The Best Safety Razor For A Close Shave

I have been using a safety razor for a couple of years now. It was one of the simple swaps I recommend for the bathroom and an area that Hubby was zero waste long before I was. 

Hubby was using his disposable razor for nearly a decade before I ventured into it. But once I got my first one I took to it like a duck to water. I seriously had no clue why I was so scared to switch or why it took so long to switch from plastic disposable razors.

I must have read several articles about using a safety tarot and watched tutorials about how to use them. But, if you are starting with a disposable razor it's not THAT different. Here are my tips for using a safety razor with getting cut.

In my research so many people went on and on about how close their shave was and how it was so much closer than a disposable razor. I was a little perplexed why that wasn't my experience.

Well one day hubby got a wild hair and wanted to try my razor. He has a short handled razor and mine is long handled. He tried it and promptly said my razor was awful. He said he had to shave his whole face again with his razor. Well that made me feel better that it was maybe the razor itself and not something I was missing.

I kept using it though. I mean, I thought about buying another one, but I couldn't justify the cost or the waste. I had a razor that did fine, it removed all the hair, it just wasn't making my legs that super soft all hair removed close shave feel. No need to discard it.

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Well then a few weeks later the razor fell off the ledge in my shower and broke. It must have fallen just right and the part that connected the top to the peg broke. I permanently had two parts: a top and the base with no way to secure the blade.

I tried to see if it could be repaired but apparently that part of the blade was plastic and it snapped. I thought about gluing it back together, but it would have made the razor uneven and there wasn't a good surface to even glue.

So there I was on the hunt for the perfect long handled safety razor. I went to Amazon, since I didn't have any local options. I am an affiliate for Amazon so this post contains affiliate or referral links. It's a way for the site to earn advertising fees by advertising or linking to certain products and/or services. However, I have no affiliation with the company that makes the razor. 

I sorted on price, lowest to highest, and started looking at reviews. As long as the blade cut I figured most of the price went into hype not function. I knew I wanted a long handled razor so that eliminated a bunch.

One of the razors looked promising, but a reviewer said the handle was smooth so it was hard to handle with soapy hands. No thanks! I passed on that one, but did start paying attention to handles.

I ended up with the Emarth Double Edge Safety Razor Long Handle. 

This razor is awesome. It has a butterfly closure so you just open it up pop the blade in and go. The handle is not smooth so you'll drop it. The weight is good, and best of all the shave is SO much closer. Hubby is actually jealous and wants to see if they have a short handled version for him to use. 

My only peeve is that sometimes hair gets caught between the blade and the base. So I have to open it out and clean it, but that's what happens when your blade actually works...you have to rinse out the hair! Although it just takes a quick swivel to open up and get to the blade, so even that is low hassle.

If you are in the market for a safety razor I highly recommend you get this razor. It's inexpensive too!

Go get yourself one if these razors, and some blades you wont regret it. Is it out of stock? Try this other highly rated blade which has most of the similar features. 

Then check out my tips on how to USE a safety razor or find out some other simple swaps to make in the bathroom.

Reduce Your Plastic: Part 4 - Holidays, Garden, General Tips

My friend Rosie at Green and Rosie Life posted 100 ways to reduce plastic and how she was doing with it. I thought I would do the same. These tips are the next 25 or so of her list and cover a variety of topics. Don't forget to check out the first post in this series that covers food, drink and shopping, the second which covers going out and about, babies and children, cleaning and personal care items, or the third about clothing, household, work and pets.   

Leave a comment about how many you are doing! Most of the following links are to other posts I have written, but some links are affiliate links to Amazon. If you click the link and make a purchase I may receive a commission that helps to keep the blog running. Thanks for supporting Skip The Bag!

Gift Givings and Holidays Christmas, Easter, birthdays etc

76.  Give service gifts such as a free baby sitting night, evening at the theatre, a meal out, sponsor a child or support a wildlife/environmental charity 

I think experience gifts are the best sort of gifts! Don't forget to check out my post on zero waste gift ideas. 

