Women's Razor Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2023-2028

The global women’s razor market size is expected to reach USD 5.28 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 4.85% from 2022-2028. The market has witnessed significant growth in recent years due to the growing concerns over excessive hair growth on the body and faces, increasing employment rates among women, and increased grooming and personal care practices.

Removal of hair from the human body has been an inseparable part of beauty and hygiene. The hair removal practice is not only a part of grooming but also prevents infections and foul odors. For decades, societies worldwide have gone into two extreme directions - remove all body hair to be considered feminine or stop grooming altogether to be a real feminist. This feminism issue is a major factor boosting removal brands' growth. Hence, razors have become the easiest, most convenient, and cheaper method/practice for hair removal among women, which propels the growth of the global women’s razor market.

The surge in social media influence and the subsequent increase in focus on esthetic appeal fuel the face-shaving trend in women. Influencers' videos, advertisements, and promotions encourage women to buy personal care products. Women's face shavers are inexpensive compared to substitutes such as laser hair removal devices and epilators. The global women’s razor market players are also launching eco-friendly facial razors for women as customers increasingly prefer to buy sustainable products. They also manufacture multi-purpose products that can be used as facial and eyebrow razors. Companies in the market are investing significantly in the R&D of new ladies’ facial hair trimmers and razors. For instance, BOMBAY SHAVING COMPANY offers eco-friendly products such as a biodegradable face razor made from 80% wheat straw. This biodegradable material helps reduce carbon emissions and waste.

MARKET TRENDS & OPPORTUNITIES

Increasing Product Innovations

• In recent years, many women's razor market vendors have come up with several innovations in razors, such as razors with high flexibility, razors with exfoliating and moisturizing agents, and hybrid razors. These razors have been developed to prevent cuts and bruises, for easy use, and convenience to carry.
• One such innovation includes the Travel-Friendly Razors. There is an increasing demand for travel-friendly razors that are convenient to carry and store. Sirona offers a pocket-sized travel cartridge razor with four blades and a replaceable cartridge. It also allows quick and easy rinsing of blades. Further, Carmesi offers a body razor mini that fits easily in a pocket, purse, or handbag. Increasing innovations in the women's razor market are thus influencing women to prefer shaving over other alternatives.

Growing Development of Facial Razors

• Facial shaving provides mechanical exfoliation, which can help skin look brighter and cleaner. Traditionally, women preferred face waxing with the perception that it keeps the face clear, giving long-lasting results. But waxing is associated with high costs, blisters, redness, and pain, whereas razors are painless, cost-effective, and self-use. Hence, the growing use of facial razors supports the women's razor market growth.
• Tweezerman offers a precision folding razor for facial hair removal with a built-in brush to shape brows. It offers a prep & plane facial razor that provides easy removal of peach fuzz & gentle exfoliation of dull and dead skin. Recently, eyebrow razors have also emerged in the market in combination with facial razors.

Growing Subscription Model Among Vendors

• A razor subscription can simplify a woman's daily life and be one less last item to replenish their grocery list. The subscription model is a rising trend in the women's razor market. Many shaving clubs offer more than products and are a beneficial resource to help women get a clean shave with less irritation. There is something for every budget, and even the cheapest razor subscription is an upgrade from what many local convenience stores offer.
• Athena Club is a women's razor subscription service that puts high-quality razors at the user’s doorstep. Athena Club’s razors are designed for a deep, comfortable shave and are available in various colors and designs. Women can choose to receive blades for sensitive skin, thick hair, or both. Athena Club also offers a variety of replacement blades and handle options; hence, they can customize their razors to suit their needs.

SEGMENTATION INSIGHTS

INSIGHTS BY PRODUCT SEGMENTATION

• The cartridge razors under the product segment accounted for the most significant global women's razor market share of 37.73% in 2022. The popularity of cartridge razors is steadily increasing among women. These razors have mainly been upgraded with gel strips and an increasing number of blades over the years. The cartridge razor is also more popular as it is budget-friendly and comes with innovative design and technology. They are also available on a subscription; for instance, Make My Shave, based in Australia, is a women’s razor subscription-based company that offers solutions to shaving.
• In 2022, the disposable razor segment accounted for a 34.68% revenue share of the women’s razor market. The convenience and economical aspects of disposable razors have made them a huge business in the women’s razor industry. Furthermore, the spurt in the middle-class population has driven the demand for lower-priced consumer products among developing countries, creating new opportunities for disposables. Even as traveling factors in more than ever on women’s schedules, jet setters are expected to drive the demand for them

