I could tell you that, as part of my sustainability journey, I’ve decided to stop shaving. Why waste material and money on the little disposable plastic razor heads? Why spend the time it takes to shave? I could tell you that both Nicole and I have stopped, and that we’re both walking around now looking like Sasquatches. But this isn’t that kind of post. Instead, we’ve switch to the best all-metal razor we could find.

Cost Shavings

No, we haven’t quit shaving. Both of us continue to conform to the societal stereotype that if you are clean-cut you are a respectable person. We’re not prolific shavers – we each shave about once a week. That’s partially because neither of us have particularly hairy genes, and because we don’t feel like taking the time to shave during the week. But by the time Sustainability Saturday rolls around each week, I definitely need a shave.

Over the course of a month, Nicole and I go through about one disposable razor head each. I used to buy the Gillette Mach 3 replaceable heads at around $1.50 each, and Nicole bought the heavily pink-taxed Venus replaceable heads at about $2 each. So, in a year, we would throw away 24 little pieces of plastic and over $40.

This past month, July, we eliminated that monthly waste of plastic, and we cut our costs, by switching to the Leaf razor. It is an all-metal shaving instrument that includes a pivoting head to help it conform to your unique curves. The head has spots for three replaceable razor blades, and the starter kit comes with anywhere from 40 to 100 blades, depending on your choice of package. The blades are priced at about $0.42 per 3-blades, which means you can the replace the entire razor head for between one third and one quarter the cost of a name-brand disposable razor head. The price of the handle itself is a different story. It is between $79 and $109, again, depending on the starter pack you choose. Compared with the relatively low cost (~$10) for a name-brand razor handle, Nicole and I figure it will take between 2 and 3 years for us to break even cost-wise. However, for people who shave more often, that break even point will come more quickly.

Why Leaf?

There are many companies out there right now that offer metal shaving handles with replaceable razor blades. Most, however, are of the single-blade, safety razor style. Instead, we wanted to find the best all-metal razor out there. The great thing about the Leaf razor is that it has three blades and a pivoting head. This makes it essentially equivalent to a traditional three-bladed disposable razor head. We didn’t have to worry about much of a learning curve when we made the switch. We just started using it! Best of all, the blades are all metal and recyclable, so we won’t be throwing out any more plastic in our shaving routine!

Pro Tips

There are a few tips to know when using the razor. First, when loaded with all three blades, the razor can be too aggressive for your face. Nicole put all three blades in and shaved her legs no problem, but when I went to shave my face, I thought I was taking off some skin (I didn’t actually end up cutting myself at all). The instructions that come with the razor do warn that this may be the case, and they recommend removing the bottom razor from the head. I followed their advice, removed the bottom blade, and have been happy with the results.

The other thing to be aware of is that you may have to adjust your shaving style to work around tight spaces. For me, it was a little difficult to get all the hairs right under my giant nose. By shaving that area in a more side to side motion, rather than up and down, I have been able to keep everything nice and smooth.

All in all, the Leaf razor is an investment and a commitment. Over time, the total amount we spend on our shaving routine will decrease, and the total amount of plastic we avoided will increase. It’s such an easy switch to make, however, that it honestly doesn’t feel like much of a commitment at all.

Good, Better, Best,

Mike