77.  Wrap gifts without sellotape - use raffia or string and get creative.

This is one area I'd like to get better about. There is even paper tape, which could be a great alternative. 

78.  Make decorations from natural materials

I do this particularly for Halloween and fall! It's so easy to have some branches and/or leaves.

79.  Make plastic free gifts such as preserves and handmade clothes/accessories

Homemade gifts are always nice. Check out my Pinterest collection of Zero Waste Gift Ideas for more inspiration.

80.  Send e-cards

I'm not in the habit of this. I think that this is a great option for certain people or events however. 

81.  At parties ask guests to bring their own cutlery and crockery rather than supplying plastic throw away ones

When we have a party it's usually a potluck of such or just appetizers. I try to get appetizers that you can just eat by hand so we don't have to use silverware at all. With meals that's a little more difficult. I've never had anyone bring their own silverware or anything, but that's because we have WAY more than we needed for a family of two!

82.  Make your own chocolate gifts at Easter to avoid all that plastic

What a great idea! I'd love to make my own treats for Easter. 

83.  Avoid buying online where products are often sent with lots of plastic wrapping

Ugh, I struggle with this. Online shopping is convenient and I'm able to get items that I can't get locally. However, I hate all the plastic wrapping that can come with it. 

84.  Grow your own flowers/pot plants as gifts 

This is a great idea. We would give plants as gifts in lieu of cut flowers for holidays such as Mother's Day.

In the garden

85.  Use terracotta or biodegradable plant pots

We mostly plant in the ground so we have very few pots. However I should buy terracotta pots to replace our two large herb pots. For seedlings I reuse the plastic ones we bought, or use plastic containers. 

86.  Re-purpose plastic fruit/veg trays as seed trays 

Yep! I do this.

87.  Re-purpose yoghurt pots as seedling pots

Absolutely! You can see a photo here of the ones I was using (link)

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88.  Use plastic bottles to help direct water to the roots tomato plants etc - details here: water-wise tomatoes 

We use a standard sprinkler. I'm sure it wastes some water, but with a timer it's easy breezy.

89.  Use polystyrene as crocks in your plant pots 

Again, we don't use pots much, and I don't use crocks. I don't know that I'd use polystyrene anyway. 

89.  Make your own labels from plastic bottles or buy those made from natural materials

We don't really label things in the garden, even for seedlings...which has led to some interesting discoveries! But someone recommended using old window blinds. A single blind can lead to many labels. 

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In Summary

For the foreseeable future plastic is going to be part of our everyday lives but we can take steps to reduce how much we use which can be summarized thus:

90.  Get into the habit of seeing where plastic exists is the first step to reducing how much of it you have in your life

I would recommend doing a trash audit to find out what is contributing to your trash and waste. 

91.  Think before you buy and switch to non plastic alternatives where possible - silicone is a safer option 

If you are looking for some places to get started here is a list of 5 easy ways to use less plastic and 5 simple plastic-free swaps for the bathroom. 

92.  Re-use the plastic you do have as much as you can

Yes, reusing is important, but so are things like precycling. Which I didn't even know about prior to starting this journey. 

93.  Upcycle plastic into new things

I'm always on the look out for great ways to upcycle products. I've made some upcycles, but nothing specifically from plastic that I've written about on the blog. Some I have written about are DIY washer necklaces, Rolodex Calendar, and Christmas Card Wreath

94.  Ask yourself "Do I really need to buy this plastic product?"

You should always ask yourself this whether it is plastic or not! Of course, I tend toward minimalism. 

95.  Write to manufacturers to say you are boycotting their plastic based products or packaging 

I haven't really done this. I have tagged a company on twitter before, but this really is an important step. If companies don't know people are unhappy with their products they don't know to make the changes. 

