A Review of the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razor

Several months ago, I had the opportunity to review the Gillette Fusion Power Razor -- while I liked the razor, I found it irritated my face a bit and the shave wasn't nearly as comfortable as the one I get while using the Gillette Mach 3 Turbo. This morning, I had the opportunity to shave with the updated Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power and I can say, without a doubt, that I've found my new favorite razor.

Like it's predecessor, the Gillette Fusion Power Razor has the nearly an identical handle and weight (although the Fusion ProGlide has slightly larger rubber grips). The Fusion ProGlide's power button is a little larger and is illuminated when the razor is on. I liked the fact that the power button on the updated razor is flush with the handle, making it a bit harder to turn on accidentally. While the handle is slightly refined, the real changes are in the shaving cartridge.

At first glance, you'll notice the new Fusion ProGlide shaving head is slightly smaller. The bottom section of the head has been redesigned to reduce the number of little rubber fins to make way for what Gillette calls the "Snowplow Comfort Guard." This part of the razor is designed to help channel excess shaving cream out of the way, stretch the skin a bit, and lift the hairs for a smoother shave. I think the redesign also helps the razor glide more smoothly over the face as well.

The Fusion ProGlide is also using slightly thinner blades. If you compare the standard Fusion head to the Fusion ProGlide cartridge you can notice the blades have a bit more space between them on the new razor. On the backside of the cartridge, you'll also notice the blades now rest in a stabilizer to help maintain blade spacing. These changes are designed to allow the razor to glide more smoothly over the face with less drag. My shave was noticeably smoother with the Fusion ProGlide.

Other changes to the cartridge include a larger lubricating strip, the inclusion of a "microcomb" to help guide the hair into the blades, and an updated trimmer blade on the back of the cartridge (the new a trimmer blade has a guide comb in front of it). Nice touches.

Like the Fusion, the Fusion ProGlide comes in both manual and powered version (opt for the power -- it does make a difference) and the powered version includes a low-battery indicator light and automatic shut-off.

In my review of the Gillette Fusion, my biggest concern was that the razor produced more drag and irritation than my trusty Gillette Mach 3 Turbo. With the refinements to the new Fusion ProGlide blade, these concerns have been addressed and I've found the Fusion ProGlide gave me the best shave I've had at home with less irritation. Hands down.

During the shave, I also had the opportunity to use the amazing Gillette Fusion ProSeries Thermal Scrub. It has a nice gentle scrubbing action and heated up a bit when it made contact with the water on my face. Love the stuff! While the Gillette Fusion Hydra Gel won't be replacing my Truefitt and Hill Lavendar Shaving Cream anytime soon, I did find that the product provided a nice, rich lather and excellent lubrication.

The Gillette Fusion ProGlide will be available for around $12 in supermarkets and drug stores after June 6, 2010. If you already have a Fusion handle you love (such as the excellent Art of Shaving Gillette Power Fusion Razor), the Fusion ProGlide cartridges will fit any razor that accepts Fusion blades -- there's no need to purchase a new handle.

Razors have come a long way since King C. Gillette invented the first safety razor with disposable blades back in 1901. I'm sure he'd be thrilled to see how far home shaving has come. The Fusion ProGlide is certainly not going to make shaving fun, but it will make it an easier and more comfortable task each morning.