Shaving facial hair is an important routine for most men. However if your using disposable single-use plastic razors then you are creating a negative impact on the environment as these cannot be recycled and end up in landfill or worse still the ocean.  They also take over 300 years to degrade down and only then to smaller plastic particles!

One good alternative is the cartridge razors with reusable handles, where the blade can be detached and replaced and the handle reused (until of course the lock mechanism is damaged and then it also needs to be thrown out), a downside however is that these normally get sold in a lot of plastic packaging which again only adds to the ongoing plastic problem.

A much better option is the double-bladed safety razor with stainless-steel handles. This plastic-free razor is a great option for many, especially those with ingrowing hairs as it provides a closer shave. Professional barbers also recommend safety razors to men who develop irritation using cartridge razors.

Using safety razors is also way more economical than cartridge razors as disposable stainless-steel blades are much cheaper than blade cartridges. These plastic-free razors are also easy to use just like the cartridge type.

So, revert back to the old way of shaving with a plastic-free double-bladed safety razor! See the top or bottom of the page for useful links.  (Shorter handles are better options especially for beginners being easier to grip and more manoeuvrable)

Shaving Soap and Shaving Brush

An important step when shaving is to always use a shaving cream or soap when shaving as this will dramatically reduce the risk of cuts and irritation to the skin. This also softens the hair making it easy to shave.

We recommend using a natural shaving cream in a bar to free landfills of shaving cream can tops and triggers, or the plastic pots that a lot of shaving soap is still sold in! 

You can lather the natural shaving cream bar with your hand, but the best way is to use a shaving brush, at this point its also best to choose an eco-shaving brush.

The market is sadly flooded with synthetic shaving brushes, which are made of plastic brushes and often come with plastic handels, neither of which are recyclable and only add to the plastic pollution! 

The good news is there are eco-shaving brushes out there made of horse hair, boar hair or badgers hair (we strongly recommend to stay away from badgers hair, as it has been revealed that badgers are harmed in the process)

Our recommended eco-shaving brushes are those made with horses hair as these are usually trimmed from the horse once a year and sent to manufactures, so there is no need to feel guilty about being cruel animals.

New eco-shaving brush made from horse or boar hair may have be left with that peculiar animal smell. But as stated in the video, to help get rid of that interesting smell from natural shaving brushes, try the following:

1. Soak the hair of the brush for 10-30 minutes in dish soap and warm water.
2. After lathering up the brush with a strong scented shave soap and let it sit overnight and rinse it in the morning.
3. After rinsing, rub on a dry towel for about 5-10 minutes.
4. Repeat steps if required.

Razor Blades

 One important thing to keep in mind for a truly sustainable shaving routine is to also make sure the razor blades you use are plastic free, alongside the razor.

Choosing ones that are entirely made of stainless steel and therefore can be fully recycled, as well as wrapped in paper rather than plastic film is the way to go. And once you are done using them, do not add them to the recycling bin, keep them all safely together and hand them in at your local recycling centre so that nobody will get hurt while processing them.

For ongoing really smooth environmentally friendly shaves, invest in a good safety razor, shaving soap and shaving brush. Click on the links below to see some excellent options for each of your shaving needs.

For Plastic Free Razors

For Plastic Free Razor Blades 

For Eco Shaving Brushes

For Natural Shaving Soap Bars