Start your sustainable shaving habit

Sustainable shaving – the basics

The bathroom is a potential hotspot for collecting all sorts of plastic, from shampoo bottles to toothbrushes, period products to disposable razors. It is this last one I want to focus on tackling with this blog post and associated dare.

Whether it is a truly disposable razor such as a Bic-style one, or a more elaborate bit of kit where you retain the handle but regularly replace the blade cartridge, you’re purchasing and then binning a lot of plastic.

Then there’s a whole discussion to be had about what foam or soap you use to make shaving easier and less irritating. While CFCs have been banned for a long time in many countries, cans of foam still emit some aerosolised chemicals that are harmful to the environment.

Why sustainable shaving is important

The average disposable razor or shaver cartridge has a lifespan of 5-7 shaves before it starts to lose sharpness and effectiveness. This means that if you shave almost every day you will be throwing away between 52-73 pieces of plastic!

With a safety razor, the only waste you create is a thin metal blade each week, and most blades have two edges so they last twice as long. Because they are metal they are much easier to recycle (although watch out as some are coated with things like PTFE) and can be taken to your local recycling centre or rubbish tip.

Also, by ditching the cans of shaving foam and switching to something in bar form you are reducing the waste you create which is always a good thing. If you can go one step further and go plastic-free with your post-shave skincare routine that’s even better!

Do I need any special equipment or preparation before I start my sustainable shaving journey?

You will need a few items to prepare for this dare. Once your existing razor and shaving supplies have been used up you will need a safety razor and blades, which is a very worthwhile investment, a shaving soap bar of your liking, and a shaving brush, which are available with vegan bristles.

Tim’s top tips for sustainable shaving success

To give you the best chance of earning your Ailuna badge and progressing to stage 2 of this dare, Tim has shared some of his tips for success:

• A safety razor is an investment, and will save you money in the long run if you invest well now.
• Getting used to a safety razor from a disposable or cartridge shaver takes practice and patience. Slow down at first until you get the technique right.
• If your razor isn’t gliding as smoothly, you might not be lathering enough. Really work your soap into your stubble for a good length of time.
• Learn the direction that different parts of your beard grow in. You’ll avoid cuts more if you shave with the grain.

Need help?

You’re never alone with Ailuna! When taking this dare, you might find the Ailuna community is a big help. It’s full of people on a similar journey to you. So you can ask anything, judgement-free, and there’s a good chance someone else in the community will be on hand to help you out.

Related dares

If you’ve already completed this dare, why not try the “Swap to a shampoo bar” dare, or the “Save water, save energy” dare.