Monday, June 1, 2015

Gillette Venus Swirl Razor & Olay Violet Swirl Shaving Gel

A couple months ago I was chosen by Glow Magazine to product test various items, one of which was Gillette's latest ladies razor and its companion shaving gel. I currently use Gillette's Mach 3 razor, which is yes, a man's razor. But I don't care, I love it because it works great on my bumpy knees and has really sharp, efficient blades.

Since this new razor is also made by Gillette, I had high hopes for it and initially, I was quite impressed.

The Gillette Venus Swirl Razor "...is designed with our revolutionary FLEXIBALL™ and 5 individually adjusting Contour™ blades. It contours over curves for flawless skin, long-lasting smoothness and virtually no missed hairs." It also features,  "water-activated MoistureGlide™ serum for incredible glide" and a "sleek handle with enhanced grip."

This is a very comfortable razor to hold and use. I love the handle and that FLEXIBALL feature is a great touch. In terms of adapting to a body's contours, this razor might be better than the Mach 3.

The MoistureGlide stripe was also a nice feature though it wore off far quicker on this product than on the Mach 3 blade, which has a similar stripe.

More annoying though was the blades themselves. At first, they were great and my first two or three shaves were excellent. I actually found myself considering replacing my Mach 3 razor with this new one. And then, just a week into using this razor, the blades started crapping out for lack of a better term.

Part of the problem is that it's really hard to clean out these blades. While I can use the pressure from the shower head to wash out the blades on the Mach 3, that doesn't work as well as on this razor. Instead, the gunk between the blades just stays there, preventing them from delivering close, smooth results. The other part of the problem seems to be that the blades just dull quickly.

Now, I need to add here that I do not have freakishly hair legs. I actually have thin hairs that shouldn't be a challenge for any quality blade to deal with. I shave my legs roughly every two-three days and according Gillette, I should be able to use one blade for roughly three weeks but there was no way that was happening. I tossed the blade at around two weeks.

I can usually get around four weeks out of a Mach 3 blade so yeah...there's something off with these blades and I really hope it's not because this product is aimed at women, who are generally more open to spending money on personal appearance products.

The razor on its own retails for $17 while the blades are about $25 for four; not cheap but then razor blades never are.

But while I'm not impressed by the razor, I do like the shaving gel. Containing a "...formula (that) helps protect skin against moisture loss while shaving," it did indeed leave my legs feeling soft and hydrated. It also lathers up nicely, providing plenty of coverage and keeping me from cutting my legs.

As per the name, this gel comes out in a fun purple colour. There's also minimal scent, which might be an appealing trait for some. Retailing at around $5, the price is right for this product, which is packaged in your standard shaving gel pressure bottle.

Would I buy these products: I wouldn't buy the razor but I would buy the shaving gel, especially if it was on sale.

Should you buy these products: Yes to the shaving gel but skip the razor. However, if you do decide to pick that item up, be aware that this product has a, "Love it or 2X your money back" guarantee.

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