Buying guide for best razors for women
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Women’s razors have come a long way from the flimsy pink disposable devices many of us remember from years ago. These days, the best razors for women are designed with women’s bodies and shaving habits in mind, so they’re crafted to easily and comfortably hug the curves of legs, underarms and bikini areas. They’re often outfitted with lubricating moisture strips or bars to help reduce razor burn and shave bumps, and provide a smoother shave.
Still, not all razors are created equal, and it’s important to consider your specific needs before purchasing. You’ll want to make sure the blades are super sharp, keeping in mind that more blades doesn’t always mean a closer shave. Additional features such as ergonomic handles, pivoting heads and lubrication can enhance the experience and effectiveness of your razor. Plus, you’ll want to keep cost in mind as well as your preference on disposable razors versus refillable ones.
Our favorite everyday razor is the Flamingo 5-Blade Razor because it provides an impressively close shave at an affordable price point. But if you’re looking for something beginner-friendly, a razor that eliminates the need for shaving cream or a gorgeous luxury safety razor, read on. We’ve found the very best razors in every category.
Which women’s razor is best?
Flamingo 5-Blade Razor
Best of the Best
Product Specifications
Blade Count: 5 | Moisturizing Strip: Yes | Pivoting Head: Yes | Ergonomic Grip: Yes | Refill Availability: Yes
Proving that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a top-notch shave, the Flamingo 5-Blade Razor is a wallet-friendly option that delivers an impressively close shave thanks to sharp, ultra thin blades. The high-quality razor comes in a kit with one handle, four replacement blades and a convenient shower holder, and additional refills can be purchased separately. The blades are surrounded by water-activated comfort strips infused with aloe and shea butter, which provide a smoother glide and help protect skin from irritation.
The ergonomically designed handle is weightier than most, ensuring a comfortable hold even for shaky hands. Nonslip ridges on the underside of the coated handle make it easier to grip. The cartridge has a built-in hinge, which allows for approximately a 90-degree range of motion, allowing you to shave in different directions with ease. It comes in five colors, including a minty green and a polished chrome, which has an even heavier handle.
Overall, this cost-effective yet high-quality model offers a close, comfortable shave for underarms, legs, bikini lines and virtually any area of the body.
BIC Soleil Comfort Disposable Razors
Best Bang for the Buck
Product Specifications
Blade Count: 4 | Moisturizing Strip: Yes | Pivoting Head: Yes | Ergonomic Grip: Yes | Refill Availability: None
Disposable razors have come a long way, and these by BIC offer many of the features you’d typically only get from a refillable razor. The rubber grip handle allows for added comfort and control, while the pivoting head makes it easier to achieve precision in harder-to-maneuver areas, such as around the ankles. Each razor is equipped with four blades that help you get a close shave.
The disposable razors are surrounded by soothing moisture strips formulated with shea butter, which help the blades glide better and leave you with silky-feeling skin. Still, it’s recommended to use the razors with shaving cream or gel to help prevent skin irritation. Customers appreciate that the razors can be used multiple times before they get dull and need to be disposed of. Plus, the lightly scented handles in fun, tropical colors add a touch of luxury to an inexpensive product.
While these don’t offer quite as effective of a shave as the pricier counterparts, they’re great to travel with or keep as spares for guests or emergency situations.
OUI the People Single-Blade Women's Safety Razor for Sensitive Skin
Best for Close Shaves
Product Specifications
Blade Count: 1 | Moisturizing Strip: No | Pivoting Head: No | Ergonomic Grip: Yes | Refill Availability: Yes
This splurge-worthy safety razor uses a weighted recyclable stainless steel head that’s easy to grip and does most of the work for you, so you don’t have to apply any pressure in order to get an unbeatably close shave. The handle is designed to last a lifetime, which helps justify the cost and comes with 10 replacement blades. (And did we mention how stunning the rose-gold handle looks in your shower?) The single blade is gentle even on sensitive skin, and it doesn’t cause razor burn like many cheaper blades will.
Still, there’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to using this product, which works best with short, light strokes over small areas. Thankfully, OUI the People offers a helpful guide that walks you through assembling this razor, storing the used blades and the best techniques for shaving each area of the body.
