It is the first time Procter and Gamble has teamed the grooming giant Gillette with the skin care brand, and will result in the new Venus & Olay razor.
It will incorporate Venus’ five-blade technology with shave gel bars containing Olay skin conditioners designed to lock in skin’s moisture for less dryness.
Skin care benefits
“The Venus & Olay razor is revolutionizing the shaving aisle. There might be other razors claiming skin benefits, but only Venus has the benefit of this unique partnership with Olay, and their rich heritage and expertise in skin care,” claims John Holding, marketing director, North America, Gillette & Venus.
“When it comes to shaving, women want the best of both worlds: they want effective hair removal, and to also keep their skin looking – and feeling – its best.”
The Olay moisture bars used contain skin-enhancing elements which have been taken from similar Olay products.
P&G explains that they contain petrolatum to help lock in the skin’s moisture for less dryness, as well as glycerin to leave the skin moisturized and glowing. The US firm also confirmed that no separate shave cream is required, due to the Olay product incorporated into the razor.
High hopes
The Ohio-based firm will be hoping that the new product fares better in a competitive grooming market than some of its predecessors which combined razors with skin care benefits and did not take off quite so well.
An online survey by research firm Harris Interactive found that women lose confidence in their appearance most if they forget to shave over anything else, and that just as many women said they wanted soft, moisturized skin as smooth, hair-free skin.
As well as the market research, Venus & Olay have also ramped up its marketing efforts to ensure the product is given the best chance for success.
They have become the first ever beauty partner and ‘official razor’ of US favourite Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2012, teaming up with model Chrissy Teigen as ambassador.