Would you agree, Gillette's flagship razors keep men safe from getting RAD?

Hello there,

Thanks for looking into my post. As always, I hope you all are enjoying your stay at TSD. It has been two days only, and I really like this place. Unlike many other forums, the interface of this forum is pretty interactive and easy to operate.

I don't know whether I'm an observant person or is it just my nature, to always be able to pull an interesting question out of my pocket. But, here is one for all of you gents:

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Four months ago, I only had and used one razor, The fusion proglide. The shaves were quick, easy and comfortable. The price however, was quite high but still, it didn't bother me at all. I was able to tune up my technique and make a pack of four cartridges, last two months at least. I've to say that all my monthly shaving budget, would fly away in an instant as I used to purchase Fusion cartridges and foam dispenser.

After continuously reading success stories, written by various gents on DE shaving forums, I finally took my plunge into DE shaving. I must say, it saved me a lot of money, BUT at the sametime, it rewarded me with a strange attitude toward razors - search, acquire and testshave. Technically, I wasn't (and still not) really saving money, I was merely saving it for another shaving related item purchase until all my monthly budget was exhausted. I've shaved with quite a many razors in cartridge and DE category and I admit now, I only enjoy shaving with a newly acquired piece. The shaving satisfaction which I used to get on daily basis, with only one razor in my collection, Fusion proglide, is long gone.


Now when I look back, I often ask myself - Didn't Gillette keep me safe from spending money unnecessarily? Their flagship model was doing just fine until I raised the bar for my level of satisfaction and technically, it kept me safe from getting RAD. Now my cupboard is filled with razors and I take atleast 5 minutes to decide, which razor to use today.

Please know that I'm not trying to bash other styles and categories of shaving, just sharing my observation/experience. Now when I analyze Gillette's cartridge pack price, I assume, their marketing men are not a bunch of profit maximizers, but someone who thoroughly inspects the market , finds out what habits men get into and how much they spend monthly, on average, in grooming section.

I would love to have your opinion here gents. Please know, I'm not distinguishing myself or trying to say that your choice is inferior, in any sense. And yes, the main question is : Does Gillette flagship razor keeps you safe from getting RAD?



and
I'm Saad ahmad reporting live for TSD (Signing off like a reporter )

Have a good day

 

The apparent absence of real choice in the shaving mass market does prevent RAD. It boils down to you cannot desire that which you have no knowledge of. I believe your analysis is correct, Gillette knows exactly how much they can charge without the price cutting demand, keeping consumers locked into their shaving "ecosystem".

 

Which is pretty impressive. Gents in charge of Gillette's marketing section, must have done some thorough research beyond my imagination. Their products are available world-wide and that requires some serious analysis.

 

Well, they have been doing it for more than a century. They're well practiced.

 

Indeed. They are a marketing juggernaut in the USA. One cannot watch sports or any male market focused programming without seeing a bunch of Gillette ads. Gillette also buys up nearly all of the premium shelf space in the USA, so that its products feature most prominently in the shaving notions section in any mass market store. They really know what they're doing, and they do it well.

 

Saad, I would draw a distinction between "regular" shaving (i.e., shaving out of necessity) and "enthusiast" shaving, which is treating shaving as a hobby or craft. Quite often people just engage in regular shaving when they buy what's commonly available to them in their local stores. It's the enthusiast shavers who go seeking out other options; once they find the shaving forums, it's down the rabbit hole from there on out. What prompts a regular shaver to become and enthusiast shaver is something else again. It may vary per the individual, but I would say once you started looking for other options, you began the process of switching from regular to enthusiast shaving. The question is, why did you start looking?

 

Thoughtful question! I wore a beard for years, then tried Harry's carts when decided to go clean shaven again. A couple hundred ingrown hairs later, I bought a Weishi. The comfort difference and lack of issues led me to more razors and ultimately the forum.

 

You know, I never really thought of it this way. Until now (before reading your comment), I used to think that I was a shaving enthusiast from the very beginning but it all began when i got curious about other shaving methods. Curiosity is the best answer, which I have as a reply to your question. But you are quite right, its a rabbit hole from there on. I'm not complaining about my current approach towards shaving. I enjoy testing razors, but satisfaction after the shave is something, that I find hard to get.

 

Yes Indeed, the question is quite thoughtful. May I enquire, which razor do you use now on regular basis?

 

I am involved in an episodic thread...so I change monthly.

Here is a link to what we do:
August 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

!NEW! SEPT 30 Day Rule Pic & Discussion Thread

The last three months were Cadet OC, Maggard MR8 OC, and this month was the Phoenix OC. Next month I will be doing a Schick injector.

You are cordially invited to check it all out!

 

I hope I'm not opening up a can of worms, but now that I think about it, the distinction between regular and enthusiast shaving is why I usually defend cartridge razors as legitimate "wet shaving" tools. Sure, if you go to the store, buy a Fusion and a can of Fusion gel, and dutifully scrape your whiskers off daily, you're not into the craft of shaving as an enthusiast sees it. But someone who thoughtfully chooses his razor (be it a straight, DE, SE or cartridge), uses it with skill, along with a good brush and soap or cream, and enjoys the process, is shaving as an enthusiast. People who attack cartridges as "evil" or the antithesis of traditional wetshaving are conflating cartridges with the approach of regular shaving. These days, regular shaving usually involves cartridges, but not all cartridge shaving is regular shaving. Sometimes it's enthusiast shaving.

