How often should you change your razor?

Knowing how often to replace your razor blades boils down to using your common sense to identify when your razor feels dull or pulls more than usual on the surface of your skin. Another sign that you need a new razor blade is if your skin feels sore or appears inflamed after shaving.

Additionally, less closeness of the shave can also indicate that it’s time to change your razor blade. Replacing your blade in a timely manner is important for maintaining hygiene and comfort, as old blades can harbor bacteria and cause irritation.

You can avoid this issue entirely if you replace your blade before irritation begins. Avoid dry shaving as it increases the risk of irritation and razor burn.

However, even if your shaving frequency varies and despite what your hair type is, or whether you’re using single-blade razors or multi-blade razors, they should be changed every 5-10 shaves. As a rule of thumb, replacing your razor blade or throwing away disposable razors every five to seven shaves is generally recommended.

This will give you the best shave and make your frequent shaving feel like a treat rather than a chore. Shaving in the direction of hair growth can help minimize irritation and ingrown hairs.

Key Takeaways

• Change your razor blades every 5 to 10 shaves to ensure a clean, comfortable shave and reduce skin irritation.
• Signs that it’s time to replace your razor include pulling at hair, roughness on the skin, skin irritation, and difficulty achieving a close shave.
• Using dull blades increases the risk of infections due to bacteria, dead skin cells, and debris buildup.
• Proper blade maintenance, such as rinsing after each stroke, drying thoroughly, and storing in a dry place, helps prolong blade life.
• Always use separate razors for facial hair and body hair to prevent bacteria spread and ingrown hairs.
• Hydrated skin and using shaving gel or soap improve shaving quality and reduce friction, helping blades last longer.
• Opt for high-quality razor blades to minimize razor burn and irritation, especially for sensitive skin.

Introduction to Razor Maintenance

Proper razor maintenance is the foundation of a great shaving experience. Whether you’re grooming facial hair or tackling body hair, taking care of your razor and blades is essential for achieving a clean shave and keeping your skin healthy.

Over time, razor blades collect dead skin cells, hair, and bacteria, which can lead to skin irritation, razor burn, and even ingrown hairs if not addressed. Even the highest quality razor blades need to be changed frequently to prevent buildup and ensure every shave is as smooth as the first.

By making razor maintenance a regular part of your routine, you’ll reduce the risk of nicks, dull blades, and unwanted irritation. Remember, a well-maintained razor not only delivers the best shave but also helps protect your skin from the effects of bacteria and dead skin.

Air drying your razor is essential to prevent bacterial growth from moisture. With just a little extra care, you can keep your blades sharp, your skin smooth, and your shaving routine hassle-free.

Factors Affecting Razor Longevity

How long your razor blades last depends on several key factors. The thickness and density of your hair play a big role—thicker or coarser hair can wear down blades more quickly, while finer hair may allow blades to last a bit longer.

Your shaving frequency also matters; the more often you shave, the sooner you’ll need to change your razor blades. Technique is important too: using a dull blade or applying too much pressure can increase friction, leading to skin irritation, razor burn, and even ingrown hairs.

To help your blades last, always use a good shaving gel or soap to reduce friction and protect your skin. However, even with the best products and high quality razor blades, it’s important to change your razor regularly—ideally every 5-10 shaves, or sooner if you notice any decrease in performance.

Rinsing your blade after each stroke during shaving also helps maintain the sharpness of the blades. Staying on top of blade changes helps prevent the buildup of dead skin cells and bacteria, ensuring every shave is comfortable, effective, and safe for your skin.

What happens if you don’t change razor blades?

If you don’t change your razor blades as often as you need, you increase the risk of having an infection. Throw away any razor blade that looks to be rusting or doesn’t feel sharp on your skin anymore.

The longer you use an outdated razor, the more bacteria, dead skin cells, shaving cream, and hair accumulate in it. This is especially true if you’re not washing thoroughly between strokes. If you notice an accumulation of gunk in your razor that doesn’t rinse out easily, it’s a sign to replace the blade.

