Razors play a pretty underrated role in our beauty routine. Whether we’re prepping for date night, getting ready for a weekend at the beach or just shaving the spots that show through a pair of distressed denim (hey, we’re all guilty), we put them to use almost daily. But have you ever stopped to consider all of your options? We tested 18 razors for women—some promising a week of smoothness and others promising a nick-free shave—with prices ranging from $3 to $75 (!). Here’s how the best razors ranked, from “ouch!” to not a hair left behind.
We Tested the 18 Best Razors for Women and Ranked Them from ‘Ouch’ to ‘Oooh, That’s Smooth’
•
Published Aug 19, 2019
The Criteria (6)
We evaluated each razor on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great) based on the following:
Maneuverability. Did the razor hug your body? How is the glide/control?
Aesthetic. Is it an eyesore? Or did it make your shower a little prettier?
Comfortability. How easy is it to hold and use? How is the grip?
Stubble. How much did it leave behind? How close was the shave?
Nicks. Did you get any cuts?
Razor burn. Did it leave you with any bumps, redness or irritation?
The Methodology
We began by reaching out to a handful of reputable razor brands, including some of our personal favorites, and conducted research on others that were new to us, or that we had simply never used. We landed on 18 brands that included reusable, disposable, single-blade, multi-blade, gender-neutral, ones with soap or moisture bars and even one electric razor (you know, to cover all our bases).
Once we had them all in-house, we distributed them to our editorial team—covering the name to remove brand bias—and gave the testers two weeks to use and evaluate their razors on both their armpits and legs. The overall score reflects how each razor performed, calculated by averaging the numbers across all six categories. We looked at the comments and final thoughts from our editors when it came down to tie-breakers (there were a handful). And voilà: Our official ranking was compiled.
The Results (from Worst To Best)
18. Bic Soileil Original Disposable Razor ($7 For 4)
Overall Score: 2.8/5
Maneuverability: 2.5
Aesthetic: 3
Comfortability: 3
Stubble left behind: 3
Nicks: 2.5
Razor burn: 3
You’ve probably seen this one at your local drugstore. Featuring lubricating strips with aloe and vitamin E, our editors found it was fairly easy to use and left them with a pretty close shave. However, when it came to nicks and irritation, it fell a bit short. “This no-frills razor doesn't glide as smoothly as most,” one editor wrote. “And you need to be super mindful around knees and ankles.”
Buy it here
17. Eco Roots Safety Razor ($32 For 1)
Overall Score: 3/5
Maneuverability: 1.5
Aesthetic: 5
Comfortability: 2.5
Stubble left behind: 3
Nicks: 2
Razor burn: 4
If there’s one thing we loved most about this razor, it’s that it’s environmentally friendly—not to mention beautiful (the phrase “It's so pretty!” came up multiple times). But as far as function goes, it was difficult to maneuver and pricier than average. While testing, some people even found it nerve-racking. “I was a little intimidated to use it because I've never used a safety razor before, and it was so heavy/wasn't an ergonomic shape, so it felt awkward in my hand,” wrote one editor. So, while this one is definitely a thing of beauty, the functionality isn’t completely there.
16. Albatross Shaves The World From Plastic - The Flagship Butterfly Razor ($30 For 1)
Overall Score: 3.2/5
Maneuverability: 2.5
Aesthetic: 4.5
Comfortability: 3
Stubble left behind: 3
Nicks: 3
Razor burn: 5
Another single blade razor for those looking for an eco-friendly option. This one scored some major points for its sleek, gender-neutral look. One tester even mentioning she “loved the way it looked in her shower.” But the Albatross’s short handle wasn’t ideal when it came to reaching every nook and cranny. (Also, a word of caution: Be sure you don’t leave any of the extra blades that come with it lying around.)
15. Solimo 5 Blade Razor ($14 For 1 Handle And 12 Cartridges)
Overall Score: 3.2/5
Maneuverability: 1.6
Aesthetic: 3.3
Comfortability: 3.7
Stubble left behind: 3
Nicks: 3.3
Razor burn: 4.3
This five-blade razor was ideal for our editors with more sensitive skin, leaving little to no razor burn or irritation behind. The large rubber handle was easy to grip for most users during testing, however some found it to be slippery (aka they dropped it multiple times). One editor with coarse hair stated it didn’t quite get the job done. “[The Solimo] didn't have much horsepower and the blades themselves didn't seem that sharp,” she wrote. “So even though I don't have that much armpit hair, I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere.”
