Ever since we adopted the #zerowaste lifestyle, we’ve been thinking of the best time and litter saving hacks to share with you. So the moment has come to introduce you to the beautiful & sustainable zerowaste shaving
Why should you care?
Every year there are over 2 billion disposable razors and blades thrown out in the States alone. That’s more than the whole population of the country…kinda grim, isn’t it?
But…
You don’t have to be part of this.
Instead…
You can opt for a stainless steel razor.
Which basically means one razor for life. All you have to do is change the blades every 2-4 weeks, depending on how often you shave and your type of body hair. We’re in love with Vie-Long ‘s stainless steel razor-it is beautiful, compact and costs only 15.35 Euros.
So, is zerowaste shaving actually cheap?
Oh yes! We’ll use the Vie-Long’s stainless steel razor to give you an example but you can substitute it with any other model. Disposable razors are used for maximum 10 shavings (Miss Bloom, 2015). The average woman has a full body shave twice a week which makes 8 shaves per month. Meaning, one has to throw their razor away after 5 weeks. One disposable razor costs 2.16 Euros here in Bulgaria and each year has 52 weeks (52 weeks divided by 5 and multiplied by 2.16) which makes 22.464 Euros spent on disposable razors per year. Multiply that by 5 for 5 years and you get 112.32 Euros…a bit too much, isn’t it?
Now compare Vie-Long’s stainless steel razor for 15.35 Euros to a disposable one for 112.32…
But…what about the blades?
One of the best things about stainless steel razors is that most models have universal blades, so you can choose any brand as long as they have what you are looking for. We’ve chosen Lord’s because of their quality and zerowaste packaging-cardboard box with each blade wrapped in paper. They cost 2.04 Euros for a pack of 10. Which means that if you use 1 blade for two weeks, you’ll use two blades per month which makes 24 blades per year. That will cost you 4,89 Euros per year and 24.48 Euros for 5 years.
So Vie-Long’s stainless steel razor + blades will cost you 39.83 Euros for 5 years, in comparison to a disposable one for 112.32.
And that’s not even the best part.
Shaving with a stainless steel razor puts an end to your skin problems.
Yes, you got that right. Say goodbye to skin rashes, razor burns and eczema. This is due to the fact that there is less friction between your skin and the razor. And you’re less likely to cut yourself because in order for you to get a good shave, you gotta keep your razor on an angle of 30 ℃.
What about shaving cream?
If you haven’t ditched that item yet, now it’s your time to do so. Opt for a locally made soap bar (we love QQ Natural’s one with clay and lemongrass) which you can use for all sorts of purposes-shaving, washing your hair & body and more.
Please don’t use coconut oil as a shaving cream as it might clog your razor and your drainpipes. But it makes a great moisturizer after shaving.
What about travelling with a stainless steel razor?
This is a little more complicated but not impossible by all means. Take the razor apart and put all pieces in different compartments. If the X-ray beeps, don’t worry, kindly explain to the airport/ bus/train station staff members that you have a stainless steel razor in the suitcase and if they want to see it, don’t be afraid to show it to them. We’ve never had any problems boarding a plane/international bus/train with ours. The situation is a bit more complex with the blades as rules vary in each country so to avoid any unnecessary problems, put them in a separate compartment and if they get confiscated, don’t worry, every shopping mall or barber shop should have some.
That’s all from us on this topic for now.
We hope that you found it useful and of course, let us know in the comments below about your thoughts on zerowaste shaving.
Love you.
Xo xo,
The Team of Revolucia