Review: 3 Months With the Hanni Razor

I’d be telling a lie if I didn’t admit that the aesthetics of the Hanni razor weren’t the first thing to catch my eye about this product. For some backstory, I had given up razors years ago. I found that shaving was a poor use of my time and only left me stubbly and strawberry-skinned immediately after. Not to mention the complete waste and absolute racket that the razor industry was (and primarily still is). So I wrote them off for the most part, occasionally shaving on a whim here and there, being reminded every time why I had quit the habit in the first place.

Then the Hanni razor came dancing across my Instagram feed. I was intrigued. I had been thinking about shaving again, after a couple of failed attempts at home waxing. The process was just too painful and too slow. I considered visiting a waxing or sugaring salon, but hadn’t gotten around to making an appointment anywhere. A couple other gimmicky devices collect dust in the back of my bathroom cabinet as failed experiments in hair removal that wouldn’t bore me to death. Hanni’s weighted, single-blade design seemed unique and promised (according to their marketing) a close, long-lasting, irritation-free shave. Not to mention the sustainability surrounding recyclable blades with no consumable plastic waste.

About the Hanni Razor and First Impressions

At first I resisted but finally I decided to give it a try and ordered the Hanni Starter Set in maroon during a sale. The Starter Set includes the razor handle, a pack of razors, a fully-recyclable disposal tin, a razor stand, and a stick of their shave pillow. It took several days to ship but once it arrived, everything was beautifully packaged and continued selling me on the aesthetics.

The Hanni razor handle is a weighted razor handle designed to help the single-bladed razor glide across the skin. You twist the bottom of the handle to raise the flaps that hold the razor in place to install and/or replace the blade. The blades for the Hanni look like classic single bladed razor blades, however the instructions do indicate to only use Hanni blades with your Hanni handle. The handle is indeed nicely weighted and feels nice and luxe. It’s comfortable to hold and has a nice matte feeling to the surface that provides grip without being rubbery or gummy. 

As mentioned before, the razors are recyclable and the small included tin looks a bit like a mini mints tin with a slit in the top to allow you to drop in your used blades. Once full, the whole thing can be recycled. The included stand allows you to store your razor either standing up or laying on its side. 

Also included in my set was a stick of the shave pillow. It comes in what looks a bit like a deodorant stick, but the formula is smooth and creates an amazing glide for the blade. It is designed to be used with or without water and is meant to be very hydrating. 

My First Hanni Shave

I was nervous to shave the first time, as I was severely out of practice in shaving in general, and had never used a product quite like this before. I sat down and read the instructions, installed my blade, and decided to give it a go. Hanni advises that you work slowly, in small sections, applying the shave pillow as you go. The weight of the razor is supposed to mean that you can apply very little pressure and let the razor do the work.

With a fully grown out leg lawn, I knew that working in small sections would be an absolute must, and it was. I rinsed my blade often, which thanks to not having multiple blades, was quick and easy. It was a long process and I knew I’d have to refresh my shave in a few days to really get a feel for the performance. Overall, for the first razor shave in a number of years, it did remarkably well and my skin was pretty darn smooth, all things considered.

I followed up a couple of days later to see how the razor performed under what I’d consider a more normal use case. This shave went much quicker, even with working in smaller sections and my legs were deliciously smooth afterwards. 

Three Months With Hanni

My first uses of the razor definitely gave me a newly found enjoyment for shaving that I wasn’t expecting. The charm did start to wear off after a couple of weeks, as shaving can be an inconvenient chore that just keeps coming back around (kinda like the laundry, am I right?). I did find that after getting more comfortable with the razor I started skipping the “move slow” and “work in small sections” advice and as a result have given myself a nick or two. The razors are incredibly sharp and while the design helps prevent cuts, moving too fast and being careless can result in blood. 

I strongly recommend the light pressure, take it slow advice for a close, comfortable, cut-free shave with your Hanni razor. It does mean carving out a few extra minutes to pamper yourself but the shave does seem to maintain its smoothness for longer than I recall any of my other name brand razors giving me. I think this makes it worth the few extra minutes it takes to use the razor properly. If I don’t think I’ll have the time or patience in the shower, I either make time for a nice bath or opt for a “dry” shave, though I do find that the shave pillow really gums up my razor when not used with water. Less is more when going for a waterless shave, and you’ll still want to be near a sink to rinse the razor as you go. 

After three months, I have found I am still making time a couple times each week to shave and still marvel at the smoothness each time. My leg hair is dark so nothing will completely rid me of the slight strawberry skin appearance on my lower legs, but it is far less prevalent when I achieve a nice close shave (go slow, small sections, light pressure). With sumhttps://www.sephora.com/brand/hannimer on its way, I expect that a bit of extra color in my skin will help further reduce the appearance of the follicles under the skin. 

So is the Hanni Razor Worth the Hype?

I actually am not sure how much hype there is around the Hanni razor, but I believe there should be! While it may perform similarly to other single-bladed razor designs, the weighted handle and luxurious feel really make this product feel worth what I spent. 

I really enjoy the shave pillow though I am surprised at the rate I’m going through it, since it’s a touch on the pricey side for the volume of product. This is probably not helped by my partner discovering their love for both my razor and the shave pillow. We are likely going to be ordering a second handle, which will give me an excuse to restock our shave pillow and razor supply.

If you are in the market for a new way to shave, love products with good aesthetics, and don’t mind not being able to find replacement blades at the local grocery, then the Hanni razor may well be for you. 
If you enjoyed this review and are interested in trying the Hanni razor, you can save $10 off your first purchase. Hanni products are also now available at Sephora, for my fellow VIBs.