Admittedly, I felt a little odd when I sat down to write this post about the new Gillette Venus Bikini kit that I recently received for review. So to avoid any potential awkwardness, I'm going to tell you that I'll be writing this as if we were just two girlfriends having a semi-candid chat. If discussions of grooming techniques for the bikini area make you feel uncomfortable, then feel free to skip this review. But please note that I will try my very best to keep this tasteful and dignified, yet as always, I'll speak in detail about my thoughts regarding this product. So let's begin!
(click to enlarge, again to magnify)
Gillette Venus Bikini (retail: around $9)
As you can see, this kit comes with three components: the Venus Embrace Razor, the Venus Bikini Trimmer and the tube of Moisturizing Lotion. I think this is a great value considering it's under $10 at most drugstores.
Let's first talk about who might benefit from a kit like this. In my opinion, I think it would be ideal for a woman who, for whatever reason, has not groomed the bikini area in a while--but would like to. Here's an analogy: let's say you have an overgrown yard with lots of weeds. Now, before you use your lawnmower, you would probably have a much easier time if you used a weed-wacker first, just to get things down to a more manageable level. Do you get what I'm trying to say here? Good.
So let's start with the Venus Bikini Trimmer. In a word? It's awesome. I love that it doesn't tug or pull and it is quite effective its purpose. It's easy to use and maneuver and it rinses clean pretty easily as well. This trimmer cuts hair down to about 1/4 of an inch. Clearly you have the option of just stopping at that point, or using the accompanying razor for further grooming, depending on your needs. Either way, I don't think you can go wrong with this handy little tool.
So let's move on to the Venus Embrace Razor. This razor is designed for delicate skin. There are five very fine blades "surrounded by a protective ribbon of moisture". So how does this translate into the actual experience of shaving? My GOODNESS! Using this razor is like running a piece of silk across the skin. I actually had to keep double-checking to see if the razor was actually shaving my hair because I just couldn't believe that something so smooth could actually do the trick. But sure enough, I was left with incredibly soft, smooth skin after using this razor.
I do have a few small issues with this razor though. First of all, the head of the razor measures almost an inch from top to bottom, making it a bit of a challenge to perform more precise grooming. Also, since the blades are so fine, I have noticed that it doesn't give me as close of a shave when I use it on my legs (compared to other razors I own). But you know what? These two issues don't really bother me and here's why: first, I wouldn't purchase this kit for extremely precise grooming. As stated above, I think it's wonderful for those of us who are starting from ground zero, so to speak, and would like to perform general maintenance. Second, I wouldn't purchase this kit to shave my legs, and chances are, if you're buying it, that's not your main goal either. We've all got our favorite razors for our legs, so I like to think of this kit as exclusive to the bikini area (although I have used it under my arms and it's FANTASTIC for that as well).
Some other things I like about this kit? Well the handles on the razors are great. They're coated in a sort of rubberized plastic that makes the grip amazing. I think there's very little chance that either the razor or trimmer will slip out of your hands during use. Also, I enjoyed using the accompanying lotion, which, if you look closely, is actually Olay Advanced Healing Lotion repackaged in another tube. I had actually never tried Olay Advanced Healing Lotion until I used this kit and it's quite nice. It's fragrance-free, it's silky and it applies easily. It's a pretty soothing lotion so it's a nice addition to the kit.
All in all, I highly recommend the new Gillette Venus Bikini for those of us who need a jump-start into the world of bikini grooming. This kit provides all the essentials I needed in order to get the job done quickly, efficiently and, most importantly, painlessly. For the price, it's a quite pleasant experience and I would definitely repurchase.
Have you tried the new Gillette Venus Bikini? Does it sound like something you'd consider in the future? I'd love to hear from you!
A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.
i'll be honest, this is a product i have been curios about trying. From the sound of the review, it sounds like a great razor but it also sounds like something for a bikini area beginner. I've been shaving this area for a while now, is it something that would benefit someone who is already maintaining the area?
ReplyDeleteI've been using a similar product that came out a year or two ago - the Schick Quattro Trim Style - one end is a regular razor, while the other end is a battery-powered trimmer. The trimming end looks rather like a beard trimmer and works well to, as you said, start the weed-whacking.
ReplyDeleteSamysalsa: Hum...that's a very good question. The best answer I can give you is that, it depends on the level of precision that you require. For general maintenance I think this is a solid kit, and the quality of the razor and trimmer are wonderful, so I definitely think you could use them no matter what your skill level. However, if you require extreme precision in your grooming, the razor may pose a bit of a challenge, unless you're already used to using a razor with a larger head. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a clear yes or no answer, but I hope that helps! :)
ReplyDeleteRachel: Wow, I don't think I've ever seen that kit! I do have to say though that the convenience of this trimmer is great because you don't need batteries and yet it really gets the job done. But at any rate, I'm glad you found a kit that works for you! :)
I thought you did a good job with the review. It sounds like a good deal considering all that you get.
ReplyDeleteKatie: Awww, thank you so much! :D
ReplyDeleteYou are too cute! Thanks so much for writing a candid but tasteful review. Do you know if Venus products are on sale anywhere?
ReplyDeleteI like Gillette Venus, I will probably try this kit next time I need to buy razors.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I wanted to ask if you are going to this L'Oreal event at Walgreens:
http://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/saturdate.jsp
G. - I found it on drugstore.com so you can see what it looks like. Here.
ReplyDeleteI've had the sucker for over a year and I think I've only had to change the batteries once or twice, so it's not much of a hassle.
Rachel, wanted to ask how you find the Schick Quattro. Am debating between this and the Schick for "maintenance". How long does the Schick Quattro cut the hair down to? Thanks :)
ReplyDelete