14. Noxzema Perfect Pivot 5-blade Razors ($6.50 For 3)
Overall Score: 3.4/5
Maneuverability: 3.5
Aesthetic: 3
Comfortability: 3.5
Stubble left behind: 3
Nicks: 4
Razor burn: 3.5
No cuts here! Our editors were happy to finish their shave with little to no nicks from this razor. They also loved that the razor itself wasn’t too heavy—one mentioned that “it was super lightweight, which was great and made traveling with it easy.” But in the end, the Noxzema didn’t leave them with a close shave. “I had to go over areas a few times before it was really clear of hair.”
13. Schick Skintimate 3 Blade Disposable Razor ($8.50 For 4)
Overall Score: 3.4/5
Maneuverability: 3
Aesthetic: 3
Comfortability: 3
Stubble left behind: 3
Nicks: 4.5
Razor burn: 4
Perhaps one of the most common razor brands is Schick. So of course, we needed to test out the Skintimate original, and it didn’t disappoint. One editor used a Skintimate shaving cream to accompany the razor and said, “The little moisturizing strip wore off fairly quick (after like one shave)...But the shaving cream worked great with it.”
12. Schick Skintimate Sensitive Skin Disposable Razor ($7 For 4)
Overall Score: 3.7/5
Maneuverability: 3
Aesthetic: 3
Comfortability: 4
Stubble left behind: 4
Nicks: 4
Razor burn: 4
Another razor from the Schick Skintimate family, this one is made for sensitive skin and includes a lubricating strip formula with aloe to enhance the glide. Although she was “impressed with the closeness for a three-blade razor,” one editor mentioned that she just needed a “little more pivot” on the head. *Insert Ross Gellar joke here*
11. Women's Wet/dry 3-blade Electric Shaver With Pop-up Trimmer ($20 For 1)
Overall Score: 3.7/5
Maneuverability: 2
Aesthetic: 3
Comfortability: 3
Stubble left behind: 4
Nicks: 5
Razor burn: 5
What’s a razor roundup without at least one electric choice? We gave this guy to testers who were ready for the challenge (considering the majority of us have never used one on our legs or armpits before). Overall, they were satisfied with the closely-shaven results: “It felt like it was exfoliating my skin as I shaved, which was nice,” one person wrote. “It felt faster than regular shaving, too, though it didn't go over curves like my knee and ankles as well as regular razors.”
10. Oui Rose Gold Single-blade Razor ($75 For 1)
Overall Score: 4.1/5
Maneuverability: 3
Aesthetic: 5
Comfortability: 2.5
Stubble left behind: 4
Nicks: 5
Razor burn: 5
As far as single-blade razors go, this one had the best feedback. But our team still found it somewhat tough to maneuver (especially around the armpits.) “It glided well on my skin, but the razor head does not move so it was a bit difficult,” one editor commented. “I probably just have to get used to it.” All testers also noted that although they left their showers with a very close shave, they probably wouldn’t rush to spend that kind of dough on a razor.
9. Aveline Razor ($10 For 1)
Overall Score: 4.1/5
Maneuverability: 4.3
Aesthetic: 3
Comfortability: 3
Stubble left behind: 4.3
Nicks: 5
Razor burn: 5
This little guy was one of the most unique razors we tried, and our testers were impressed with the finger hold and their ability to control the razor’s movements. “No matter how I held it, the shave was tight and close—I got every last hair and no nicks,” one tester noted. “After I was done shaving, I had that experience where you can't stop touching your legs—they were SO smooth!”
Buy it here
8. Joy Razor ($9 For 1 Handle And 2 Cartridges)
Overall Score: 4.1/5
Maneuverability: 4
Aesthetic: 3.3
Comfortability: 3
Stubble left behind: 4.7
Nicks: 5
Razor burn: 5
This reusable razor received high marks for its easy use and close shave. While not the prettiest one on the list (one editor called it “nothing super fancy”), the Joy definitely got the job done. Another tester wrote, “The pivot on the blade was impressive—definitely more than a standard disposable and it made weird areas like my knees super easy.”
