Reviewed: Harry's Razors Upgraded My Shave Experience

I started off my shaving experience with single and double blade disposable razors that were available for free at the gym. They would leave my sensitive skin spotty and bleeding until I finally witnessed the advent of the Gillette Mach Series in the late ‘90s. Since the introduction of multi-razor blades, I’ve never gone back.

Blades have come a long way in since then, despite all of the excitement and technical innovations that have been pushed out in the intervening years, I have been mostly loyal to the aforementioned brand. Nonetheless, here we are with a plethora of more elaborate alternatives that warrant one’s consideration, including the well-designed premium razors by Harry’s.

As much as I love products, I will say that Harry’s packaging inspired me to go minimal for the month. The box arrived, and when I opened it, there was no unnecessary packaging, deferring to conservation. The box (called the Winston Set) contained Harry’s The Winston razor handle, a set of four blade cartridges, a razor cover, and a shaving gel—but let's just focus on the handle and blade. Ahead, learn more about my experience with Harry's The Winston razor.

About My Skin: Sensitive and cared for

My skin has tolerated a lot the past decade, from treatments like chemical peels and lasers to the normal aging caused by UV light and depleting ozone layer. If a product is new in the market, I am generally game to test it out. I’m not saying all my experiments were not occasionally regrettable (think: Sex and the City Samantha chemical peel), but they have helped alleviate some of the signs of aging. My skin tends to be on the combination side and reactive to chemicals that easily manifest on my skin by redness or bumps from shaving. My current morning routine includes shaving, applying a serum, and sunscreen.

The Feel: Glides across skin with ease

The chrome razor feels substantial in your hands with a nice weight to it, which made me feel confident that the blade isn’t likely to errantly cut into my skin or pass over whiskers without trimming or eliminating them. Before shaving, I ran the blade under warm water in the shower (as I usually do) and applied a layer of the Harry’s Shave Gel over my wet face. The combination of bergamot and cucumber in the shave gel is a unique choice and one that makes for a great everyday fragrance. The blade glided along my skin with ease and no obvious discomfort, which I appreciate with my sensitive skin type and uneven texture.

The Results: A close shave

I tried out the Harry’s razor for several days, shaving in the shower with my fogless mirror as I usually do, and tried it under different beard conditions, including days when I recently shaved and when I had a fuller beard. (My beard starts to look fuller after just three days.) The steam in my shower softens my beard and enables a closer shave.

In all conditions, the experience was comfortable and the blades performed well, eliminating the stubble minimal to no discomfort or cuts. When using the blade when my beard was several days old, it did take more than one pass over certain parts of my face to get the desired closeness but, upon reflection, I would expect that and have experienced that with the comparable Gillette and Schick razors too.

The Value: Based on your preference

At retail, The Winston goes for $20, but the brand also makes its Truman (plastic and rubber combination) handle in orange, blue or green colors for $9.99. The cost and model itself is comparable to razors like the Gillette Fusion 5 handle and Schick Hydro 5, but the difference lies in how often you have to replace your razor head. Some razor heads (like the one of the Fusion 5) can be reused up to 20 times, whereas Harry’s recommends its razor head be replaced every six to eight shaves for optimum performance.

The value comes down to individual preference. If your beard is not coarse or dense, then you may not have to change Harry's blades as often as the brand recommends.

Similar Products: You have options

Gillette SkinGuard Men’s Razor has been my go-to for the past several years. While the blade cartridge doesn’t feature the five-blade design of the Harry’s razor or its sibling, the Gillette Fusion 5, it is similar in comfort to both products by virtue of what Gillette calls “its unique SkinGuard positioned between the blades.” In short, the cartridges are designed with rows of plastic “fins” between the blades that are intended to prevent bumps and tugs on your beard as it makes contact. While perhaps not as close a shave as afforded by the Harry’s or the Fusion 5, it gives a very comfortable shave and well suited to those with sensitive or combination skin.

Gillette Fusion 5 Men’s Razor is comparable in feel and results to the Harry’s product, including a precision trimmer blade along the top of the cartridge, followed by a lubricating comfort strip just below. The Fusion 5 delivers a very close and comfortable shave at a similar price point and value. The product is widely available at all major retailers.

The Final Verdict

Harry has a very capable product that delivers a close shave with comfort and supporting skin care products. It competes well in a crowded segment with market leaders Gillette and Schick at a similar price point. Given the similarities in design and quality of shave, the decision to favor one versus another really comes down to individual preference.