The real cost of #Shaving: Why choosing a razor is more important than you think
Men have been trying to remove facial hair for as long as sharp stones have been available. Neanderthals used rocks to shave, indicating their long-standing desire for smooth skin. Today, the pressures are different. This is not necessary for protection from the cold, but for fitting in. Society expects businessmen to be clean-shaven. It wants the woman with smooth legs. The demand for stubble-free skin drives a massive industry.
Some purists believe that the classic straight razor is still the gold standard. Achieve a close shave that is often overlooked with modern tools. It is also the most environmentally friendly option. Buy the blade once. You sharpen it. You use it for decades. However, the initial costs can be high. A good straight razor can cost hundreds of dollars. Then you need a sharpening belt. Enthusiasts add shaving soap, cups and badger hair brushes to the mix. The total expense adds up. However, you get far more use out of that blade than a traditional safety razor.
Electric shavers are another way. They are pricey. This will help you avoid frequently throwing away dull blades. But they run on electricity. If you’re concerned about your carbon footprint, this is one factor that weigh against convenience.
The real debate happens in the middle. Disposable and reusable razors. It comes down to two paths. Do you buy cheap plastic disposables? Or are you investing in a reusable “shaving system” with a handle and replaceable heads?
“Disposable razors have an even greater environmental impact… Americans buy more than 2 billion disposable razors a year.”
Proponents of each side argue fiercely. Some say the quality of the shave is the same. Some argue that reusable systems provide cleaner and closer results. Performance is often just a matter of preference. The environmental impact is not a matter of preference. It is a matter of math.
Americans buy more than 2 billion disposable razors each year. Most of those end up in a landfill. Even in newer models made of recycled plastic, the waste is staggering.
If you’re worried about the planet, the answer is clear. If all you’re worried about is your wallet, the math gets trickier. We need to look at the long-term costs.
Disposable and reusable razors
The Real Cost of Shaving: Disposable vs. Reusable Shaving
You might think that a high-end electric shaver is the best investment. Gillette’s Fusion Chrome system has five blades and an illuminated handle. Of course it’s smooth. But at $150 (or $120 if you can find one on sale), it’s not a fair comparison to the Bic disposables. We need apples to apples. Gillette says it costs about $1 a week to replace a blade on average. This sounds cheap until you realize that it doesn’t tell you how many shaves you can actually get with one blade. Just say, “change it when it feels dull.”
Some people keep pushing the blade until the skin tears. saving pennies while losing blood. Gillette, Bic and Schick do not publish exact figures for the life of their blades. That’s why we ignore high-end products and cheaper junk products. Let’s look at mid-priced models of the same brand and see where the money is spent.
Count the numbers
Let’s do some simple math calculations. Assuming that each blade or disposable provides an average of three quality shaves, you have a baseline. If you use Amazon’s list price as a benchmark, the difference becomes obvious.
Take the Gillette Mach 3 for example. The handle with two blades costs $11.99. A pack of 12 cartridges costs $27.00. When you add them all up, you get a total of 14 cartridges for $38.99. This works out to about $2.80 per shave setup, including the shaver itself.
Next, let’s look at the disposable side. A three-pack of Gillette Sensor 3 razors is available for $8.33. Each razor costs about $2.77.
At first glance $2.77 vs $2.80? It’s a tie. But this is where reusable razors win. When you first purchase a handle, which retails for $11.99, you only pay for the cartridge. After a few refills, the cost per shave drops to about $2.25 per shave. This is much cheaper than the fixed price of $2.77 for disposables.
Why reusable wins long-term
There are countless options in the razor aisle. Some are eco-friendly, some are suitable for sensitive skin and some vibrate. However, this pattern holds true when comparing similar products from the same brand. In the long run, it’s cheaper to buy a reusable razor.
Even if the plastic handle has to be replaced a few times a year, you still come out ahead. Save money. You can help the environment by reducing waste. You don’t have to throw away perfectly good steel just because the plastic coating has worn off.
So why pay more for the convenience of tossing everything after a week? Reusable razors pay for themselves. It’s not just about shaving. It’s about the wallet. And this planet.