96.  If you must buy plastic then look for second hand rather than new

I love buying "pre-loved" items. That's one of my tips for an environmentally friendly closet. 

97.  Work towards eliminating single use plastic in your life

Absolutely! 5 easy ways to use less plastic will help cover a lot! How do we compare?

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98.  If you have to buy a plastic item (not something in plastic packaging) make it the best quality possible to ensure it lasts as long as possible

This is a great thing to keep in mind! 

99. If you follow the 4 Rs you will help reduce your plastic use - reduce, re-use, repair and recycle (the first 3 being the most important) 

I've actually found 7 R's of Zero Waste! They all have their time and place, but refusing and reducing are important aspects.

100.   Finally and perhaps most important of all we need a fifth R - Raising awareness.  When people are aware of a problem they are much better placed to find a solution so please, share this post and let's help everyone to reduce their plastic habit!

I guess there really should be 8 R's! Raising awareness is why I started Skip The Bag in the first place. 

I've enjoyed seeing how far I've come with reducing waste and plastic and taken notes of some areas I still can improve upon. Don't forget to check out Part 1: Food, Drink and Shopping; Part 2: Cleaning, Babies, and Personal Care; and Part 3: Clothes, Work, Home and Pets. 

Reduce Your Waste: Part 3- Clothes, Around the House, At Work, Pets

My friend Rosie at Green and Rosie Life posted 100 ways to reduce plastic and how she was doing with it. I thought I would do the same. These tips are the next 25 or so of her list and cover a variety of topics. Don't forget to check out the first post in this series that covers food, drink and shopping or the second which covers going out and about, babies and children, cleaning and personal care items.  

Leave a comment about how many you are doing! Most links are to other posts I have written. Some links are affiliate links to Amazon. If you click the link and make a purchase I may receive a commission that helps to keep the blog running. Thanks for supporting Skip The Bag!

Clothes

53.  Avoid clothes and shoes made from synthetic materials

Absolutely. That is one of the 10 tips for an environmentally friendly closet!

54.  Make your own clothes using old materiel when you can or upcycling old clothes to new 

I haven't made my own clothes or upcycled them yet, but they are so cute! People are really creative and clever.

55.  Buy second hand clothes that have minimal plastic packaging

I love buying clothes from thrift stores or consignment stores. It's another one of the 10 tips for an environmentally friendly closet.

Around the house

56.  Use glass, metal or wooden storage containers

Yes, I love my Pyrex and Anchor containers. I don't have metal or wooden ones yet, but these look intriguing!

57.  Use wooden or metal cooking utensils 

A large number of our cooking utensils are metal. We got them from a restaurant supply store, but you can get spatulas or spoons from just about anywhere. Metal is great for cast iron! Read how to clean and care for cast iron. 

58.  Do you really need to bag it before you bin it?

This could be in reference to a number of bags in the trash can. For example, do you need to throw it in a bag before putting it into your trash can? I think of people who bag up a chicken carcass prior to putting it in the trash. Maybe you don't need to do that. Or maybe it's referring to a trash liner at all. We don't use a trash bag for our recycling. In fact, our trash cans have a removable liner that we can just take out and wash it if it gets dirty. We still use a bag for our trash, but since we compost most of our food scraps and recycle a large part of our trash. Other people use newspaper liners, but we still have a bunch of plastic trash bags we use up. 

59.  If it's broken can you mend it? 

Yep, thankfully Hubby is really handy. 

60.  Say no to junk mail

This is still on my to-do list. It drives me crazy, thankfully most of it is recyclable. 

61.  Download music and films instead of buying CDs and DVDs

We use Amazon Prime (try it free for 30 days), Netflix or Red Box for most of our movies. I tend to listen to the radio or podcasts over buying CDs. (Do you have a favorite podcast?)

