Five years after the launch of its triumphant OneBlade, Philips wants to develop the concept with the OneBlade First Shave. The manufacturer is dedicating this new razor more specifically to 13-17 year olds. The idea of the manufacturer, often jealous of his competitors: to offer a young and male target a first razor to heal their look. A hairy device?
Once upon a time there was the OneBlade …
In 2016, a tsunami hit the world of male beauty. Without warning, Philips unsheathed its OneBlade, a small battery-operated razor with a tiny blade capable of shaving us closely. Goodbye, shaving foam, mechanical or electric razors like grandpa: the OneBlade has forged a place of choice on the market.
With the OneBlade First Shave launched at 24.99 euros, the manufacturer wants to apply its winning recipe. His new credo: adolescents and young adults to whom Philips wants to offer their first shaver.
A design that evolves … a little
How does the idea, which smacks of the marketing coup, materialize? Basically by a razor that changes its appearance a bit. The handle of the OneBlade First Shave has thickened a bit compared to its predecessor. It loses the OneBlade’s plastic rubber coating for a less grippy dimpled surface, which is a shame if you want to use it underwater.
Where the OneBlade is only available in yellow and black, the offspring is displayed in two colors: peacock blue, but also lime green, a color “reminiscent of the speaker models popular with 13-17 year olds” dixit Phlips. At the top, the blade’s angle of attack has been changed slightly.
Fine blade and microbeads
The blade, precisely. It is she who made all the success of the OneBlade with its smoothness, its quality of cut, its precision and its possibility of shaving on both sides. It is clear that it has not changed too much.
The manufacturer suggests a coating of microbeads that reduces friction during shaving. This can be seen. If its surface is now bluish, it retains the same characteristics as its illustrious elder by being able to shave in both directions. Moreover, and as we have seen, it is compatible with the handle of the OneBlade. A classic OneBlade blade also fits seamlessly onto the handle of the OneBlade First Shave.
Impeccable shaving quality
Even if we are no longer quite between 13 and 17 years old, our tests of the First Shave allow us to find the excellence of the OneBlade that we are used to using almost daily. The shave is soft, precise, fast. It leaves the skin smooth without having to iron several times on the same areas of the epidermis, and without the slightest irritation. Whether thin or thick, the bristles do not resist it.
In addition, we really appreciate the possibility offered by the First Shave to perform contouring, or to sculpt his beard, if you have one. Perfecting the contours of the mouth, equalizing its legs, cleaning the lower part of the neck, relieving the cheeks of a few rebellious hairs are all very simple actions to perform, always guaranteed to achieve impeccable results.
But in the end, we prefer the ergonomics of the OneBlade handle. On the one hand for its coating and the good grip that is its own, on the other hand for its slightly thinner angled top which gives it increased agility. Still remains a very good product whose autonomy is announced at 30 minutes … against 60 minutes for that of the OneBlade.
A “naked” razor, without a hoof
We regret that Philips did not see fit to offer in the box of its OneBlade First Shave the smallest shoe to maintain a three-day beard. Did the manufacturer consider that the 13-17 year olds to whom it is intended do not have sufficiently developed hairiness? Or does he, as he did for his OneBlade, decline offers with versions of his First Shave that would include precious hooves?
Among the versions of the OneBlade, there is one on the Net where the razor is offered with a comb at only 19.99 euros, or 5 euros less than the OneBlade First Shave without a comb.