The Leaf Twig Razor is an excellent entry point into safety razors and other single blade razors. They’re quickly making a name in the zero waste and sustainable spaces because of their plastic-free packaging and recyclable materials. I’ve been using the Leaf Twig for the past 4 and a half months. Here is my in depth review of the razor.
Table of Contents
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Ratings
Overall Score
Function
Durability
Ease of Use
Packaging
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Cut plastic out of your shaving routine
- Reduce razor bumps and ingrown hairs
Cons
- Expensive in the beginning
- Requires more maintenance than cartridge razors
Ratings Breakdown
This section is where I briefly explain why I gave the Leaf Twig its score in each section. I’ll elaborate more on my overall experience after this section breakdown.
Do I recommend this product?
Yes, I do. The Leaf Twig Razor scores a total of 17 out of 20 possible stars in this review, which equates to an 85% score.
Does it get the job done? (Function)
It does. This razor is a great razor! There’s no question about whether or not it shaves, it does and it shaves really well. But there are some things I love and some things I didn’t love. So to do this review justice I’m going to really dive into what I love and don’t love below. For now, just know that I deducted a star because the razor didn’t deliver as close of a shave as I wanted and I nicked myself a few times.
Is it durable?
This razor feels very solid in the hand. It’s a very heavy razor and all of the components seem to be extremely high quality. Nothing about the Leaf Twig feels cheap or fragile so I’m confident it will last me years and years to come provided I follow the recommended maintenance.
Leaf claims the razors will last anywhere from 6 to 10 shaves. It’s up to you to figure out how many shaves a blade will last you. Then make sure to replace the blade before it goes bad. But overall, I’m very happy with how long my blades last me.
Ease of use?
I gave the Leaf Twig a score of three out of five stars here for two reasons. The first is the maintenance. This razor requires a lot more maintenance than you might be used to with a regular cartridge razor from the grocery store. The second reason is because the razor does not work well with acne. It has to be used a little differently and more thoughtfully in order to avoid cutting yourself. I have a full section on how this razor is different from what you might be used to below so I’ll go more into detail then.
These two things aren’t deal breakers for me, and I don’t think they will be for you, but they are certainly points I wanted to raise.
Packaging
This product’s packaging for is great. The razor comes in a very premium box with five safe and securely contained blades. The main box folds open like a book and has an outer sleeve that keeps it from opening on its own.
I also ordered their shave soap and that just came in a simple little box. Unlike the razor, the soap was just sitting inside its box without anything keeping it in place, which I liked.
At first I thought the packaging was a little much for a sustainable swap but after I thought about it, I think every aspect of the razor’s packaging is about safety and security.
What I Love about the Leaf Twig
I love how smooth the shave is. The leaf Twig razor shaves like butter. It doesn’t get caught up on any dense hair, it doesn’t get clogged like a cartridge razor, it works like a dream. During my serious testing phase, I shaved basically every body part I could. This razor performed great on the legs, in between the legs, on the chest, and of course the face and neck. It even shaved well on my knees! The only area I didn’t shave was my armpits because I hate regrowing hair there.
I also love the feeling of how heavy the razor is in your hands. The Twig’s weight creates a seriously luxurious feel. Every review will mention the weight of the Leaf Twig but your imagination doesn’t do it justice. You’ve really got to get it in your hands to know what it feels like.
And then I of course love how minimal it is after purchase. Once you have the razor, replacing the blades is super easy. There is no plastic involved in the packaging and the blade refills are even recyclable! I love that this razor let’s me have a zero waste shave routine.
What I Don't Love about the Leaf Twig
In this section I’m going to elaborate on all the points from above, which are mainly the things I took off stars for.
Close Shave
The Leaf Twig didn’t get quiet as close as I wanted it to. Before this razor, I was using a Gillette cartridge razor from Sam’s Club. That razor didn’t leave me baby smooth either, but I also didn’t feel prickly or like sandpaper after a single day.
Leaf did release the Twig Thorn after I purchased the regular Leaf Twig. The Thorn is said to offer a more aggressive shave which should get you a closer shave. I won’t be switching to the Thorn for reasons I’ll detail in the next section, but it might be a good option for you.
