What are the best razor blades?
Customers often ask us: "What are the best razor blades?" We can answer very briefly: "The best razor blades do not exist." Every skin and beard differs per man. The choice is, of course, very personal. Since men have been shaving, they have always been searching for the most optimal razor blade. Men love to test and try. It is our eternal quest for the perfect shave. The modern man has tried various blades throughout his shaving life. On average, each man has 2 different types of razors on his shelf. In this blog, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the various types of razor blades.
What should a razor blade do?
What are the main aspects of the razor and the accompanying razor blades? In other words: "What should a razor blade do and what should you pay attention to when choosing the right razor blade?" We've summarized it for you:
- sharp;
- comfort;
- durability;
- hygiene;
- applicability;
- price.
Sharp
First of all, the blade must be sharp enough to split the beard hairs in half. That sounds logical. But there is sharp and sharp. And of course, this is also personal. This depends on the type of beard and skin. Mildly sharp blades have difficulty with coarse or heavy beard growth. But they may be more suitable for a fine beard or sensitive skin. Very sharp blades are suitable for heavy beards but less suitable for sensitive skin. Which razor suits you is your choice.
Comfort
We always say here: 'Your skin is not made to be scraped with a blade.' The razor blade must glide comfortably over your skin. Actually, you shouldn't feel it during shaving. This also depends on the right shaving technique. Of course, a good protective shaving foam also helps with that.
A shave is only perfect if the razor efficiently shaves smoothly without any irritation.
Sustainability
Of course, it is useless if you have to throw it away after just one use. Using it once and immediately throwing it away is a waste, costly, and of course not environmentally friendly.
After each use, the blade will become duller and duller. At some point, it no longer cuts but pulls on the beard hairs. Once the blade starts pulling, it is no longer usable. Continuing too long results in a painful shave and a higher chance of irritation. How long you can shave with one blade varies by type or brand. How long you can continue shaving also depends on the type of beard hair and shaving technique.
Hygiene
By this we mean to what extent you can easily and thoroughly clean the blade during and after use. This keeps the blade sharper longer, shaves more comfortably, and is obviously more hygienic to use. It is useless if you cannot clean the blade properly after use. It is simply not fresh.
Applicability
Every application has its own tool. Men shave either their entire face smooth or only the beard contours. Many men also regularly shave their scalp bald. Some blades are more suitable for shaving the face. Other blades are somewhat more suitable for shaving the beard edges cleanly.
Price
In 2013, the TV program 'De Rekenkamer' investigated the actual production and material costs of one cartridge multi-blade razor. It concerned the costs of, for example, a Gillette or Wilkinson razor blade. To everyone's surprise, it turned out that the cost of a blade is about 10 euro cents. While these modern blades cost 4 to 5 euros each in the drugstore or supermarket. There is a lot of complaining about the way too expensive shaving products from these well-known brands. In short, the price of a blade is super important.
Which razor blades should you buy?
The choice is huge. There are various types of razor blades. Which one is best for you? You decide. This depends on your skin and beard. Do you have normal firm skin or very dry and sensitive skin? Do you have a thin peach fuzz beard or a coarse beard growth with very hard stubble? Do you shave daily or a few times a month? Finally, do you shave your entire face or do you have a beard and is it about the beard contours?
Below is a list of the different types of razor blades:
- Multi-blade cartridge razor blade: Gillette Mach3 and Fusion
- Double edge razor blade
- Single edge razor blade
- Mustache and beard razor blade
The advantages and disadvantages of a multi-blade cartridge razor blade
Our experience is that these blades are on average sharp. That is logical because there are 3 to 5 blades in the razor blade and it must of course be suitable for every skin and beard type. The major manufacturers ensure that as many men as possible use these multi-blades.
Because there are many blades, you have a consistent even pressure distribution on the skin. This makes the multi-blades shave comfortably smooth. A common complaint is that too many blades simultaneously on your skin can lead to shaving irritation.
This type of blade is not sustainable. It contains many different materials, such as metal, plastic, and rubber. This makes it difficult to recycle. Because the blades are very close together, a lot of gunk quickly gets stuck between them. It is therefore difficult to rinse out the accumulated dirt in between. Actually, these blades are suitable for shaving the entire face and less for closely shaving the beard. Due to the protective edges around the blades, you cannot see well how they shave along the beard contours.
