The hardest part of shaving with a safety razor is getting over the fear of cutting yourself. You won't - I promise, at least not as much as you do with disposables. I mean why else would it be called a "SAFETY" razor? I waited for the longest time before I finally committed to one. I would turn my house upside down, looking in every bathroom drawer and old suitcase to find a straggling disposable razor since I was terrified of using the safety razor. I look back and laugh at myself because now, I have a pretty deep love affair with my reusable safety razor.
But lets talk about the environmental ramifications of disposable razors for a second. According to the EPA, about 2 billion disposable razors are discarded every. single. year. Necessary? No. A waste of our hard earned money? Yes.
So to help you get over your fear of ending up in the ER, I'll give you my tips on how to ease into shaving with a safety razor and make you a pro in no time! Trust me, you'll never want to buy another disposable again after this. Wink - wink!
Turn off the Water
Because you want to take your time while you shave, I recommend plugging the drain while you wash your hair and using that water to shave your legs. We have to save water, too ya know. I keep a cup in the shower to rinse off my legs. A good use of old plastic containers if you're looking for other uses for them around your home.
Lather Up
Get your legs good and moistened with some homemade shaving cream, shaving bar, or a conditioner bar - I use the conditioner bar. And I'm not going to lie, I shave without anything most of the time. I live dangerously I know - I don't recommend that.
Go............Slowly...
It's not a race, seriously. Especially for your first couple of shaves, slow it down to get a feel for how it is. You'll notice that you don't have to press down like you did before with disposables. Let the weight of the razor and gravity do the work, that's all you'll need. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to go faster and shave places that you'd rather not think about during your first tries. Aren't I just a hoot?!
Shave in Sections
I find it easier to shave in sections. I don't really like pulling the blade all of the way up my leg as that can cause irritation so I shave half way up my shin - all of the way around, then the rest. But I basically divvy my leg up into 3 sections each. That's probably way more detailed than this needs to be but I thought, hey, why not. I'll throw this in here.
Clean the Razor
Once your done and rinsed, I highly suggest cleaning the razor thoroughly - not with your fingers - but with a rag and keeping it upright to dry. I just rinse mine with water - nothing special. This will keep the blade in tip top shape, prevent it from rusting, and extend the life of the blade dramatically. If you need a stylish, wooden razor stand for your bathroom I have them in my shop!
Recycle the Blade
Yes, the steel blade is made from recyclable material but being able to recycle blades is a different story - of course, like a said above, if you take care of your blades, they will last a long time. Blades are considered to be hazardous waste so check with your local recycling facilities to be sure you can recycle them there. If not, take them to a local scrap metal facility.
Convince your Friends to Switch
Probably the most important tip, right? Show your friends and family that shaving with a safety razor is not only more environmentally friendly but better for their wallets, easy, and probably the BEST shave they'll ever have. The next time they look at a disposable their noses will turn up!
And that's it my friends! See, I told you it wasn't that bad. I would not recommend any zero waste swaps that were so difficult no one could do it. If you're still not completely on board, that's fine. No worries. There are other options! Sugar waxing can be done in replace of shaving or if you just want to stick it to stereotypical assumptions of how women should look - stop shaving entirely. The decision is completely up to you.
I hope this helps! What are your favorite safety razor brands?
This article may contain affiliate links that helps support this blog. 💚
This article may contain affiliate links that helps support this blog. 💚