You’ve likely heard about PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in cookware and outdoor gear. I’ve also written about these hazardous chemicals showing up in unexpected household items like clothes irons and hair curling wands.
Less well known: PFAS can be used as coatings on razor blade edges. That means the blades you use on your face or intimate areas may carry these “forever chemicals.”
Recent Freedom of Information Act requests in Maine—one of the few places with stringent PFAS disclosure laws—uncovered that dozens of companies sell thousands of household, lawn, and agricultural products that contain PFAS.
Note: In April 2024 Maine amended its reporting law to narrow some requirements and add certain exemptions, a change that reduces transparency for consumers and regulators.
Below I explain why PFAS on razor blades is concerning, summarize the results of my investigation into several major razor brands, and offer PFAS-free razor recommendations where possible.
What this article covers:
- PFAS hazards to human health and the environment
- PFAS in razors: Investigation results
- Razor brands without PFAS
- Kitsch
- Meridian
- Public Goods
- Razor brands with PFAS
- Questionable brands (Unclear if they’re PFAS-free or not)
- Takeaways on PFAS-free razors
- Want to learn more about PFAS?
This guide contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase (though not all links are affiliate). As always, we recommend products we genuinely believe in. Featured image credit: Kitsch.
PFAS hazards to human health and the environment
PFAS are linked to a range of serious health and environmental harms. Scientific studies have associated PFAS exposure with cancer, birth defects, heart disease, and other adverse outcomes. Recent research has even raised concerns about certain PFAS reducing the effectiveness of chemotherapy in cancer patients.
These compounds are often called “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment and in organisms. PFAS are highly mobile, contaminate groundwater, and can bioaccumulate in fish, wildlife, and humans, creating long-term exposure risks.
Because of their persistence and mobility, PFAS contamination affects ecosystems as well as human health, making prevention and disclosure of intentionally added PFAS in consumer products an important public-health priority.
PFAS in razors: Investigation results
Why are PFAS used on razor blades? Manufacturers commonly apply PFAS coatings, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), to reduce friction and help blades glide over skin. Coatings can also serve to protect blades from corrosion.
Documentation from Maine named BIC as a brand with PFAS-coated razors, but other brands also confirmed the presence of PFAS in some of their blades. Finding razors explicitly marketed as “PFAS-free” proved difficult.
In several cases, customer-service representatives stated that modern razor blades across the industry are coated with PTFE. Company disclosures and inconsistent replies meant I often had to press for clear answers, and some brands did not respond at all.
Class-action lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny are growing around PFAS. As more states consider bans and disclosure rules, I expect more companies will disclose PFAS use or seek alternatives.
PRO TIP: If a product description does not explicitly say “PFAS-free,” assume PFAS may be present until a company confirms otherwise. Always ask customer service whether any PFAS are used on a blade before purchasing.
Razor brands without PFAS
Independent chemical testing is the only certain way to know if a blade is PFAS-free, but that is costly. For practical purposes, we rely on company statements. The following brands responded that PFAS are not used on their razor blades.
Kitsch
Kitsch confirmed by email that their razors do not contain PFAS. They also stated that their moisturizer includes a light, natural fragrance and assured me it is free from phthalates. Kitsch products avoid parabens, phthalates, silicones, sulfates, and synthetic fragrance, though some items include natural fragrance or colorants.
Kitsch offers a Solid Shave Butter bar made from a short ingredient list. While the use of undisclosed natural fragrance is not ideal for everyone, the brand’s transparency on PFAS and other major toxins is helpful.
Kitsch also told me their razors are nickel-free.
Meridian
Meridian sells electric whole-body trimmers rather than traditional wet razors. The company confirmed their trimmer blades are PFAS-free; the blades are ceramic, which reduces dragging and irritation. Meridian also offers a small line of simple skincare products with relatively clean ingredient lists.
My experience: Meridian’s trimmer works well for trimming and is convenient for shower use, though it does not provide the same close shave as a cartridge razor.