To get rid of stubborn debris and buildup, use a toothbrush to scrub the razor and help rid it of bacteria and residue.

Using an old razor also takes extra time and effort because you’ll have to shave over the same spot numerous times to get a close shave.

The American Academy of Dermatologists recommends changing your razor blades every five to seven shaves, if not sooner.

How do you know your razor blade is dull?

If you have an old razor that has been hanging around for a long and aren’t sure if it’s sharp enough, you should test it to make sure. Shaving with a used-up blade can irritate your skin and produce common shaving problems such as pimples or razor burn.

It is critical to sharpening your razor blade before using it, as it will dull over time as it is used.

If your razor pulls at your beard or feels rough, it is too dull. Bleeding scratches and bumps on more sensitive regions of the face, such as the neck, are also possible. If the blade does not feel smooth or begins to cut against your skin, it is time to sharpen or replace it.

A rough or pulling sensation while shaving is a clear sign that your razor blade needs to be replaced.

This step is particularly important when shaving, and it depends on your shaving frequency. For example, if you shave every two days your razor will wear off much faster so you’ll have to change the head more often.

The longer you use your razor, the more bacteria, dead skin cells, shaving cream, and hair accumulate. Especially if you don’t rinse between strokes. The older the razor, the longer it will take to shave.

High-quality razor blades

The purpose of shaving gel or shaving soap is to lubricate the blades and prevent skin irritation. Razor blades, on the other hand, cut through the cream and push practically all of it to the side.

To guarantee a clean shave, we’ve added a roller that glides over the cream, allowing more of it to reach the blades and eliminating razor burn!

Because disposable razors only last a few shaves, it is quite simple to irritate even the most delicate skin. Used-up razors and low-quality blades can induce razor burn and increase the likelihood of ingrown hairs in the region being shaved.

Our advice is to always choose high-quality razor blades to accompany your wet shaving routine and give your facial hair the best treatment.

A rough time schedule to replace your blades:

• Replace your blade every 1 to 2 weeks if you shave every day.
• Replace your blade every 2 to 3 weeks if you shave every other day.
• Replace your blade every 4 to 6 weeks if you shave twice a week.

Blade maintenance

The length of time your razor blades last is also affected by how well you care for them. If you allow debris such as hair, soap, or dead skin to accumulate during and between applications, your blade will become blunt much faster. Cleaning your razor with antibacterial soap before air drying contributes to better hygiene.

Rinse your shaver blade between strokes to remove any debris. Aside from achieving a far closer shave, your blade will not have to work as hard to cut your hair through a layer of needless detritus. Rinsing the razor after each swipe helps prevent buildup of shaving cream and hair.

In addition to routinely cleaning your blade, frequently dry your razor and blades after use and store them in a dry place to prevent rust from accumulating. Store your razor in a dry place to prolong its lifespan and avoid rust.

Can you use the same razor for body hair and facial hair?

If you use the same razor on your face and body, you risk nicks and cuts, which can cause inflammation and discomfort, as well as scars and ingrown hairs.

Our advice is to use a separate razor for your body parts such as legs, armpits, and private parts to prevent bacteria from spreading and gunk build-up.

Our best beauty tips

One general rule every man should know when shaving is to always operate on wet hair. The use of moisturizer, exfoliator or simpe wash with hot water before shaving is crucial for a good shave and the best skin treatment. You can shower before shaving or use the sink for rinsing.

However this step is extremely important as when your skin is well-hydrated, your body hair has good thickness with water and breaks away from the skin more readily, reducing the likelihood of skin irritation.

If your hair is particularly thick or dense, it can cause razor blades to wear out faster, so you may need to change your razor more often.

Our solution

Shaving should not be a hassle; it should be something you look forward to doing in the morning. That means no more shaving with a dull blade because you’ve run out, no more queuing for fresh razor blades for last-minute travels, and no more overpaying for your blades.

With the Bearded Colonel’s shaving razor subscription, you’ll receive blade replacements on a regular basis at a reasonable price. They’ll fit through your mailbox, ensuring that you always receive them.