My comparison is between two brands of shaving cream that I use interchangeably: Edge Advanced for sensitive skin and Barbasol Ultra for sensitive skin.
Background. First, some background on how I got to the point of the using Edge Advanced and Barbasol Ultra. I began shaving over 50 years ago. I was in junior high school and I could tell that it was time. After my first couple of shaves, it sank in that this was for life. That was depressing. Adding to my depression was my face full of acne which made shaving a challenge at best and a potential disaster at worst. I figured that daily shaving was the male curse. I didn’t realize at the time that girls would be shaving their legs for their rest of their lives.
Like many boys, I got my lesson on shaving by watching my father shave. He used a mug with a bar of soap in it. Using a brush, he worked up some suds, put them on his face, and, using a razor with a double-edged blade, he shaved. Having seen cartoons of men shaving, their faces heavy with soap, I asked my father why his lathered face didn’t look as impressive. He replied that they used shaving cream from a can.
When I began to shave, I bought a can of shaving cream (I forget the brand; I only know that at that point in my life, Edge Advanced and Barbasol Ultra either did not exist or I didn’t know about them.), got a thick layer of cream on my face, and, following my father’s example, used a double-edged blade. I soon discovered two things: I had tough whiskers and I had tender skin. The result was cuts and nicks on my face every time I shaved.
At some point, I knew I had to change something. My first decision was to get an electric shaver. It worked well at first, but something else about me became apparent: I had active sweat glands and my sweaty face made using an electric shaver a problem. Using a product such as Williams Lectric Shave didn’t help much. It was back to using a razor and enduring the cuts on my face.
Introduction to Edge Advanced. I don’t remember when I saw an ad for Edge Advanced but the words about it being good for sensitive skin jumped out at me. I bought a can, used it, and loved it. I was still careless enough at times that I nicked myself, but the number of cuts (and pieces of tissue stuck on my face) declined drastically. Edge Advanced became my shaving cream of choice.
Introduction to BarbasoI Ultra. One day, while shopping at a Wal-Mart store, I spotted a brand I had never noticed before. It was Barbasol Ultra and the cans came in some of the same colors that Edge Advanced did. I noticed that one of them was marked “sensitive skin.” I decided to try it. That has led to this comparison between Edge Advanced and Barbasol Ultra.
General Characteristics. Both Edge Advanced and Barbasol Ultra come in the same size cans, a basic 7 ounce can. Special value cans may add an additional 33% more shaving cream for the same regular price. When you use the products, both creams come out of the can with a beautiful blue color and a thick texture. (I recall using Barbasol Ultra at some point where it came out almost runny, but that may have been a storage problem at a high temperature.) The cans I’m testing now both come out thick and creamy.
Applying to the Face. Here is where a major difference emerges between Edge Advanced and Barbasol Ultra. When you apply Edge Advanced to your face, it goes on smoothly and spreads evenly. Barbasol Ultra, however, goes on in what I can only describe as a splotchy manner. It is difficult if not impossible to spread it evenly on the face. The first time I saw that, I was frustrated, and I was concerned that I would not get a good and safe shave from it.
Shaving with the Two Products. Surprisingly, despite the difference in how Edge Advanced and Barbasol Ultra go onto the face, they both produce the same protective shave. I may have been more careful at first with the Barbasol Ultra, but I needn’t have worried. The end result-a clean and nick-free shave-was the same.
Cost Comparison. The application to the face is one major difference between Edge Advanced and Barbasol Ultra; price is the other major difference. At Wal-Mart, Edge Advanced generally sells for $2.17. Barbasol Ultra generally sells for $1.47. Newspaper ads often contain a coupon for $1.00 off on a can of Edge Advanced and Wal-Mart itself occasionally has sales on Edge Advanced, but, as far as I can remember, never on Barbasol Ultra.
Overall Evaluation. Edge Advanced gets my vote because of its ease of application. If price is your major consideration, Barbasol Ultra will be your choice, although coupons and sales may make this an irrelevant factor. The bottom line is that there is no difference in the shave, so you’ll have to make your decision on the basis of whatever is most important to you.
