So...
I'm just gonna put this out there. I shave my armpits, bikini area, and legs. Most of the time. I like the idea of going natural and growing it out, but the feeling of smoothness is too pleasurable for me to quit the razor.
Now that that's out of the way, let's move on.
The cost of replacement cartridges for my Gillette razor (and my husband's, we use the same type) at Costco, which was one of the cheapest places we could find it in bulk, is $52 for 16. That's $3.25 a pop, which doesn't sound like much, but it feels like a lot every time we buy a package, and it's not a "need" type of purchase.
As you might guess, I stretch the use of each cartridge as possible. I rinse and pat it dry after each use to keep rust down. I skip shaving the legs a few times a week when I know they won't be seen, and I'll use one of those razors until 2 months has passed and I can barely stand to drag the thing across my skin. Switching out a new razor is always shocking, it glides so smoothly! A new razor makes me feel like a slippery mermaid, and I want more of that sensation.
... smooooth*...
It seems there are 5 awesome options for achieving smooth skin.
That is, if you don't want to grow it out and rip it off.
1) An old-fashioned straight razor. With careful care of the blade, some education about technique, and the patience to go slowly... this is the best option since it is a one-time purchase and unlikely to break. Also the worst option, if you are as clumsy as I am and pass out at the sight of blood.
2) Laser hair removal. Not the cheapest, but in the long term it could save time. And possibly money, if you do it young enough.
3) A shavette or a safety razor. I had no idea that these things existed! A shavette is like a straight razor, and you insert a single-sided razor blade. A safety razor uses a double-sided razor blade. The blades are 10 cents apiece or less, and are meant to be changed with each use. Cons: having to change the blade every day, and the shavette still scares me.
4) Epilator. I actually have one, and it is freaking awesome. When your hair is 2 days past a shave, you use this machine to pluck out the hair. It is also a one-time purchase, and after 2 uses it stops hurting as much, and you can then just do a quick sweep every day or two, and it also gets rid of the shadow of the dark root under the skin (if you have dark hair). I'd recommend only using it on your legs though, unless you like to cry. Unfortunately I can't use this method of hair removal right now due to a problem with hives, it leaves me with red spots that last a few weeks.
5) Dorco razors, straight from the manufacturer. They seem to be the darling of redditors (even the Dollar Shave Club is too expensive for them), so I was intrigued. To set yourself (and your husband) up with them, it is a total of $36.75 for 2 razor handles (each come with 2 cartridges) and a 24-pack of 4-blade cartridges. The cartridges are $1 apiece.
We ended up going with option #5, and won't go back to Gillette. The razors don't vibrate (if you are into that sort of thing), but we've been using them for several months and the blades are just as high quality and last just as long.
What about stropping?
There is also a technique called stropping, which is supposed to lengthen the life of your razor by polishing the edges of the blades. You run the blade down jean material (in the opposite direction of shaving) several times. Here is a video I found on the jeans stropping method:
I will try this and report back.
Anyway, I just wanted to share this discovery with you. Cutting shaving costs by a third... well, it's too awesome to keep to ourselves!
*Yeah, my husband photo-shopped my face onto the Waterhouse mermaid. I loves him.
Any frugal beauty tips you'd like to share too?
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