As told by Kwame Thomas, 2019
Gillette has heard your cries and your prayers. The ongoing pains of razor burns, bumps, and other mistreatments from poor blades can slowly become a thing of the past. The historic shaving company has recently launched a new campaign introducing the new Skin Guard Razor. It’s equipped with a two-blade cartridge and targets men with sensitive skin and prone to common side effects like razor bumps. Has Gillette made a strategic retreat from the “razor blade wars?” I was recently sent one and tried it for myself.
“Gillette SkinGuard is the first razor specifically designed for men with sensitive skin and razor bumps. The razor shaves hair and protects the skin thanks to its unique SkinGuard positioned between the blades. It works to minimize tug and pull and cut hair at skin level, helping to prevent irritation.”
Gillette Company
An occasional razor bump or ingrown hair will probably happen to every shaver at some point. But some people get them all the time, over a larger area. If it’s not treated, over time it could result in keloid scarring. My first couple of shaves with the Gillette SkinGuard were decent, as I was skeptical it could live up to the HYPE.
I used the PURE shave cream that was provided in the kit, with a brush and the lubricant on the cartridge mixed with the lather in an odd way, creating little “tendrils” and generally not shaving with a clean track. I’ve seen this happen with other lubricated cartridge razors, especially the lubrication “gel” in some Schick Hydro cartridges. However, the results of those shaves were actually quite decent–solidly in the “Damn Fine Shave” although I have a beard I got my neck line and cheeks and under my nose to shape up my mane. There is virtually zero “blade feel” from this razor–to me it feels like a piece of plastic is being drawn over my skin. On the other hand, I think the shave is actually quite comfortable. It just doesn’t feel like shaving to me.
Of course you can also avoid razor bumps by practicing good shave technique with a razor that just has one blade. And if you’re looking for an “easier” shave with a single blade you can even get one that pivots. But the Gillette SkinGuard razor seems to do what it set out to accomplish an easy, quick, “good” comfortable shave with a lower chance of getting shave bumps.
