Tips & Tricks

It’s probably the most annoying part of shaving. You’ve finally got your legs ready for summer, and there it is – a red, itchy rash that feels like you’ve been stung by a thousand bees.    Shaving rashes suck, but they are not a sign that you should stop shaving forever. They are definitely related to the process of shaving, but they aren’t permanent or inevitable.    Whether you have sensitive skin or not, these tips will help you find relief from those ugly rashes once and for all.   The Cause of Shaving Rashes: What’s actually going on? Rashes like the ones that come from shaving are often referred to as “shaving bumps”, “razor bumps”, or “ingrown hairs”. All of these things are basically the same thing – an irritation of the hair follicle caused by pulling or tugging at the hair. This causes inflammation and the release of histamines, which causes redness and an itching sensation.    There are three main reasons why this happens:    Dry skin:    Never shave dry skin. Shaving with dry skin is one of the worst things you can do.    It’s important to always use warm water when shaving to soften up that dead layer of skin that can clog pores and lead to ingrown hairs.   The skin is our natural barrier to infection, irritation, and bacteria. When it’s dry, it’s less effective at doing all of these things.    When the skin is moisturised and hydrated, it’s less susceptible to irritation. Wet shaving (shaving in or after a long shower) helps keep the skin soft for easier shaving whilst opening the pores makes it easier to get the benefits of your shaving cream.    Poor shaving technique:    Shave with the grain – not against it!    Going against the grain might feel like it’s getting rid of all those pesky hairs, but in reality it’s just rubbing harder against your sensitive skin, causing irritation and redness in the process.    I know, I know - it’s slightly more difficult when shaving your legs but it will reduce the chances of irritating your skin and that’s got to be worth it.   When you shave, it's essential to have a gentle touch. This ensures that your skin isn't damaged by unnecessary tugging or pulling against your hair follicles. While it may seem counterintuitive not to apply pressure when shaving, doing so will ensure that you get a closer shave without irritating your skin. Glide the blade over your skin with very little pressure applied so that it barely touches.  Top tip - use a weighted razor and let gravity do its work!   Preparation is key:    It may seem like a no-brainer, but never use a dull razor blade. A dull blade doesn't cut cleanly through hair, so it catches and pulls on your skin instead. That's how you get inflammation around your hair follicles, which can result in irritation, redness and bumps that look like acne. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, so it’s important to take good care of it. Use a shaving cream that’s designed to soften hair so you can get a closer, smoother shave.  Our skin-protecting shave cream nourishes & moisturises your skin as well as protecting it from irritation, rash and razor burn during shaving. To combat shaving rash, ensure you’re using a natural shaving cream that is free of triethanolamine, glycols or sulfates. These ingredients have been known to irritate the skin causing dryness and rashes. If you have dry skin, look for moisturizing ingredients like avocado oil which absorbs deep into the hair & skin.   Bottom line Shaving is one of the best ways to remove unwanted hair. It’s important, though, to make sure you’re doing it correctly. Moisturise your skin, use a clean razor, shave in the direction of your hair, and use the right shaving cream to help prevent shaving rashes.

Shaving’s a choice that many of us make but when it comes to what we use to shave, we found we really didn’t have that much choice. Blue plastic, pink plastic, three or five blades – it was all essentially the same product packaged differently. Plastic production continues to increase in spite of the increasing evidence of the harm it causes to our planet. We want to play our small part in reducing plastic production by giving people an option in a space completely dominated by plastic and a lack of choice – the shaving aisle. Every year, billions upon billions of plastic razors get dumped in a landfill. Why? Well, plastic razors are pretty tricky to recycle. Separating sharp blades from their plastic casing is not without its challenges! That’s why we created Lane 44 and a razor completely free of plastic. The handle is made from high quality brass and is designed to last a lifetime (cutting out unnecessary production). Our blades are made from stainless steel and are super easy to recycle. Bonus – they’ll save you an absolute fortune in comparison to plastic multi-blade cartridges. But do they work? How does a closer shave with less irritation sound? Read more here. 🤩

