by Texas Homesteader ~
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A safety razor is a great zero-waste option! Don’t be afraid – although it’s true it requires a lighter touch when using a safety razor, they’re easy to use without cutting yourself!
(Note: Some links in this post will take you to other related articles for further information. But links preceded with * are affiliate links. If you click and buy something I could receive a tiny commission.)
Zero-Waste Health & Beauty Swaps
I’ve been on a journey toward zero waste for years. Will I ever be truly zero waste? Probably not. But I know each step I take is just that much more waste diverted.
I’ve made many Zero-Waste Health & Beauty swaps over the years. There’s a pretty complete list included at the bottom of this post. Feel free to check them all out.
Shaving Without The Plastic Waste!
But one place I was bothered mightily was the sheer waste of disposable razors.
Buy – Use – Throw Away – REPEAT…
PLUS not remembering which replacement heads fit the particular brand of disposable razor I’d purchased weeks before meant I was replacing the whole shebangie every time. More plastic, more money, even more waste!
I wanted to try a safety razor but I was nervous. Aren’t they dangerous? Maybe I’ll cut myself?
Safety Razors Easy To Use
As it turns out, all those fears were unfounded. A safety razor has been one of the most awesome (and frankly luxurious) zero-waste steps I’d taken so far.
Although I know you can still easily buy a brand-spankin’ shiny new *safety razor online, I love all things vintage.
So I sought out an older razor and found a vintage 1950’s one that I’ve used for over 5 years now. (RancherMan uses a vintage 1960 Gillette flair-tip safety razor.)
I’ve never cut myself using my safety razor. Although my razor is old and the finish is long gone, you can still easily find vintage safety razors in near-pristine condition like this one.
Isn’t she a beauty??
No more flimsy plastic razors in our shower. No more constantly buying a new replaceable head entombed in plastic And more importantly – no more waste.
This was such a fantastic no-waste move for us!
Do Safety Razor Increase Chances Of Nicks?
But what about actually using a safety razor? Is it really easier to cut yourself?
Well, I will say that I too was afraid that by using a safety razor I would be more likely to cut myself than the standby flimsy disposable plastic versions I’d been using.
My fears were completely unfounded – nary a cut in over 5 years!
From my experience shaving is easy using my safety razor.
The first few times I barely touched the razor to my skin, fearful I’d cut myself. But I found that you just shave with a lighter hand using only the weight of the razor as the only downward pressure.
Start slowly and go gently, being careful around turns like at the ankles & knees. But once you get the hang of it, there’s no difference at all to your task of shaving.
And I don’t even use specially-purchased shave creams. I just use my own luxuriously latherful homemade soap to make a thick lather on my legs.
Then I simply let the weight of the razor itself (no additional pressure from me) do the work. No cuts!
The Right Razor Blade For Us
The blade you buy could make a difference too. RancherMan did his research & found Personna blades are a good, sharp beginner blade that may be less likely to cut than some of the high-end professional blades. So that’s what we bought.
Heck it comes in a quantity of 100, so it’ll last both of us for quite a while.
And the blades were individually wrapped in paper and sold bundled in a paper box. No plastic, only recyclable and compostable paper packaging – yea!
And they’re very inexpensive & easy to find. Heck you can even have them delivered right to your front door!
You can find *Personna Blades (order online for easier product location). Sometimes the packaging isn’t all paper but I found Personna blades packaged in paper on *Amazon here.
~TxH~
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Links In This Post:
Zero-Waste Health & Beauty
Personal Cleaning
- Zero-Waste Shaving Using A Safety Razor
- Low-Waste Snap Toothbrushes
- Homemade Minty Mouthwash
- Quick & Easy Homemade Deodorant
- Homemade Vanilla-Scented Shampoo Bar Soap
- 3-Ingredient DRY SHAMPOO Mix
- MYO Naturally-Scented Hair Conditioner
- Morning Motivation Mint Soap
- Homemade Soap: Lavender/Rosemary
- Soap Grows On TREES! Soapberry Shampoo
- How A Bidet Can Be An Eco Win
Homemade Beauty Products
- MYO Light & Sheer Face Powder
- 3-Ingredient Beeswax Lip Balm
- Homemade Hairspray
- Easy Zero-Waste Health & Beauty Swaps
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Leg shaving. Hmmm. I have not shaved anything since I had breast cancer in, of all times, the millennium year, 2000. So, of course, all (and I mean all) the hair fell out, EXCEPT, of course, the leg hair. I was working in sales so, penciled eyebrows and wore a wig at work, and a ball cap about town and a knitted thing in bed when my head would be cold. Sheesh who knew? So, in my wellness years I only shave my legs if I’m gong to an outdoor summer party in a dress and high heels (Hold onto me Birdman so I don’t fall in the grass in these stooopid Jimmy shooooos. He always seems agreeable to that. Bless his heart.) So I think I have used the same disposable razor since 2000!!! OH wait. I think there might still be 3 underarm hairs on each side, they are wispy and occasionally I can grasp one and yank it out. Embrace life, live it to the fullest and DON”T sweat the small stuff!!!
Warrior Sister! I’ll have my 5-year anniversary in April. Cancer is such an evil thing – good riddance! And high heels? Oh no, not sure RancherMan could even hold me up from walking on those stilts. We’re planning our daughter’s wedding in May and I’ll be donning a new pair of ‘laughable exercise in moving balance’ heels – hope I don’t embarrass myself. LOL! ~TxH~
Checked out your store. I used to use one of those razors. I wonder where it went.
As with so many things in our relatively recent history, Debbie – what was old is new again. With the zero-waste movement so many folks are turning back to safety razors and shunning the disposable options. I love that! ~TxH~
Somehow I didn’t know you had an online eBay store. I love it – got the razor and the lovely soaps. Will be back for beeswax cloths once we get moved into our home. Love the less waste concept and have been implementing it in my life. Thanks for the great ideas!
I see that Ellen, it’s all being packaged up right now to be sped your way – thanks! I love the less waste concept too and I’ve found small steps really can made a measurable difference. Just think if everyone made a small step toward less waste – what a great thing that would be! ~TxH~
How did you find a razor in that condition? I remember my mom had one like that when I was a kid. If I remember right hers even had the snowflakes. But I haven’t seen one in ages. I thought they would be all rusty and gross. Hmm I may have to start looking.
Estate sales are a great place to find them Nancy. You know, like great grandpa had this old razor but decided he wanted an electric one instead so he tucked his safety razor away unused? Oftentimes we find them in great condition and I will be sure to list them on my online store when we do – keep watching! ~TxH~
I just went ‘all-in’ and bought my first DE (I’m even learning the lingo). I bought the sample blade to go with it so I should be ready to go.
You’re ready to roll, Clay! ~TxH~