Comments on: Update 1: A Rant on Shaving and the Power of Advertising

By: andi

andi — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:44:11 +0000

i know this is really old, but thought i’d mention that i never use shave cream/soap. I use oil. i love almond and jojoba – and you can get both in glass jars (although mine have a plastic top). I’ve always used oils and love how smooth my legs get. (I just use bar soap for my pits.)

Anyway, your site is really inspiring me to rethink how i do things. I have a looooong way to go! But I’m going and not ignoring anymore. That means something, right?

By: Perfect Shave

Perfect Shave — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:16:16 +0000

You are right, Beth. Wet-shaving also means less waste. Just think about all the non-recyclable plastic that goes into multi-blade cartridges and handles, and the aerosol cans that release harmful by-products into the environment. Switching to old-style shaving props won’t gain you entry into Green Peace by itself, but it is a good start.
I’ve replaced aerosol cans and disposable razors with a Merkur double edge razor, a good shaving soap and a pure badger shaving brush. Three simple elements that are not only able to give me a bettter shave, but that put together create a moment to unwind and do something for myself that I can enjoy and feel good about.om

By: Fake Plastic Fish

Fake Plastic Fish — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:03:00 +0000

Hi Conscious Shopper. First of all, the blades I buy last a very, very long time compared to Venus blades. And if you keep them dry after using them, they will last even longer. After that, I just keep the used blades in a little box and at some point I will find a place to recycle them. Recycling metal is much easier than recycling plastic. Plastic recycling is actually downcycling.

By: The Conscious Shopper

The Conscious Shopper — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:55:00 +0000

I recently dropped my Venus razor and broke the razor blade, and then discovered that I was all out of new blades, so now I’m trying to decide if I want to stick with the Venus or try something more environmentally friendly.

I’m interested in the safety razor, but I’m wondering – what do you do with the blades when you’re finished with them? Have you found a way to recycle them, or do you throw them away? If you’re throwing them away, is that better, environmentally speaking, than throwing away the blades encased in plastic (if for instance, I got a Preserve razor or stuck with the Venus)?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:13:00 +0000

http://lesrondssouslesbras.blogspot.com/

By: horsylady

horsylady — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:55:00 +0000

I stopped shaving my legs years ago (I am 34 w/ 2 kids) my husaband believes that shaving is society’s way of “childifying” women so that they look younger and continually look like children instead of women. Neither of my children want to shave either (although they are just 12 and 13 right now – we’ll see as they get older). He shaves w/ a straight razor and homemade shaving cream (no plastic or chemicals and he says it is better!) still looking for a recipe for homemade conditioner for hair that doesn’t involve covering my (and my daughter’s) head w/ mayo or avacodo and waiting 20-45 minutes – any ideas?

By: Hil

Hil — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:15:00 +0000

When I was in high school, I read an extremely boring book called The History of King Gilette. It outlined the growth in popularity for female shaving, and surprisingly it’s linked to feminism – men shaved, so women were going to shave too, and all those parts that people weren’t supposed to see. Very frustrating to see that turned into a standard that women feel forced into doing.

I stopped shaving after reading that book, but took up waxing a few years later because … well, I’m very hairy. lol I find waxing to be less of a hassle. Not sure how it stacks up environmentally.

By: Jackie

Jackie — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 16:17:00 +0000

I’ve heard clark howard talking about using one 17cent razor for a year! Simply dry it off after each use. I’ve been doing it for over 2months with the same razor so far. Brilliant.

By: Blue Collar Crunch

Blue Collar Crunch — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:32:00 +0000

Using a safety razor doesn’t seem crazy to me, but it does seem…impressive, and brave, even? I’m know it’s just that the marketing has done its job on me, but the plastic cartidges are all I’ve ever known, and I freely admit that the idea of switching freaks me out. Articles that give overly-detailed advice on the care you need to take to avoid injuring yourself (like this one: http://leisureguy.wordpress.com/2006/07/10/a-guide-to-the-gourmet-shaving-experience/) tend to only freak me out more. I mean, “blade angles”, really?

In the meantime, I’m just dunking my plastic razor heads in alcohol after each shave, to prolong both their life, and the day I’ll have to make a real decision about this.

Oh, and here’s an amusing link for you – a Mother Earth article from 1972 on how wasteful “all those steel blades” are, and how everyone should use a straight razor…funny how time changes things, adding yet another level of waste to the process.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1972-03-01/How-to-Use-a-Straight-Razor.aspx

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:08:00 +0000

I know it’s still made of plastic (which defeats the purpose of this blog) but I hate disposable stuff and buying things just to throw them away so I switched to one of the electric things that actually plucks the hairs out. I’ve been using it now for about 6 years, the hairs on my legs are so fine the ‘plucker’ can’t even grasp them so they remain and I have to shave my pits about once every other week or so. It’s not a solution to no plastic but it is a very good option to disposables for those afraid of the metal razor.