FWIW, I just sort of made up the terms "regular" and "enthusiast" as they apply to shaving. I don't presuppose they are universally accepted. If anybody else can think of better terms, I'm all for hearing them.

 

I for one, am solidly enthusiast!

 

I am a little confused now. So, if I was already into setting my technique for close and comfortable shave with decent mileage, would I still qualify as an enthusiast? Like I said, I can't seem to enjoy my shaves now like the way I used to before. Back then, it was all about getting a good comfortable shave while keeping other traditional methods of shave (brush lathering), still part of my shaving ritual. But now it is all about testshaving. Finding pros and cons of each razor. Searching up varieties of razor online and using the money, which was meant to be saved, for purchasing more.

 

I bear no grudges against those who wish to use cartridge razors. If they work for those folks, so be it. Enjoy!
From my own personals experience, I have no fond memories of cartridge razors. I used a variety of them for over 30 years. During that period, I began to loathe the shaving process as I found myself quite susceptible to rashes, skin irritation, razor bumps and other skin problems that often followed shaving. Shaving became a daily ritual that brought no pleasure. When I made the switch over to DE razors (I actually learned to shave about 40 years ago with a Gillette DE), it was a transitional move. Using a decent soap and brush, I alternated between my cartridge razor and DE. With the DE, I I found my shaves more comfortable (no irritation, no in-growns nor bumps) and eventually stopped with carts altogether.
Today I'm almost exclusively a straight razor shaver.
It's all 'wet-shaving'—assuming water is involved in the process, but the term is often used online to distinguish between cart & can shaving vs DE/SE/Straight & puck & brush.

 

First off, I would point out I'm just theorizing off the top of my head. The theory isn't all that well thought out, and has not been defended before a panel of my peers. So really, take what I'm saying with a grain of salt. I don't claim it's correct or will bear the weight of scrutiny.

That said, just because a person isn't engaged in the hobby aspects of shaving doesn't mean he doesn't value a good shave. Gillette made an empire out of the Average Joe wanting a good shave with a minimum of fuss and bother. The enthusiast shaver views it more as a pursuit. While he may profess to be after the elusive BBS, I think it's also about the process of getting there - all the razors, brushes, creams, soaps, etc. So, your entry into "testshaving" mode would seem to be in line with that transition. I would say this is particularly if you're an analytical type, since you're probably more into analyzing your results, rather than just getting the results and moving on.

More succinctly put, I never said becoming an enthusiast actually made it better.

 

I can totally understand why carts aren't so great for you, as evidently they aren't for a lot of people who come to online forums, searching for other options. However, I have trouble with the notion that "carts and goo" are irrevocably linked, and that proper shaving (whether it's called wetshaving, traditional shaving or whatever) does not include cartridges. Yes, carts and goo are often used together, but they don't have to be. That's why I make the distinction (again, using my own terminology) between regular shaving and enthusiast shaving. For example:

- Fusion Proglide on stock Flexball handle, used with Fusion shaving gel = "regular"

- 7 O'clock PII on a Merkur M2 handle, used with D.R. Harris shaving soap lathered up with a Plisson HMW brush = "enthusiast"

Both approaches use a cartridge, but the enthusiast approach is a world away from the regular approach, and every bit as "proper" in its way as the same setup used with a DE, imo.

 

Good to know, I qualify as an enthusiast.

 

TL/DR (too long, didn't read) version: yes, Gillette flagship razors keep most people from RAD's but now you're here, enjoy the ride!

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Saad,

I like your way of thinking. And Nathan's.

I guess in a way it is true that Gillette's (and Wilkinson Sword's) flagship razors keep you safe from RAD. It holds true for the majority. Regular shaving is, simply put, mainstream. Easily available, you see it in ads, on tv and in magazines, no-fuss shaving. Slap on gel. Scratch, scratch. Done. Just one of those daily chores like brushing your teeth. No thinking needed. You could almost do it in your sleep. The Gillette and Wilkinson Sword marketeers do an excellent job and they know (through extensive research of course) what the max price is they can ask. For the majority that is.

Then there is a minority. They may be curious as to other shaving methods. They may need to find a way to shave cheaper. They may have issues with regular shaving (itching, rashes, ingrown hairs & whatnot). They may have learnt to DE/SE/straight shave from enthusiasts. Thousands of reasons. Anyway, they discover a different way of shaving. Using a brush, soap or cream, DE, SE or straight razor.

Some don't like it and return to regular shaving.

Some like it enough to change their mode of shaving but only in certain fields (for instance only brush and soap in stead of gel, or one DE/SE or straight razor in stead of a flagship razor and that's it) and they stick to it. You might call them regular enthusiasts.

Some like it and explore this new world of almost endless possibilities. A kid in a huge candy store. Wanting to try all possibilities. Some keep on trying. The (in)famous AD's kick in. Some explore the candy store for some time and settle in a region of the store and are happy there. Some use select different types of candy from the store and don't restrict themselves to one razor, one brush one soap/cream.

Every nuance of regular/enthusiast shaving is great as long as the one who does the actual shaving is happy themselves!

So, now you're inside of the candy store (speaking of which, have you explored the TSD store? => *click* <= - Its revenues keep TSD on air!). Now don't cry over spilt flagship razors, but enjoy your stay! While you are exploring, you'll find that some candies are more to your liking than other ones. You will find you will revisit them more than others. They will become your benchmarks and go-to-candies to which you compare the rest.

Have fun!

 

You just blew my mind.