Gillette is part of the Procter and Gamble enterprise. They specialise in personal shaving products including razors, razor blades, gels and creams. They provide these products for men and women.

*~*Gillette For Women*~*

Whilst men can get away with just shaving their facial area, women have more pressing issues to deal with..this includes keeping the legs hair free, the bikini area under control and the underarms fuzz free and smooth. There are a few different brands available in terms of shaving and Gillette is one of the leading brands. Whilst much of the online advertising is aimed at men, they also have a womens range of shaving products. The razors available are part of the Venus range and each razor offers slightly different advantages. The current line up includes :

*Venus - the original
*Venus Divine
*Venus Spa Breeze
*Venus Vibrance
*Venus Embrace
*Disposable razors

There are also 5 shaving gel/creams available aimed at different skin types and scent preferences.

*~*Venus Vibrance*~*

The Vibrance razor is a battery operated razor. It promotes itself as having the ability to sweep dry skin off the skin due to the gentle vibrations it produces whilst you shave. The changable blades have 3 blades and are sealed in with 3 moisture glide strips. These strips stretch the skin slightly for a closer shave.

*~*Design*~*

The razor will generally be packed in a hard, plastic packet with the battery seperate. The AAA battery will needed popped into the screw off compartment at the bottom of the razor. The razor comes complete with a white and pink, storage case. The razor sits on top of the case and there is room for 2 sealed razor blades inside. The razor itself is a strong, pink colour mainly but some white adorns it. The razor is quite long and curves around the edges offering indents for holding firmly. The base clicks off to reveal the battery compartment and the button to activate the vibrations is here. The top of the razor offers a large, silver sliding button which pops the razor cartridge off allowing it to be replaced.

The razor blades specifically designed for this razor, are curved around the edges and straight along the top and bottom. 3 thin, silver blades take position right in the middle. The rest of the space is occupied by 3 moisture strips. The moisture strips are positioned 2 at the top and a small, thin one at the bottom underneath the blades. They appear spongy in texture and are pink in colour. The blades can be clicked into place by pressing down gently with the razor.

*~*Using The Razor*~*

I'm sure most women know how to shave their legs and underarms so I won't go too far into the ins and outs of it. A few tips could come in handy though but feel free to bypass this section.

*Jump in a hot bath or shower for 5-10mins to allow the hair to soften and making it easier to remove.
*Ensure you have a good blade..a blunt blade is likely to cause more issue and never share a blade with anyone.
*Apply shaving cream to your legs or underarms. Whilst soap and water can be used, your skin is more likely to dry out.
*Use upwards, short strokes with the razor and check for any patches you may have missed. Try not to go over the same area more than once.
*Apply a non irritant baby lotion or oil to your skin to keep it soft and hydrated.

*~*Availability and Price*~*

Gillette razors are not cheap but are readily available in supermarkets and chemists. Special offers are regularly found so keep and eye out. Prices as follows :

Boots

Razor with 1 blade & battery - £9.99
Replacement blades - 4 for £9.69 or 8 for £17.86

www.amazon.co.uk/www.cheapsmells.com

Razor as above - £7.49

*~*My Experience*~*

I find shaving a chore and will admit that right from the off! Whilst my fiance happily struts around the house with his footy shorts on..all hairs visible and dark, I couldn't bring myself to do such a thing! I have tried many razors over the past few years due to having dark, noticeable hairs on my legs, underarms etc etc. I have tried hair removal creams and they don't seem to shift very much so I opt for the challenging shaving technique. I was happy to pinch my fiances razors *with my own blade* but he was sick of it and for Christmas just past, he presented me with a new razor and a pack of 4 blades. My razor pack has 2 blades already with it and I know he must've got it on offer as he doesn't love me that much to spend full price on it!

I have tried Gillette razors before and am very fond of the mens fusion one as it always leaves my legs soft and smooth. During the Winter, I don't shave my legs a lot as no one really sees them but the Summer months brings shorts and 3/4 length trousers so I must make the effort. I do use my razor nearly every day for doing my underarms as I wear a lot of short tops for the gym and don't want some poor guy getting an eyeful of stubble as well as a whaft of sweat! Yucky I know but so so true! So when it does come to me having the willpower to do the legs, I need a decent razor that can trudge through the forest landed on my pins and leave them in better condition. I should also note than my sensitive skin is also present on my legs and raised bumps so cheap razors are no good to me!

