6 reasons why women should use a safety razor too

Safety razors are certainly not just for men.

If you identify as a woman, we know that since you were a child, the only razors you see in the supermarket hygiene aisle are disposable ones. Whether it's a fully disposable version or a plastic handle with disposable cartridges, an estimated 2 billion plastic razors end up in landfills every year in the US alone. You can calculate for yourself how much you've already thrown away: if you change your razor every 1-2 weeks, multiplied by 52 weeks per year, multiplied by the number of years since you started shaving... that's way too much.

Okay, but what are your options?

• You can wax (it doesn't work for everyone... and still causes waste if you don't use the sugar method).
• You can choose not to wax (after all, hairless women are a construct of our society, aren't they?)
• Or if you prefer shaving, you can swap your disposable razors for a safety razor.

Invented in the 1850s (patented in 1880), it is so called because only a small area of the blade is exposed, allowing you to shave effectively without risk of injury. Before the advent of plastic, our grandparents (both men and women) used these metal razors. 

Safety razors offer many advantages 

1. They are much cheaper in the long run. The first purchase may be more expensive, but if you take care of it, you will only need one razor for the rest of your life. Replacement blades can be found at a very low price (0.2-0.5€ per piece). This is the opposite of the razors sold in supermarkets, where handles are sold at a low price but huge profits are made on refilling the blades.
2. They offer a closer shave. There is only one blade, but it is effective in one stroke. Shavers with interchangeable heads may have 4 or 5 blades, but they are often not very sharp in comparison, and you tend to press down to get the right result, to the detriment of the skin.
3. This is the best way to avoid irritation and ingrown hairs because the skin and hair are better respected
4. It's more elegant than a blue or neon pink plastic razor. It's a beautiful object to take care of.
5. Those "moisturizing" strips you find on disposable razors are often loaded with chemicals. Choosing a safety razor is choosing the non-toxic option. Back to nature!
6. And last but not least, it is a nice zero waste alternative. Only the blade is replaceable, and this is either recyclable or a really minimal waste.

There are plenty of reasons to ditch your disposable razors and switch to a safety razor, right?

Tip here though: if you sometimes travel by plane, don't wait until you've finished your disposable razors to switch to reusable ones. Double-edged blades can only travel in the hold. If you are travelling with cabin baggage only, it will be useful to have a conventional razor for backup.

Photo by Bogdan Glisik