As the world evolves, we become more aware of the size of the footprint that our daily life makes on the environment around us. And throughout our day, we see reminders of ways to reduce the impact in our smallest daily routines. So why not look at ways to make shaving - one of the most common daily rituals - more sustainable and grounded in nature as well?
With a few easy adjustments, you can make your shaving routine greener and better for the environment. From choosing safety razors with easily manufactured double edge blades instead of cartridge razors that use huge resources to manufacture and come with a lot of plastic waste to using shaving creams with natural ingredients with a shaving brush and lathering bowl instead of an aerosol foam with artificial lubricants and disposable can, there are plenty of ways to shave the sustainable way.
What is eco-friendly shaving?
By choosing skin-friendly and eco-friendly products, you can reduce your impact on the environment without compromising on a premium quality shave. With eco-friendly shaving products, you’ll avoid unwanted chemicals and toxins and plastic waste that come with conventional shaving products. Going green is easier than you might think, and there are plenty of eco-friendly shaving products on the market.
Benefits of sustainable shaving
Here are a few ways going green can benefit your shaving routine:
- Lighter environmental footprint: in addition to the massive amounts of resources for the supply chain to manufacture and distribute cartridge razors and then manage the non-recyclable waste they leave behind, the land-fill bound aerosol cans used for popular shaving foams and gels are considered hazardous waste in some places.
- Decreased exposure to chemical health risks: Known toxins in conventional shaving products and those like xylene and formaldehyde which are often found in aerosols, can cause a number of health issues and are so complex, they need a website to explain. Popular shaving creams and gels are loaded with dyes, preservatives and artificial lubricants and products that claim to be ‘pure’ often aren’t. By contrast, Mondial 1908 ancient recipe shaving creams contain only naturally-derived ingredients with no dyes, preservatives or artificial lubricants.
- A smoother shave: Multi-blade razors cut hair below the skin - which is great for a smooth shave at first, until that hair starts to grow back and gets trapped under the skin leading to painful bumps and irritation. This is especially true for those with curly hair. Safety razors cut hair at the skin’s surface for fewer bumps and smooth skin that lasts.
In Part 2, we'll look more closely at double edge safety razors and how to choose the right one for you as part of your transition to a more sustainable shave.