*~*Shave Shave Shave Your Legs, Til They Are Perfectly Smooth*~*

The storage container for my razor has disappeared so I keep mine on the windowsill away from Ryan. The razor itself is bright and girly which I like. The battery compartment stays sealed well ensuring no water leaks in during its use. The razors are easy to click on and off and I can hear a loud click to confirm the blade is in place. Whilst I have used those razors with the build in soap, this one needs more preparation. I have tried dry shaving before and it leaves my skin red and sore so now use water and foam or soap. I am not brand loyal with my shaving foam and do sometimes just use some lathering and lightly scented shower gel as I find gels and foams overpriced. Either way, the razor works well.

I use the razor switched off for doing my underarms. The razor is easy to hold due to the grips along the underside and I can easily reach every part of my underarm without strain. I lather up my underarm and the razor glides smoothly and carefully over the area of my skin. No dragging is experienced and because I shave my underarms nearly every day, there is never usually much hair to remove. The reason I do this everyday is due to the fact that although the hair once removed, leaves my underarms soft and smooth, a black, subtle stubble starts to emerge the next day and this makes me self conscious. My underarms are sensitive but this razor doesn't irritate them and I have yet to experience any cuts or discomfort which is a plus.

My preference when using the razor on my legs, is to use the vibrating option. I always found this to be ideal with my fiances razor so carried on the trend. I do however use it switched off around my knees which are very dry and tender and also if I decide to go further up my legs and around my bikini line. Thankfully the moisture strips gently sooth the skin before the blade reaches it and this is a godsend for my bikini area. I don't think it matches up to more specialised razors for this area but it does the job for a quick touch up!

On the bottoms of my legs, I apply a reasonable amount of lather and turn the vibrating button on. Strong but not too loud pulsations are sent up the razor and this can take a while to get used too as I discovered when I dropped it the first time I used it. It whizzed around the bath making very loud and embarressing noises making me feel glad I was home alone! I find I need to grip the razor a little bit tighter on my legs as the pulsation combined with wet, lathered legs can mean things get a bit slippy! I worked my way from my ankles to my knees and as advised, use short strokes taking the razor upwards. I don't need to apply much pressure and the lather combined with the gentle but effectiveness of the blades makes the whole experience pain free.

Around my ankles is where I tend to cut myself but the blades on this razor feel so delicate that I haven't done so. I can easily reach around the back of my legs and around the front by putting my leg up on the bath. The vibrations feels gentle and certainly feel like they are removing the hairs better than when I don't switch it on. It is a pleasing experience that doesn't feel so much of a chore and now that I have a shower, it is all the more easy. After each stroke, I rinse my razor under the shower head and the lather and any removed hairs effortlessly run down the drain allowing me to proceed to do the rest of my legs.

*~*Effects?*~*

Once I have covered all areas and rinsed off the excess lather, my legs appear hair free and smooth. I notice a big difference from using the vibrating as opposed to normal razors and it is certainly worth the extra hassle of applying a lather. The claim that the vibrations removed dry skin is quite a big claim and whilst I have noticed my legs appearing a bit healthier and less irritated, it isn't a massive result. I do tend to apply a bit of baby powder following shaving but have had no discomfort from using the Venus Vibrance. My legs feel smooth for a day or two and the stubbly feeling returns around day 3 but the hairs don't appear visible for a few days after that. Ok for short term use but nothing is likely to beat waxing or epilating!

*~*Recommend?*~*

Venus Vibrance is no cheap razor and the blades are expensive. One blade used for shaving my legs around once each week and my underarms 4-5times a week has last me 3weeks. It is an expensive option but it is much less painful that waxing or epilating and I find it gives me better results opposed to hair removal creams. When it comes to replacing my blades, I will look out for special offers as its an expensive personal care product. I do recommend Venus Vibrance if you can pick it up cheap enough. The battery I am using is the one that came with the razor and it is still going strong.

Thanks for reading x