The Male Waxing & Shaving Blog

Archive for the ‘Big Razor Test’ Category

So this is the first blade to face the review! So we are starting off with a disposable razor from the biggest name in men’s shaving. This is a very different type of razor, particularly for those more used to changeable cartridge style razors.

The pack of 8 razors cost £3.19, with each razor therefore being a nice 40p each. I must just make a comment about the packaging as I really liked this, they pack is a small plastic bag and to open it you tear a strip off the side. This then reveals a zip-loc style sealer so you can keep all the remaining razors safe and clean inside the packaging. A nice touch I thought.

You start to notice a difference with disposable razors immediately, they are a complete plastic body so feel a lot lighter in the hand. The grip is comfortable, and nice to hold, doesn’t slip around between your fingers and you can still keep a good grip with went hands.

The head on the Blue II Plus consiss of two blades and a very well lubricated strip and is a fixed position. So it doesn’t tilt and move according to the contours of your face … you have to do that yourself. And this is one of the big differences, I found I just nicked the skin a couple of times and felt the blades just scraped the skin in a few areas leading to a little bit of irritation.

The result was quite a close shave, but only because of extra awareness on the second shave. I found that it wasn’t as close as I would like for the first shave, you wouldn’t be able to get away with a single shave with this … and if I did this would have lost a point on the closeness.

Overall, a good enough razor but one that you’d need to stick with to practice a little and get familiar with. I’m not sure it would be too good for those with thicker beards – or how it would cope with a few days more growth.

Scores
Grip: 3
Glide: 3
Closeness: 3
Comfort: 2
Ease of Use: 2
Value for Money: 3

Total Score: 16 / 30

So I have completed the shaves for the first Razor in the Big Razor Test, and this is going to take some time! There are nearly 30 razors to get through, hence the name. Each model of razor will be tested twice, once as a quick shave and once as a full shave. The products used and routine are outlined here for future reference. For each test the razor’s will be marked out of five for the following categories:

1. Grip – How is it to handle?
2. Glide – Is it a smooth shave, or does the blade feel like its dragging?
3. Closeness – How smooth a shave does it feel, was it a good shave?
4. Comfort – Was it comfortable to use, did it cause lots of nicks and cuts?
5. Ease – Is it easy to use or does it require a bit of skill and practoce
6. Value for Money – Is it worth it?

And then the results from both shaves will be averaged out to give an overall result. So how are the shaves being conducted? Here is the procedure for each one:

Quick Shave

1. Use Men-U facial wash in the shower to prepare
2. Rinse and dry
3. Apply Men-U Shaving Cream with Men-U Premier shaving brush
4. First shave with the grain
5. Rinse and re-apply Men-U Shaving Cream with Men-U Premier shaving brush
6. Second shave across the grain, checking skin and shaving to give a close finish
7. Rinse, cool skin with cold flannel
8. Smooth over with Men-U Facial Moisturiser

Full Shave

1. Use Shave Doctor facial wash in the shower to prepare
2. Rinse and dry
3. Apply Shave Doctor Shaving Oil
4. Apply Shave Doctor Shaving Cream with Men-U Premier shaving brush
5. First shave with the grain
6. Rinse and re-apply Shave Doctor Shaving Cream with Men-U Premier shaving brush
7. Second shave across the grain, checking skin and shaving to give a close finish
8. Rinse, cool skin with cold flannel
9. Smooth over with Shave Doctor Moisturazor

As part of the Big Razor Test I thought it would be interesting to see what your experiences of shaving was. So I have created a short survey that you can see here. It takes less then a minute to do, and by completing it you will be entered into a prize draw to win a free set of Men-U shave products!

You can also expect to see the first result of the Big Razor Test published over the weekend … the Gillette Blue II Plus single use disposable.

Click here to complete the Survey.

In my Guide To Shaving I talk about the the need to change your razor blade frequently. One of the biggest impacts on the quality of a shave comes from using a good, clean and sharp blade.

While in a local chemist buying some products I was looking at all the razors you can buy. There is a huge number of types available, from single use disposable to battery powered vibrating multiple-use razors.

This got me thinking about my choice of razor. I currently use a Gillette Mach 3 for regular shaving. Why? It is one of the most popular brands. How many of us pick our razor based on what our fathers and mates use? What about the advertising, we know the brand / name so it must be good. Well advertised may not equate good value for money though.

And so I have decided to embark on a comparison of razors. From the cheapest disposable single use razors, up to the latest and newest powered disposable head razors.

For the best comparison possible I will use the same routine for each test, the same products etc. And then I’ll write a review of each razor here, and when complete a full comparison and some recommendations. Which razor gives the best shave, the worst, and which is the best value for money.

And here is a picture from my phone of the first batch if razors I’ll looking at.