[REVIEW] Gillette Fusion ProGlide & Odor Defense System

I usually review literature for The Father Life, so reviewing a retail product was pretty cool. Within the fancy box and flashy marketing material was the new Gillette Fusion ProGlide shaving system consisting of: new ProGlide razor, exfoliating face scrub, and shaving cream. Along with that I was given the new Odor Defense system that included the face/body wash, anti-perspirant and clinical strength anti-perspirant.  I appreciated all the clear thinking and change that went into these systems and could tell that they spent their money more on innovation than mere marketing.

I have used the Fusion Power razor for many years because I really like the vibration technology that seems to give me a closer shave. That feature is improved on the ProGlide model with additions of the micro comb which helps lift the hair into more uniform positions and thinner profile blades that definitely reduce drag during shaving. The larger handle is nice because I felt a lot of the time with the old razor I was going to drop it; this one I could hold onto better. The bigger lube strip on the blade was appreciated because it seemed to help extend the shaving cream I put on my face and help reduce friction. If nothing else has shown you that this is a better system than the Power series, the little blue LED on the handle was shiny and caught this ADHD kid’s attention for a while…

The face wash that was sent with the razor deserves its own section because it was my first experience with a thermopilic exfoliant product; it chemically heats up when swirled in my hands and helps remove all the oil and dead skin from my face to enhance the shaving experience. I was skeptical that the heat would make a difference, but I think it had more to do with the fact that the heat was a comforting feeling in the shower rather than it helped clean better. It was still a neat experience because it was a noticeable amount of heat and it helps encourage me to exfoliate more often, which we all need to do.

I have used the whole bottle of body wash and still love it and probably will buy more. The Odor Defense line has made it to TV recently, and we have heard about the 16 hour odor fighting prowess of the line. I did not time out 16 hours, but with working at a school with possible running and restraining of children, I can vouch that it does fight the potential for B.O. pretty well. I could not smell anything nor could my wife, who is more objective about my odor. It has a slight sandalwood fragrance in the shower, so you get a little relaxing aromatherapy with this one. Rinses clean and does not feel heavy on the fragrance the rest of the day. My wife says it smells like “boy” after I am done, so it passes that “does it smell too much like a girl body wash?” test.

The new anti-perspirant really works well and has convinced me to switch from the Axe products I was using. The fragrance matches the body wash, but the formula definitely reduces the build up that I experienced with other anti-perspirant, so no white lines. It worked to stop the sweating pretty well and lasted a long time. The clinical strength gel was interesting too. For those of us who have used that stuff before it is a little daunting, but the benefits are there with continued use. These types of formulations are made to work at night while you sleep and this one did not interfere with my sleep. It goes on clean and works to shrink my sweat glands so that I wouldn’t necessarily need to use anti-perspirant the next day. I experienced days without sweating with this one, so if that is what you need in sweat protection I recommend this product.

All together, Gillette has offered a welcome addition to their ever-growing line of shave and body care products. With enhancements far outweighing the negatives, I believe I will use these products for some time to come. If you feel like being a part of the ProGlide revolution, now’s the time.

The opinions expressed are those of the author, who received sample product for the purposes of this review, but did not receive any other compensation.