62.  Use matches not a disposable lighter

Hmm, I hadn't really thought about this. We don't really need to start a lot of fires. In general you think the sturdier item will be more environmentally friendly than the item you use once and throw away. However with lighters it's not really true. Matches are from the earth and will burn and join the earth, but the lighters take a ton of resources to make and you can't refill them. So a double loss. I'll be making sure we get matches from here on out! 

63.  When doing DIY and house renovations go for natural products - wooden door frames, cotton curtains etc 

Yes, you don't have to build a new house to take advantage of incorporating environmentally friendly products into your house. The cotton curtains seem like such a no-brainer, but I probably wouldn't have thought to check! I can't say I've purchased a whole lot of curtains in my life though.

64.  Use old sheets as dust covers not new plastic ones

I don't use dust covers. We do have a fabric tarp thing that we lay out when we do paint projects.

65.  Wash and reuse plastic freezer bags.

I do this some, but I'm not 100% consistent about it. I'm working to phase out freezer bags altogether.

Don't forget to pin for later!

At work

66.  Take in your own mug for water and drinks from the machines. 

I bring my own water bottle to work. Don't forget to check out my article on ways to go green at work.

67.  Use all paper jiffy bags, not those with plastic inside 

I have a reusable lunch bag that I use and then I use my glass containers to bring food for lunch. Bringing my lunch to work was done of my green resolutions. 

68.  Buy envelopes without plastic windows.

I haven't bought envelopes in a while, but I'm pretty sure the ones I have don't have plastic windows.This is a simple way to use less plastic. This would have been a great addition to my ways to go green at work it's got tons of great tips for any workplace setting, but an office in particular! 

69.  Go for paperless billing to avoid plastic window envelopes 

Absolutely! I'd also add that this reduces on transportation pollution of bills and the price of stamps! Win, win, win.

70.  Buy a "real" pen that uses a refill

I know a lot of zero wasters have gone this route. I'm not quite there on my journey yet.

71.  Do not upgrade to a new phone etc.  You were quite happy with your old one when you first got it!

Thankfully neither Hubby or I are that into technology, we pretty much just replace things as they need it, which is still too often in my opinion! 

Pets

72.  Say no to plastic pet toys 

We have a few, but in general I go for stuffed animals or ropes (these look amazing!).

73.  Avoid plastic feed bowls 

We have metal bowls.

74.  Avoid pet food in plastic sachets 

We haven't found a bag free alternative for our pets or the chickens. 

75.  Make your own pet treats 

We've yet to be able to make rawhide or meal worms, so we still purchase these. I've heard you can grow meal worms though!

This week definitely had some ideas I hadn't really thought of such as using matches and making sure the envelopes I buy are all paper and don't have a plastic window. Don't forget to check out Part 1: Food, Drink and Shopping and Part 2: Cleaning, Babies, and Personal Care 

Reduce Your Plastic: Part 2- Going Out and About, Babies and Children, Cleaning and Personal Care Items

My friend Rosie at Green and Rosie Life posted 100 ways to reduce plastic and how she was doing with it. I thought I would do the same. These tips are the next 25 or so of her list and cover a variety of topics. Don't forget to check out the first post in this series that covers food, drink and shopping. 

Leave a comment about how many you are doing! Most links are to other posts I have written. Some links are affiliate links to Amazon. If you click the link and make a purchase I may receive a commission that helps to keep the blog running. Thanks for supporting Skip The Bag!

Out and About 

25.  Say no to plastic straws in food outlets

I love carrying my zero waste silverware kit! It helps me avoid straws and plastic utensils. There are a number of different kinds of straws that aren't made from plastic. You can get metal, bamboo, glass and even paper. Check out this article about National Drinking Straw Day to read more about these alternatives.

26.  Say no to plastic bags in all shops, not just supermarkets 

Absolutely! This blog isn't called Skip The Bag for no reason. I always carry a reusable bag in my purse and I've been able to refuse bags all over town even at hardware stores and clothing stores.

