Shaving doesn’t have to cost the Earth!
Male grooming and manscaping is very big business these days and the costs involved can be astronomical, especially when it comes to shaving. A razor that uses disposable cartridges can work out very expensive, with 4 new cartridges generally costing £10 plus depending on your brand and model of razor. You can reduce the cost slightly with lots of companies now offering subscription-based razors and blades, but it can still be quite costly.
But what if I told you that replacing razor blades could be a lot cheaper (and I do mean a lot), reducing the cost per shave substantially whilst still getting a good close and smooth finish? I bet that you are already imagining your face being cut to ribbons. I have been using a different razor from the Clear Confidence Co that not only gives a close shave at a fraction of the cost, but it reduces plastic waste as it has NO plastic in it and is vegan friendly, making it a razor an ethical and sustainable shave.
The Clear Confidence Company have created a range of vegan-friendly, plastic-free shaving brushes and razors and we have been trying out their Double Edge Safety Razor with Bamboo Handle and the Vegan-friendly Plastic-Free Shaving Brush with Ash Wooden Handle.
With at least 8 million tons of plastic waste ending up in our oceans each year, reducing plastic waste wherever we can is a must; from food to toy packing, straws to carrier bags and beauty products to health and well-being items, including disposable razors and razor cartridges. With plastic cotton buds now a thing of the past it is now time to start looking at other bathroom, beauty and self-care items that could be replaced with something more sustainable and reusable.
I use a well-known brand of razor that has replaceable cartridges with 5 blades. I am really happy with this razor and the way it shaves but the replacement cartridges are quite costly. Whilst I am happy with my razor it does have plastic parts on the handle and on the disposable cartridges (which are not yet recyclable), so I was happy to try out a new razor with absolutely no plastic on it.
The Clear Confidence Company Double Edge Safety Razor with Bamboo Handle (RRP: £24.97) is a reusable razor with a plastic-free construction, crafted from ethically sourced highly sustainable and eco-friendly bamboo. It uses a single double-edged safety razor blade and requires no disposable cartridges. It is not just eco-friendly; the bamboo is extremely hardwearing, and it is very aesthetically pleasing and looks really regal and elegant.
If you use a razor with replaceable cartridges you will be fully aware that a replacement cartridge will cost from £2 upwards, but with the Clear Confidence Razor replacement blades can be purchased for as little as 10p each, an enormous saving. With such a big saving it has to be rubbish right? Well after using for a few days I can confirm it is anything but, the finish of the shave is very good and close and with less irritation. And with a replacement blade costing less than 5% of my usual razor, it’s a bargain – even before throwing in the added bonus of no plastic waste going to landfill or ending up in our oceans.
The razor itself has quite a nice weight to it, it is a bit heavier that my usual razor but feels really comfortable to hold and use. Changing the blade is a breeze just by unscrewing the top and inserting a new blade. At first it did take a few tries to get used to holding and using it, but this was soon rectified, giving a really good shave (the domed metal blade cover feels quite nice against the skin).
Alongside the razor, I was lathering my face with shaving cream using The Clear Confidence Company Vegan-friendly Plastic-Free Shaving Brush with Ash Wooden Handle (RRP: £14.97). I had never used a shaving brush before, so this was a new experience, and it did seem to make shaving a bit easier. Shaving brushes have been around since the 1800s so they must work, they give a good lather and lift the hairs up and away from your face for a smoother, closer shave with less irritation by reducing blade friction.
The Clear Confidence Company shaving brush is a traditional-style barber shop shaving brush for wet shaves. It is vegan-friendly, cruelty-free and plastic-free, constructed from 100% eco-friendly materials using a wooden handle and grass-based bristles rather than the more common badger or boar hair bristles. As I have never used other shaving brushes before I can’t compare how the bristles relate but the Clear Confidence Company grass-based bristles are soft, yet firm, and do an excellent job of lathering my face and gently exfoliating my skin as well, reducing blade friction.
I have been very impressed with the razor and the shaving brush. They both feel very good, high-end quality and both are very easy to use. At first, I was sceptical that the one blade wouldn’t be as good as my five-bladed cartridge razor, but it did just as good as a job and my face didn’t feel as irritated after use and certainly didn’t look as red. It did take a few tries to get the hang of using it with the domed head and single blade but once I did it was a quick and smooth shave.
With the shaving brush building up a better lather, gently exfoliating and gently massaging shaving cream into the skin and the razor giving a smooth shave, ingrowing hairs and other skin irritations are vastly reduced.
The plastic-free construction is much better for the environment but also make the razor and brush feel luxurious when using them. And if the eco-friendly, sustainable shaving products weren’t enough with reduced plastic waste and quality shave, the massively reduced cost of the replacement blades at around 10p each instead of circa £2 each is a no brainer, especially as the shave is just as close and smooth.
The razor is not sold with any blades, but these can easily be purchased from places such as Boots or Wilko or online from Amazon or eBay among other retailers, costing between 10p and 50p each depending on brand and pack size.
If you want to help reduce the amount of plastic waste going to landfill or ending up in the sea whilst still getting a smooth shave and saving a fortune doing so, I can highly recommend The Clear Confidence Company razor and shaving brush. I haven’t been disappointed and can’t see that you will be either. The initial outlay of currently £40 for both items might seem expensive at first glance but it will be worth the savings in terms of cost and damage to the planet in the long run.
A very good quality razor and shaving brush that deliver a smooth shave at a fraction of the cost.
Rating: 5/5
For more information or to buy, visit www.clearconfidence.co.
