Unlike the earth-child you'd think would be responsible for a blog like this, I take time and money to keep unwanted body hair in check. Since I don't wear shorts or sleeveless shirts frequently and don't have a luvah to impress, I don't shave as regularly as some, but it's still a grooming routine that seems unnecessarily expensive and wasteful. I've been using a Venus razor since middle school and have always wondered why the replaceable razor heads are so damned pricey. If it was just about money, finding a cheaper disposable alternative wouldn't be hard. But disposables are wasteful, whether you're throwing away the razor head or the entire razor every time the blades get dull.
One of my new year's resolutions was to eliminate plastic disposables from my life, so I've been thinking about buying a safety razor for a while. Safety razors, which replaced the straight razor of Sweeny Todd fame, will give you a much closer shave than disposables and are cheaper long-term. (You may be as interested as I was to know that King C. Gilette's innovation of the disposable razor inspired a fascinating business model. Also, if you're having trouble visualizing what a safety razor looks like, here's the one I just ordered and a Google image search.) Like a menstrual cup, the initial investment is more expensive (anywhere from $20 up), but considering the price I'm paying for Venus razor heads, it will pay for itself after a while and, with proper care, can last a lifetime. The only thing that you throw away with a safety razor is the dulled, double-edge razor, which I imagine you can sharpen if you want to get the most out of it. It might even be recyclable in some places.
Recently, an even cheaper, less wasteful alternative called sugaring has caught my attention. The principle is similar to waxing and the results last just as long, but you can make the "wax" with household ingredients: sugar, lemon juice, and water. Cheap, water soluble, and safe to put down the drain or in a compost pit. Unlike wax, the sugar mixture doesn't stick to your skin and will hurt less and cause minimal damage to your epidermis. It's recommended that your hair be at least 1/2" for this method to be effective, which means that you'll need to suffer through a brief werewolf period, but it's cheap and you can do it easily with access to a stovetop. I don't have 1/2" leg hair, a stovetop, sugar, or lemon juice, but once I get those things, I will definitely give sugaring a try. Shaving has always caused issues with my skin, so it'll be fun to compare the results.
If you have the necessary ingredients and are ready to try, do a Google search for "sugaring" to find loads of websites with recipes and instructions and let me know how it goes.
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