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4You Men's Beauty Board: Razors

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 5, 2008

If ads for popular beauty products leave you skeptical, relax. Our 4you Beauty Board's veteran testers are ready to try the latest and greatest when it comes to all things beauty. We'll share what worked and what bombed with the hope of making your life a little easier. This week: men's razors. Does one brand stand out, or is it too close to call?

Check out our online database of reviews at TBO.com, keyword: Health.
Gillette Fusion Power Phenom

Available at most retailers; $11.99 for one razor, one cartridge and a Duracell AAA battery
"Along with the rest of the Fusion line, Gillette Fusion Phenom and Gillette Fusion Power Phenom provide the world's best shave, and help men be phenomenal every day."

Rating: C
Anwar says: OK, let's get this straight: Gillette realized how tricky it is for men to obtain a good shave, so some brilliant scientist said, "Hey, we should put five razor blades in one cartridge, and just for fun, it should vibrate." Huh? The first time I used this vibrating razor, I was afraid one slip would result in the slashing of my jugular. It is very hard to hold a vibrating razor and obtain a satisfactory shave. I will say that once I learned how to claw onto the Power Phenom as though my life depended on it - and it did - the razor actually provided a very good shave, resulting in a smooth face. This is not a must-have razor for any man, but if you are adventurous, Gillette's vibrating razor could provide a fun emergency room story for you.
Anwar Richardson, 34, covers the Buccaneers for the Tribune.
Schick Quattro Midnight
Available at most major retailers; $13.59 for one razor and two cartridges

"World's first four-bladed shave. Four precisely synchronized blades that give you an incredibly close, smooth shave."

Rating: A

Kevin says: First off, I'm not really sure why they call this "Midnight." The chatter on the back of the box gave me no clue, although I did learn that "La premier rasoir a quatre lames au monde!" means "world's first four-bladed shave" in French. I also learned these blades come with not one, but two, conditioning strips, both enhanced with aloe and Vitamin E, the latter providing me with antioxidants and the former making my skin silky smooth. Of course, none of that matters to a dude who's only half-awake and trying to shave in the shower. But this is where the Midnight earned my respect. Despite my usual sloppy, eyes-half-closed shaving style, this four-bladed bad boy cleanly shaved every area I raked it over. There was a noticeable difference when compared to my usual razor, a two-bladed, one-strip device that is now lying in a drawer, looking like an Edsel. This one is recommended for sloppy shavers and those with thick facial growth, which you're all going to have, eventually. Believe me, brother.

Kevin Walker is a Tribune writer and host of TBO's BOT vodcast.

Old Spice High Endurance 4-Blade Disposable Razor

Available at most major retailers; $4.99 for three razors
"Delivers an extra-smooth shave that's so close, you might not experience the '5 o'clock shadow' that keeps you from looking - and feeling - your confident best."

Grade: F

Dennis says: This isn't your father's razor blade; it's your 10-year-old's. It looks more like a Transformer toy, waiting to convert into a killing machine at your sink, than a shaving tool. Maybe it's Old Spice's version of the Joe Camel campaign, an early ovation to prepubescents who can't wait for the first chin hair to sprout. This would be OK, except the form trumps the function. It doesn't work right in your hand, with a latticework of plastic instead of a simple, maneuverable pole. And in an arena where exaggeration is SOP (remember those Super Bowl ads for a razor that appeared to blast you to the moon?), this one takes the cake. So close does it shave, we learn from the package, that it "may" be the end of the 5 o'clock shadow! Online, Old Spice suggests you can even skip a day! Not true. Then there are the four blades. A court ordered a halt years ago to bogus claims by one manufacturer about the first blade yanking up hairs so its partner blade could hack them off. Somehow, though, that didn't stop the escalation of multiblade products. Disposable razors are a waste of resources anyway. This one wastes more than most.

Dennis Joyce, 51, senior editor for continuous news with the Tribune, is usually half asleep when he shaves but stayed alert for this assignment.

BIC Comfort 3 for Men - Sensitive Skin

Available at most major retailers; about $5 for a 4 (plus 2) pack, 6 razors in total

"Has triple-blade technology for men, specially designed for sensitive skin. Specially designed curved handle with a black and blue soft feel rubberized grip for the ultimate in control."

Rating: B

Marty says: The first thing I noticed about this razor is that the head does not pivot. I'm accustomed to a pivoting-head nondisposable model, so it was a disappointing start. BIC does sell a slightly more expensive Comfort 3 Advance shaver that has a pivoting head. I'd like to try that one, because the shave itself with the Comfort 3 was quite good. The two lubrication strips just above the blade release aloe and vitamin E that you can feel working. After three or four shaves, though, it's far less noticeable. The triple blades provide as close a shave as my Gillette Mach 3. I can stretch the life of the Mach 3 blades a little longer than the BIC disposables. After about seven to 10 days with the disposable, it's time for a new one.

Marty Strasen, 41, is senior entertainment editor for The Tampa Tribune and TBO.com.

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