Benefits:
- shaves easily, comfortably, and smoothly;
- suitable for every skin type and beard hair;
- suitable for shaving the scalp
- varied range of different brands;
- number of shaves per blade ranges from a few times up to 20 times;
- changing the razor blades is easy and safe;
- used blades can be safely stored in a cartridge.
Disadvantages:
- very expensive; the Gillette and Wilkinson razor blades cost between €3 and €5 each;
- no universal system; the 3-blade and 5-blade razor blades have their own handle: for example, the Mach3 blade does not click onto a Fusion handle and vice versa;
- less suitable for shaving the mustache and beard;
- higher chance of shaving irritations and ingrown beard hairs because one blade somewhat pulls out the beard hair while the other blades shave it off;
- not durable due to the use of various materials in the blades.
Advantages and disadvantages of double edge razor blades
As we have often mentioned, many men are switching to the double edge shaving system. The safety razor is becoming extremely popular. Worldwide, more than a billion men shave with the safety razor.
People switch because the loose blades are very affordable. It shaves well, comfortably, and smoothly. Compared to multi-blades, there are fewer annoying shaving irritations, such as ingrown beard hairs and burning dry spots.
It is a worldwide universal system. All double edge blades from different brands and manufacturers fit in all razor holders. There is a huge range with different shaving properties: from mild and medium to 'aggressively' sharp. This means there is always a blade suitable for your skin and beard. This ultimately provides more shaving comfort and less irritation during and after shaving.
This type of blade is very durable and environmentally friendly. The blades consist only of a metal alloy. This makes them easy to recycle for the waste processing industry. During shaving, they can be cleaned very easily and quickly. Just remove the blade from the razor head, rinse it under running water, and you're done.
These blades are suitable for shaving the entire face and beard contours. Many men with beards are very enthusiastic about the double edge blade. When shaving the beard edges, you have much better visibility of where the blade is and how it shaves along the edges.
Benefits:
- shaves easily, comfortably, and smoothly;
- very affordable, loose double edge razor blades cost on average € 0.30 each;
- suitable for every skin type and beard hair;
- very varied range of different brands;
- very suitable for shaving the mustache, beard contours, and sideburns;
- worldwide universal shaving system: the different brands of double edge razor blades fit on every type of safety razor;
- very varied range of double edge razor blades with different shaving properties: from mild and medium to extremely sharp;
- number of shaves per blade ranges from a few times up to 10 times;
- changing the blades is easy and reasonably safe;
- used blades can be safely stored in a dispenser or cartridge;
- very durable shaving system: the loose blades are made only of metal and are recyclable.
Disadvantages:
- less suitable for shaving the scalp;
- not all double edge razor blades come in a convenient dispenser;
- due to the huge range of holders and blades, it takes some searching to find the right combination.
Advantages and disadvantages of single edge razor blades
The single edge razor blade is the same as the double edge blade. These blades have only one cutting edge instead of two. This type of blade is suitable for the shavette razor. It fits perfectly in this type of barber razor.
These loose blades are also very affordable. It shaves comfortably and smoothly. Compared to multi-blades, there are fewer annoying shaving irritations, such as ingrown beard hairs and burning dry spots. Most blades fit well in most shavette razors.
This type of blade consists only of metal and is very durable and environmentally friendly. During shaving, the blade can be easily cleaned. These blades are suitable for shaving the entire face and beard contours. The shavette razor is widely used by barbers for shaving the beard.
Benefits:
- shaves easily, comfortably, and smoothly;
- very economical, loose double edge razor blades cost on average € 0.10 each;
- suitable for every skin type and beard hair;
- varied range of different brands;
- very suitable for shaving the mustache, beard contours, and sideburns;
- worldwide universal shaving system: the different brands fit in the shavette razor;
- varied range of double edge razor blades with different shaving properties: from mild and medium to extremely sharp;
- number of shaves per blade ranges from a few times up to 10 times;
- changing the blades is easy and reasonably safe;
- used blades can be safely stored in a dispenser or cartridge;
- very durable shaving system.
Disadvantages:
- less suitable for shaving the scalp;
- not all double edge razor blades come in a convenient dispenser;
- due to the huge range of holders and blades, it takes some searching to find the right combination.
Advantages and disadvantages of the mustache and beard razor blades
This small razor blade is actually an odd one out. It only fits in the special mini razor for precision shaving of intricate mustache and beard contours. The German manufacturer Dovo Merkur produces this razor.
