How Often Should You Change Your Razor Blades

Ok, be honest. When was the last time you changed your razor head? Did you know that using the same razor blades for too long impacts the quality of your shave?

So, how often should you really change your razors?

Follow our expert advice to help keep your blades as sharp as possible for as long as possible, and discover how frequently you need to switch your replacement razor heads.

How Often Should You Change Razor Blades?

While a razor handle that’s well taken care of can last up to 5 years, a razor blade doesn’t last quite as long. Overtime, razor blades start to lose their sharpness which can negatively impact the shaving experience.

The duller the blades, the likelier you are to miss hairs, cut yourself and cause unwanted irritation.

When to Change Razor Blades

This really depends on what sort of razor you’re using. The more blades a razor has, the less work each blade has to do, helping each one to retain its sharpness. Typically, a 3-blade razor needs replacing more often than a 5-blade razor.

5-Blade Razors: For a comfortable shave, we recommend replacing the blades used in our 5-blade razors (such as our Fusion5 and ProGlide ranges) after 20 shaves.
3-Blade Razors: For our 3-blade razors (such as our Mach3 range), we recommend changing your razor blade heads after around 15 shaves.

But don’t worry, you don’t need to keep a tally of how many times you’ve shaved. Each of our razors are fitted with a coloured lubricating strip that’s designed to fade with each shave. Once the strip’s colour has completely gone, you’ll know it’s time to replace your razor blade.

Shop All Replacement Razor Blades

How to Make Your Razor Blades Last Longer

While changing your razor blades every 15-20 shaves ensures you’re experiencing the best shave, you may notice that your blades don’t actually last that long.

There are a number of factors that could be causing your razor blades to go blunt faster:

Skin types – If you have dry or uneven skin (perhaps due to acne scarring), debris and dead skin cells build up in your razor more quickly, causing it to become blunt faster.
Hair types – Similarly, coarser and thicker hair can build up and clog razor blade quickly unless cleaned properly.
Dry shaving – We never recommend dry shaving! Not only can it be harmful to your skin, but it can take its toll on your razor blades too, clogging them with debris.

So, how can you make your razor blades last longer? Lubricate your skin with a shave gel for a smoother shaving experience. This will help your razor glide across the skin without becoming blocked.

Our shaving gel range helps to not only protect your skin against irritation and discomfort, but to elongate the lifespan of your replacement razor blades.

Once you’ve shaved, we recommend thoroughly rinsing the blades to keep them clean and clog-free.

Additionally, one of the best ways to look after and lengthen the life of your razor blades is to store your razor in an upright position. We offer a range of shaving accessories, such as stands and hangers, to make this easy for you.

Check out our article for more tips on how to look after your razor:

Shaving Science

How to Care for Your Razor: Blade Cleaning and Storage Tips

2022-09-12 05:32:39 • By Gillette

How to Change a Razor Blade

So, it’s time to change your razor blades. How do you do it exactly?

To remove from the handle, use the eject button behind the razor blade that’s at the top of the handle.

Removing a razor blade from a Gillette razor | Gillette UK

Once removed, click the handle into a new razor blade. Make sure it has properly clicked into place so you know the new blade is attached to the hand correctly, and check that it is completely secure before shaving.

Then, safely dispose of your old razor blades.

How to Dispose of Razor Blades

Razor blades have historically been difficult to recycle, which is why some people have tried to make their razor blades last longer than their natural lifespans. This attitude is commendable, but your skincare and shaving experience should never be compromised for a job that we’re responsible for.

So, we’ve partnered with Terracycle to make recycling our blades safe and easy.

Simply collect your old razor blades and post them to us. You can request a TerraCycle envelope using our online form. You’ll then receive an envelope within 2-3 weeks of your request and can send back up to 12 used blades per envelope.

Request an Envelope

For more information about the work we do with TerraCycle, check out our article on how to dispose of razor blades: