History Main / ShavingIsScience

Newer shaving companies like Harry's are bucking this trend in recent years, Going for a more retro luxury style. (They do still have 5 blades, however.)

[[folder:Web Videos

* It's not just for razor blades anymore: Oral-B toothbrush commercials are quite simply, ludicrously epic. OminousLatinChanting is involved. What more can I say?
** Rembrandt goes in the opposite direction; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYBu7G3kKMA they turn brushing into vaguely German-impressionist film with "sciencey" elements]].
* Brilliantly parodied in [[http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=znC_bI-djiA this advert]] for The Zyliss Multi-Peeler -- ''The Best A Potato Can Get''.

*** There was an episode of ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' where he did the whole bouncing his laser vision off of a mirror to shave.

[[folder:Film]]
* Parodied in [[http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com/capitolads/seneca/ this]] [[ViralMarketing viral ad]] for the ''[[Film/TheHungerGames Hunger Games]]'' [[TheFilmOfTheBook movie]], which features Seneca Crane advertising a razor with seventeen blades. An ''electric'' razor.

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* Parodied in a ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9utIhYvQM8o fan video]], where Suika worries about the suction of her black holes.

[[folder:Other]]
* Dara O'Briain had a bit in his last stand-up show where he suggested that Blade Five had to be "unlocked", by defeating a boss on Blade Four.
** Not to mention his "Does the 4th blade actually REMOVE a layer of epidermis while the 5th blade instantly cauterizes the wound ensuring that no hair will ever grow there again!?"
* A Russian joke came out ''before'' there were three blades. It ended with "the 24th polishes the jawbone."
* It's [[http://www.grumer.org/lj_images/razors.gif estimated that]] at the rate razor blade technology has expanded in the past century, we will soon have razors with infinite blades.
** [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki's]] article on technological singularities used to predict this would happen in 2015, illustrated by a picture of the Schick Infini-T. Then [[StopHavingFunGuys some humorless bastard]] [[SeriousBusiness got hold of the article, obviously]].
* Then someone went and actually made a documentary about all this. (Modern Marvels, maybe?)
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWSTE6WLB0Y This fellow]] goes low-tech and probably gets the cleanest shave EVER.
** That's it, that man is going in the [[TestosteronePoisoning Mantheon]] as the god of shaving.
* Apropos of not much, there was for a while an unofficial measure of laser power based on how many Gillette razor blades the beam could cut through. Between the fact that it was difficult to measure the power of the first ruby pulsed lasers, and the wonderful uniformity of Gillette razors, it was a natural measurement unit. Thus, proud scientists could brag about their 4 Gillette laser as compared to their colleagues' wimpy little 2 Gillette unit.

* Gillette parodied their own "science of shaving" adverts with an ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' {{Dualvertisement}} that showed razors based on Thor's hammer, Cap's shield, Hulk's fists and Iron Man's armour while the voice over explained "You could make a razor with Avengers technology," and then, as the bathroom was destroyed, "but you clearly shouldn't."

** It's been surmised that he '''has''' to. Although there's that episode of ''Series/LoisAndClark'' where Clark shows up at the ''Daily Planet'' with multiple cuts on his face after being depowered.
*** This was repeated in the comics when Clark was depowered for a year during ''52''.

* Whatever's going on in that sonic shower [[ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}} Spider Jerusalem]] steps into, it moves him from "hirstute mountain man" to "permanent hairlessness" in about ten seconds.
* ComicBook/IronMan's morning routine once involved a sonic shower, and a hovering robotic coat hanger. Of course, he is a billionaire genius inventor.
** Similar to the Gillette example above, there was a promotional solo comic that was about Tony Stark presenting cutting edge razors usibg technology based on Avengers' superpowers that A.I.M. attempted to steal.

*** In another Heinlein novel the main character laments the loss of his diamond bladed razor as it had comfortably dulled over the decades.

*** Heinlein introduced this substance in ''Literature/FarmerInTheSky'' already in the 1950s; the extraterrestrial pioneers grow beards because the depilatory cream, imported from Earth, is hideously expensive.

** In the ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'' shaving is just for Barrayaran nobles who have the free time and inclination (and because they are so macho, that holding a blade to one's face holds certain appeal). Rest of the nexus uses depilatory cream, or permanently stun the hair follicles.