Cuts and Nicks
Using a safety razor of any kind is different from a cartridge razor. You have to use it at a certain angle, avoid applying pressure, and you can’t shave dry. At first I was really nervous to use my new razor because everyone I watched online talked about how different it was. After a slow and hesitant first run I was fine. Then, after the first week it felt completely normal. I had a couple nicks in my learning process and all of them were completely my fault, I wasn’t using the right angle. Except… for my most recent nicks.
When I first started using the Leaf Twig, I was fresh off of a really intense acne medication and I wasn’t breaking out at all. Over the past 5 months I’ve been slowly breaking out more and more. If I forget about a break out and I shave over it, it results in a nick. Sometimes it hurts and sometimes it doesn’t, some bleed more than others. I don’t necessarily think this is a flaw with the razor, but my acne is only so preventable. A lot of you have acne and I wanted to make sure to bring this up as an important part of my experience.
The Leaf Twig will be my go-to razor for the foreseeable future but it is going to take a little bit more caution when I’m breaking out. And sometimes I just have to shave around those specific spots. After 3 rounds of Isotretinoin, my cystic acne is pretty mild. I rarely have cystic outbreaks and most of my acne is normal acne. If you have more severe acne or experience regular breakouts, this might not be the razor for you. It’s up to you to decide at the end of the day. But, it is a bit disheartening when my skin type and condition prevents me from having a normal shave.
Maintenance - Cleaning Your Leaf Razor
After you order your Leaf Twig, Leaf will send you an email about taking care of your razor. There are 3 things they recommend.
- The first is that you wash your razor with water after each use. Make sure your blade is dry before reloading it into the razor.
- The next thing they recommend is a monthly cleaning. They suggest using an old toothbrush head and a drop of soap to gently scrub your razor. This will help prevent mineral buildup and other things from tarnishing your razor.
- And lastly, they recommend a deep clean. They don’t provide a suggested frequency for this but my guess would be it’s supposed to happen every 3 to 6 months. They say to use 1 part water and 1 part vinegar, soak the razor, rinse, and dry with a microfiber cloth. You can also soak the razor in rubbing alcohol if you want to sterilize it for any reason.
That’s a lot of maintenance. Especially compared to a convenient cartridge razor that you eject into the trash bin. Even I can’t lie, those disposables sound really good right now. Which is why I took a star off in the ease-of-use section.
You should be performing the regular maintenance in order to keep the razor in tip-top shape for as long as possible. And for sustainability reasons, you should want to keep your products functioning as long as you can. Long-lasting products will give you the lowest environmental impact.
The recommended maintenance isn’t a deal breaker for me. But as someone that will neglect to put the dishes away for a week, it’s another thing to add to my to-do list. It’s not a deal breaker, but it is an annoyance. Again, it’s ultimately up to you to decide if it’s a deal breaker for your routine. I will say, the maintenance I’ve done so far hasn’t felt too bad.
Open Razor - Possible Hazard
The last thing I wanted to mention about the Leaf Twig is that the blade and razor need to be rinsed and dried after you finish shaving. You have to remove the blade for this part. Leaf says the blade should be completely dry before you put it back in the Twig (reload). This means you either handle a free blade or leave it to air dry. That might make some of you uncomfortable or introduce a safety hazard in your home.
I usually leave mine out to air dry but I occasionally towel dry the blade and razor too. I don’t find it too concerning but I also don’t have kids or animals running around and climbing on countertops either. It’s definitely something to consider.
Learning How To Use The Twig
The Leaf Twig provides a different shaving experience in a couple ways. To prep the skin, make sure you’ve cleansed your skin, your pores are open, and your hair is soft. You can use a warm compress or shave after a hot shower.
Lather a shave soap or shaving cream, I’ve been using Leaf’s own shave soap, and apply it to the areas you want to shave. Apply the razor at a 30 degree angle to your skin at all times. Don’t put any pressure on the razor, instead you should let the weight of the razor (gravity) do all the work. Your job is to hold it there and guide it. Do not push.
