Can I Take a Safety Razor on an Airplane? Travel Tips for Wet Shavers
Yes! And also no. It… depends. Let’s talk about it, and the best products to take when you travel!
Yes, travel. It’s a bit of a foreign word these days, but many of us are getting back to taking trips for business and pleasure since the great REDACTED of 2020. While it’s exciting to be hopping on an airplane again and making ourselves gin & tonics with those cute little bottles of in-flight hooch, a mild panic sets in when I realize I have to pack one week's worth of my life into a tiny suitcase. In the hopes of helping you ease this anxiety, these are my thoughts and experiences travelling with a safety razor and the products I like to take when travelling by plane.
Can I take a Double Edge Safety Razor on a Plane?
If you are checking luggage, absolutely. No problem whatsoever; I take a relatively rugged razor such as my Hoxton or Merkur and a couple of blades. If you’re flying carry-on, you’ll run into more troubles. The handle itself is kosher, but the blades will get confiscated, so don’t bother with them. But not all hope is lost for those single-bag journeys!
Safety razors: certified travel-friendly!
If you’re a dedicated single-blade shaver like me, you can find a decent pack of razor blades at most drugstores in Canada. I’ve even found a good no-name blade in the USA at Walgreens. If you travel to the same destination frequently, consider leaving a pack behind! Friends and family can easily stash some double edge blades in their medicine cabinet, and even a good hotel might be willing to keep some at their front desk if you visit often enough.
If you’re planning in advance, you can always slip some blades, wrapped carefully, of course, into an envelope with a single stamp and mail it to your destination.
There you have it; no need to sacrifice your shave quality when you’re on the move! As a creature of habit, I find myself pretty disoriented when visiting a strange new city, and my morning shave routine is just the structure I need to keep myself focused and have a good time.
But a person cannot survive on a safety razor alone; they need a brush, soap, aftershave - all pretty messy stuff if you’re not careful. Luckily, I’ve made enough mistakes for both of us, so you can learn from them!
What are the best Wet shaving products to travel with?
When travelling with shaving gear, keep these aspects in mind: Small, spill-proof, and indestructible. Every product you pick should fit in at least two of those categories if not all three. The small part goes double for anyone travelling carry-on to conserve space and avoid the dreaded 100ml limit for liquids.
Remember to bring products in sturdy packages, 100mls or less!
First, consider whether you want to bring a brush or not. There are many great brushless shave creams; I’m pretty fond of Schaf’s shave cream, which conveniently fits within the limit. That said, my delicate skin and rough beard demand I use a brush, so I travel with a Kent of Inglewood Synthetic, which can handle having its bristles squished and not being dried properly. I stick to a shaving soap that won’t spill or get damaged easily, and I’ve found Like Grandpa to be perfect with its metal tin and 100g size.
As for aftershave, most of what we sell comes in 100ml sizes, but consider leaving the glass bottles at home and taking cream in a leak-proof container, such as Henri and Victoria. If you’re addicted to the good stuff, snag some small plastic bottle from the dollar store and decant your favourite splash!
Finally, I’m always conscious that my bag might not make it. While I like to have a good experience when I travel, I also don’t take anything I’m too precious about because I know there’s a slight chance it’ll get lost or damaged. I leave the fancy Feather Stainless and Castle Forbes at home and take stuff I’m willing to part with if necessary, like a cheaper brush, razor, and software. I also find my Kent of Inglewood Dopp Kit the perfect travel companion because it’s affordable, extremely durable, and machine-washable in case of spills.
A Kent of Inglewood Dopp Kit is the perfect bag for carrying
your shave gear and toiletries!
While I won’t be hopping on a plane right away, I wish all of you doing so safe and healthy travels, and I hope you enjoy your shave while you’re away! If you need more help picking the right products, don’t be a stranger; drop by the shop and say hi, or shoot us a message online and we can help!