Billie Razors Starter Kit
Best for Beginners
Product Specifications
Blade Count: 5 | Moisturizing Strip: Yes | Pivoting Head: Yes | Ergonomic Grip: Yes | Refill Availability: Includes 4 refills
First-time shavers need an easy-to-use product that will help prevent nicks and cuts while getting the hang of shaving. Billie’s beginner-friendly shaving kit does just that. The razor uses a pivoting head and an ergonomic rubberized and curved nonslip handle that’s easy to grip and maneuver. It’s equipped with five super sharp blades that are surrounded by a strip of aloe-infused shave soap, which glides across the skin without generating slime like some moisture bars do.
Young shavers will appreciate that there are seven fun and bright color options to choose from. There’s even a glow-in-the-dark version (though we don’t recommend shaving with the lights off!). Each cost-friendly starter kit includes a razor handle, two razor refills and a magnetic holder that attaches to your shower walls with putty and sticks much better than suction cups.
Gillette Venus ComfortGlide Razors
Best for Legs
Product Specifications
Blade Count: 3 | Moisturizing Strip: Yes | Pivoting Head: Yes | Ergonomic Grip: Yes | Refill Availability: Yes
One of the best-known razor brands for women, Gillette Venus makes lots of great razors, but we’re partial to the ComfortGlide line for its lush soap strips, which allow you to get a smooth, comfortable shave without any shaving cream. The flexible soap bars hug your curves as you shave and slather them in smooth but not slimy moisture. They even have a pleasant white tea scent, which helps promote spa vibes in your bathroom.
Each cartridge includes three super-sharp blades on a pivoting, rounded head, which works well to adjust to the contours of your legs, ankles and underarms. However, the head has a larger surface area, which may make it less convenient for trickier areas, such as the bikini line. The ergonomic nonslip handle has rubberized grips that make it easy to hold. We also appreciate that the handle is compatible with any Gillette Venus replacement head.
How we analyzed the best razors for women
We conducted extensive research on the best razors in every category, paying close attention to blade count and quality, ergonomics and cost. We investigated the 15 top models in depth and used consumer reviews to narrow the selection down to the best five.
Key considerations
Design
When it comes to women’s razors, there are several designs, but this article focuses on disposable or manual razors. (If you’re looking for electric options, see our article on the best electric razors.) Read on for everything you need to know about women’s more simple, manual razors.
Replaceable cartridges vs. disposable razors
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Replaceable cartridges: These are more eco-friendly and often provide a higher-quality shave. The initial cost is steeper, but they are more cost-effective in the long run. You can buy replacement blades, and the handle can last for the long-term if well cared for. These models may have anywhere from two to six blades, contoured handles with hanging hooks for your shower caddy, and lubrication or hydration strips.
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Disposable razors: These are convenient for travel and typically cheaper upfront but may not provide as close or comfortable a shave as reusable razors. They may have two or three blades per head and some have a hydration or lubrication strip. The handles may be contoured but don’t usually have any rubberized grip features. They don’t, however, have replaceable blades, so once they get dull, it’s time to throw the entire razor away.
Size
The size of the razor varies from brand to brand and model to model. Handles with extra grip features, like rubberized thumb and finger contours, are larger and heavier. People with small hands may find these models cumbersome to hold compared to a single-use model that has a simple plastic handle with a textured grip. Generally speaking, the more features the razor has — hanging hook, rubberized grip and built-in hydration or gel bars — the larger and heavier it becomes.
Blade quality
- Sharpness: Sharp blades provide a closer shave and reduce the need for multiple passes, minimizing irritation.
- Number of Blades: Razors with multiple blades (three to five) offer a closer shave and distribute pressure more evenly, which can help prevent nicks and cuts.
Our top picks: Blade Quality
- While all of our picks have top-quality blades, the OUI the People Single-Blade Women's Safety Razor for Sensitive Skin offers the highest quality single blade that delivers the closest shave.
- The Flamingo 5-Blade Razors and Billie Razors Starter Kit each have five blades, while the BIC Soleil Comfort Disposable Razors have four and the Gillette Venus ComfortGlide Razors have three.
