Surprise! Schick's New Razor Touts Comfort, Not Blade Count

In the razor wars, "better" has always equaled "more blades."

It seems like eons ago when a non-electric razor had a single blade. Before we knew it, we were told that men were supposed to shave with three-blade razors. When three blades evoked a yawn, Schick, the smaller competitor to market leader Gillette, upped the ante with Quattro, its four-blade razor that hit in 2003. Not to be out-bladed, Gillette countered with Fusion, a five-blade razor, two years later.

Now Schick hopes to win the stubble wars, but not by increasing blade count. The company is introducing the Hydro, which will be available in both three- and five-blade versions. The breakthrough this time is a proprietary "gel reservoir," instead of a lubricating strip, to improve shaving comfort. TV ads pitching the Hydro, which takes direct aim at Gillette, break today.Continue reading...