Zero waste shaving – top tips

In all parts of our lives, people are increasingly looking for ways to make small changes that have a big impact. And zero waste shaving is one of them. Here at Kairn, we want to bring a shave experience where you are both investing time in yourself, and shaving with zero-waste.

Take a look at our top tips for shaving zero waste - covering shaving oils, shaving cream and metal razors. 

Tip 1: Use a metal safety razor

Rather than working your way through countless disposable razors heads, and accumulating any number of handles in your toothbrush pot, we say recycle them all. Get rid of them all and replace them with a double edge metal safety razor.

DE razors are usually metal or wood, and clasp a razorblade in the head of the razor. Open on both sides, this is a sharp, clean, and easy way to go zero waste when shaving. It’s important to learn how to use the blade, as it’s very different to a standard plastic razor, but along with perfectly shaved skin, you can be happy knowing you’ve made a big impact on cutting unnecessary plastic waste.

Our metal razors come in paper packaging which can be reused or recycled. But once you have your razor, then it’s the same one for years and years. Only the blades need replacing.

Tip 2: Prolong the life of your blade

Shaving waste is often caused by blunt blades needing to be replaced. It follows, therefore, that the longer we can keep a blade sharp, then the longer we can go between changing razor blades. This is true of plastic or metal razors. We want people to choose a metal DE razor, but if you still have a plastic razor then the next best thing is to keep it going for as long as possible.

Our Blaidmat leather strop works by sharpening and honing the end of your blades. By stropping the blade in between shaves, the blade itself is kept cleaner and sharper. One customer told us the Blaidmat has extended the life of their razor from three to seven shaves. Depending on how often you shave, that’s more than doubling the life of your blade.  

Tip 3: Use an alternative to shaving cream or foam

Coarse hair and dry or irritable skin often push us to want to use thick, creamy shaving foams and gels. These quick-fixes of temporal comfort have a long-term impact because they cause a lot of waste – both in production and after use.

But you can have great comfort without the compromise. We have a shave brick which works as soap, foaming up in your hands and offering a rich and thick lather through which to shave. There are many shave soaps out there, so give a few a go to see which ones work best.  

Consider combining this with shave oil and oil-based skin washes, as these nourish and protect your skin whilst providing indulgence and friction-free shaving. Our range comes in plastic-free packaging, and so makes a positive step towards zero waste shaving.

Tip 4: Go plastic-free in your bathroom

Zero waste is the goal, and there are many ways to get there. Some products still need to be brought in a container, so in the short term, continue to find ways to cut waste, and aide recycling as best as possible.

At Kairn that looks like avoiding plastic across our entire range. Our bottles are glass which is effectively and efficiency recycled or reused. Our lids are made of aluminium, and our labels compostable. Whilst they aren’t yet zero waste shaving, it’s pretty close.

And as you’d expect, our products come to your door in sustainable, recycled and recyclable materials.

Discover more about our zero waste shaving alternatives.