Dry surfaces cause friction
Moving one dry surface over another dry surface is tough.
Imagine a piece of chalk on a chalkboard: it squeaks. The dry chalk jumps and stutters against the surface of the board. Even though the chalk mark looks smooth, it’s not – it has a rough surface.
This is the result of friction, or lack of lubricant.
Now imagine chalk pens – using a liquid. Writing with a chalk pen allows you to glide over the chalkboard surface and produces a smooth, sharp line.
The difference is reduced friction. The friction was reduced thanks to the lubrication of the pen. Moving smoothly over a rough surface is a big challenge when it comes to shaving.
And the secret to a smoother shave is no different. If the skin AND cartridge are well lubricated, the blades will glide to optimum effect.
Achieving a lubricated shave for reducing friction
The secret to a smooth shave is reducing friction. We reduce friction when we shave by introducing lubrication.
Lubricating the skin is easy: with warm water and shaving cream. Lather your face with your favourite Gillette shaving gel or foam.
But lubricating for a comfortable shave is more of a challenge. That’s why we developed the lubrication strip.
Your razor’s built-in lubricant
The lubrication strip on your Gillette razor, found above the blades in your cartridge, can be compared to a small sponge
The strip holds a formula with water-loving polymers called Polyethylene Glycols (PEGs) which are released from the strip with each shaving stroke. When these polymers come into contact with water, they swell, unfold and stretch along your skin, adding lubrication to your shave.
The effectiveness of the shaving cream can be diminished when we go over the same spot on our face more than once, over and over again, in an effort not to miss any hairs, with shaving cream having been wiped away. This leaves the skin less protected and can lead to shaving rash.