It took me a long time to come around to using a safety razor even though I’ve been on a zero waste journey for so long (a path that has switchbacks because hey, this journey is sometimes steep and difficult lol). Anyway I finally did some research and purchased this safety razor 6 months ago (while I was still pregnant) when I used up my last plastic razor refill. But then didn’t get around to using it because A) I was pregnant and couldn’t reach my legs anymore, B) It was wintertime, C) I was intimidated in using something that looked so surgical and at the same time D) Too lazy to learn how to put in the blade and use it. But finally I started using it because I was no longer pregnant and it’s summertime so I needed to start shaving these legs.

And tbh, I don’t know what took me so long! A safety razor is not scary at all, lol. It’s super easy to use, it’s great for my skin, and it’s really great for the environment. It’s a shame I used so many plastic razors for so long (even if they were made from recycled plastic like this one). Seriously, this plastic-free shaving option is so easy, it should actually be the first step in going zero waste (along with bringing your own bags to the grocery store).

The benefit of a safety razor isn’t just that’s it’s plastic free and good for the environment. There’s benefits for the user as well. If you have sensitive skin like I do, a safety razor is great because the single blade means that you’re not irritating your skin with multiple blades going over your skin at the same time. Yes, with a safety razor, which only has a single blade, you won’t have as clean of a shave all the time. But really it only takes one extra swipe over some areas to get the same result (you really don’t need 5 blades to get a good shave).

And you definitely do not need to go get a fancy shmacy razor like this one (even though that rose gold is oh so pretty). The one I got from Amazon (that looks like the photo above) is $29 and has a 4.5 star rating with over 1000 reviews. I did my research and this is one of the best. And even though the initial cost of a safety razor is more than a plastic one, the blade refills are pretty dirt cheap. On amazon you can get 30 blades for $20 (and that’s on the high end). Compare that to the 5 for $10 I was paying with the Preserve razor. Or for my next blade refill I’m going to try out Albatross, which is a local-to-me brand. Their blades go for 30 for $4.50! And I love that Albatross has a blade take back program to recycle the blades so you really are producing zero waste for shaving.

Now on how to use a safety razor. First putting in the blade is super easy (just be smart and be careful). Even though I don’t advocate spending $75 for a safety razor, the Oui razor site has a good intro on how to insert the blade here. Rather than holding the razor from the side to screw and unscrew, I hold the stem of the razor and twist the handle. And to shave with it, I watched this video. They have some good tips: hold the razor at a 30 degree angle and let the weight of the razor do the work (no need to add any pressure). I like to shave with the grain of the hair so I have the handle going down the leg, but if you shave against the grain you’ll have the handle side going up towards the body. And instead of buying shaving cream, I just use my Plaine Product Conditioner (yep I still use these zero waste bath products!).

So if you’re not yet using a safety razor, but are on the path of zero-waste this needs to be the next change in your lifestyle. It’s easy, painless and cheaper in the long run! And I promise you won’t regret it. Anyone else make the change to a safety razor and what did you think?