Looking for a razor that doesn’t cost the earth? You’ve come to the right place.
No beauty products should harm the planet, but like many of the products we use today, they often do far more than we realise.
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While fashion is often called out for its impact on the environment, it’s time we started thinking about the beauty industry too.
According to a study by Zero Waste Europe, there were 142 billion units of packaging produced for the use of beauty and personal care products in 2018 and these can take up to 1,000 years to decompose.
Of course you can recycle them, but most of us don’t – or better yet, find beauty products that don’t require packaging or unnecessary waste.
I never thought twice about my razors until more recently, when I started seeing Estrid all over my Instagram feed.
The razor brand does things a little differently. Not only are their razors colourful, bright and 100% Instagrammable (a mean feat for a razor, if you ask me), but they’re made from stainless steel to last a lifetime – but more about Estrid later.
Eco-friendly razors are just one easy way to make your bathroom cupboard a little more sustainable, and there are more than enough to choose from.
Here are 6 I recommend.
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Estrid
The Starter Kit, £7.95 – buy now
Estrid offers eco-friendly razor subscriptions, with new blades being delivered to your door as and when you need them.
Every kilo of CO2 emitted in the shipping process is climate-compensated, and they work with climate partner Tricorona, which follows the UN-certified Gold Standard.
Not only is the Estrid razor sustainable, but it’s by far the gentlest razor I’ve ever used on my skin. Once you try it, you can’t go back to disposables.
Upcircle Beauty
Plastic-free Safety Razor, £24.99 – buy now
Upcircle’s safety razor is not as scary as it looks!
Plastic-free and kind to your skin, this razor does it all. It might feel like a big expense at first, but you simply need to replace the razor blade rather than buy a whole new razor every time they blunt.
You can also send your old razor blades back to be recycled, and for every 5 blades returned you get £1 off a refill pack.
FFS
Rose Handle Razor, £9.95 – buy now
FFS is another subscription-based razor, eliminating the need to buy disposable razors all the time.
Buy a starter pack and receive 4 blades, a handle and a shower holder in the colour of your choice. You can even get your razor engraved so everyone knows it’s yours!
Opt to receive replacement razor heads every month or 2 months depending on how often you shave, and you’ll never have to remember to buy them again.
The handles are manufactured in the UK and all products are 100% cruelty free. When you’re finished with your razor heads, send them back to be recycled.
Flamingo
Smooth Start Set, £19 – buy now
Flamingo takes the work out of shaving with a quick and easy quiz to work out what you need and how often you need it.
As well as a razor head and blades, the quiz recommended a treatment for ingrown hairs every 2 months and a foaming shave gel for me. As someone who suffers with ingrown hairs, I’m keen to try them out.
Flamingo set aside 1% of all sales to support nonprofit organisations working to ensure women build ‘healthy, positive relationships with themselves’, such as The Female Lead and PERIOD.
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Aphrodite
Safety Razor + 20 FREE Blades, £19.90 – buy now
For an even more cost effective option, try Aphrodite.
The razors are plastic-free and made from quality zinc to prevent rusting. Every razor comes with 20 free blades, which each last between 3-5 shaves before they can be recycled (or sent back).
You can then order replacement blades for just £3.99, and all packaging is entirely plastic-free.
Wild & Stone
Reusable Safety Razor & Stand, £24.95 – buy now
Wild & Stone’s traditional safety razor is designed to be used on the face or body, with a grooved edge for precision.
When you’re done with the razor blade, you can simply recycle it in your household waste along with your food cans. They recommend you putting the blade inside a can to avoid anyone getting cut.
You can buy replacements for as little as 50p each so it’s a much cheaper alternative.
When you buy a pack, you get a razor, stand, five stainless steel blades and a cotton bag ideal for travelling.
Shoreline shaving
Pale Blue Reusable Safety Razor, £29.99 – buy now
Shoreline Shaving offers everything you need in one affordable kit. This includes one plastic-free razor, a natural and cruelty-free shaving soap, 10 double edged razor blades, a drawstring hessian travel bag and a 100% recyclable gift box.
The products are ethically made, and the family-owned brand supports The Ocean Cleanup and Surfers Against Sewage, donating a portion of their profits to the organisations every year.
