Why You Should Use Safety Razors: A Guide

There’s a saying that all of us are familiar with, which is “old is gold”. Now there are numerous situations where this doesn’t apply, but when it comes to the discussion about the best shaving instrument, these words do hold true.

Though cartridge razors have been marketed to us as the latest technology, delivering the smoothest shaves, we can collectively say that’s not true. Cartridge razors are not only ineffective when it comes to giving you a clean shave, but they are also irritating for the skin and increase the chances of razor burn, bumps, redness, irritation, and more. For a truly, hi-tech, efficient shave, you need to turn to safety razors.

Yes, you read that right! In this article, we’re telling you all you need to know about safety razors, including how they work, why you should use them, and more.

What Are Safety Razors?

Safety razors, which are also known as double-edged razors, are a type of shaving instrument that consists of a single blade with two edges. The blade is placed in the middle and surrounded by a protective cover that keeps you from injuring yourself.

While the actual concept of the safety razor came into existence in the 18th century, the design was perfected by King Gillette in the 20th century. This was a revolutionary invention, because till then, for a proper shave, people had to visit the barber. Handling shaving implements and tools required a lot of expertise that the average citizen did not have, and only barbers trained in their trade could handle such equipment. However, double-edged razors now allowed people to shave safely and easily in their homes, with little risk for injury. Their popularity remained rampant till the invention of cartridge razors in the 1970s, which were not only cheaper but also called for lesser experience.

Nowadays, while safety razors have the same design, they are made of improved materials and have added features that make them even better in terms of use and durability. For instance, an excellent heavy duty safety razor: Merkur 34C, has that classic and reliable safety razor design, along with a thick grip handle and chrome plating. 

Why Should You Use A Safety Razor?

Now, if you’re still contemplating whether you should switch over to safety razors or not, here’s a list that will make the benefits of using a safety razor clearer.

1. They’re Better For Your Skin: Due to the fact that safety razors have only one blade, that runs over a patch of skin once, they’re much better for your skin and lead to lower irritation and lesser razor burn, redness and sensitivity. However, since cartridge razors have multiple blades, you have several blades going over your skin at once, which can be highly irritating for you, especially if you have sensitive skin. On top of that, due to how the blades are placed, dead skin, hair, and product residue remain stuck to the blades, which can further irritate and even infect your skin.

2. They Deliver A Closer Shave: Advertisements for disposable, cartridge razors often depict them as highly advanced tools, with every fancy feature in the world. But it’s time to throw all that out the window because the truth is that they give you an average shave at best. Since cartridge razors have multiple blades embedded in the plastic, they tend to pull the hair out, rather than cleanly shave it off. However, safety razors are much sharper, which allows them to cleanly cut off your hair from the base.

3. They Save Up On Costs: Using safety razors can also help you significantly save up on recurring costs. While cartridge razors are cheap, they are created to be disposable. This means that you have to replace not only the blades but the entire instrument once every couple of months. This length of time can be even lesser, depending on how frequently you shave. But while safety razors have a greater upfront cost, you can easily use them for a year, at least. All you need to change are the blades, which are very cheap and available for cents. If you buy a heavy duty safety razor: Merkur 34C for instance, then you will be able to use it for an even longer time.

4. They Are Environmentally-Safe: Did you know that almost a couple billion disposable razors make their way to landfills and garbage dumps every year? These instruments are largely plastic, which makes them non-biodegradable, and recycling them is also a far cry. However, safety razors are almost exclusively made of biodegradable metals which can be safely recycled as well. These razors also don’t require frequent replacement, which helps reduce waste. 

How To Use A Safety Razor?

A lot of people tend to shy away from using a safety razor because they think that using it is hard and a complicated affair, but that’s far from the truth. While it might take some time to get used to safety razors after you’ve been exclusively using cartridge razors, you will manage to get the hang of them within a week or so.