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Mar 05, 2024

Best razors for women UK 2023, including lady shavers for legs, face and bikini areas

All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. Shaving as a woman can be quite a task, so it

All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue.

Shaving as a woman can be quite a task, so it makes life easier to have one of the best razors for women in your arsenal. Whether you have thick hair that grows at the speed of light and you find yourself reaching for your razor daily, or you only have a few strands, it can still be a delicate and time-consuming mission. But, having a razor designed for precision and ease of use can make shaving easy for anyone.

There are a few different options when it comes to hair removal - waxing, sugaring, lasering - but for a pain-free, inexpensive option, shaving is the way to go. And finding the right razor is the key to the smoothest shave.

You'll want to look out for ones with ergonomic handles, multiple blades, and razors that offer you the option to subscribe so you'll never be without your previous hair removal tool. Plus, these days a lot of razors are reusable, so you just need to top up on the head rather than disposing of the whole item for a more eco-friendly approach.

To help you find your perfect fit, we've tried and tested a range of razors and chosen our favourite ones.

Rating: 5/5

Pros: Aesthetically pleasing, close shave, comes with holder, available for subscription

Cons: None

Unless you've been living under a rock or don't have social media, you'll have heard of Estrid razors.

We tried the Estrid Razor Starter Kit, and we're now tempted to subscribe to receive a new one every month. That's how much we loved it.

The starter kit offers a steel razor handle in one of six aesthetic shades, two razor blades and a wall mount in the same colour as your handle so you can easily keep it in the shower, ready to use. It's trendy, neat, hygienic, and convenient.

And don't sleep on the effectiveness of the razor, either. It has five super-sharp blades to make sure you're getting as close a shave as possible and lubrication strips to ensure your razor glides without nipping the skin.

We used ours to shave our entire body before a big night out and felt as smooth as a dolphin. We also found that the hair took more time to grow back than if we had used a standard one or two-blade razor from the supermarket.

To enhance the power of this razor, we also exfoliated using Estrid's Sugar Scrub 24 hours before and lathered up with the Shower + Shave Watermelon Jelly prior to shaving. This made for super smooth legs and made the experience far more enjoyable and easy. We also followed up with the Daily Body Moisturiser which has a dreamy whipped and buttery texture and is packed with nourishing ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter to add a glow to thirsty, dull skin.

As mentioned, with Estrid it's up to you whether you'd prefer to go for a one-time purchase or sign up to the brand's subscription service for a slightly reduced price and regular refills on your shaving products.

Estrid has also been built on the ethos that whether you're a man or a woman, shaving should be priced the same so none of the products are gendered and have instead been created for anyone who shaves. Nice job, Estrid.

Number of blades: 5, Vegan: Yes, Available for subscription: Yes, Recyclable: Yes

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Rating: 5/5

Pros: Aesthetically pleasing, available for engraving, available for subscription, close shave, comes with case, pouch and holder, comes with skincare

Cons: None

A mail-order company that's redefining the razor game for women, Fuss Free Shaving's (FFS) stylish and award-winning metal razor has six (wow) diamond-coated steel blades per head, a lubricating vitamin E strip and a built-in bikini blade.

FFS also elevates the razor to a coveted accessory with the option to personalise it for £6, and we obviously jumped at the chance to add our initials to our razors.

This Onyx iteration of the brand's razor is the perfect chic accessory for your shower. The handle has a good grip and it comes with a wall mount so it's always within easy reach.

We opted for the Full Shaving Set, which includes the razor, a clamshell, a holder, four blades, and three different skincare products for the body. We loved the cooling post-shave balm (packed with honey, almond oil and cocoa butter to soothe the skin and calm redness) especially.

With regards to the actual shave, we were impressed. It resulted in a close shave, smooth skin and absolutely no razor rash or ingrown hairs. And one blade lasted us a week, so the whole kit kept us silky smooth all month.

Number of blades: 6, Vegan: Yes, Available for subscription: Yes, Recyclable: Yes, the blades are

Rating: 5/5

Pros: Close shave, comes with shave gel, can be used on body and bikini line

Cons: Not available for subscription

If you're someone who can never quite get a smooth, close shave down there, this is the razor for you. Razor bumps and ingrown hairs are particularly hard to avoid when you're shaving your pubic region because the area is much more sensitive and prone to irritation.

This razor has super sharp blades with a small head and a precision trimmer on the back of the blades, so you can easily reach tricky areas and get as close a shave as possible.

The razor's teammate, the 2-in-1 shave gel, is just as important on the mission for a clean shave. In combination with the razor's Irritation Defense Bar, the translucent gel helps the razor to glide without nipping the skin.

The gel is also 100% soap-free and especially pH balanced for the skin on your pubic area, so it's safe to use around your intimate area.

Number of blades: Unspecified, Vegan: Unspecified, Available for subscription: No, Recyclable: Yes, via TerraCycle

Rating: 5/5

Pros: Close shave, affordable, accessible

Cons: Doesn't come with any accessories, add-ons or spare razors, not available for subscription

Venus razors have been our go-to since our teenage years. Affordable but high quality, you really can't go wrong. This specific razor has five blades for a close shave and a water-activated ribbon of moisture to ensure you get a close shave while protecting yourself against nicks and cuts.

It also has a pivoting head design, which is ideal for shaving tricky areas like knees and ankles.

One razor would last you around a week if you're shaving every day or every other day, and you can buy another set of 4 blades for £12.99. All in all, this is a bargain.

