Last month, Gillette released the latest in shaving technology to the consumer masses. Introducing the Gillette Fusion, five blades packed really close together with a sixth blade on the back so you can trim under your nose or around your stylish goatee.
It clocks in at $11.99 for just the razor. As a plus, the razor is powered to vibrate so that you can really get in close.
Five blades. Wow. Isn’t that a bit much?
When the Mach III came out a number of years ago, I was hesitant to pick one up. After all, my trusty Sensor (without the Excel part) had done wonders for me for a number of years and why did I need an extra blade? Then I started shaving my head and admittedly the Mach III made the task a little bit easier. I’ve been content for the most part with the Mach III ever since. The price does throw one into slight sticker shock, but once you grow a beard so that you use the blades as little as possible, it’s not too bad on the budget. For the most part I’m happy with the Mach III.
But five blades? I don’t think my head could take it. Refills for the new Fusion are $13.29 for four blades. They say a blade lasts three or four shaves, so that’s over $100.00 a month for a clean, close shave. Not including shaving cream. One has to wonder if the money would be better spent by going to a barbershop with a really hot barber doing the honors.
In an effort to make this marketing campaign successful, Gillette has also released a new line of shaving gels, foams and other accessories with the “Fusion” name. Has shaving gel or shaving foam changed that much over the years that there needs to be more and more versions of it? I mean, it’s either a foam, or a shaving gel that turns to foam when rubbed. How hard can it be? As a teenager I borrowed my father’s Barbasol and found that to be more than sufficient. I was a diehard Barbasol user for many years and still use it on occasion. I must admit that as I’ve grown older I’ve expanded to an environmentally safe shaving cream for my head. Have you ever looked at the ingredients in a can of shaving cream? Small wonder my face always felt like it was on fire after shaving.
I think I’ll keep the beard.
