How Often Should You Change Razor blades before Replacing Them?

Shaving is very common. Almost every person is familiar with shaving.

There are two types of shavers electric and disposable, safety razor is also a disposable razor kind.

Electric shavers are a bit expensive, although there are some inexpensive variables too.

But, in the case of closeness, no razor kind can compete with a disposable razor.

Disposable razors provide the closest shave possible, that’s why lots of men and women are using disposable razors and they are inexpensive too.

But, the most common question arises: how often should you change razor blades?

Change razor blades every 5 to 7 shaves. But, this is not a rule of thumb, always feel blades on your skin. Dullness is the best indicator, If blades are dull and irritating, throw it away and buy a new one.

But, this answer is not that straightforward.

Before knowing how often you should change your blades, you should know the things that can affect the blade’s sharpness.

Factors that affect the durability of blades

There are some factors that can affect the durability of blades.

1. Quality of razor and types of blades

The most important factor that can change the whole equation of using a razor is the type of blades. Some brands are extremely good at making blades for example Gillette fusion is an extremely good blade, so you don’t need to change very often. In general, it is recommended to change blades after 5 shaves, but you can do up to 10 shaves with Gillette fusion.

There are some other brands that do an extremely good job of making blades. 

In general, you don’t need to change expensive blades very often.

2. How much hair do you have or what density of hair

How much hair you are removing also affects the razor blade quality. If you have too much hair on your face then its life would be decreased by one or two shaves or more. There isn’t too much difference in in-person hair, so if you think you have too much hair, your blades would be useless 2 to 3 shaves earlier than others.

3. How many body parts you are covering

Some people shave their whole bodies. If you are one of those people then your razor blade life would be half.

If a person is shaving 10 beard shaves with one blade and on the other hand you are shaving the whole body you would get only 5 shaves.

I know you are thinking, why just half because legs, arms, armpit, chest, stomach, etc area is much larger than double of the face.

This is because the hair on other body parts is thinner and much less than beard hair.

If a woman is shaving whole then it won’t make much of a difference because a woman’s hair is very thin and density is also very low as compared to a man’s beard. A woman would get a full shave or more than a man who is just shaving a beard.

4. Types of hairs

Thick and coarse hair decreases the life of the razor noticeably. 

You will feel the difference, note when other people are shaving a beard with the same type of blades and see the difference between the number of shaves. This is why it is important to use shaving cream and wash the face with warm water before shaving.

5. Who is asking man or woman

It also depends on who is using the razor man or woman. 

Women’s razor blades tend to serve longer than men’s because man’s hair is denser and thicker, and men have a larger area to shave.

If a man uses 3 to 4 full-body shaves then a woman can do 5 to 7 full-body shaves with the same type of blades. 

How often should you change your razor blades before throwing them away?

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, You can shave with a razor blade 5 to 7 times before throwing it away. If you shave once in two days then you can change razor blades once in two weeks.

if you have dark coarse and thick hair then you shouldn’t use a blade more than 5 times.

Although, dullness is best the indicator. If razor blades are dull, irritating your skin, and not cutting hair properly then you can change razor blades sooner.

Although I shave with a razor blade 10 times before throwing it away, it gives only 5 to 6 quality shaves.

In general, people shave 10 to 14 shaves with Gillette fusion, although they reported only 6 to 7 quality shaves this is because this is expensive.

But, you can think about it, if you use a razor blade 14 times you will get less than 50% quality shaves which is very low.

You can have more or fewer shaves depending on several factors which already have been discussed.

It would just give you an idea of how many times people use razor blades before throwing them away.

My Razor ( in case you want to know )

Gillette Fusion5 Men’s Razor Handle + 4 Blade Refills

How often should you change your razor blades for Women?

A woman can have 10 to 14 shaves with a razor blade assuming a woman is shaving a lady’s garden, armpit, chest, legs, arms, and face.

According to the American Academy of dermatology, it is recommended to shave with one blade 5 to 7 times. But, women have more soft and thin hair than men, so women can use a razor blade 10 to 14 times before throwing it away.

Although it also depends on several factors which we have listed above, it will fall somewhere between 10 to 14. If you are using Gillette fusion or Gillette Venus change its blades maximum after 14 shaves try to change blades sooner after 7 to 10 shaves.

If the razor Blade is dull, irritating your skin, not gliding smoothly, and causing other issues you can consider changing it sooner.

If you shave daily you can change razor blades for 10 to 14 days. If you shave every other day you can change blades in 3 to 4 weeks, and if you shave twice a week you can change the blade in 5 to 6 weeks.

How to increase the life span of a razor blade DIY?

You can use these methods to make your razor blades last longer.

1. Cut hair to manageable hair

If you have long hair then cut or trim the hair before shaving. It will help you to prevent clogging and glide smoothly over the skin 

2. Wash your face with warm water

Take a hot shower or just wash your face before shaving. Hot water softens the hairs and makes them easier to cut.

3. Choose a shaving gel

Shaving gel helps razor blades glide smoothly. It also hydrates and softens your hair as well as your skin. Which cuts hair smoothly and avoids any irritation on any skin.

4. Rinse blades properly after shaving

Rinse blades properly after use. There shouldn’t be left shaving cream or hair on the blades. It can cause rusting and corrosion.

Most Frequently Asked Question

How often should you shave?

To clean shave, shave every other day if you want the trim style, and shave every 3 to 5 days for longer hair. Otherwise, grow hair and shave every two weeks.

How many times can we use a Simply Venus razor?

You can use Gillette Venus 3 for three shaves assuming you are a woman and shaving full body.

How often should you change your venus razor blade?

It depends on a few things: the blades’ quality, how often you shave, how thick your hair is, and shaving the entire body or just a beard. You can change blades whenever you feel the edges aren’t smooth and not giving a close shave.

If you shave daily, change blades once a week.

If you shave every other day, change the blades every 2 or 3 weeks; if you just shave twice a week, then change the blades every 4 to 5 weeks.

How many times should a woman use a razor before throwing it away?

A woman can use a razor blade 6 to 10 times before throwing it away, but the best indicator is when you feel the edges aren’t smooth and irritating her skin.

How many times can you use a Gillette razor?

Gillette recommends you should use razor blades for 5 to 7 shaves. These are the best quality shaves after that you won’t get quality shaves, but you can stretch uses up to 10 to 14 shaves. Although, it isn’t recommended because you get twice bad shaves as compared to quality shaves.