** Well it ''does'' remove unwanted beard hair, mustache hair, etc. It just has a minor side effect of removing the rest of your head along with it.
** [[VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga Kyle Katarn]] ''does'' [[IdleAnimation use it as a shaving implement]]!
* The young adult ScienceFiction story, "Junior Achievement", has a child of a biochemist come up with a form of depilatory cream that causes the hair to grow brittle. He calls it "before-shave".

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* A favorite of ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''.
** A classic ''SNL'' faux-commercial described a razor named the Platinum Mach 14. The patented fifth razor actually removes the follicle!
** In the first season of ''SNL'', when two-bladed razors were apparently just coming out, they had a faux-commercial mocking the absurdity of a hypothetical [[OlderThanTheyThink three-bladed razor]].
*** The Triple-Trac: Because You'll Believe Anything.

* Comedian Mark Weiner did a skit on an episode of ''America's Funniest People'' where he advertised a razor with six blades. The first five didn't so much cut the hair as rip it out of its follicle, and the sixth was actually a tiny roll of tissue paper for staunching the blood.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' introduced a shaving device that used some suitably scientific-futuristic sounding term (futuristic for the 1980s). "Sonic", perhaps, or "laser". You just passed it over your skin, and the hair was gone. On the other hand, in ''Star Trek: Insurrection'', Troi shaves Riker with shaving cream and an old-fashioned razor.
** There's all sorts of symbolism in there about how letting a woman near your face with a naked blade is the ultimate sign of trust, intimacy and an intense desire to nail her.
*** They were in a bath together and were both naked. Draw your own conclusions.
*** How's this? She ''murdered'' the GrowingTheBeard {{Trope Namer|s}}!

* The general terminology for men's beauty products was parodied by Jeremy Hardy on ''Radio/TheNewsQuiz'', saying that men will only buy moisturiser if it's called all-weather sealant.

* In 2004, ''Website/TheOnion'' ran a parody editorial attributed to the CEO of Gillette, entitled [[http://www.theonion.com/content/node/33930 "Fuck Everything, We're Doing Five Blades."]] [[HilariousInHindsight The following year, Gillette actually introduced such a product.]]

** [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki's]] article on technological singularities used to predict this would happen in 2015, illustrated by a picture of the Schick Infini-T. Then [[StopHavingFunGuys some humourless bastard]] [[SeriousBusiness got hold of the article, obviously]].

* [[Radio/GTARadio Advertisements]] in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'' feature a razor called the Excelsior Extreme 9, with "9 blades of glory." The DJ of the Tuff Going radio station (reggae) warns his listeners not to buy it. [[CrowningMomentOfFunny "You might cut off ya' nose."]]

Newer shaving companies like Harry's are bucking this trend in recent years, Going for a more retro luxury style. (Although they do still have 5 blades.)

*** Heinlein introduced this substance in ''Farmer In the Sky'' already in the 1950s; the extraterrestrial pioneers grow beards because the depilatory cream, imported from Earth, is hideously expensive.

Compare HereComesTheScience, MenBuyFromMarsWomenBuyFromVenus, MotherNatureFatherScience.

* ''ThatMitchellAndWebbSound'' did a 14-blade version, including blades which got your shopping and scraped all the skin off your face. Notable for the speed with which it got extremely silly (the third blade files your tax return), and the fact that [[RunningGag every few blades]] there was one that SHAVED YOU CLOSER STILL.

* [=BiC=] Canada recently parodied and lampshaded this in their commercial for the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CHPrV7MU0U "Hands-Free RoboRazor"]]!

* {{Superman}} shaves using his heat vision.

** It's never explained how other NighInvulnerable heroes shave, except for Film/{{Hancock}}, who just uses his fingernails.
** Powergirl [[http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lgdszxKKnA1qbmslxo1_500.png uses her heat vision to shave her legs]] in one issue of her own comic.
* Whatever's going on in that sonic shower [[{{Transmetropolitan}} Spider Jerusalem]] steps into, it moves him from "hirstute mountain man" to "permanent hairlessness" in about ten seconds.
* IronMan's morning routine once involved a sonic shower, and a hovering robotic coat hanger. Of course, he is a billionaire genius inventor.

