At Biome, we love our safety razor. Less irritation, longer between shaves, and smoother skin - who doesn't want that? Caroline (our Brisbane Area Manager), Michele, (our Marketing & E-Commerce Manager), and Nancy (our Product Development Manager), all use their safety razors on the weekly basis, so they've given us a safety razor review!
Safety Razor Review - Why We Love Them & Top Tips
Zero Waste and Lasts Forever
Caroline says, and everyone agrees, that the best thing about using safety razors is you can ditch plastic disposable razors, forever. At Biome, our reusable safety razors are plastic free and zero waste, with a brass frame and chrome plating. Some of our handles are enamel-plated, or anodized and chrome-plated, but there's no plastic anywhere. The packaging is even recyclable! Completely metal, heavy duty and high quality - with proper care, you won't need to buy another razor, meaning you will save money in the long term too! And if your razor ever gets to the end of its life, it is completely recyclable, as are the blades.
Prep and Shaving is a Breeze
All three were nervous before using their razors, because they're so different from the generic plastic ones we're used to.
Nancy chose the
29L Women's Razor (pictured above) because of its light weight and the twisting butterfly head, where the head opens up by twisting the handle. This way no parts get lost, but Nancy also says she just finds the design "beautiful".
No matter what razor you choose, skin prep is very important. Caroline opted for
Dr. Bronner's Lavender Shaving Soap, which she found silky and smooth to apply. Michele used an olive oil
Est Soap Ball, and it produced a great lather. Nancy used her trusty
Dindi Shaving Soap (pictured above). No matter what soap you choose, every soap at Biome is free from palm oil that can't be traced, great for you, and the planet. The method each of these women used was different, but all agree the safety razors are easy to use with some practice. Caroline started shaving her calves first, as there was less chance of cutting herself as she got used to the razor. Michele started at her thighs and worked her way down. Her trick was to take her time to get used to the new angle, weight and pressure of the razor. Nancy shaved from the ankles and went upwards. She says getting the angle right is tricky, but as long as you do what feels comfortable, you'll have a nice shave. Her first time shaving, Nancy used a small amount of pressure, but realising how sharp the blade was, she found you don't need to push down at all. Although she did cut herself slightly a few times, it was nothing painful or serious. Nancy says, "you really just need to let the razor do all the work, you're just steering it".
No More Needless Irritation
All three say is that there was noticeably less irritation in comparison to generic razors. "Perhaps because it doesn't have a ‘lubrication strip', my legs feel less itchy or irritated after shaving, which is great", Michele says. The lubrication strip in generic razors is usually made from polyethylene oxide. Although "non-toxic", the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) warns us against external use, even saying that it "may be harmful if absorbed through the skin". Contact with this particular chemical may cause irritation and redness, which is counter-productive if you shave to get smoother skin. Irritation from generic razors can also be caused by their multiple blades. Having many blades dragging across your skin creates many chances of razor burn, irritation and ingrown hairs. But using one blade in the safety razor lessens this chance, leaving you with a non-itchy, nice shave.
Longer Between Shaves & Smoother Skin
Michele and Nancy say they can now go longer between shaves. Both women can go three to four days between shaving, compared to two with the generic razor. And who doesn't want that? Nancy says her new razor also exfoliates her skin and removes unwanted bumps. She says this works really well because she self-tans her legs, and now doesn't need to exfoliate beforehand!
Top Tips
Caroline's Top Tip: Go slow and steady with the safety razor. Rinse the blade in water often and don't wipe the blade on anything, as this will damage it.
Michele's Top Tip: Exfoliate your legs beforehand to remove any dead skin and uneven patches. This will mean a smoother, easier shave, and less chance of nicks.
Nancy's Top Tip: Ensure you rinse the safety razor thoroughly after each use, and try not to leave residue on the blade. This will make sure you have a smooth shave every time, and keeping your razor dry, clean and polished means you're looking after a long-term investment item.
We hope you've learned a lot from our safety razor reviews - as Nancy says, "I love it! It's a winner!"
See all our men's and women's safety razors, spare blades and shaving accessories here > Read our Razor 101 blog post here >
