Gillette Razors: The History, the Technology, the Evolution

The history of shaving is closely connected to the innovation of the men’s razor. So where did it all begin?

The razor took a huge step forward in 1901 when an entrepreneur named King C. Gillette (yep, that’s his real name) invented a device that could give guys a barber-quality shave at home.

His prototype—the first safety razor blade—introduced the concept of disposable blades to American homes. At the time, even MIT scientists thought creating blades this thin and strong would be impossible, but Gillette made it happen.

In 1957, another innovation arrived: the adjustable razor, with three different settings for different beards. Over time, another six settings were added, making this razor a mechanical work of art.

Less than 10 years later, Gillette’s razor got another makeover: the reinvented Techmatic. A sleeker, sharper razor, the new Techmatic was the first with a continuous spool of stainless steel, meaning no more touching the blades.

Since the early days, Gillette has been tied to the world of sports. Print ads for the original Gillette razor featured baseball legend, infielder Honus Wagner of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The relationship between Gillette and sports would continue through to today.

In 1998, the Gillette MACH3 razor was born with three-blade innovation for a close, smooth shave. In 2006, Gilette’s Fusion5 razors added two more blades for added closeness.

A new piece of technology—Flexball—debuted with the ProGlide razor in 2015. This razor includes a pivoting axle, letting you shave the unique shape of your face even easier.

Each shaving and razor innovation has made guys grooming more effective and more comfortable, and we’re not done yet!