Did you know over two billion (yes, billion!) razors are thrown away each year? Whoa, that is seriously a ton! The good news is, there is a sustainable option and they’re called SAFETY RAZORS. We love safety razors because they replace plastic razors and disposable cartridges, which mostly can’t be recycled. Safety razor blades CAN be recycled, which means you’re producing less waste. Score! Also, shaving with a safety razor reduces skin irritation, shave bumps, and ingrown hairs that are common with cartridge or electric razors. The main reason is that with a safety razor you only have one blade against your skin at any time. But if general performance and sustainability doesn’t convince you to switch to a safety razor, maybe price will? Although the initial cost of the safety razor is more than your typical plastic razor, the safety blades cost around 10 cents each so you’ll save a lot of money over time.
Phew! Now that we’ve officially convinced you to switch it up, here are four safety razors we carry at Koko, plus some tips for using them. Also, if you buy a safety razor today, Sunday, December 5, you get a safety razor accessory 20% off.
Option 1 - Rockwell R1 Double Edge Safety Razor ($20): This safety razor is dubbed “the rookie” - it’s a greater starter for easing into shaving with a safety razor because of its butterfly opening, making it easy to switch blades, and its microcomb design to prevent nicks and cuts. The handle is weighted, but it is lighter than some of the other options we carry.
Option 2 - Rockwell 2C Safety Razor ($32): This razor has a nice heavy weight to the handle. It’s well-balanced and easy to hold, and you can adjust the closeness of your shave with two settings, making this razor great for beginners as well. It also looks super sleek and modern - who doesn’t love that?!
Option 3 - UpCircle Safety Razor ($30): This safety razor from UpCircle uses double-edge razor blades to give the closest possible shave, whilst being gentle to the skin and economical to use. The price is great! Koko owner, Adria Hall keeps this version in her shower!
Option 4 - Jungle Culture Rose Gold Safety Razor ($33): This gorgeous safety razor from Jungle Culture might be easy on the eyes, but it’s also precision engineered to provide a smooth and comfortable zero-waste shaving experience. Each sustainable safety razor has a textured grip and extra long chrome handle, perfectly balanced for shaving hard to reach areas. It comes in three great colors!
Since we’ve covered your safety razor options, here are a few more tidbits on shaving with a safety razor:
- Shave at the end of your shower so your hair and skin are soft.
- If your skin is super sensitive, it may be helpful to shave in the direction of your hair growth (honestly, we don’t do this but if your skin is sensitive this can help).
- Rinse your razor when you are done, shake it out and store it somewhere where it can stay dry, meaning not directly in your shower spray.
- Official guidance from dermatologists is to change blades every 5-7 shaves. Use your judgement here - we don’t count the super quick pit shaves as a full shave, so we push this a little bit. However, when in doubt, listen to the pros (not us here).
- MOST IMPORTANTLY, when you shave with a safety razor, do not press into your skin as you would with a plastic or disposable razor. The handles are weighted to provide all the pressure you need to get a good shave. Glide the razor along your skin, taking extra precaution around bony parts, as you would with any razor.
