TSA did want to take a closer look at my razor –just once so far, flying out of Boston. The agent looked at the razor, and just asked me to remove the blades, which they confiscated. Of course, I kept the actual razor (and the stash of replacement blades that they didn’t notice in my toiletry kit, mwah-ha-ha!) Surely using a safety razor gets better with practice? I’ve tested EVERY combination of exfoliation, shaving cream, angles, pressure and patience with ALL of them. Using the safety razors has gotten better. (A little bit.) But it hasn’t become enjoyable, easy, or fast. Related: I also tested Leaf Shave’s new dermaplaner in a separate review!] And here’s the story of how that testing started: I had my wife use it on her legs and she said it's the best, most comfortable shave she's ever had!!

An offshoot from the Leaf razor, this interesting Twig has grown on me like no other razor. It reminds me of Gillette Guard disposable razor due to its nimble handling. The main error to avoid is to apply too much pressure. As all the weight is in the bulb shaped end of the handle, which makes the head feel almost weightless in comparison; so the tendency is to compensate by adding pressure to the head. Don't. Face shaving - many face shavers tend to gravitate towards the Leaf Twig Razoror Leaf Thorn Razor because the head of the razor is smaller and easier to fit into tight spaces such as under the nose. Like most of the sustainability improvements I’ve made, this is yet another “why did this take me so long?” moment. But there’s no point in that kind of thinking. I’m here now, and that’s what matters.First, the handle doesn’t have much grip (although Leaf sort of has a solution for that, as I describe below). And second, the razor is quite heavy. Both of those mean it takes some getting used to the Leaf when switching from a plastic razor. But now, the next generation of marketers is selling the idea that shaving with a safety razor is about “self-care.” Even though it’s not really a safety razor. Which is, of course, why I love it – all of the sustainability with none of the suffering.) If you persevere and get the hang of these razors, the benefits will shine through. For one, you can join 50k other users that kept 1.5 million disposable razors away from landfills this year.

This Leaf shave review observed that there’s a learning curve, and not everyone is a fan of the fixed-head designs. But, what works for one does not always work for all and this is something to keep in mind before purchasing. The razor uses the classic half blades, ie half DE razor blades. It is thus extremely cheap to use and you can in good conscience replace the blades when they need. There is no “mild” or “efficient” with this razor because of the pivot. If you push down, you'll get a closer shave. If you take a slow stroke, you'll get a closer shave. The leaf has given me what I loved about the mach 3 but with the flexibility to use my favorite DE blades (Polsilver), more comfort, no tugging or irritation (presumably due to being able to use blades that are right for me). Leaf shave have re-invented wet shaving! With people turning away from plastic, Leaf have produced a razor and accessories that allows you to love and enjoy your razor while taking an environmentally friendly stance towards wet shaving.But if those other toiletry items are proof that we don’t need nearly as much plastic in our everyday lives, then razors are the perfect exception to prove that rule. It didn’t take much testing to realize why people – especially people who shave their legs –switched from safety razors to frankly anything else. The first couple of times I used it, I thought my shave with the Leaf wasn’t quite as close as with the traditional safety razors.

Cast from solid metal for optimal weight and balance, the Leaf Razor delivers a smooth and comfortable shave. Designed for timeless beauty, this razor will earn it's place as centre stage in your bathroom, the envy of friends and family! But this was a much more real test: Instead of sitting down in a bath tub, I was standing up in a shower so small I didn’t even have enough space to bend down to my toes, so I had to awkwardly contort each leg upward. Instead of lathering with the fancy shave soap bar Leaf had sent me (and that I forgot at home), I used a sparse coating of my husband’s grandmother’s body wash. Reviewers also wrote that the razors were great, but more noticeably, that the customer service was “brilliant.” The same reviewer stated,

Between my frustration with the self-care hype, and my general bad experience with safety razors, you might think I just didn’t slow down enough to make shaving with a safety razor work. If you take my advice, my favorite eco-friendly toothpaste tablets will not make your gums bleed. Great shampoo and conditioner bars won’t burn your scalp off.) But safety razors can actually hurt you if you don’t know what you’re doing. (Or if, like me, you think you do.) The Well Kept is the heaviest at 98 grams (3.46 oz.), but one thing I do prefer about it is the handle has sharp waffly grooves that give a better grip for wet hands. A bar of soap is an easy win when it comes to living more sustainably. Go try this one instead of body wash in a bottle if you want an easy win. One clever feature is that the bent and sharp edge where the DE blade is snapped is protected from the user by the arching design of the side coverings of the top plate.