OneBlade CORE (v2) Razor Review: 8 Shaves Later

Shaving razor review: I was really excited to try the OneBlade Core (v2) razor. I ordered it on Amazon, and it arrived on time. All the hype from blog posts on other sites had me pumped. When I research razors, I usually lean on the experts at sharpologist.com and badgerandblade.com, and I even checked Reddit. Those sites had mixed reviews, so I needed to try it for myself! If you read the happy customer reviews on onebladeshave.com, this razor sure seems like it’s all that and a bag of chips. So was it?

Hold those Doritos. My shave was left wanting. I was sure that Feather single-edge blades plus all the research and development behind the OneBlade Core would be a winning combo. Now I’m down $75 and a pack of 9 Feather single-edge blades I can’t use for much else.

Before you tell me I should have prepped better, my prep routine isn’t exactly slacking. I used a sensitive skin face wash, shave oil and Cremo shave cream before this shave. And yes, I used medium-hot water like the directions said, and even took a hot shower 5 minutes before.

Quick thoughts after my first shave

• No problems clicking the blade into place, which others have complained about.
• The blade doesn’t feel snug once it’s clicked in, but OneBlade said this is by design. It didn’t affect the shave.
• The shave was too mild and didn’t get close enough to my skin.
• Because it didn’t get close, I ended up doing 3 passes, then finishing with my Gillette Fusion 5 cartridge razor.
• The Feather blade is super sharp and cuts hair like butter. You just can’t get it close enough without pressing down on the handle or stretching your skin.
• Pivoting around the neck was fine, but don’t push down too hard there!
• The only nick I got was a very small one on my neck (from pushing down too hard).
• Very little skin irritation. This razor is safe! Just don’t expect that close “baby butt smooth” (BBS) feel you get from other razors.

The OneBlade directions say to give it 8 shaves before throwing in the towel, so that’s how all my razor reviews will work from now on.

Shaves #2 to #8

Shave #2: I shaved with more confidence, thinking the first round was just me not knowing how this razor works. Same thing happened. It didn’t get as close as I needed.

Shave #3: I tried a different pre-shave oil and shaving cream to see if it was my products. Same result… bummer!

Shave #4: This time I had a plan! Since it’s hard to get close to my skin, I stretched my skin as much as possible and then took a swipe. It did work better, but it was twice the effort for a shave that still wasn’t as close as my Gillette Fusion 5.

Shave #5: This round was all about grain-cutting technique. I usually start with the grain and then go against it if I need a closer shave. This time I decided to be a rebel and just go for it! Against the grain, across the grain, with the grain, grain for all… same results. The OneBlade is just so mild that it doesn’t get close enough for me.

Shave #6: I shaved normally, like my first shave, just to double-check my methods. Really, it doesn’t matter what I try. This razor just doesn’t fit my face.

Shave #7: After shave #6 I had an epiphany. This razor might never shave my face correctly, but that doesn’t mean it can’t shave other things! Every six months or so I trim my underarms with an electric razor. Since I don’t want my underarms baby-butt smooth like my face, I figured the OneBlade’s gentle cut might be perfect for the job. Sure enough, it shaved my underarm hair better than my electric razor! No ingrown hairs and no razor burn, which is unusual for me.

Shave #8: I pressed my luck and used it for some other body-hair trimming. Magic! The OneBlade truly is a wonder at this. I just think they may have advertised it for the wrong body part. Please test carefully. This was my experience, and everyone’s skin is different, so experiment at your own risk. But the grass really is greener on this side of the razor!

My assessment

While I like the idea, it’s not enough to replace my Gillette Fusion 5 for my face. But let me tell you, this thing trims underarm and body hair like a champ!

I haven’t tested the other OneBlade razors, like the Hybrid or Genesis. At $199 and $399 (when I checked in 2019), they defeat the purpose of saving money on cartridges. The OneBlade Core was my last hope before exploring more of the double-edge world. Gillette Fusion, you’re still my #1!