SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT REVIEW #4 {Leaf Razor, Dish Brush, Good Genes Serum}

This is a terrible way to start off this sustainable product review, but man oh man does it take a while to really test things out. I feel as though every time I share that something is great, the next day something different starts to happen. I talked about the loofah sponge and how much we loved it. A few days later, it started to break down (more below). It still works fine and this is all just part of the natural process, but the review karma gods certainly have a sense of humor!

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about clean beauty. Many people turn to clean beauty because they want to improve the type and quality of products used on their skin – our body’s biggest organ which absorbs it all.

On the other side of the coin, however, clean beauty is also more sustainable because it goes into our water. Everytime you wash your face, rinse your hands, do the laundry, and take a shower, all the product gets washed down the drain – out to water sources, out to the ocean, back into our food, our water.

So for one reason or the other, I’m excited to share more clean beauty brands whether it be at Nordstrom, Target, or Walmart! We all share the same water, so it’s great that all can keep it clean!

Leaf Safety Razor Review

So. In all my efforts to have less plastic and waste, getting a “safety razor” was certainly something I learned about early on. I still had a number of refill cartridges for my old trusty razor, so I was waiting until the time got right.

Safety razors are basically metal (usually stainless steel or aluminum) razors in which you replace the razor blades individually. They’re so named “safety razors” because compared to an open-edged blade traditionally used for men to shave their beards, these are way safer – a fact I learned after I got my new razor.

There are a number of brands that sell safety razors, but I chose a Leaf razor because they offered razors will multiple blades – usually a selling point for me in disposable/refillable razors.

They offer razors in a few colors and have received rave reviews. After reading a number of those reviews, I gathered that “it took some time to get used to” because of the difference in weight compared to a disposable razor, but everyone LOVED theirs.

So I got mine out and shaved that first time. Y’all. I’ve never had such bad razor burn on my shins. Well, maybe not never, but it was bad to say the least. So I waited over a week before I felt comfortable enough approaching my body with that razor. Good thing I had nowhere to go!

The second time – not much razor burn, but I cut myself pretty good (bad?) around my ankle. I’ll save you the play by play of all my shaves since the end of May, but it’s been a learning curve to say the least.

Since getting a bit more experience and asking others, I can tell you that you absolutely can’t push down on the razor as you’re shaving. Just let the razor’s weight glide along your skin. Also exfoliation is key if you’re sensitive-skinned, as I am.

Also, I mentioned that the three blades was a selling point for me. So after those first few futile attempts, I read more of the packaging and it says that if you have trouble with razor burn or cuts, leave the bottom razor slot empty thus creating a small buffer between your skin and the first blade. This was a game-changed for sure!

Finally, I’m shaving in a shower that doesn’t have a proper  place to put my foot for balance. I’m just throwing my foot up on the wall. It’s probably better in a bathtub or a shower with a seat for proper balance and support!

So I guess I’m 4 months in. I don’t plan to go back to my other razors, but I don’t love it. I still get fearful from time to time about shaving. So if you consider yourself clumsy, I’d steer clear. This is no dig on the Leaf brand at all. I think they make a great,  chic product. It’s just a completely different shaving experience!

I will note, also, that I’ve never had a single issue in shaving my armpits or bikini area – just my shins and ankles.

UPDATE: This Sunday Riley Good Genes serum is NOT clean beauty. When I wrote the post, I thought it was and have since learned my mistake. Instead of deleting the review (which is completely honest and I LOVED this product), I wanted to add in this note. Switching to clean beauty and/or a sustainable lifestyle is all about learning and baby steps. No matter how long I do this, I’m still making mistakes and that is OK! We’ll all eventually get there together!

Sunday Riley Good Genes Serum Review

I’ve heard recommendations for Sunday Riley products for the last 5 years or so, but I hadn’t tried any of them out yet. When the cultish Good Genes serum was on part of the clean beauty brands at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I immediately added it to my bag!

The Good Genes serum is a nightly lactic acid serum designed to even skin tone and supposedly get rid of lines in minutes. I’m still getting over hyperpigmentation from my pregnancy, so I’m super on board.

I can’t attest that I notice the disappearance of any lines (though I’m always tired when I put this serum on), but I can tell you that my hyperpigmentation is all but gone and my skin tone is looking more even than it has IN YEARS!!!

Also available at Ulta.

Redecker Dish Brush Review

After my loofah dish sponge review, we’ve been looking for other dish cleaning options. The loofah sponge worked well but then started to break apart (it’s plant fibers after all). It’s currently in two pieces and actually still cleaning dishes for us! But we (I) wanted to try the dish brushes I’ve seen on all the sustainable home websites.

I ordered the Redecker Dish Brush (soft). It’s quite nice looking, not bright/plastic at all! It’s made with tampico bristles (a plant), so it replaces the plastic washed down the sink compared to standard sponges and brushes. They also sell just replacement brush heads, so you aren’t always buying a whole thing!

We noticed pretty quickly that the bristles don’t hold onto soap for a long time, so it’s best to have a small dish of soapy water you dip in between every 1-2 dishes.

We’ve been using the brush for about 7 weeks. I love the look and it cleaned dishes pretty well – nothing too stuck on, we had to use other sponge/brush for that. We did start to notice a few weeks ago that individual bristles were starting to come out. And then last week, they start to come out more seriously.

I’ve since learned that we were overusing the brush. It’s designed for ceramic and glass dishes. Instead there’s a hard Redecker dish brush designed for pots and pans. So we may try that next. 

Looking for more sustainable product review? You can find them all here.