A Cost Analysis of Safety Razors

Making the switch to a safety razor will not only save you thousands of dollars over your lifetime, but it will significantly reduce your waste. To start, here is a cost analysis of using a disposable razor and conventional shaving soap compared to a safety razor and refillable shaving soap:

One Gilette razor cost about $15, and the cartridges cost $20 for a 4 pack. If you change your blade once per month, the you will spend $60 a year on refills. Shaving cream also averages about $8 per bottle and if you use one every two months, that is a cost of $48 per year. Therefore, your initial investment with conventional shaving is $15 with a yearly cost of $108.

My safety razor cost me about $45. I also purchased a handmade shaving brush that was made from locally sourced wood for about $100. You can definitely find some that are less expensive, however, not all razors and brushes are equal. I would recommend trying out the brush, cheap synthetic brushed and cause skin irritation, so it’s worth finding one that is well made. Yearly I also spend about $8 on blades, this is for the good quality Japanese blades, again, you want to invest in the better quality. A good quality pack costs about $4 for a pack of 5. My shaving cream costs $12 and I can buy refills so I can reuse the tin it came in! One refill lasts me the whole year.

 Disposable razors and conventional shaving cream:

 Initial investment: $15

Yearly Costs: $108

 Cost after 2 year: $15 + ($108 x 2) = $231

Safety razor and refillable shaving cream:

 Initial investment: $145

Yearly Costs: $20

 Cost after 2 year: $145+ ($120 x 2) = $185

Therefore, even with my more expensive shaving brush, you will be financially ahead in less than two years by investing in a good quality safety razor, shaving brush and refillable shaving cream.

There are also significant environmental benefits to switching to safety razor and refillable shaving cream. Unlike single use blades that are made from a mix of metal and plastics, the blades from safety razors can be recycled! I have a specific container to keep my used blades in, once it gets full, I recycled them together.

Shaving soap also often comes in either single use bottles or aerosol cans that end up in the landfill and is usually not biodegradable. The shaving soap from The Copper Hat is made from natural ingredients and is solid soap so it is very concentrated! You simply get your shaving brush wet and lather your brush with the soap. Once you are finished shaving just rinse off your brush, shake out the excess water and let it dry. When you are out of soap you can buy refills and continue to use the same tin.

So, for the sake of the planet and your wallet, make the switch today to a better way of shaving!