As I mentioned in my What I Didn’t Buy in July post, one of the things I did buy was this Tangie Shampoo Bar from a farmer’s market in LA. I had some very expired-smelling travel shampoo and decided that I needed something else. So I was lucky to find these Tangie Shampoo Bars at the Waste-less shop stand. I was very skeptical at first of shampoo in the form of a bar soap but I was desperate enough to give it a shot and I am soooooo glad that I did. My life is changed.
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Moving from conspicuous to conscious consumption and doing reviews along the way. Find plenty of unsponsored reviews of Quince, Everlane, Grana, and Cuyana on the site! I'm working towards a minimal waste lifestyle, and oh yea I love bags >.<
Why You Should Switch To Using A Safety Razor
It took me a long time to come around to using a safety razor even though I’ve been on a zero waste journey for so long (a path that has switchbacks because hey, this journey is sometimes steep and difficult lol). Anyway I finally did some research and purchased this safety razor 6 months ago (while I was still pregnant) when I used up my last plastic razor refill. But then didn’t get around to using it because A) I was pregnant and couldn’t reach my legs anymore, B) It was wintertime, C) I was intimidated in using something that looked so surgical and at the same time D) Too lazy to learn how to put in the blade and use it. But finally I started using it because I was no longer pregnant and it’s summertime so I needed to start shaving these legs.
And tbh, I don’t know what took me so long! A safety razor is not scary at all, lol. It’s super easy to use, it’s great for my skin, and it’s really great for the environment. It’s a shame I used so many plastic razors for so long (even if they were made from recycled plastic like this one). Seriously, this plastic-free shaving option is so easy, it should actually be the first step in going zero waste (along with bringing your own bags to the grocery store).
The benefit of a safety razor isn’t just that’s it’s plastic free and good for the environment. There’s benefits for the user as well. If you have sensitive skin like I do, a safety razor is great because the single blade means that you’re not irritating your skin with multiple blades going over your skin at the same time. Yes, with a safety razor, which only has a single blade, you won’t have as clean of a shave all the time. But really it only takes one extra swipe over some areas to get the same result (you really don’t need 5 blades to get a good shave).
And you definitely do not need to go get a fancy shmacy razor like this one (even though that rose gold is oh so pretty). The one I got from Amazon (that looks like the photo above) is $29 and has a 4.5 star rating with over 1000 reviews. I did my research and this is one of the best. And even though the initial cost of a safety razor is more than a plastic one, the blade refills are pretty dirt cheap. On amazon you can get 30 blades for $20 (and that’s on the high end). Compare that to the 5 for $10 I was paying with the Preserve razor. Or for my next blade refill I’m going to try out Albatross, which is a local-to-me brand. Their blades go for 30 for $4.50! And I love that Albatross has a blade take back program to recycle the blades so you really are producing zero waste for shaving.
Now on how to use a safety razor. First putting in the blade is super easy (just be smart and be careful). Even though I don’t advocate spending $75 for a safety razor, the Oui razor site has a good intro on how to insert the blade here. Rather than holding the razor from the side to screw and unscrew, I hold the stem of the razor and twist the handle. And to shave with it, I watched this video. They have some good tips: hold the razor at a 30 degree angle and let the weight of the razor do the work (no need to add any pressure). I like to shave with the grain of the hair so I have the handle going down the leg, but if you shave against the grain you’ll have the handle side going up towards the body. And instead of buying shaving cream, I just use my Plaine Product Conditioner (yep I still use these zero waste bath products!).
So if you’re not yet using a safety razor, but are on the path of zero-waste this needs to be the next change in your lifestyle. It’s easy, painless and cheaper in the long run! And I promise you won’t regret it. Anyone else make the change to a safety razor and what did you think?
Zero Waste Review: Marley's Monsters Washable Sponge and Organic Bamboo Facial Rounds Review
First of all thank you to everyone who's taken my little survey so far. I've been reading them through as I get them and it's given me a lot to think about. I'm super excited to see how this space will change with all the feedback! Thank you thank you thank you!
Anyway onto the review:
*This review is not sponsored and I purchased all items myself
Welcome to my first review of the year! Since one of my resolutions is to make my life more zero waste, here's my first zero-waste promoting review: reusable sponges and facial rounds from Marley's Monsters! I first heard of this brand from Andrea and I knew I wanted to try these ethical items made in Oregon. Well I've been using both items for three months now and I love them!
I purchased the organic bamboo facial rounds and chose them over the cotton ones because not only does bamboo have natural antimicrobial properties but bamboo is also a more sustainable resource than cotton. And seriously I wished I had switched over to these much sooner when I think of all the cotton (and plastic wrappings) I've disposed of in the past. These bamboo rounds are better than disposable cotton pads since they don't soak up as much toner/makeup remover as cotton balls and thus more of the moisture transfers to your face. Just make sure you wash them all before using (even though it says pre-washed it's better to wash it again yourself) and use a laundry mesh bag so you don't lose any rounds! Seriously if you're using cotton pads morning and night, please do yourself (and the environemnt) the favor and switch over to these!
As for these washable sponges, I love them for the most part. I love that these are reusable so I'm not constantly throwing away plastic sponges, and the graphics are cute. The scrub side does a pretty good job at scrubbing away dried food bits and probably best of all, these sponges never get that gross moldy/bacterial smell even after weeks of use (due to the mildew resistant center). Oh and I used to switch out my sponge whenever it started getting really gross since I disliked throwing them away frequently. But now I can just throw them in the wash so I switch out my sponges weekly. My only gripe with these sponges is that the middle mildew resistant cloth gets bunched up in the wash and then come out lumpy. So they're never as good as new after washing. Also these sponges don't hold soapy water as well as their disposable counterpart. But overall these are minor details and my three sponges are all going strong after 3 months of use. I'll let you know when they finally go ka-put.
Anyway I'm quite happy with both of my purchases and if zero waste is this easy, why would I live life any other way (lol, but I know it's not always this easy. Sometimes zero waste comes at the cost of convenience. But is ruining our environment worth having the minor conveniences? Nope. ) Anyway a zero waste lifestyle might take an initial investment but the act of reusing will cut costs in the long run, and I can't wait to use these Marley Monster items to peices!
P.S. I just watched Captain Fantastic (free on amazon prime) and talk about some zero waste inspo!
P.P.S I just got a good question from Sandy about whether or not makeup washes clean from the facial rounds. TBH I usually use it for toner but for the occasional times I used it to remove eye makeup it washed back to white. To remove a full face of makeup I usually use these.