Why did traditional shaving die out in America but not in Europe?

All these soap and cream makers that been around hundred plus years in Europe and still around, so must be more demand for traditional soap and brush in Europe. So why didn't the Gillette devolution take as strong a hold in Europe?

My guess? Money. It always comes down to money.

See this six year old article http://www.bruceonshaving.com/2010/09/16...xtinction/ Half the world lives on $1/Day? Think about the end of WWII. How long did it take for Europe to truly recover and rebuild?  I don't know the year but I might guess truly rebuilt in the 60s? By then shaving cream was mainstream in the US, US economy booming, disposables and cartridges invented in 1971. DE gone ... dead in the US.

See this article from the UK http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/news/a6833/razors/

[cartridges] "represents the very apex of precision engineering and medical know-how, literally cutting-edge science. Take Gillette's Fusion ProGlide Power Razor. It contains more than 60 different parts. It's so complicated there's only two factories in the world that can make it. Each of its six blades are spot-welded 13 times – that's 78 welds per cartridge. (Gillette does more welding than many car manufacturers.) Those six blades are now so thin – far thinner than, say, a surgeon's scalpel – that scientists have so examine them using atomic microscopes, the same ones Nasa uses. At their tips, they measure 25 nanometers, a figure that's smaller than the wave of visible light."


Think about that. The edge on a cartridge razor cannot be seen by a human eye.

It's money. People traded money for time.

I say laziness, instant gratification, and always living in a hurry.

I say laziness, instant gratification, and always living in a hurry.

I would believe that is the same thing as people traded money for time

Americans are subjected to advertising at a degree no other people on Earth are.

In every form imaginable. Using all tactics imaginable.

Don't think it's that simple? Ask your doctor if -------- is right for you. Anyone in Europe familiar with that phrase?

"Hail Corporate." About sums up a lot for me.

Cartridge shaving doesn't save that much time over de. Many people still have to do more then one pass. I'd guess 5-10 minutes saved for 4 times the cost and irritation.

Americans are subjected to advertising at a degree no other people on Earth are.

In every form imaginable. Using all tactics imaginable.

Don't think it's that simple? Ask your doctor if -------- is right for you. Anyone in Europe familiar with that phrase?

"Hail Corporate." About sums up a lot for me.

I would say this, "marketing" and "money". US has more disposable money, and is susceptible to marketing. Thats not to say that the big cities in Euro land dont use carts, they are just more resistant to new gadgets, and dont value the expense as Americans do.

And the purpose of multiple blades are to reduce multiple subsequent passes. So yea, its a happy meal shave instead of preparing your meal yourself. Carts save tame, and thats what they were originally marketed for.

In addition, and this is the most important, Gillette doesnt market or introduce a new shaving system to a market unless their analysts feel that the market can support it. read-discretionary spending and money.

A Bangladeshi shaving once a week in a bowl of water with bar soap on the dirt floor isnt interested in a Fusion Proglide. If I were in their position, neither would I.

Americans are subjected to advertising at a degree no other people on Earth are.

In every form imaginable. Using all tactics imaginable.

Don't think it's that simple? Ask your doctor if -------- is right for you. Anyone in Europe familiar with that phrase?

"Hail Corporate." About sums up a lot for me.

I would say this, "marketing" and "money". US has more disposable money, and is susceptible to marketing. Thats not to say that the big cities in Euro land dont use carts, they are just more resistant to new gadgets, and dont value the expense as Americans do.

And the purpose of multiple blades are to reduce multiple subsequent passes. So yea, its a happy meal shave instead of preparing your meal yourself. Carts save tame, and thats what they were originally marketed for.

In addition, and this is the most important, Gillette doesnt market or introduce a new shaving system to a market unless their analysts feel that the market can support it. read-discretionary spending and money.

A Bangladeshi shaving once a week in a bowl of water with bar soap on the dirt floor isnt interested in a Fusion Proglide.  If I were in their position, neither would I.

Ding ding ding.

Having cut the cable a number of years ago and no local reception I don't see the ads - at least on TV. Last week I was travelling for work and turned on the TV. After what seemed 3 commercial breaks in 10 minutes I turned it off - they were driving me crazy. Yes we are inundated with ads and we buy in to the hype.

Cartridge shaving doesn't save that much time over de. Many people still have to do more then one pass. I'd guess 5-10 minutes saved for 4 times the cost and irritation.

You left out the time to use brush and soap, create the lather, clean up the mess. Use a disposable, buy a bag of 100 for $13, that 13 cents each. Some good old Gillette Foamy will last forever. Zip - Zap, done in 60 seconds.

In the dark of the morning, nobody got time for this time consuming stuff. Got places to go, people to meet, places to see. Not everyone has to use cartridges. And BTW, those disposable razors cost more than the spineless feathers. And not everyone has 4 times the irritation. Everyone is different.

Just making a point as to WHY people don't switch. - Time, and it can be just as cheap as traditional methods. I had a can of Gillette Foamy something that was still good after years and years. Stuff never went bad