Green Diva’s Guide to Eco-Friendly Hair Removal

2 Billion (yes BILLION) disposable razors are purchased and then tossed into our landfills in the US every year!

(and I’m no math wizard, but I bet there is a ton of icky plastic packaging that adds to this mess)

Forgive me for being a diva about this, but I’m just not ready to have fuzzy legs in the summer . . . we’ve written and talked about this topic before and I always get some grief about how going hairy is the natural and hence the greenest way to go. This may be true, but I’m just not there yet. So, if you are offended by my desire for smooth legs (and less hairy other parts) in the summer, just click away from this post and accept my apologies in advance. BUT, if you are like me and you care a great deal about the environment, but don’t want to be too crunchy about it when it comes to personal leg hair style, read on!

So, if we are past the debate about smooth v. furry, let’s move on to how we can do it greener, shall we?

Go Electric? Ok, seems counter-intuitive and I’ve personally never used an electric shaver on my legs, but perhaps I should consider it:

It saves on three important resources, WATER, MONEY & SHAVING CREAM
A LOT less waste headed to the landfill
You can buy a solar-powered or rechargeable one (to minimize batteries and dirty electricity)

Get Sweet with Body Sugaring– I just learned about this method this past year when we did our Sleeping Naked is Green segment on “No More Shaving.” Essentially, you use a simple mixture of sugar and water to create a sticky substance that can be applied and when removed properly takes unwanted hair with it – voila, right? seems low-stress for the environment and perhaps on our legs too (and seriously low-budget too!). Fellow green blogger and author of Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too, Beth Terry, offers a great DIY sugar was with honey recipe and a fun and detailed description of how it works.

Waxing – Some methods use a paraffin wax, which of course is a petroleum product (yuck). But there are natural waxes you can use that are just as effective. This post has further details as well as a good list of natural wax hair removal products. Of course, waxing is a great way to minimize water usage compared to shaving.

Greener Shaving –

Get it Straight – If you are brave, you could always try a straight razor, which is probably the most eco-friendly way to go as you are using and maintaining one blade, but nicks can be a bitch.
Build a Better Razor – There are a number of companies coming out with razors that are made from recycled parts and only require replacing the heads. (the Triple Razor is a good example)
Use Your Head – at the very least, find a razor that you can at least keep the handle and just change the head.
Extended Use – There’s a product we learned about that could help extend the life of your razor head called the Razor Gator. Could be worth checking out.

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Tags: body sugaring, eco-friendly hair removal, natural beauty, natural body wax, natural personal care

About the Author

The Green Divas The Green Divas share low-stress ways to live a deeper shade of green through a weekly radio show, podcasts, videos and blog posts. Working with talented partners and credible sources like myEARTH360 the Green Divas produce content on a variety of topics relating to a healthy green lifestyle. Visit The Green Divas website to learn more, and check out The Green Divas on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter too!