Plastic isn’t awesome. Neither is buying stuff over and over again. Both things are costly to our planet and our pockets, so at Cali Low Waste Beauty we’ve said goodbye to plastic razors and hello to low waste shaves with our new Safety Razors!

It’s estimated that over 2 billion plastic razors and plastic refill blades are thrown into landfill every year - yup more than 2 BILLION! This is a whole lot of plastic that is actually really avoidable just by making a small, easy change to your bathroom routine. Low waste living here we come!

We weren’t about to suggest you quit shaving altogether and go for the ‘oh natural’ look (though rock those beards and legs if that’s for you!). Instead, we came up with low waste Safety Razors in both Luxe Copper and Classic Stainless. These eco chic designs will last you decades when properly cared for.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a dude who loves an irritation free shave or a chick who enjoys a luxurious beauty regime, low waste shaving with our Stainless Safety Razors is for everyone. All you need to do is replace the blades with a Refill Pack, recycle them through our blade take-back program (details below) and you’re one step closer to a low-waste life.

How to shave with your safety razor - Don’t fret, it’s easy!

Shaving with a safety razor is slightly different to using a plastic razor, in the best way possible. Safety razors are built for longevity and have a different design, so they provide a closer shave and are easy to use.

Here are a few helpful tips to understand before you begin your first plastic free shave.

• Glide the razor lightly over your skin. DO NOT PRESS. A safety razor is designed differently to a plastic disposable razor - it does the hard work for you!
• Bikini areas and underarms are fine to use with these razors, make sure you are gentle and light while keeping skin taut. 
• Keep the razor on a flat angle to your skin for safety. 
• When travelling, grab yourself a CaliWoods Safety Razor Travel Bag or wrap a sock around the head of your shaver. This will save your hands when rummaging and protects the other products in your bag.
• Store in a dry place for longevity. Do not keep in the shower between Shaves. Don't drop your Razor!
• Your razor will not rust, but after being wet for some time, the blades may. If they do, simply give them a generous rub with a towel or emery cloth.
• When your blade is blunt, simply unscrew the head of the razor from the handle, place the new blade between the two top plates (holding by the blunt edges) and screw the handle back on.
• Have a specific question? Check out our FAQs on the product page first otherwise you can message us directly HERE on instagram and we will do our best to help. 

Okay so you’re almost ready...

Step-by-step instructions on how to use a Cali Safety Razor.

Pretty similar to what you have already experienced with the plastic ones - just keep the above tips in mind and you’ll be fine.

You’ll need: 

• A Cali Low Waste Beauty Safety Razor
• Soap (we recommend Dirty Hippy). 
• A water source
• A towel

How to: 

1. Place the blade in between the 2 top holding plates and then screw the handle in. You can see this demonstrated on the video below.
2. Wet your skin and lather with soap
3. Wet your razor
4. Lightly drag your razor over your skin; rinse the razor after 1-3 strokes
5. Add more soap or water to your skin as needed
6. Rinse your skin with water so no hair or soap is left
7. Dry your skin with a towel
8. High-five yourself on a plastic free shave!

If you want to watch the summary video it explains the whole process well with images so you can clearly see. 

Video instructions on how to use a Cali Safety Razor.

How To Recycle Used Safety Razor Blades in New Zealand

We have the Cali Blade Take Back Program! If properly cared for, your Razor should last decades but your Blades need to be replaced when they’re blunt. This will be after 5-15 shaves on average depending on how thick your hair is. If you’re a guy with thick facial hair you will go through more blades quickly. If you are shaving thin leg hair then you won’t need to swap them out as often.

If you see any rust on your blade from residual water, make sure you either buff it out before using or switch the blade for a new one. You can see the Refill Blade Pack here - you get 20 Blades which can be used on both edges for $8.50 (around 43 cents per blade).

Once you’re done with a Razor Blade they actually cannot go into the regular curb-side recycling. Their small size makes sorting difficult and not-viable at low quantities and their sharp edges are a hazard. 

So where do the blunt blades end up? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back… we’ll take them back! Here’s the plan:

How To Recycle/Repurpose Your Blades:

1. USE your blades until they are no longer sharp enough to complete a good shave.
2. CLEAN the blade and DRY it.
3. POST the blades back to Cali Low Waste Beauty HQ. Once you have 40+ blunt blades to return, pop them into the supplied envelope, seal and wrap them into another (so the postie’s hands are safe). Click here for the return address or see if there is a collection point near you. 
4. REPURPOSE is our responsibility. Bundling all your blades together will mean there will be enough to feasibly recycle, and we have some ideas for how to reuse the material too.

____________________________________________

So, will it be the Luxe Copper Razor or the Classic Stainless? This will be the last razor you'll ever buy, so choose well, enjoy the 5 refill blades that come with each razor, and stock up with a 20 pack of Refill Blades to save on shipping.

The planet is ready for a bit of your love - and this way there might be a little less than 2 Billion Razors in the landfill next year huh?!

Related Posts: 

• The Truth About that 'Compostable' Coffee Cup 
• 5 Easy Swaps for 2019
• 7 Things You Had No Idea Contained Plastic
• The Ultimate Waste Guide 

Other products you might find interesting...

• Stainless Pegs 
• Coconut Cutlery Pack 
• Stainless Hot & Cold Tumblers