Segmentation by Razor Type

• Cartridge Razors
• Disposable Razors
• Safety Razors
• Straight Razors

INSIGHTS BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL

• The online segment in the global women's razor market is expected to grow at a faster growth rate of 5.87% during the forecast period. The faster growth rate of the segment is attributed to the established players and start-ups coming up with the D2C business model, offering their products on their websites and e-commerce sites. Manufacturers are expanding their online distribution channels as customers shift from brick stores to e-commerce websites for buying facial hair razors. With online channels, vendors could expand their presence in regions with low product availability due to the limited presence of companies and physical stores. The brands also offer subscriptions that include monthly deliveries of a refill to the customer’s doorstep.

Segmentation by Channels

• Offline
• Online

INSIGHTS BY USAGE

• The body segment accounted for the largest revenue share of 81.23% of the global women’s razor market in 2022. The demand for body razors can be attributable to the increasing focus on personal grooming (both to enhance appearance and hygiene practices) and a hairless body norm across the globe. It is also in high demand because of its convenience and cost-effectiveness. Vendors are highly focused on developing a wide range of body razors enriched with an aloe vera & vitamin E lubrication strip to keep the skin moisturized. In addition, vendors are more focused on developing travel-friendly razors with ergonomic handles and 4-5 blades for precision shaving. The key market players in the body razor segment include BIC, Edgewell, Harry’s, P&G, and many more. In recent years, vendors are coming up with razors for bikini areas as they are the most sensitive body part.
• Further, the facial segment in the women's razor market is expected to grow faster as face shaving is gaining popularity in several high-income countries. This trend is being fueled by celebrities and beauty bloggers adopting this practice.

Segmentation by Usage

• Body
• Facial

INSIGHTS BY BLADE

• Stainless steel razors dominate the global women’s razor market with the highest revenue share, attributable to ease of use and the fact that they do not rust as much as carbon steel. The women’s stainless steel blade razor market was valued at USD 3.7 billion in 2022. Vendors in the market have primarily diversified their stainless-steel blades by adding coatings that can reinforce or lend certain properties to the blades based on specific shave characteristics or skin types.

Segmentation by Blades

• Stainless Steel
• Carbon Steel

GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS

a) North America holds the most significant global women's razor market share at 33.42%. The region shows the practice of hair removal as being highly common. Women with hair on their legs and underarms are seen to be rare. White women groom themselves more than other ethnic or racial groups. Further, waxing is hardly the first choice for consumers, and shaving has been heavily preferred, and almost two-thirds of women go all clean. North America hosts several leading women's razor manufacturing players such as Procter & Gamble, Edgewell, BIC, and Harry’s, apart from its many local players offering innovative razors in different categories such as cartridge, disposable, safety, and straight razors.
b) Europe's women’s razor market was valued at USD 921.76 million in 2022. The region’s growth is mainly attributed to the number of working women, stimulated by the growing household disposable incomes and continuously innovative products in the regional women’s razor market. Unlike in the United States, where most women have had their body hair removed for decades, in Europe, such attitudes vary from country to country. They are deeply rooted in cultural traditions, economic conditions, and different perceptions of beauty.
c) The Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to witness the fastest global women's razor market growth at a CAGR of 5.96%. Driven by a highly active economy, rising incomes and an expanding middle class characterize the APAC region. Refillable and disposable razors are likely to gain profits in the region. Moreover, Korea and Australia are emerging as the major profitable markets for razors. In APAC, Australia is a prominent women’s razor market, as most people regularly shave for their legs and armpits. However, the market is in the mature stage, characterized by slow growth. Bikini razors are likely to witness massive demand in Australia as shaving around the area has increasingly become a norm over the last several years.
d) Further, in Saudi Arabia, an increasing number of working women and a budding social life have driven the use of razors. Medical shops are emerging as the most significant revenue drivers for the MEA women's razor market. Furthermore, although it seems implausible, climate affects the frequency of shaving and the features sought on razors. For instance, in Switzerland, women often complain of dry and sensitive skin. Hence, razors lean toward products with sensitive characteristics and moisturizing properties; Sheffield, England, Solingen, Germany, and Seki, Japan, are countries with a reputation for the best razors. China and India are the nations offering inexpensive options in the women’s razor market and are popular among the middle-class masses.

