Psst! Read this blog and then enter my Instagram contest to win a Gillette Venus hamper & a sari by Mandira Bedi, hurry!
It’s not every day that you get invited to visit the Gillette Venus Innovation Centre in Reading, UK (and to be brutally honest, I wasn’t expecting it to be super riveting) BUT I have to say, the things I discovered on our tour of the facility were pretty damn fascinating!
1. Beauty And The Blade
What might look in passing like an ordinary razor blade to you, is actually the product of years of innovation. (In fact, the Venus arrived over 100 years after Gillette invented a safety razor that completely changed the way men shaved – back in 1901!) From the initial concept to the final product, the Venus razor has gone through countless iterations till it made its way into your shower! Echoing founder King Camp Gillette’s brilliant credo,
We’ll stop making razor blades when we can’t keep making them better.
2. Smooth Operator
The Venus Gillette cartridges themselves have honeycomb-like cushions above and below the line of blades, to help smooth the skin during shaving. These were actually designed by a former bee keeper!
3. (Not So) Sharp Turns
The pivoting rounded head of the Venus blade helps hug curves and fit easily into hard-to-shave areas like your underarms and bikini line because the blade sits on piano key like rivets for flexibility during the glide.
4. Hairy Tales.
If you though hair removal creams were the safest option for your skin, think again! Apparently they have the same harsh pH levels as bleach and ammonia. In fact we even did a pH test in the lab and discovered that some hair removal creams are as toxic as toilet cleaners! Eeps.
5. Gliding Through History
The first version of a Gillette razor for women was produced simply by taking the men’s version and making it in pink! (Brilliant!) Then Gillette went on to evolve women’s shaving with various innovations, including changes in blade size, grip design, cartridge curves and finally creating a razor for women that would let us bid adieu to hours of bathroom yoga!
Gillette razors for women
Gillette razors for women
6. Playing It Shave
I was pretty intrigued to discover that every single day, several volunteers turn up at the Gillette Venus Innovation Centre to shave on site. Yes that’s right! Even the staff – in the true spirit of research and development – shave AT work! While we were there, we got a live demo of the “shaving facility” while our tour guide explained the various data they are able to gather as a result. How people shave, for how long, with what grip they hold their razors, the pressure applied etc etc. (Apparently the fastest time recorded for shaving both legs is 50 seconds and the longest 6 minutes!)
I also took my sister along since she was curious about the tour and subsequently wrote this review for me after trying out the Venus blade for herself. Take a look!
7. My Close Shave With Venus
Author: Shalini Agarwal
What an amazing eye opener… a trip to the Gillette Venus Innovation Centre has changed the way I look at razors, consider hair removal options and take to the blade. I tried my giveaway gift with great excitement and trepidation… recalling all the facts they shared with us on tour.
Venus blades are as complex as women! The simile is very appropriate I discovered as I investigated the several pieces that make up one razor. It isn’t about plastic and steel, there is much more than meets the eye. What you get is not what you see, but hidden away in the complex layers that make up a venus razor (pretty much like us ladies!).
They referred to shaving as an art form, how very true! For my first Venus shave, I took to the canvas gently. The blade slid along the wet, slippery contours of my legs with ease, bending in the dips and extending back for the final stretches… amazingly fast and smooth! It felt like test driving a Ferrari and coming out at the end of the race, exhilarated. No more poky hair in under 5 seconds!
By the way, the analogy to a Ferrari or the like isn’t amiss either, these venus razors also have shock absorbers! Who would have thought?! This is to protect the delicate skin from excessive pressure, often exerted in the morning rush and panic of getting ready in record time.
The whole experience was fantastic… I’ll no doubt be going back for another brush with Venus very soon again.
So there you have it ladies! One more fabulous grooming product from Gillette intended to make your life a little easier and your legs a lot smoother. What’s not to love? #Winning