel amazing! Plus my shower is the size of a peanut and contorting my body into odd positions lost it’s novelty.
Oh holy crap, I do know how to write with correct grammar… and in complete sentences.
LOL. I didn’t even notice until I went back and rereaded your comment. :) Don’t worry about it. Nobody’ll notice. ~ karen
Wow, all these years, and I just use plain old water! Never even used soap before! Huh. That explains a lot…
Going to try this tomorrow morning! :)
Okay Karen, have one for you. A while ago I saw on the internet where this man proved that it was possible to sharpen a razor blade and that we would never have to buy another razor ever again. He showed that if you rub the blade backwards (one direction only here) on the skin of your dry forearm about 10 – 20 times that would keep the blade sharp. He proclaimed that this was akin to how the barbers would sharpen their blades – those single long blades – when they rubbed it against the leather straps. What cha think?
I only shave with conditioner! I haven’t bought shaving cream in at least five years.
I once saw the girls on ‘the view’ use cheeze whiz….I still have nightmares!! (just from the thought!!) But the conditioner I will use… Next month, if I have time to shave ;D
I, too, have been doing this one for years, using the turbo conditioner that comes with the stuff I dye my hair with (since they give you enough to condition your own hair and that of everyone else you know).
My burning question is: Where HAVE you found the Trac II blades, dangit!! I can’t find them either.
First off thanks for the tip — always have conditioner on hand!
Secondly, WOW!!! I had no idea what “Bear Grylls” was so I googled — it’s not an it — it’s a HIM!
OMG!! Will have to read up on this adventurer.
Cheers,
M
have tried this too when cream wasn’t available – however this scientific confirmation is greatly appreciated.
I also find that if its been a really long time say most of the winter cause its cold and you’re wearing pants all the time and well you were always a bit of a hippie – the conditioner is the best way to go.
I too have been doing this for years and the money you save is amazing! Love your writing of this blog enjoy every post, Thanks;0)
Thanks Robyn! ~ karen
LOVE IT! Probably because I have done the same thing in a moment of panic. Its great to see that there are others out there, and its nice to be reminded that there are so many other things out there that do the same job (if not a better job) than the items being marketed for a specific purpose! Thanks for posting!
I too have been using this method for several years now, but I will be using the “I’m growing my leg hair for science” excuse next time my hubby asks why I have the Clydesdale look going!!! Great post!
Jules
“clydesdale look” Love it! My husband and I usually discuss whether I need a mower or a weed-eater to get my leg hair under control.
Moved in with my partner J. Here’s the conversation that took place one morning after I moved in:
“Where’d my razor go?”
“in that drawer there. You know, you don’t have to shave for me.”
“What?”
“You don’t have to shave for my sake.”
“What?”
“I’m saying you don’t have to shave to make me happy.”
“Well, that’s nice of you to say, honey, but I don’t shave for you, I shave for ME.”
“Oh. Well, I was just saying. You can do whatever.”
“Thanks, honey.” (pause) “Hey, waitasecond. Would you rather I *didn’t* shave?”
“You can do whatever you want.”
“Yeah, but do you prefer it if I don’t shave?”
“I was just trying to say if you didn’t want to shave, it doesn’t bother me.”
“Um. Okay.”
I have Not Pursued It Further, in case I’m living with the reincarnation of Napolean or something.
I had switched from shaving cream to lotion for shaving in high school when my parents had redone the bathroom and the shaving cream can was leaving rust stains on the granite (lotion came in plastic, hence no stains). I then found that I liked lotion so much better for shaving (sensitive skin). Right now, I have a huge bottle of Suave Cocoa Butter lotion in my shower. The best part, it will last me at least 9 months, and cost me $3.88.
I’ve also been doing this for years!!
I do that too since I hate extra items in the shower..I like multitaskers…oh, and I LOVE Bear Grylls..Like serious crush love.
karen this has nothing at all to do with shaving just wanted to say that was the BEST punkin pie EVERand i love you….p.s tell chris i have a nice bottle of maple syrup coming for him…and thanks
Thanks Marilyn! For those of you wondering … I have a pumpkin pie post coming up very soon and Marilyn was a recipient of a piece of pumpkin pie. Apparently Marilyn liked it. :) I’ll let Chris know!
Nice one! I do this (on my FACE, as I am a MAN) when I’m traveling with only carry-on baggage, as I can’t pack shaving cream. Every hotel offers conditioner samples, so I tried it once and now I count on it. First I tried lotion, but it gums up the razor too much and slows down the process. Also, conditioner has more “slide” to it.
My fear is that some canny terrorist will next invent a dastardly use for the Mach 5 razor cartridge as a deadly weapon, and I’ll be further reduced to shaving with a hotel sewing kit.
Jamieson … you are a funny and well conditioned man.
I’ve been doing this for awhile, too. It’s great because it moisturizes your legs while being great for shaving. I especially like using on the often-dry ankle area as the temp has been dropping.
Been doing this for years. I’m glad you gave me scientific validation.
I actually had a boyfriend tell me about this about 25 years ago. I guess he was good for something! LOL