If you want a closer shave, Leaf says you can shave against the grain but I’ve never seen that recommended elsewhere so I’ll leave that up to you. Leaf has a full page on their site dedicated to the shaving process and more. You can check it out here.
What product options does Leaf offer?
Leaf offers several different razors, bundles, kits, and color varieties. The 3 razor types they have are:
- The Leaf
- The Leaf Twig
- The Leaf Twig Thorn
Each will come with it’s own colors and bundle options. You can add on travel cases, replacement blades, plastic-free shave soap, stands, and even a blade recycling tin.
After having used this product for almost 6 months as of writing, I will definitely be adding a travel case and razor stand to my bathroom.
When I first purchased the razor I thought a stand was unnecessary. I used to keep my razor in a drawer and it came with it’s own blade cover. The Leaf Twig doesn’t. So I don’t like sticking it in a drawer, plus it has to completely dry out. That makes a stand basically an essential in my book.
And when it comes to travel, again, there is no blade cover. I don’t want to stick the blade in anything other than the razor body because I’m very forgetful. So a razor travel case would be amazing.
Cost Comparison
Table 1 is a cost comparison between the Leaf Twig and a “top selling” Gillette razor from Walmart. To find the prices I’ve featured I search on the Walmart app, specifying for popular choices and in-store availability. I won’t bore you with all the numbers and math but if you want to understand my methods, I’ll included that after the table and the explanation.
Table 1
| Brand | Razor (USD) | Refills (USD) | Total (Subtotal) (USD) | Total Approx. Shaves | Cos Per Shave (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Leaf Twig |
$59 |
$12 |
$71 |
330 |
$0.22 |
|
Gillette Fusion5 Men’s Razor Handle and 2 Blade Refills |
$11.97 |
$14.97 |
$26.94 |
30 |
$0.90 |
|
Gillette Fusion5 Men’s Razor Handle and 2 Blade Refills |
$11.97 |
$33.97 |
$45.94 |
70 |
$0.66 |
Based off my findings, even though the Leaf Twig has a a sticker price of almost $40 more than the Gillette razor it is significantly cheaper per shave. At a rate of 66 cents per shave, 330 shaves would cost you a grand total of $217.80 with the cheapest Gillette razor in the table. That is a difference of $146.80. That could be your savings with the Leaf razor in 1 year if you’re an everyday shaver!
I probably shave about once a week on average. So it will take me a bit longer to reap the rewards of switching to the Leaf Twig. But that doesn’t even factor in the other great things about the razor. If you want to see exactly how I did my math, read this next section. Otherwise, feel free to move on to the Subscription section.
Methods
The leaf razor comes with 5 blades and the blade pack has 50 blades. That makes for 55 blades at the $71 total. Using the more conservative estimate of 6 uses per blade, 6*55=330.
The same math is applied to the Gillette razors except for one difference. This Bustle article claims Gillette refills will last 3-4 shaves while Gillette claims they’ll last 5-10 shaves. I used 5 shaves per blade to calculate my numbers. The $14.97 Refill pack has 4 refills while the $33.97 refill pack has a total of 12 cartridges.
If the Bustle estimate is more accurate, then that makes the Gillette razor even more expensive per shave, increasing your savings with the Leaf Twig razor.
Beware of Subscriptions
Leaf does not offer any subscription service to my knowledge at this time. The blades they offer come in packs of 50, so at 6-10 shaves per blade that equals 300 total shaves. So even if you shave everyday, ordering 2 packs at a time should last you a very long time.
What makes this a sustainable choice?
What makes Leaf a sustainable choice is the removal of plastic from their products. When you’re using the Leaf Twig, or any of their other razors, you’re opting in for recyclable or compostable packaging. Even your blades will be recyclable, making for a truly zero waste shaving routine.
Compare that to a plastic razor body, plastic cartridge, plastic packaging, and disposable refills that will sit in a landfill and don’t even provide as many shaves per refill.
Leaf will be a strong winner in the eco-friendly, zero waste shaving space for the foreseeable future. As the cherry on top, they are also Climate Neutral Certified. If you’re unfamiliar with what that means, check out this post.
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In case you didn’t catch my posts about sustainable things coming in plastic packaging, you can check it out here.
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