Like everyone else, shaving is a big part of my hygiene routine. Shaving makes my skin look brighter, health and gives me a clean, smooth look that just cannot be beaten.
But, I’ll be honest here: while shaving is important for me, it can be extremely frustrating to do because it often leaves my skin feeling worse. A day or two after shaving, my face becomes red, irritated, and dry. Not to mention, I even tend to break out with razor burns and pimples, and my skin becomes angrier than ever.
These problems got so bad that I actually had to stop shaving for a while, just so that my skin could repair and fix itself. For a long while, I was pretty confused about what the problem could be, then someone gifted me something that I would never have contemplated buying myself! And guess what, the same product has changed how I feel about shaving entirely!
That little gift was a safety razor that made me throw out my cartridge razor right out the window, all for the best. Now, I know that a lot of you must be thinking that safety razors are way too traditional and simplistic to be efficient, but that’s where you’re wrong. In this article, I’m going to tell you why it’s time that you gifted a safety razor to someone, or even yourself.
What Is A Safety Razor?
Before I move on to actually talking about why you should use safety razors, it is important to tell you what it actually is.
A safety razor is a basic form of razor, which has a single, double-edged blade in the center, which is surrounded by a plastic protective cover. While safety razors were invented in 1762 by a man named Jean-Jacques Perret, who put a protective covering over the straight-edged razor (also known as a shavette), they rose to popularity in the 1900s when King Gillette created a new improved model with a double-edged blade.
This version of the safety razor was much more convenient to use, since the razors of that time required frequent sharpening, whereas the one developed by Gillette used a disposable, double-edged blade, which didn’t require sharpening and could be replaced easily.
Nowadays, there are safety razors that are even more efficient, which combine new-age material with trusted design. An excellent example is the Rockwell 6S Safety Razor, which is one of my favorites out there. Its patented design offers a glide and smoothness like none other and gives you a non-irritating shave.
If you are anything like me, you’re probably rolling your eyes right now and wondering how a safety razor could possibly help you. A lot of people tend to dismiss safety razors with the idea that it’s an older design and could never keep up with our needs today, but that’s not true! The traditional design of safety razors is what lends it the ability to deliver a precise shave every single time.
Why You Gift A Safety Razor
Now that you know what a safety razor is all about, it’s time to tell you why you should spend money or even gift one to anyone, let alone yourself. Well, here is a list of reasons why.
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It Delivers A Precise Shave every time
Let me tell you. If there is one thing that a safety razor will give you, it is a precise shave every single time. The smooth, angled design of safety razors allows you to glide the instrument over the contours of your face with ease, and you can even shave those hard-to-reach places that aren’t as easy to shave when you are using a multi-blade cartridge razor. On top of that, the blades of a cartridge razor also angled at a position that tends to catch the hair in-between the blades, which can be very uncomfortable and end up tearing the hair out of its follicles. Cartridge razors also tend to cut the hair a little bit below the follicle, which can be painful when the hair starts growing back up and can cause ingrown hairs.
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Leaves Behind Little To No Irritation
When I started using safety razors, I was very skeptical about how good they would be for my skin. In fact, I was expecting my skin to break out and become riddled with pimples and razor burn the next day, but none of that happened. My skin looked smooth and clean and I had very little irritation and redness, which is a miracle for sensitive skin like mine. Unlike cartridge razors, which have multiple blades, all of which move over your skin several times at once, safety razors just have one sharp blade that moves over your skin at one point. This keeps your skin from getting scratched and grazed over multiple times. The blade also smoothly shaves off the top of the hair, which makes sure that hair growth isn’t painful or irritating, and your skin still looks clean and hairless.
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It Is Much More Affordable
Okay, hear me out. In terms of up-front cost, cartridge disposable razors are cheaper but when you look at it in terms of long-term expenses, safety razors are much easier on the pocket. While you will have to pay more when you buy your safety razor first, it will last much longer because it is made with more durable, long-lasting materials. These razors designed to last because the design and concept are from a time where the concept of “disposable” items didn’t exist. The only thing that needs frequent changing is the blade, which is available cheaply. However, cartridge razors cost much more in the long run. You have to keep replacing it every few months, both the razor and the cartridge.
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It Is A Sustainable, Environmentally-Friendly Tool
We are all trying to be as environmentally sound and sustainable as possible, in every which way possible, and buying safety razors is an amazing way to do so! Did you know that every year, almost 2 billion disposable razors dumped and sent to landfills annually? Cartridge razors are non-reusable and are largely made of plastic, which can choke the earth. But on the other hand, safety razors are reusable and recyclable which lasts you for several years, if kept safely out of water’s reach. Safety razors also made of biodegradable materials which are much safer for the earth and more sustainable.
Point of Caution To Remember
Okay, so you’re probably pretty excited to use your safety razor right now, but here’s one thing to remember before you give it to someone or start using it yourself.
So one thing about safety razors is that, due to the open blade design of the razor, it does tend to be a bit more dangerous than ordinary, cartridge razors. If it does slip off your grip, or if you use it at an awkward angle, there is a higher possibility of nicks and cuts. However, there is nothing to be afraid of here! Trust me, even someone as clumsy as me got the hang of it pretty quick. All you need to do is be careful, and you’re good to go.
