The Lemon Lifestyle - Zero Waste Shaving

I am an old-school type of person. I like making my coffee using a Bialetti, the traditional Italian stovetop moka pot. It requires more work than popping a pod into a machine, but the taste is unmistakable. And the tactile act of scooping the ground coffee (which smells amazing) and watching it boil provides a tangible connection to what you are drinking. I actually look forward to waking up in the morning.

While there is always room for innovation, sometimes the original just works. When searching for some of my first zero waste swaps a few years ago, the thing I wanted to try the most, and was also somewhat afraid of, was to use a safety razor. However, as soon as I tried it, I knew I could never go back to using plastic razors. It’s been so long since I’ve used one, but I remember that they didn’t last long. They are expensive, short-lived, and of varying quality. They will sit in a landfill forever. If you are looking for where to begin your zero-waste journey, I believe this is one of the best first changes you can make.

I purchased the Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor. It may say “long handled,” but safety razors are smaller than you would imagine, and they are incredibly sleek. They are made of metal, so they are weighted. I purchased my razor about three years ago, and I will likely have it for the rest of my life. I have traveled around the world with it and have never had any problems. It costs less than $30, and the KAI stainless steal razor blades I purchased cost $6.99 for a pack of ten. So that’s 10 years of shaving, for less than $40. I find that a razor blade lasts almost exactly a year before I notice the quality begin to go down. Being me, I take very good care of my razor, taking the pieces apart, rinsing them with water, and storing them dry between each use. This extra care takes maybe a few minutes, but that’s nothing when I think of the waste I used to create with plastic razors.

The only concern I must advise you about is to be aware of the blade! A razor blade is very sharp! I pay special attention to wrap a towel around the blade when screwing the razor together or apart, and you need to make sure it is screwed firmly in place before using it. I also put the blade in a small plastic box to avoid accidentally mishandling it, and write “SHARP” in big letters on the box when traveling, just in case my bag is searched that no one gets injured.

If you have been considering how to lower your environmental impact, I would advise you to take a look at safety razor shaving. It is a one-time purchase, so it is a very easy swap to make! It also adds an elegant element to your shaving routine. I can only speak from my own experience, but I have been so impressed with the quality and comfort of safety razor shaving. It can be intimidating at first, and there is a slight difference in how you handle the razor, but once you get the hang of it, there’s really no going back.

The header image was taken at Kalypso Beach, Crete, Greece.