In this day and age, quite a few of us are quite cynical when it comes to marketing techniques. The savvy amongst us recognise many of the techniques used to make us spend more money and buy more stuff. We live in a consumerist society, and the next best thing is always being touted. Manufacturers and shops are just desperate to keep us spending our hard earned cash! Without us buying their products, they’d have no future. That’s why we’re hit by increasingly aggressive advertising and marketing everywhere we go. 

Companies that produce shaving products usually always put out a male and female version of each new design they bring out. And surprise, surprise, usually the woman’s version costs more. Is there any real reason for this or is it just another tax for being born with a female set of reproductive parts? 

There really doesn’t seem to be an awful lot between them. If we’re talking about the blades used in razors, then no, there is no discernible difference. It’s how the sharps are arranged that differs. This is to accommodate the difference physiologically between the sexes. Ladies shave a much bigger area than men when you think about it. Legs and underarms cover a far greater surface than a man’s face. Therefore, the heads of the razors are often bigger with rounder heads to facilitate cutting longer, finer hair. Men’s razors tend to be slightly smaller for helping cut the stubble in the nooks and crannies of the face. The blades tend to be set closer together, to help cut the coarser shorter hair on the visage. 

Of course, you can escape the waste of disposable razors and go for an electric shaver instead. The Braun series five has models for both men and women and has some genuinely positive reviews. You don’t want to contribute more to landfill than you have to, and you can beat the prices of their throwaway counterparts!  

Psychologists came up with their own explanation, after the poor reasons given from the big companies. They produced a theory that women are under much more pressure to stay groomed in a certain way. This is largely down to the impossible to attain images seen in the media. Mere mortals are unlikely to reach those levels of perfection without Photoshop, just like the celebs. But us women can’t seem to help being down on ourselves. If we feel we HAVE to look good, we’re more likely to dig deeper into our pockets to buy what we think we need. 

Whether you shave or not is up to you. Trial and error with men and women’s versions will help you find what’s best for you. Don’t be fooled by pretty packaging and softer scents with shaving foam, though; this is one of the biggest cons out there. While there may be a slight difference in shaving styles, that’s where it ends. Men’s shaving foams and gels are usually much less expensive than the ones for females, and they are exactly the same. Don’t be fooled!