27. If you find somewhere that doesn't use plastic throw away cutlery, tell the world about it via your social media. 

I love this idea! I haven't done this yet, but I love the idea of praising restaurants that are doing their part (rather than shaming those who aren't).

28.  Say no to "cardboard" coffee cups - they are lined with polyethylene aka plastic.  Take your own mug instead. 

This is one I struggle with. Mostly because I so rarely get coffee that it's far harder for me to plan for a maybe once a month occurrence rather than a daily occurrence. Hubby, who drinks coffee daily, carries his own travel mug and he LOVES this one. I've thought about getting one for me, because he loves it so much, but haven't yet.

29.  Take your own wooden chop sticks to your local Chinese restaurant 

I don't think I would have thought about this! Many people have chopsticks included in their Zero Waste Silverware Kit. We have bamboo chopsticks for at home, but I don't regularly use them outside of the house so I haven't added it to my silverware kit. 

30.  Ask for a finger bowl and cloth instead of plastic wrapped wipes in restaurants 

I don't eat many places that have wrapped wipes, but this is a reusable solution to that I hadn't thought of before. 

31.  Don't buy plastic wrapped magazines 

I don't really buy magazines. I have a couple of subscriptions that were gifted to me, but that's about it. 

Don't forget to pin this list for later!

Babies and Children

32.  Switch from disposable nappies to washable cloth ones 

I will use cloth diapers with any infants I have!

33.  Ditch disposable wipes and use a washable cloth

I love this idea!

34.  Buy glass feeding bottles

Absolutely! Glass is better than plastic.

35.  Buy wooden toys

I love this idea! I'm always on the hunt for great wooden toys for the children in my life. 

36.  For pack lunches avoid plastic wrapped foods and offer sandwiches wrapped in foil or greaseproof paper, a piece of fruit, a home-made snack and a drink in a reusable bottle

Lunchables are a no-go in my house! We make our own sandwiches and put whole fruit for them. Although most schools provide lunch (and breakfast!) so we won't need to do this much.

37.  Pass on unwanted plastic toys to younger children/toy libraries/play groups, etc

It's so crazy to me how people want to just give children toys! Don't they know they already have a houseful?!

Cleaning

38.  Make your own cleaning products with bicarbonate of soda and vinegar ensuring these are bought in cardboard boxes and glass bottles

I buy them in cardboard and glass, but I'm not as consistent about using them as cleaning products as I could be.

39.  Use washing powder sold in cardboard boxes rather than washing liquid 

I just bought some dish washing powder instead of the liquid in a plastic container. I'm excited that I have reduced a source of plastic in our house.

40.  Use soap nuts or washing balls instead of washing liquid 

I'm not here yet. I'd consider going back to powder, but I have an HE wash and it didn't work as well. Although this is a new washer so it may work better. 

41.  You don't need wipes - use a washable cloth

I do this, in fact I use dishcloths my grandmother kitted as my face cloth. 

42.  Use dishwasher tabs in biodegradable film 

This is probably the first one I disagree with. I don't think people should use dishwasher tabs at all. Ok, that's a little strong. I guess I should say: I think there are better alternatives to wash your dishes than dishwasher tabs, even if the film is biodegradable.

Personal Care

43.  Ditch disposable razors for a metal safety razor or go hirsute

I love my safety razor. Check out my articles all about safety razors, how to use a safety razor and not get cut, and a review on the best safety razor. It's seriously easy to use and I wonder why I didn't switch over years ago.

44.  Use a bar of soap not liquid soap in a plastic bottle 

Yep, this is one of my 5 simple plastic-free swaps for the bathroom that I've done.

45.  Use shampoo bars 

I am loving my shampoo bars. If you are considering them check out the ones I use and my review of using a shampoo bar that includes tips of how to use them. 

46.  Stop using shower gels that contain micro beads - these are made from polyethylene i.e. plastic 

I never used a lot of these, but I have completely eliminated them. 

47.  Buy wooden handled tooth brushes 

Yes! Another simple swap and I have been loving my bamboo toothbrushes. 

48.  Buy a wooden handled hairbrush 

When I need a new hairbrush I'll buy this.

49.  Use washable menstrual products

I have a cup, but haven't really got to try it out yet.

50.  Make your own remedies for minor ailments e.g. elderberry port for sore throats stored in a glass bottle 

This isn't really my style. I work in health care, so I'm particular about what I use for ailments.

51.  Use a handkerchief not plastic wrapped tissues

I don't do this, but we rarely use tissues. We maybe to go through a box a year. 

52.  Give up smoking!

Thankfully I've never done this!

This week there was more of a grab bag of items, but I'm happy to see I've been doing most of these things. Especially since so much of it focused on personal care and swaps in the bathroom. Don't forget to check out these more advanced swaps!

Reduce Your Plastic: Part 1 - Food, Drink, Shopping

My friend Rosie at Green and Rosie Life posted 100 ways to reduce plastic and how she was doing with it. I thought I would do the same. I'm going to break it down so this week we are going to cover food, drink and shopping. There are a total of 24 tips in this section. Leave a comment about how many you are doing! Most links are to other posts I have written. Some links are affiliate links to Amazon. If you click the link and make a purchase I may receive a commission that helps to keep the blog running. Thanks for supporting Skip The Bag!

Food, Drink, and Shopping

1.  Buy food from bulk bins that use paper bags

This was one of my Green Resolutions. I was doing great during the 1st quarter update, but I haven't done a midpoint because I am failing at this one part. We have one store that has bulk food locally and it's unfortunately not the one that I go to often. I still want to go, but I think I'm in the contemplation stage and need to just do it!

2. Store loose food in glass jars - mason or kilner jars

I do this! Especially if it is a food I buy in bulk. I take the jars with me. You can read my bulk buying tips, which make it very easy.

3. Say no to fizzy drinks and water in plastic bottles

I rarely drink soda. I have started a small habit of drinking carbonated flavored water out of cans, which I'm trying to break. In fact I want Hubby to rig up our own carbonated water dispenser. I do try to avoid plastic bottles as much as possible especially for water! I have my own water bottle that I usually carry around. 

4.  Squeeze your own fruit juice

We aren't big juice drinkers. Honestly most of the time we use juice its for mixing in cocktails. I've taken to buying lemon and lime juice in glass jars (which are always organic and cost more!). Although we just planted lemon and lime tree so we will likely be doing this less often. Pineapple juice comes in a can. I try to buy plastic over tetrapaks as the plastic can be recycled. (Yes, tetrapaks can be recycled, but only in certain locations and none of them are by me, so in this instance plastic is the better choice.)

5.  Make your own coleslaw and other salads 

We could do better at this. Ideally we would grow our own lettuce and cabbage, but unfortunately we haven't had much luck. We have tried to make our own sauerkraut, and love making coleslaw from cabbage and poppyseed dressing, but generally at least one of the steps uses plastic. This last time I went to the store I wanted to get plastic free lettuce, but they did not have any if you can believe that! But our tomatoes are going gangbusters and our peppers are holding their own. So we have some of the components, bust not all of them. 

6.  Buy loose fruit/veg not those that are pre-packed in plastic bags or trays

I try! But honestly it is a challenge. I'm not sure why it became a norm to group a couple veggies together and place on Styrofoam and wrap with plastic wrap. Have we become so lazy that even picking out 3 or 4 squash is too much for us?

7.  You don't need to place a single fruit or veg you buy in a bag at all 

Absolutely! And you can use your own produce bags and use as many bags as you want!

8.  Avoid ready meals

We do pretty well preparing our own food, but there still are some conveniences. 

9.  Eat less take-aways

It seems like they always come in Styrofoam. We don't get much food to-go, we generally would dine st the restaurant. So for us leftovers is the spot where we could cut down on Styrofoam and plastic containers.