Ergonomic handle
- Grip: A handle with a good grip ensures better control, especially in wet conditions. Ergonomically designed handles reduce hand fatigue during shaving. Some handles have a wide rubberized thumb and finger grip that fan out from the handle to increase control. These designs allow you to effortlessly apply pressure for a single long stroke, like those you would take to shave your legs. However, these highly contoured designs aren’t for everyone. They don’t always provide adequate control when shaving the armpits or bikini area. For these areas, a straight handle with a grooved grip may provide better control, because it allows your hand to move and flex to shave at odd angles.
Our top picks: Ergonomic handle
- All of our picks offer ergonomic handles, with Gillette Venus ComfortGlide Razors, Billie Razors Starter Kit, BIC Soleil Comfort Disposable Razors and the Flamingo 5-Blade Razors each offering nonslip grips.
- OUI the People Single-Blade Women's Safety Razor for Sensitive Skin has a stainless steel weighted grip that requires no added pressure.
Moisture and comfort strips
- Lubrication Strips: Razors with built-in moisture strips containing ingredients like aloe, vitamin E or shea butter can soothe and hydrate the skin while shaving, reducing irritation and razor burn.
However, these strips can sometimes protrude out from the razor head, which means that you may have to apply extra pressure to the blade for everything to work as it should. While that’s fine over long straight surfaces like the shins, it can lead to more nicks over areas like the knee or around the ankles. Sometimes the strips put out enough lubrication to gum up the blades, reducing their effectiveness and slowing you down.
Our top picks: Moisture and comfort strips
- Gillette Venus ComfortGlide Razors have thick, flexible soap bars that eliminate the need for additional shaving cream.
- Flamingo 5-Blade Razors have water-activated comfort strips infused with aloe and shea butter, which provide a smoother glide and help protect skin from irritation.
- BIC Soleil Comfort Disposable Razors include soothing moisture strips formulated with shea butter.
- The blades on the Billie Razors Starter Kit are surrounded by a strip of aloe-infused shave soap.
- OUI the People Single-Blade Women's Safety Razor for Sensitive Skin does not have a moisturizing strip.
Pivoting head
- Flexibility: A pivoting head adjusts to the contours of your body, making it easier to shave areas like knees and ankles without nicking the skin. Swivel heads move over rounded areas without you having to adjust your grip, while spring-loaded heads maintain pressure over these same areas, reducing your need for a second pass.
Our top picks: Pivoting head
- All of our picks offer pivoting heads except for OUI the People Single-Blade Women's Safety Razor for Sensitive Skin.
Specific skin needs
- Sensitive skin: Look for razors specifically designed for sensitive skin with features like hypoallergenic blades and lubrication strips enriched with soothing ingredients.
- Thick or coarse hair: Razors with multiple blades and strong, sharp edges can handle thicker hair more efficiently.
Tips
- Dry your razor after each use to prolong the life of the blade and protect your skin. Razor blades wear out more from exposure to water than from regular use. Oxidation and rust can cause flaking on the blades, which leads to tugging and irritated skin.
- Blade quality plays a bigger role in the closeness of your shave than blade quantity. A razor with a single blade made of high-quality stainless steel will last longer than a four-blade model of lesser quality.
- If you notice the blades of your razor pulling or tugging on your skin, it’s time for a replacement. Some people replace their razor blades on the same day every week or two so that they’ve always got a fresh blade.
FAQ
Q. How often should I replace my blade?
A. How often you replace your blade depends on a few factors, including how often you shave, your skin’s hydration level, the quality of your shave gel, shave style (with the grain or against the grain) and the thickness of your hair follicles. Shaving every day wears out the razor’s blades faster than if you were to shave once or twice a week. Daily shavers should probably change out the blade once a week, but if you shave less often, you can extend that time. You want a clean, sharp blade every time the razor touches your skin.
Q. If my razor has a lubrication bar, do I need to use a separate shave gel?
A. The answer to this question is a matter of personal preference. Some women get a smooth shave with just a lubrication or hydration bar. Others who may have sensitive or dry skin may need the extra moisture of a shave gel for the blade to glide smoothly over the skin.
Q. Can I put lotion on my skin right after shaving?
A. Shaving is a form of exfoliation, and it leaves your skin feeling dry afterward. To decrease skin irritation, apply a soothing, moisturizing lotion immediately after shaving. Make sure your lotion is gentle and calming without any harsh active ingredients.