Number of blades: 5, Vegan: Unspecified, Available for subscription: No, Recyclable: Yes, via TerraCycle

Number of blades: 5, Vegan: Yes, Available for subscription: Yes, Recyclable: Unspecified

OHH! (Oh Hey Hero!) The Caretaker Razor, £6.99 from H&M - buy here

Rating: 5/5

Pros: Aesthetically pleasing, close shave

Cons: Not available for subscription, doesn't come with any accessories, add-ons or spare razors

If you're easily sold by bright colours and sleek designs, you'll be obsessed with the 10-piece hair removal range from OHH! The razor itself has five blades and a vegan strip to ensure it glides effortlessly over the skin while precisely removing your hair. The brand recommends replacing your blade every five to eight uses, so you'll only need a few blades per month.

We loved using the razor along with the moisturising aloe vera shaving gel and then storing it neatly in the razor case.

The actual shave is impressive, too. Our pits and legs stayed almost hair free for a couple of days before growing back, which is much better than a regular single or double bladed razor (and it looks better in the bathroom, obviously).

UpCircle Safety Razor, £24.99 from Look Fantastic - buy here

Rating: 4/5

Pros: Sustainable, close shave, available for subscription, recycling programme

Cons: Bulkiness makes it tricky to shave areas like knees, ankles and bikini area

If you're trying to be more sustainable, UpCircle's Safety Razor could be the answer. It's 100% plastic free and non-disposable, so you keep the razor for life and just replace the blades each time. The razor comes with two complimentary blades, and you can purchase the blades separately. To save money and be super eco-friendly, you can send your old razors back to UpCycle to be disposed of and recycled and get £1 off your blades refill for every five blades you send back.

Number of blades: 1, Vegan: Yes, Available for subscription: Yes, Recyclable: Yes

The blades themselves are pretty straightforward to fit into the razor head, and they do leave you with super smooth, hair-free skin. Because the blades are so sharp, it's important not to apply pressure when using the razor, just be gentle and let the weight of the razor do its thing.

The bulkiness of the razor and the sharpness of the blades make it a little intimidating to begin with, but we were pleasantly surprised by how gentle it is and how clean the shave is. You can barely feel it grazing the skin, but it really does remove all hair it touches.

The razor is very versatile, too. It's unisex and can be used on the face and the body, so it could work for pretty much anyone.

We'd recommend buying it

You can buy women's razors and lady shavers at most supermarkets, pharmacies and beauty stores, as well as on razor brands' official websites. This includes:

Women's razors and lady shavers vary in price from brand to brand. But generally, you'll be able to buy a razor for anything from £5 to £40. The most affordable on this list are the Flamingo, Sunny and OHH! razors.

Studies have found that women's razors, especially if they've got four or five blades, are typically more expensive than men's razors. Some studies suggest that they're around 11% more expensive than men's, just like shampoo and conditioner. Apparently, this is because the production process is more complex, expensive and time consuming because women's razors need extra functions (e.g.flexible heads so they move with the contours of the body).

Brands like UpCycle and Estrid are trying to bridge this gap with high quality unisex razors.

Sometimes it's impossible to avoid getting any bumps when you shave, but there are a couple of things you can do to keep them to a minimum.

Although it won't give you as close a shave, working with the direction of the hair rather than going against the grain will reduce the chance of razor bumps. As will using a non-irritating shaving cream - this is a must to reduce friction and catching the skin. And if you've ever dry shaved before with a razor that doesn't accommodate it, you'll know that it's a big no-no if you're looking to avoid irritation.

In the same way as you would to avoid razor bumps, forgo a super close shave by shaving in the direction of the hair rather than against it.

Make sure the blade you're using hasn't gone blunt, because the sharper the blade, the less you'll need to press against your skin which means less chance of irritation. Hydration is also key, but make sure you use a shaving foam and body cream post-shave that are designed for sensitive skin to avoid any flare ups.

If you've never had a shaving cut or ingrown hairs 'down there', then you're one of the lucky ones. Keep it that way by buying a precision razor that's literally made for the job.

There are specific razors that you should only use to shave your bikini area, like Gillette's Venus range of gentle, smooth razors, with ergonomic handles.

Blunt razors just won't give you the results you want, so there's no point using really old ones that you've dug out of your cupboard. As long as they're fresh with sharp blades, then you're good to go.

Rather than a specific razor, it depends on the technique of how you're shaving and the products that you use when it comes to caring for sensitive skin.

Opt for a shaving gel to hydrate and protect as you shave, and ensure you're being gentle to avoid cutting or irritating your skin.

On many women's razors, you find that the head is slightly more rounded than men's razors and the handles are sturdier because they're being used to target larger areas.

But feel free to use whatever you'd like as just because the razors are being marketed as gendered doesn't mean that they will magically stop working if you're a woman using a man's razor and vice versa. At the end of the day, a razor is a razor.

Sturdier razors should last around five to ten shaves before the blade needs changing, but cheaper razors don't have such a long lifespan.

In the short term, disposable razors might seem cheaper but they only last between three and ten shaves so need replacing more regularly.

Every time you shave, it's best to rinse your razor underneath warm water to get rid of any gel or stray hairs from your previous shave.

There's no need to use any cleaning products when rinsing them out, you just need water.

After you have finished shaving, it's crucial to rinse so the razor blades stay clean and sharper for longer.

If you shave everyday you're supposed to change your razor blades every week or two.

People who shave less frequently can wait a little longer but if you don't change them then you risk infection as the combination of being more likely of cutting yourself with a blunt razor and a build-up bacteria in the blades doesn't create a happy mix.