Gillette Labs - my first impressions

I have now shaved with my Gillette Labs 3 times and here are my first impressions.

Firstly - it's darn sharp, sharper than the orange Fusion 5 carts I have come to prefer.

Secondly - the handle is black with a ring of gold and it is actually one the first Gillette handle designs I can say is acceptable.

I own a range of Mühle, Plisson, Edwin Jagger and Wilde & hart handles for my Mach 3 and Fusion 5 carts as I feel they give the plasticky Fusion 5 and Mach 3 cart a better look and more importantly a better balance and weight.

This black and gold Gillette Labs handle is OK, I can live with it for the price it costs, but I still feel I need a more weighty handle to get a bette balance.

Thirdly - The price for the Labs cartridges are even more expensive than the Fusion 5 and I'm not sure they are worth it. Yes, you now have a head that will swivel not only back and forth but to the sides like the last Fusion Proline handles did. But I'm not a fan of that swivel to the sides, it takes even more of the shavers control of the blade out of the equation.

I started the first shave with the Labs razor by cutting my lip open - a 5 mm cut and I had to stop the shave.
I haven't cut myself like this since I used the Mühle R41 2011 edition back in 2011.

So Ok, this Labs razor is definitely sharp.

The shave went quite good, no further cuts and BBS.
Second shave was without drama - a BBS shave, where I ended the shave using my Edwin Jagger 316 for the final pass and touch ups.
Third shave was yesterday and I had 5 days of stubble. The Labs razo cut me open on both sides of my mouth, and I think it was due to ingrown hair.
So I got myself some ingrown hair from using this 5-bladed cartridge - but I have never got ingrown hair problems using my Fusion 5 orange version nor with my Mach 3 razors....hmmmm weird. Did the final pass plus touch ups with my Rockwell 6S Black using plate 3. Great BBS shave, but two small blood marks on both side of my mouth made me realize, that I got my first ingrown hairs in a decade, most likely coming from using the Gillette Labs razor.

So I can say, that I feel the Gillette Labs razor is very effective, but it has given me my first ingrown hairs and cut them open on the third shave with the Labs razor.

I will continue to test it out, but I think I'll slowly move back to my preferred orange Fusion 5 carts in my more heavy metal Fusion 5 handles and then do the final pass plus touch ups with one of my DE razors. I feel this give my best irritation free and ingrown hair free BBS shave.

I'll probably use the Gillette Labs razor for my head shaves from now on - as I'm not the least sensitive on my stubble area on my head. I can use very dull blades and still get a pretty good head shave. If I use the same dull blade on my face, I get irritation.
I also miss the better heavier quality handles I have for my Fusion 5 and Mach 3 carts.



FYI I just realised the cartridge is turned 180° in the photo above. No idea why, probably for the buyer to see the front of the actual cartridge and not the backside.

I hadn’t heard of these until right now.

I hadn’t heard of these until right now.

I believe ischiapp had done a few posts on them last month or so? I am pretty sure it was the same disposable. If I remember correctly he is in agreement that it is extra sharp(!!). Also, I think he is finding it doesn't dull as quickly as some other disposables?

For my taste 3 blades is where it's at. Before I started traditional shaving, I had tried one of the mail-order brands on a 5 blade. It was stunningly good, but felt 'excessive'. Lol. I do keep a small stash of Sensor 3's , which I use for travel, etc. They're cheap and effective for when they're needed.

Concur with Claus the thing looks the business

Just to add to my review I bought the new Gillette Labs shaving gel (not the foam in the photo) and for a shaving gel this performs surprisingly well.

Is it comparable to using a shaving brush and a good shaving soap ? Certainly not.

But it’s one of the best shaving gel/foam ‘canned goo’ I’ve ever owned. Using a pre shave and then this shaving gel will give most people a really satisfying result.

I've posted in the general topic.
https://damnfineshave.com/thread-what-ca...#pid495326

I protest Gillette products due to the way they take advantage of consumers with the pricing of their cartridges.  It's what moved me to double edged razors years ago.

Microsoft and Hallmark are other companies which take advantage of consumers with absurd pricing.

Wouldn't it make more sense to explore a Leaf razor since they can take normal DE blades
by splitting them into two halves?

Wouldn't it make more sense to explore a Leaf razor since they can take normal DE blades by splitting them into two halves?

For me, nope.
The problem is the DE blade.
Low technology, good as cheap.

Gillette Labs is a different world.
All parts, from handle to cartridge, are hi-tech.
With a good maintenance, very long lasting.
So, not expenceve at the end. With better results.

Super glue a Gillette Super Click head onto the cart. You will have the best of both worlds- single replaceable blade and all those fancy pivots. You will be taking advantage of millions and millions of engineering hours while undercutting the business model. Don't scoff, they make for great shavers (v4 being the best so far):

https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/thr...ew.641940/