7. Personna Halo Five Blade Razor ($11 For 3)
Overall Score: 4.2/5
Maneuverability: 4.5
Aesthetic: 2
Comfortability: 5
Stubble left behind: 3.5
Nicks: 5
Razor burn: 5
Across the board, our testers had a pleasant experience using the Personna Halo. “It was great! The built-in soap made plenty of suds, making for a smooth shaving surface,” one said. As for criticism: “The shave didn't last longer than 1.5 days,” one tester noted. “One day later, I felt the finest of stubble,” said another. “But only to the touch, not visible at all.”
6. Harry’s The Winston ($20 For 1)
Overall Score: 4.3/5
Maneuverability: 4
Aesthetic: 3
Comfortability: 4.3
Stubble left behind: 4.3
Nicks: 5
Razor burn: 5
Surprise! We threw a men’s razor into the mix. While most guys use this one for their faces, we decided to give it a whirl on our legs and armpits. And it ended up being a fan favorite. The pros: A comfortable handle, which made for great control, and extra-sharp blades. The con: awkward sizing. “It's pretty heavy for shaving larger parts of your body. It almost felt too heavy for reaching larger surface areas (i.e., my legs).”
5. Schick Skintimate Gently Exfoliating Razor ($15 For 9)
Overall Score: 4.3/5
Maneuverability: 4
Aesthetic: 3
Comfortability: 4.3
Stubble left behind: 4.3
Nicks: 5
Razor burn: 5
The final one from Schick, this razor has 4 blades specifically designed to prevent nicks and cuts while simultaneously exfoliating your skin with its special strip. The general consensus was that even though it seemed like a typical disposable razor, this one effectively removed hair with little to no complaints. When asked if there was anything she disliked about the product, one editor responded, “Not really. It was a fine razor and I'd use it again in a heartbeat.”
4. Gillette Venus Extra Smooth Sensitive Razor ($10 For 1 Handle And 2 Cartridges)
Overall Score: 4.3/5
Maneuverability: 4.5
Aesthetic: 4
Comfortability: 4.5
Stubble left behind: 4
Nicks: 4.5
Razor burn: 4.5
From another popular brand, this one exceeded our testers’ expectations. One stated, “It was actually a lot better than expected and provided a clean shave that felt comfortable.” The only negatives? A small amount of stubble was left on one of our testers along with a tiny bit of irritation.
Buy it here
3. Bic Made For You Shaving Razor ($8 For 1 Handle And 2 Cartridges)
Overall Score: 4.3/5
Maneuverability: 5
Aesthetic: 3.3
Comfortability: 3.6
Stubble left behind: 4.6
Nicks: 5
Razor burn: 4.3
This gender-neutral razor was a top performer amongst our team. After her first use, one tester remarked, “Wow am I silky!” The only downside to this one was the small amount of irritation it initially left behind. “I did notice a little stinging after I was done. Lotion helped right away, but I didn't love the initial feeling of coming out of the shower.”
2. Billie ($9 For 1 Handle And 2 Cartridges)
Overall Score: 4.7/5
Maneuverability: 5
Aesthetic: 4.5
Comfortability: 4
Stubble left behind: 5
Nicks: 5
Razor burn: 4.5
There was a unanimous love for the efficiency of this razor. Hence why it landed in second place. For our editors with sensitive skin, this one was a top pick. “I have skin prone to irritation when shaving, and this razor left behind minimal bumps. The blades were sharp enough that I got a close shave, yet smooth and gentle enough that even my sensitive skin wasn't left irritated.”
1. Flamingo Razor ($9 For 1)
Overall Score: 4.8/5
Maneuverability: 4.5
Aesthetic: 4.5
Comfortability: 5
Stubble left behind: 5
Nicks: 5
Razor burn: 5
And the winner is…Flamingo! A razor that has been engineered and thoughtfully designed for all the places you shave on your body. Our editors particularly loved using it on their legs, and even used it in tandem with other Flamingo products (the shaving cream and body lotion), which amplified their experience. “The razor expertly glided up and over my calves/shins/knees/ankles everything. The shave was quick and easy, with no need to go over a certain spot more than once.” One and done? The sign of a truly winning shave.
Buy it here