After a heated debate on the merits of lady razors, a few have emerged victorious. Dollar Shave Club dominated with almost 50% of votes, but had some fervent naysayers. Luckily, our winners each fit snugly into one category: The mail order, the safety razor, the disposable, and the really disposable. Do read on and let us know what we may have missed!
Dollar Shave Club
Our Promotions Team [Sponsored] sometimes runs deals with Dollar Shave Club.
For a paltry $1 a month, the nice people at Dollar Shave Club will ship you a two stainless steel blades and five cartridges. And oh boooooooy does it ever have some rabid fans. However, many also note that dollar shave club simply reuses Dorca’s blades, making them a bit more expensive.
Dollar Shave Club 4X, Cheap but a really great shave, no cuts or bumps, reusable handle, plus the company sends out replacement blades automatically every month or two depending on your needs. So in the winter when I don’t shave as often, I cut back on the supply and in the summer I easily go back to every month. Really convenient and NO “Pink” TAX!-FunnestFeminist
The Humble Twin from the Dollar Shave Club - my legs have never felt smoother and even with the every other month subscription I have a drawer full of blades. - Sanaya
The few naysayers (and there were quite a few), took issue with the DSC’s blade.
It’s been a long, long time since I’ve cut myself while shaving. Maybe when I was a teen and playing fast and loose with my hair removal, maybe then I cut myself a few times. But into adulthood? Nah. I’m 29 years old and other than a random little nick here and there over the years, I can’t think of a single time as an adult that I’ve really fucked myself up shaving.
Until I joined Dollar Shave Club.
It took me a while to realize the razor was the problem. At first, I thought maybe I just wasn’t paying close enough attention or wasn’t being careful enough, but as I spent oodles of time painstakingly removing my hair, being extremely careful only to end up covered in blood, I realized Dollar Shave Club’s razor was the real issue.
Every. Fucking. Time. I’d end up a bloody mess. And not just little slices either, full on divots of fucking skin removed. I tried different shaving creams, I tried changing the head every single time, I tried to adapt and change for about 6 months. . . and all to no avail.
Fuck this Dollar Shave Club razor. Back to the Schick Quattro that I NEVER CUT MYSELF WITH. - Diosabella
It’s also worth noting you can go directly to DSC’s supplier and buy the same blades for even less, though you’ll forego the convenience of mostly resupplies.
Dorco, the supplier in question, and another well-supported contender in the nominations round, just launched the first 7-blade razor.
Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor
Traditionally the territory of old-timey sitcom dads, safety razors proved to be quite popular, scoring the second highest amount of votes. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the safety razor (I was guilty, too!), it’s a perennial object that takes individual razor blades. It’s way cheaper and it’s way more sustainable, so it’s no surprise that you love them.
The two versions of the Merkur placed in the top five in Lifehacker’s 2012 razor vote.
We also recommended the Merkur in our Shaving Gear Guide.
Merkur double edge heavy duty safety razor = closest leg and bikini shave I’ve ever had. I was shelling out so much cash for razor heads (and hating myself for the number of plastic I was plopping into landfills) when I decided to try my boyfriend’s safety razor. Took a few moments to get used to the weight and feel, but once I got used to it, I vowed to never go back to the plastic planet of Venus. - CaressTheMess
The key is you want to use small, short strokes, as opposed to long sweeping ones like you would use with a traditional razor. Also, you want to make sure you keep the blade properly moist while shaving.
A few things about the razor:
The blades are super cheap. You can get a pack of like 100 for about $10. There are so many different brands of blades, you can find the one that is perfect for you. They’re so cheap, you don’t have to worry about throwing a few away. I got a variety pack of blades I’m checking out, so haven’t found a particular favorite yet.
It’s great for my sensitive skin. I used to shave with traditional razors, like Gillette and Schick, and no matter which ones I would use, I’d get tons of in-grown hair, many of which would get infected. Haven’t had a problem since switching to the safety razor.
You’ll never get a closer shave. In general, I feel like my legs have never been smoother! -WhyLime
Venus Original
The Venus razor is the standard bearer of disposable, drugstore razors. Everyone seems to agree that it’s the best of a group that, on a whole, is not very good. Honorary mention? The Gillette Venus Embrace Sensitive comes highly recommended!
I also advocate for this classic razor design because it’s cheaper than the ones with built-in moisturizers. I’ve done the math for myself, and an original Venus razor with replacement blades plus Barbasol (side eye to anyone not using men’s shaving cream) is cheaper in the end. If you treat the blades well they’ll last longer than the moisturizing bars on the newer iterations. Maybe one day I’ll make the jump to even cheaper men’s razors, but for now, this is a classic three blade women’s razor that gives me good control at the knee and ankle. A+ - Ladyology
LOVE the good old classic Venus razor. I find even with regular use the blade lasts for ages, I like how it adapts to contours and I never get nicked or razor burned with it (and I don’t use shaving cream). - TanyaFace
Bic Soleil
With some mild discrepancy over style, it’s clear: Out of the all the one-time use razors in the world, this one is superior.
I have super sensitive skin (I am the bloody armpit Nair story girl), so I have to be really careful. These are nicely cushioned, and the moisture strips last but don’t break my skin out. I exfoliate before shaving, and that’s enough; no need for shave cream or coconut oil or anything. They have several blades, but not so many that they shred my skin. Also, the heads are small enough that I can use it, ahem, everywhere. -thetallblonde
And the handle of these is comfortable and easy to hold, even in a gross gym shower where you can’t put your foot up on anything.-Sarahmas