Segmentation by Geography

• North America
• US
• Canada
• Europe
• UK
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Spain
• Russia
• APAC
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• Thailand
• Malaysia
• Latin America
• Brazil
• Mexico
• Argentina
• Columbia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Turkey
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

The global women's razor market is highly competitive and fragmented, with large established companies and new entrants with strong and innovative product portfolios. Large established companies have a wide geographical presence and a strong portfolio. Procter & Gamble, Edgewell, BIC, Harry’s, BOMBAY SHAVING COMPANY, and Kai Corporation & Kai Industries are the key players in the women's razor market.

Global players expect to increase their footprints in the market by focusing on quality, features, technology, and price. And expansion activities help vendors to strengthen their global distribution networks, which allows players to explore untapped opportunities. Vendors in the industry also offer a diverse range of women’s razors at competitive prices. Currently, companies in the women's razor market are highly focused on developing a wide range of body razors enriched with aloe vera & vitamin E lubrication strips to keep the skin moisturized and travel-friendly.

Insights On Vendor's Activities

• Procter & Gamble (P&G), which owns Gillette and Venus brands, is a leading vendor in the global women's razor market. Edgewell has a diversified portfolio of over 25 established brand names, and BIC Group is expanding beyond its historical strength in the disposable segment.
• On November 29, 2021, Edgewell acquired Billie, a leading US-based consumer brand that offers women's personal care products. This acquisition added the growing feminine products to their product portfolio.
• Companies are taking initiatives to develop and encourage the development of eco-friendly razors in the women's razor market. On September 3, 2022, Edgewell launched a US razor recycling initiative to encourage the recycling of its disposable razors as part of its Sustainable Care 2030 strategy. Its global portfolio of women's disposable razors includes Skintimate three-blade women's razors with handles made up of 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic.
• New entrants focus on developing facial, eyebrow, and bikini razors. They are developing straight razors that remove facial and eyebrow hair. In addition, several vendors have come up with innovations, including highly flexible heads with ergonomic handles to easily glide upon the curvy body parts to prevent cuts and nicks that were mainly observed in traditional razors.
• Carmesi and BOMBAY SHAVING COMPANY offer flexible razors in the women's razor market. Vendors such as LetsShave, Sirona Hygiene, Plush, and Carmesi provide razors exclusively designed for bikini areas. In addition, a few other innovations include safety razors for sensitive areas, travel razors, razors integrated with exfoliating and moisturizing strips, eyebrow razors, and hybrid razors. Vendors are also focusing on developing razors with 5 and 6-blades that help in precision shaving.

Key Vendors

• P&G
• Edgewell
• BIC
• Harry’s

Other Prominent Vendors

• Alleyoop
• All Girls Shave Club
• BeBodywise
• Bombay Shaving Company
• Carmesi
• Dorco
• Edwin Jagger
• Estrid
• Feather
• FFS Beauty
• Grüum
• Hanni
• HAPPY LEGS CLUB
• Jillrazor
• Jungle Culture
• Kai
• Kitsch
• LetsShave
• Make My Shave
• NUDDY
• OSCAR RAZOR
• Ouishave
• Parker Safety Razor
• Push
• PRESERVE
• Pure Silk
• Redroom Technology
• Shiseido Company
• Sirona Hygiene Private Limited
• Sterling Shave Club
• ShaveMOB
• Super-Max
• THE WOMEN'S SHAVE CLUB
• Tweezerman International
• The Shave Union
• Women’s India Personal Care

Recent Product Launches in The Women's Razor Market

• In 2021, DORCO, a South Korean shaving care company, launched its first-ever women's 3D motion razor. It features a broad tip and a micro-patterned surface, taking the design to a higher level. Moreover, the 3D motion-rounded head in metallic color visualizes how DORCO EVE 5 Motion glides effortlessly along body contours.
• On May 18, 2021, P&G launched New Venus in the women's razor market for pubic hair razors.
• BIC is a key player in the women's razor market; in October 2021, it announced that it had designed a sustainable Soleil Click 5 handle. And July 2021, the company launched Click 3 Soleil, its hybrid razor in the European market for women.

KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED:

1. What is the revenue from the women’s razor market?
2. What is the growth rate of the global women’s razor market?
3. What are the growing trends in the women’s razor market?
4. Who are the key players in the global women’s razor market?
5. Which region holds the most substantial global women’s razor market share?