Oh marketing

[badoingdoing]

I use Shick green razors. A simple double-bladed kind, with that strip of lubricant/lotion/whatever-it-is to make them a little nicer. Years ago, I tried all different kinds of razors, and these were the kind that gave me the least razor burn (Though I can still only shave every other day. This is a problem

Comments

[lakmiseiru]

The gendering of razors and shaving cream really amuses me. I use a men's razor, the Sensor XL, and have for years; the body was passed down to me from my mom. She also gave me a more ladylike electric razor, but I found it too annoying to use, so I just use the Sensor. I also used Barbasol Shaving Cream for a while. The gendering of shaving cream is almost worse than that of razors; they go on about how it is a manly product. What if you are not a Manly Man? And deodorant too - I use a man's deodorant because it's comfortable, smells good (pine), and doesn't irritate my skin. The women's ones are always sparkly and smell like fake berries... yuck! Perhaps they ought to sell "simple" lines with a fresh scent/simple razor and "deluxe" lines with bright colors, strong scents, etc. instead...

[lakmiseiru]

One last thought - it does make sense to me to have some gendering on razors *if* they're specifically designing for a certain shaving functin - i.e. men (or people with T levels high enough to support facial hair) generally have different shaving needs than women (who may or may not shave, just as men may or may not shave). If you design razors to fit a face versus fitting underarms or legs, I could see calling them "ideal for men," but otherwise it seems silly.

[badoingdoing]

These simple razors work fine for both for me.

[lakmiseiru]

Right - which is why it's silly to market them as Men's or whatever. I guess if you designed say an electric razor specifically to follow facial curves... but the average razor isn't gendered and should just be "razor." But I hate marketing in general...

[madcaptenor]

Will men really not buy a razor if they think there's some chance somewhere a woman might be using a similar one to shave her legs?

Yes.

[klingonlandlady]

this is nuts.

[madcaptenor]

men have nuts, therefore they are nuts.

[klingonlandlady]

i wonder if we can go to whole foods or somesuch and get earthy-crunchy deodorant and razors, which are too busy being generically crunchy to be gendered? Actually my favorite deodorant is a Lush product (Aromacreme), and they're pretty gender-free (i like how they go "ooh, sparkly!" or "Yarr, pine!" without specifying WHO should be using each thing :)

[madcaptenor]

what if people don't want to be crunchy and don't want to be gendered?

[sprrwhwk]

Tom's of Maine seems to sell a crunchy non-gendered deodorant. (Or if it was gendered, I couldn't tell.) I picked some up when I hit CVS a couple days ago (lavender, which seems to be the direction all my purchases of that nature are going).

[faerieboots]

Oooo I love Tom's of Maine products. I find them hard to find though, do all CVS stores carry them or just the one near you?

[redglasses]

What do you use for aftershave? This might help with the every-other-day issue.

How much facial hair do you have left, anyway?

[badoingdoing]

I don't use aftershave. What use is it?

I have a lot less facial hair than I used to, but still some. After two days, chin-hair is probably noticeable to others, elsewhere only really noticeable to me, I think? It sucks to have to grow it out prior to electrolysis, though.

[redglasses]

It closes pores and moisturizes to reduce the damage to your skin after you've basically scraped the top layer off - basically a specialized form of skin lotion. I get significantly less razor burn if I use it, but it's also very strongly gendered and usually tries to smell 'manly', so what I've actually been using is jojoba oil (a good all-purpose moisturizing oil), which I get at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.

[flyboymike]

I use the Neutrogena triple protect lotion. It does say "men", but it is plain packaging and minimal scent. It definitely helps with skin conditioning and repairing post shave damage. You should really use something. I mean, you just scraped a blade across your face.

[rachelsahm]

I actively try to avoid gendered things, too. I don't even like female names that are obviously derived directly from a man's name (Daniela? Josephina? etc.) When Mom goes out shopping for baby clothes for my niece, I come along and say 'buy her something green! buy her that blue pantsuit! buy her the lion doll instead of the ballerina doll!' ...But I'd also choose those razors just 'cause I think green is pretty... and when the started putting the man-picture on it, I'd probably just smirk at myself and buy them anyway.

...it does get a little annoying, though :/