** A full-body depilator shows up in Creator/CharlesStross' ''[[SingularitySky Iron Sunrise]]''.
** Depilatory cream is the primary method of removing facial hair in Steve Perry's ''[[MatadorSeries Matador]]'' series. Possibly a reference to the above Asimov story.
*** Heinlein introduced this substance in ''Farmer In the Sky'' already in the 1950s; the extraterrestial pioneers grow beards because the depilatory cream, imported from Earth, is hideously expensive.

** In the ''VorkosiganSaga'' shaving is just for Barrayaran nobles who have the free time and inclination (and because they are so macho, that holding a blade to one's face holds certain appeal). Rest of the nexus uses depilatory cream, or permanently stun the hair follicles.

* ''Series/{{MADtv}}'' had a similar sketch involving the 20-bladed [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F7TMlrDXtw Spishak Mach 20]].
--->''The tenth blade removes cavity-causing tartar, and the eleventh blade [[NoKillLikeOverkill starts the process all over again]]!''

*** How's this? She ''murdered'' the GrowingTheBeard TropeNamer!
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKUHKZChJZs&feature=g-vrec Lambasted]] in MockTheWeek.

* [[GTARadio Advertisements]] in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'' feature a razor called the Excelsior Extreme 9, with "9 blades of glory." The DJ of the Tuff Going radio station (reggae) warns his listeners not to buy it. [[CrowningMomentOfFunny "You might cut off ya' nose."]]

* ''IrregularWebcomic'' took it to its logical progression with [[http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/1186.html this strip]]. The razor utilises fractal technology to create a razor with an infinite number of blades. Then adds a conventional one for [[MoreThanInfinite infinity plus one blades]].

* In 2004, ''TheOnion'' ran a parody editorial attributed to the CEO of Gillette, entitled [[http://www.theonion.com/content/node/33930 "Fuck Everything, We're Doing Five Blades."]] [[HilariousInHindsight The following year, Gillette actually introduced such a product.]]

** TheOtherWiki's article on technological singularities used to predict this would happen in 2015, illustrated by a picture of the Schick Infini-T. Then [[StopHavingFunGuys some humourless bastard]] [[SeriousBusiness got hold of the article, obviously]].

* ''MondayNightCombat'' has two futuristic shaving products among its many sponsors: [=LazeRazor=] (with ''fifteen'' laser blades -- "If you've got the balls to shave with one of our razors, you might as well keep 'em silky smooth") and [=ShaveIce=], a flash-freezing shave "gel" that is more popularly used on the field of combat to freeze the air around enemies.

** It's been surmised that he '''has''' to. Although there's that episode of ''LoisAndClark'' where Clark shows up at the ''Daily Planet'' with multiple cuts on his face after being depowered.

** It's never explained how other NighInvulnerable heroes shave, except for {{Hancock}}, who just uses his fingernails.

* Gillette parodied their own "science of shaving" adverts with an ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' {{Dualvertisment}} that showed razors based on Thor's hammer, Cap's shield, Hulk's fists and Iron Man's armour while the voice over explained "You could make a razor with Avengers technology," and then, as the bathroom was destroyed, "but you clearly shouldn't."

** One HarryHarrison had a ''sonic'' shaver -- it delivered a perfectly close shave by '''shattering''' stubble.

** [[DarkForcesSaga Kyle Katarn]] ''does'' [[IdleAnimation use it as a shaving implement]]!

** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04G5mJ8O-VE This advert]] for Gillette Fusion '''is''' the opening of this trope.

** A full-body depilator shows up in CharlesStross' ''[[SingularitySky Iron Sunrise]]''.

* Dara O'Briain had a brilliant bit in his last stand-up show where he suggested that Blade Five had to be "unlocked", by defeating a boss on Blade Four.

* ''MadTV'' had a similar sketch involving the 20-bladed [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F7TMlrDXtw Spishak Mach 20]].

In the world of commercials, shaving equipment is right there next to rocket science. This is all part of a general trend in male grooming adverts, desperately trying to rescue their product from {{metrosexual}}ity -- [[RatedMForManly moisturizer "refuels" your face, deodorant "combats" sweat]], and so on. Common imagery includes [[CoolPlane fighter jets]] and [[CoolCar sports cars]]. Often an adoring woman will walk on screen to [[SexForProduct stroke or kiss the smooth chin]].