Today I shaved with a brand new “Gillette Fusion Proglide”!
Yes, you read correctly. Today I purchased one of the latest “multiblade plastic razors” from Gillette.
I think that one can quickly become a little “religious” when one are really excited about something. But I would rather not reject something that is working, just because I have chosen a different solution. So i went to the store to buy a multi-blade razor.
Before I discovered the art of classic wet shaving, I was a quite “unconscious” user of Gillette Mach 2 and 3, and I used “spray lather / foam” from a can. This combination did not provide a comfortable shave and I did not like to shave at this time. I was usually unshaven with a week old beard. This was a few years a go. But now I see Gillette produce razors with five blades, and I thought it was time for me to be updated on the latest multi-blade technology.
I did exactly the same type of preparation as when I use a DE razor or straight razor:
First wash beard with soap and water. Then I massage in some “pre shave cream” – and then put on a steaming hot towel on top of this for approx. three minutes. After that, I work up a layer of shaving cream (today i used shaving cream from Proraso), and a warm towel on it, and wait another three minutes. Then I rinse of this of, aply some pre shave oil, and then work up a new layer of lather, which I use to shave (three passes). I prefer to work up the lather by using the brush directly on the face. When i do it like this, i feel the soap/lather gets better time to make the beard soft. Then, after the shave, i use alum block and cold water, and finally an after shave balm / cream.
The razor is made from plastic and some metal, giving it a good weight an feel in the hand. The shave was superfine. This new razor does a much better job than the once I used in the past.
I do not have anything negative to say about this razor. This experience also shows me the importance of good preparations. Properly wetting the beard is critical – no matter what type of razor you use!
I can recommend this razor to a person who want to start wet shaving but do not have the time, or “dare” learn the technique of DE razors or straight razors.
If you want a little more luxury feeling on your razor, check out one of these handles:
http://www.theartofshaving.com/shaving-sets/shaving-sets, default, sc.html
Another issue though, is that the blades of these five blade razors are very costly. A pack of five blades costs in Norway around 160,- NOK (27,4 USD). In contrast, a 5-pack with classic DE razor blades costs 25,- NOK (4,3 USD), so the choice is easy to make for me. If you choose the 160,- option, you may want to check out this: http://www.barbershop.no/barberutstyr/barberblader/barberblader-andre/razorpi …
Update:
Now I also have tried the “Comfort 4″ razor from Bic. It gave an equally smooth shave as the ” Gillette Proglide». I also have no problem in recommending this one to people who do not want to use DE razor or knife. The only drawback with this is that the razor and the blade is made of even more plastic than the “Gillette Fusion”. With all/most razors from Bic, the idea is to throw the whole thing – instead of simply switch blade head when the blades become dull. Thus it generates more garbage than the others. It has not the same weight and does not provide the same “good feeling” in the hand, as Gillette Fusion Proglide, but on the other hand – it is much cheaper.
At the time I bought the Bic-razor, I’ve also bought multi blade-razors from Schick / Wilkinson Sword and Dorco and Gillette’s “Disposable razors”: “Blue 3” (quite right: this one use tree blades). Found out that I had to do some thorough research…
Update 2:
I have now tried the Dorco razor with 6 blades. I was not impressed. The shave was not very smooth, even though I was careful to rinse the razor all the time. I used a thick lather from “Mitchell’s Wool Fat Soap”. This sealed the space between the blades, and then the blades just slipped over the stubbles, rather than than cutting them. In the end I actually used a DE razor with a Feather blade to get the chin smooth.
