The Men's Room

Ever wonder just how many more blades can possibly go across your face before your razor will be considered a weapon?

Well, we are up to 5 blades, the Gillette Fusion, or the lesser priced alternative M5 Magnum from Rite Aid drugstore. Both seem to be getting mixed results from my clients. Here is the skinny: multiple blades have a lift-cut system. This system is designed to lift and cut each hair multiple times (depending on the number of blades) during each stroke.

The Gillette Fusion blades are 70% closer then the Mach 3 blades, making each stroke seem like a single blade going across your face.

Now, do I think that these multiple blades are a gimmick? Yes and No. The Yes is because with proper preparation, you will yield a great shave even with a single blade razor. I believe multiple blades are the real reason more and more men suffer from irritation (i.e. ingrown hairs and razor bumps).

Using multiple blade razors cause your hair (in most cases), to be cut below the skin line. When hair is cut below the skin-line, the hair has difficulty finding its way out of the skin, causing razor bumps and ingrown hairs.

This is commonly realized by men who have wavy or curly beards (80% of US pop.). These beards grow out of the skin anywhere from 0 – 40 degrees. So shaving your beard below the skin line would be the root of your ingrown and razor bump problems.

My No answer is brief. The clients that I have encountered, that truly see the benefit of 3-5 blades are the men who have tough or coarse beards. These blades seem to decrease the number of times they have to shave each week. The only thing is that most men with tough beards tend to have softer skin. So a consistent shave regimen with superior shaving products would be ideal.

Note:
If it is not 100% necessary, stay away from shaving against the grain, this process also cuts your beard hair below the skin line.

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10 Comments

  1. Gary August 25, 2009 at 9:36 am

    I prefer the 1 or 3 blade to the 4 or 5 because the more blades tend to clog more often.

  2. Danie August 16, 2015 at 2:01 pm

    I was using a Gillette Fusion razor and had tow ingrown hairs I was not getting rid. I finally moved to a double edge razor and was amazed that after just a few days both those problem areas cleared up. I just had to learn not to press at all with a DE blade – two gentle passes and it all feels good.

    • Craig the Barber August 25, 2015 at 7:34 pm

      Love to hear shaving success stories! Thanks for sharing Danie!

  3. Devlyn October 7, 2015 at 4:16 pm

    Hi Craig I’m A Big Fan Of Your Expertise Whats Your Opinion On The Twin Blade Sensor Razor

  4. Marlene December 15, 2016 at 11:05 pm

    My 16 year old gets tons of breakouts on his lip and chin every single time he shaves. It’s horrible and I feel so bad for him. He’s been shaving one year and uses electric. What do you recommend??

    • Allen August 3, 2017 at 8:10 am

      I don’t get it too bad, like a spot above the lip and a few on the crease of my neck. The electric shaves too close imo. I use a double edge safety razornor.ally, but have also had luck with Gillete 2 blade razors with pivot heads. Pressing too hard with a razor of any kind will also cause problems.

      An alum block after the shave made a huge difference for me (can also be used as deodorant). It works by tightening the skin. Witch Hazel (easy to find at drug stores) also tightens skin and may help, but I haven’t tried it.

  5. Michael February 15, 2018 at 11:55 am

    I know this may sound like a strange question, but does shaving with multi blade razors make facial skin more sensitive? When I started shaving I used the Gillette GoodNews razors, and shaved without issues. Over that past 30-some years, the older I got, the more blades my razors had. Now, if I try to use a Gillette GoodNews razor my face bleeds all over, and burns for the next couple days. Just curious.

    Thanks, Mike

    • Craig the Barber March 2, 2018 at 12:18 am

      Hi Mike, great question! Significant bleeding from shaving in many cases can the the result of the razor blades being much sharper (today) and the current shave cream you’re using may not have evolved as fast as the blades. So, I would suggest upgrading to a shave cream that can provide much more comfort and protection. Secondly, a heightened level of bleeding from shaving could also be the result of something happening internally. Could it be possible that you are taking a medicine that is making your blood thinner? Just a thought. Mike, hopefully my responses have helped some what!

      Side note. I think I would be remiss not to mention Burke Avenue’s Moisturizing Shave Cream (www.burkeavenue.com) as a strong contender in your possibly new search for a more protective shave cream. 🙂

  6. Yiga Philip June 19, 2018 at 3:50 pm

    I go for 1 blade – less cuts and ingrown hairs

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