Public Goods
Public Goods told me their razor blades are stainless steel and nickel-free, and that the gel strip is made from aloe vera, stearic acid, and glycerol. They stated no other coating chemicals are present on the blades. While the brand sells a wide range of products with varying ingredient quality, their razor and blade formulation appears relatively straightforward.
My experience: The Public Goods razor is gender-neutral, attractive, and effective. The head has a small swivel for contouring, and the three-blade cartridge provides a close shave. I plan to repurchase replacement blades for continued use.
Razor brands with PFAS
The companies below confirmed that PTFE or other PFAS-derived coatings are present on some of their blades. I recommend avoiding these brands if you want to minimize PFAS exposure.
Athena Club
Athena Club confirmed they use polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), commonly known as Teflon, as a final coating on their blades.
BIC
Maine’s disclosures and a recent lawsuit indicate that some BIC razors contain PFAS. I reached out to BIC for confirmation but did not receive a detailed reply.
Billie
Billie initially provided mixed responses. While one representative told me their blades did not contain PFAS, another later confirmed PTFE is used across the wet-shave razor industry and that Billie blades include PTFE. Because of the conflicting statements, I removed Billie from the PFAS-free list.
Leaf Shave
Leaf Shave told me that their blades use an anti-friction PTFE coating and that, to their knowledge, virtually all modern shaving blades are made with similar coatings.
Gillette (including Venus)
When I contacted Gillette, a customer-service representative said premium blades have a Teflon layer and noted the coating formulation is proprietary. The rep also emphasized the coatings do not include certain listed PFAS such as PFOA and PFOS, but he declined to share a full breakdown, and proprietary formulations may still contain other PFAS compounds.
Because there are thousands of PFAS variants, a claim of being free from a subset of them does not ensure a product is truly PFAS-free.
Questionable brands (Unclear if they’re PFAS-free or not)
These brands either did not respond or gave incomplete answers. I will update this list as more information becomes available.
Grove Collaborative
Grove’s customer service escalated my PFAS inquiry to their team but did not provide a definitive reply. Because Grove carries many third-party razor brands, each product may have different coatings.
Preserve
Preserve did not provide a confirmed response at the time of writing. Their eco-friendly positioning made them a candidate for PFAS-free products, but I have not received verification.
EcoRoots
EcoRoots sells safety razors and has not yet replied to my PFAS question. I will update this article if they respond.
Flamingo
Flamingo provided ingredient information for the lubricating strip and confirmed one of their creams contains fragrance, but I did not receive a clear answer on PFAS coatings.
Harry’s
Harry’s did not respond to my inquiry before publication.
Schick
Attempts to reach Schick’s customer service by web form and phone were inconclusive; a representative said she would escalate my questions and follow up, but I had not received a definitive response when this article went live.
Takeaways on PFAS-free razors
My investigation found that several major brands use PTFE or similar coatings on at least some razor blades. Because PFAS are persistent and bioaccumulative, their intentional use in products that contact skin is concerning.
Companies rarely publish the exact chemical composition of blade coatings, citing proprietary formulations. That lack of transparency, combined with inconsistent customer-service answers, makes it hard for consumers to avoid PFAS without explicit “PFAS-free” labeling or third-party testing.
No brand I contacted could definitively tell me when PFAS coatings first became common on razor blades, and most would not confirm whether coatings migrate to skin during use or if they transfer into blood from shaving nicks. These are important unanswered questions for public health.
If you want to minimize PFAS exposure, consider razors and trimmers that manufacturers explicitly confirm are PFAS-free, or choose non-coated ceramic blades or traditional safety razors without modern PTFE coatings. When in doubt, ask the company directly whether any PFAS are used on blade surfaces.
Want to learn more about PFAS?
If you’d like to dive deeper into PFAS—how they work, how to spot greenwashing, and practical steps to reduce your exposure—I offer a PFAS Masterclass. The five-day mini course delivers short video lessons, consumer tips, and a recommended list of PFAS-free products straight to your inbox.
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