Laser hair removal is expensive and sugaring and waxing are not only abrasive, they’re really painful, too! Which brings us to the good old (well, hopefully not old) trusted razor. While the drugstore staple hasn’t had much in the way of innovation in the past decade, not all razors are created equal.
“Patients often see me for concerns of ingrown hairs, dry skin, small itchy bumps or pimples after shaving,” says Dr. Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, clinical instructor at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine and dermatologist at Marmur Medical. “The key to shaving is ensuring that the skin barrier is healthy and strong. Most people don’t realize the importance of moisturizing the skin as a key step with shaving.” So, even if you’re in a rush, don’t dry shave! “Since shaving can cause irritation on the skin with cuts, razor burn and ingrown hairs, prepping with a gentle moisturizing shave gel is important while shaving.” To extend the wear of your razor, keep it dry to avoid rust and, unless you have super sensitive skin, shave in the opposite direction of hair growth.
Now that you’re prepped and ready, here’s a look at the eight best drugstore razors.
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The Best Drugstore Razors
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Schick
This razor is surrounded by a concentrated serum with shea butter to deliver hydration benefits. Shea butter has been proven to minimize water loss from skin cells and it has anti-inflammatory properties.
Hydro Silk Razor, $8.97 at Walmart
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Gillette
Luggage space is precious! Save space without sacrificing blade quality with this mini razor designed to be used with Venus Embrace blades.
Venus Snap, $7 at Amazon
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Gillette
This is a great option for those hard-to-shave areas (think underarms) because it's made with a pivoting, rounded head.
Venus ComfortGlide With Olay, $9.49 at Target
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Schick
This one makes it a little hard to reach the aforementioned small nooks, but if you're time-crunched, there's no better option than this option from Schick Intuition, which puts the shaving cream right on the razor.
Intuition Sensitive Care, $8.99 at Amazon
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BIC
This option isn't as moisturizing as the others, but it has a flexible head and good grip, which make it easy to get hairs at the first pass. BIC Soleil is also a very affordable option.
Soleil Shine Disposable Razor, $6.99 at BIC
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Gillette
This is the most flexible of all the options. It's designed with what the brand calls FlexiBall technology (basically a rolling ball on the upper part of the handle) to contour better to areas like your knees and underarms.
Venus Swirl, $11.99 at Amazon
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Schick
If you're looking to delay your bikini wax, check out this razor that includes a waterproof bikini trimmer on one end and one of Schick's hydrating razors on the other.
Hydro Silk TrimStyle, $8.99 at Walmart
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Dollar Shave Club
They may be designed for men, but plenty of women use the blades from Dollar Shave Club (as long as you're not sharing!). The best options for women are the 6-blade The Executive or the 4-blade The 4X.
The Executive, $1 then $9 per month at Dollar Shave Club