Every year, over 2 billion plastic razors are sent to landfill. Plastic is really useful but the items we consume and dispose of within 1 year are having a really detrimental effect on our environment. What specific problems is plastic causing for us? Read on to find out more. How Much Plastic!!?? Every minute, the equivalent of one garbage truck full of plastic is dumped into our oceans. Believe it or not, half of all plastic ever produced was made in the last 13 years and production continues to increase. 50% of Plastic Becomes Trash Within 1 Year of Purchase We are by no means against plastic. We just believe it's important that we act to reduce our consumption of plastics where possible. Where there is a realistic alternative, we believe people should have the option and the knowledge to make that choice. What's the Impact? By 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans. As I'm sure you can imagine, this isn't such a great thing for a life in the sea. Everything from turtles to sea lions to dolphins to sea birds are affected. In fact, studies of albatross show 98% to have consumed some form of plastic. Many marine organisms struggle to distinguish between common plastics and food. Animals that eat plastic often starve to death as plastic cannot be digested. In other words, it fills their stomachs and prevents them from eating real food. I eat how much plastic per year!? Setting aside the effects on wildlife, it's unclear how it might affect our own health. Plastics are increasingly found in the water we drink and the food we eat. According to the Environmental Science and Technology journal, we might be eating anywhere between 39,000 and 52,000 micro-plastic particles per year. It stands to reason that if plastics are entering our food chain, they will at some point pass to humans but what's the impact and where are they being found? Plastic food! The study mentioned above focused on micro-plastics found in beer, salt, seafood, sugar, alcohol and honey... all pretty standard items found in many peoples diets. How does this impact me? There's still a lot of unknowns about how plastics impact the body. Theories range from a toxic impact to damaging our immune system. The truth is, no one really knows at this stage. However, we know enough about how plastics are produced and how they behave in our environment to be concerned about it's impact on human life. Plastic Production When plastic is produced, it's made with a variety of chemicals; many of which can be hazardous to our health. As if the toxic chemicals used to produce the stuff wasn't enough, plastic has the properties to soak up toxins in the environment. Chemicals like lead are absorbed and released. This can cause liver conditions, hormonal disruption, immune system issues and childhood development problems. What can I do? Plastic has only really entered mass production in the past 70 years. It's scary to think what another 70 years of plastic production at vastly increased rates would do to the towns we live in. Recycling is great but the real problem is over production and unnecessary production. Over 300 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year. If we can cut low usage plastics from our lives where a suitable alternative exists, it will make a huge impact on our environment and its future inhabitants. The Plastic Recycling Challenge If everyone were to cut low usage plastics where possible, it would surely allow us to better manage plastic recycling. The current global plastic recycling rate stands at 18%. A long way off where we need to be. Perhaps part of the problem is an over supply and we just don't have the manpower to deal with the sheer volume of plastic waste? Zero Waste Shaving Our plastic free razors are designed for long term usage. They are made 100% from metallic materials and use a fully metallic double edge blade. We are completely free from single use plastics. We believe shaving with a plastic free razor is a realistic alternative to the disposable and cartridge based razors. Not only will it help reduce plastic consumption, it provides a closer, more comfortable shave with less shaving rash and the blades cost a fraction of the price.  

It still baffles us why women are charged more for shaving than men. When you think about it, there’s very little that’s different. Multiple blades housed in plastic casing with a lubrication strip or two – they’re practically identical products yet women are charged more. This doesn’t make sense to us!! Still, it’s commonly accepted that women’s razors are just more expensive and that’s all there is to it. With that in mind… Can women use a safety razor? Absolutely!! From your legs to your bikini area to just about anywhere; from using less plastic to huge savings on blades to an all-round more satisfying shave; safety razors are awesome.   You really can use it on your legs. Honestly! The thought of a blade running across your legs is scary for many women and I don’t blame you. There’s next to no information out there to let you know how simple it really is! Safety razors have long been seen as the domain of the man; the traditional man’s tool; the art of masculinity… We’re a little bit different… Our safety razors are for everyone. So how does it compare with what I’m used to? It takes a bit of time to get used to but there’s little doubt that it’s time well spent. Shaving is a really intimate experience. The warm water of the bath, the hot steam from the shower; it’s a time of epic indulgence. It’s not a time to be rushed. The outcome… Less razor burn, the smoothest of shaves, a lot more affordable. But don’t just take our word for it; check out this video review. By the way, our razor is much easier and safer to open. Simply twist the bottom of the handle and the top will open like a butterfly. All you have to do is drop the blade in!! Before you start. Proper preparation of the skin is so important when it comes to shaving regardless of the area. We recommend a relaxing hot bath or shower to fully open the pores followed by exfoliating and adding a shaving lotion. Exfoliating is essential as it removes dead skin cells. Ingrown hairs and razor bumps can be caused by dead skin cells blocking pores. Added bonus; you’ll be left with extra soft legs. Smooth shaven legs. With disposable razors, we’re used to scraping the blade against our skin. This isn’t the case with a safety razor. The weight of the razor alone is enough to do the job. Position the razor at a 30 degree angle and don’t apply any pressure. Simply guide the razor across your skin, use short strokes, only a couple of inches at a time, and that’s all there is to it. You’ll be surprised by how easy it is to get the right angle! The razor itself is shaped purposefully to make it easy to find the right angle for shaving. Generally, if it’s at the wrong angle, the blade won’t be exposed but do take care to ensure you are shaving at around at 30 degree angle. Top tips Best to start with your legs. Longer, flatter parts of your body are much easier for beginners. As with anything new, keep it simple and work your way up!! Keep the skin tight and stretched out through the positioning of your body. With any sharp object, it’s important to take every precaution necessary. This will further help avoid nicks and cuts. Make it a really nice, relaxing ritual. Why not put a face mask on, light a few candles, maybe even some music? Prolong the life of your blades by cleaning and drying after usage. This is an added bonus of using a safety razor. They’re super easy to keep clean which makes them much more hygienic than cartridge razors.