No matter how good you feel afterward, shaving your legs can be a chore. What started out as a rite of passage doesn’t take long to become a source of dread. And the cost of razors? Razor companies are making a killing on dinky pieces of plastic with dull blades.
If you’re tired of shaving your legs with plastic razors and feeling stubble within the hour, consider switching to a safety razor.
Why a safety razor is superior to plastic razors
If you’ve never used or even laid eyes on a safety razor before, don’t worry – it’s not as strange as using peanut butter when you run out of shaving cream. It’s a basic razor that utilizes a single, sharp blade (often double-edged) that gets a clean shave without bumps and irritation. The blade is replaceable while the actual razor will last for lifetimes.
Unlike multi-blade disposable razors and cartridge razors, a safety razor is sharp enough to cut leg hair on the first pass. Depending on how long it’s been since your last shave, you might need to use several passes. However, you won’t need to use pressure and a safety razor will cut your hair deeper, giving you a close, long-lasting shave.
Ready to try a safety razor?
If you’re ready to learn how to use a safety razor, you’ll need several items and accessories for a proper wet shave:
- A safety razor. The best safety razors are heavy and have solid handles with a grip-friendly texture. The weight of the razor is the reason you don’t need to use pressure when shaving. You’ll notice how easy the blade cuts through your leg hair the first time you shave.
Safety razors come in all different colors, and you can even get a travel size to fit in your toiletry bag when you go on vacation.
- Replacement blades. Unlike disposable razors, replacement blades are cheap! You’ll pay no more than fifty cents per blade for high-end blades. Average blades cost between ten and twenty-five cents each. One blade should give you at least a week, but will last much longer if you have fine hair or don’t shave every day.
Over ten years, you’ll save an average of $2,450 by switching to a safety razor.
- Shaving soap. If you think shaving soap is just for men, there are a lot of women who disagree. Decades ago, women had to shave their legs with safety razors. It was the only option next to a straight razor (which, by the way, many women use!)
Before shaving cream came in a can, everyone had to create lather from shaving soap. If you’re going to use a safety razor, you may as well stick with the traditional shaving soap.
High-quality handmade shaving soap made just for women is easy to find on Etsy and other online marketplaces.
- A scuttle. You can create lather directly on your legs, but it’s more fun to whip it up in a scuttle. Using a scuttle allows you to create precise and consistent lather. Once you get the hang of creating lather you might prefer creating it directly on your legs.
The safety razor technique
Shaving with a double-edged safety razor is easy once you know how it differs from the plastic razors you’re used to. The first and most significant difference is that you don’t want to use pressure when wet shaving. The blades are sharp and the razor is weighted specifically so you don’t need to use pressure.
The other important difference is that the blade is flexible and becomes slightly curved when inserted into the razor. This helps to create the right blade angle. The other important aspect is the angle of the razor when you shave. You want to keep the razor at an angle of about 30 degrees to your skin.
Creating thick lather is an important part of your technique. Once you’ve perfected your lather, you’re halfway there. Once your legs are properly lathered up, you want to use short strokes rather than long. You’ll notice the hair will come right off and it will feel almost effortless.
Try it out!
Now that you know how much better a safety razor works and how much money you’ll save, there’s no reason not to try it out. Once you use a safety razor there’s a good chance you’ll start to enjoy shaving.