10.  Make your own ketchup/mayonnaise etc or buy these in glass bottles

We buy in glass and have made our own in the past. I think technically it was aioli, but either way it was yummy. We may have to try it more regularly.

11.  Stop chewing gum

 I chew gun about once a year or so. I can't remember the last pack I purchased. So this is such a rare imevent. However I didn't know it was made with plastic!

12.  Grow some of your own food

We love having our garden. We aren't really replacing a significant portion of our food supply yet, but we haven't had to buy tomatoes, bell peppers, or basil for a while! 

13.  Shop at farmers' markets and take your own non plastic bags 

I love our local farmers market. I've heard there is another one in the next city over, but I haven't made it over there yet. But they are great and you can use your own produce bags and reusable bags.

14. Use local shops (butcher, baker etc) who will allow you to take your own non plastic bags

I am on the hunt for places that has all of this. I went to a local butcher shop, but it had all of its meat in Styrofoam and wrapped in plastic. So that was a bust. I was able to find unwrapped bread at four winds so that was exciting, but I don't regularly shop there.

Enjoying this list? Don't forget to pin it for later!

Continue reading below.

15.  Use a milk man

I'm not a huge milk drinker. I haven't found, or sought out a milk man. However I guess they do sell milk at the weekly farmer's market. So I suppose that could be considered a modern day milk man equivalent. I did find out that our local grocery store that sold milk in a glass container with a deposit.

16.  Buy an ice cream cone rather than  plastic wrapped ice cream

I am ashamed to say that I used to always get ice cream in a cup because it was fewer calories.  All those plastic spoons are haunting me. Now that I carry around my own silverware kit, I suppose I would eliminate the plastic spoon and only have to worry about the bowl. 

17.  Make your own yogurt

I have wanted to try this, but haven't. I also rarely eat yogurt so that is probably one reason why.

18.  Make your own snack bars, cakes and biscuits 

I don't eat a ton of snacks like this, so that's how I reduce the amount of waste created from these items. However I see that in the future that might change, so I should start making more of these.

19.  Avoid multi-packs with products wrapped in plastic film or cans with ring holders

I try! Unfortunately shopping at places like Sam's Club makes this difficult. 

20.  If you must buy something in plastic buy the biggest size possible which contains proportionally less plastic per kg/litre of product.

I generally try to do this when it makes sense and the item will not spoil before it can all be eaten.

21.  Buy wine with real corks, not plastic

Now this is a suggestion I can get behind! Let's all buy wine. If it has glass and cork, it's zero waste and natural. Besides there are tons of crafts you can do with the girls too.

22.  Buy refills which use less plastic packaging than new products 

I'm not entirely sure what this is referencing. Especially in terms of food. I can see show getting larger bottles to refill the small bottles of items like soap would save on plastic. But condiments are about the only food product I could see refilling and I'm not sure that would save on plastic waste. 

23.  Do not use coffee pods

Thankfully I don't like coffee so this isn't a huge draw. Although I know they have items like hot chocolate and tea too.

24.  Do not buy individually plastic wrapped tea bags

I'm also not a huge tea drinker, but my preference, of course, would be to avoid plastic in my tea bags. Loose tea is definitely the way to go. My sister in law got me an awesome mug for making loose tea that I love.

Phew! What a great list. I'm happy to say that I'm doing more of these than I'm not doing. 

Ready to start tackling the bathroom? Here are my 5 simple plastic free swaps for the bathroom.

How To Use A Safety Razor For A Close Shave And Not Get Cut

Worried shaving with a safety razor is going to be a blood bath? I'm here to tell you not to worry; it won't be like a scene out of a horror film once you read these tips for how to use a safety razor.

Safety razors are a great way to minimize plastic waste in the bathroom. Most disposable razors have some sort of plastic that you throw away: either the entire razor or the razor cartridge. Safety razors, however are plastic free! You just replace the blade which may be able to be recycled.

For some reason safety razors have received a bad rap that you are more likely to cut yourself. Well they don't call them safety razor for no reason. I was nervous too when I first started, but once I actually did it, I realized that it wasn't a whole lot different than using a regular razor. However there are some tips which will help you get a close shave and minimize the likelihood of getting cut.

The general goal of using a safety razor is to have the blade run along a smooth shaving surface with the blade in the optimal position to cut the hair without cutting the skin.

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Get a safety razor.

Hubby uses a short handled razor and I use a long handled one (read a review of my favorite zero waste safety razor here). And we both prefer the ones we have over the other. I think his short handled razor is better for the large number of angles he has to deal with. I guess you could say the short handled razor is more maneuverable. I prefer the long handled razor for shaving legs. It helps extend your reach, plus it's more similar to other razors you are used to. For more on kinds of safer razors read All About Safety Razors.

Use a fresh blade

Obviously the first time you use the razor the blade should be new. Don't share blades: that's just asking for trouble! However you should change blades (or sharpen them) if you notice it is getting a bit dull. Getting cut with a newer or sharper blade will make a smaller cut and it will heal more nicely. Try these blades.

Maintain a 30 degree angle

The third photo shows the appropriate angle whereas the other
 two don't get the blade in proper cutting position.

The angle is important for the razor to work and provide a close shave. If you make the angle of the safety razor too shallow you'll just be moving the glide along and if the angle is too high it's just the top. Either angle will not cut the hair well and you are liable to get cut. Fortunately most razors are shaped in a manner that tries to encourage the correct blade angle. In the photo you see the first two put the blade at a bad angle, but the third has the razor run right along the leg.

Use short strokes

You will find this advice everywhere, but honestly I generally run my blade the length of my shin, calf and thigh. So why am I advocating it here for you? It's easier to keep the 30 degree angle with shorter strokes. Legs and faces are curvy places, each curve means you have to continually change the angle. So using shorter strokes will likely help you keep the angle, but it's the angle that's magic, not the stroke length.

Keep the blade clean and dry

Doing this will help extend the life of each blade and prevent rusting of the razor itself. I'll admit I'm not great about this. Just this morning I realized my blade had soap scum in the blade guard. Whoops! Well I cleaned it out and changed the blade and I noticed it shaved so much better!

Use the weight of the head

A safety razor head has a little heft to it and it's designed that way for a reason: to keep it close to the skin. You don't need to push down on it. In fact, if you push you mess up the angle and prevent a flat shaving surface and can cause cuts. Believe me, you don't need much pressure. The blade wants to cut the hair, just put it in the right spot.

Keep skin taut

I don't have issues with this on my calf and shin, but up around my knee I've found I provide a flatter shaving surface if I pull the skin taut.

Use a lubricant

This is something to help the razor run more smoothly along the shaving surface. I'll admit I don't have to use a lubricant, but I notice it slides easier and jumps less (so less potential for knicks!). I have dry shaved on the side of a bathtub, but I know not everyone can do this. So for lubricants there are a number of options. I generally either just use water while in the shower, but find I like using soap better. The lather of regular soap doesn't stick around long, so getting shave soap may be better. I've heard others use conditioner or olive oil. Whatever you choose to use the goal is to help the blade slide along your leg. Be sure to rinse the lubricant off the blade though or it will get dull.

Learning curve

Finally, I have cut myself exactly once using a safety razor. It was on my shin, not a "high risk" area like ankle or knee. I had been using the razor for about a month and I have no clue how it happened. I didn't notice it until after I was out of the shower. That one cut is probably more than I received in the last 5 years of using disposable razors, however it is nowhere near the number of cuts I received while first learning to shave. So if you do cut yourself I recommend being patient while you are learning.

In general, using a safety razor has been no different than using disposable...except from an environmental and cost perspective. Looking to buy one? Check out this one!!

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