UPDATE: Some people received a note that all the razors have been given away. Gillette has corrected the error and should now work fine. If you participated in the Pro-Glide Challenge last year, you won’t be able to sign up to receive a second razor.

Razors are expensive. So why fork out some cold hard cash to try something new when you’re not sure if it will be better than your current blade? Well, our great friends over at Gillette are offering Homme Grooming readers 200 razors completely free! You read that right. They are so confident about their new Fusion Pro-Glide, that they are giving them away.  So, I know what you’re thinking. How do I get one of these newfangled, five-bladed bad boys?  It’s simple! Just click the Pro-Glide Widget in the sidebar!

The Fusion Pro-Glide Razor features a completely overhauled design that improves on the original five-blade Fusion:

• Thinner blades – with a low-resistance coating to reduce tug and pull on your whiskers.
• “Enhanced Lubrastrip” – The larger strip contains more mineral oil and lubricating polymers to help the razor move smoothly over the skin.
• “Snowplow Comfort Guard” – Okay, the name is silly, but it is designed to clear away any excess shaving cream, foam, oil and other preparations while stretching the skin before it reaches the blade.
• Microcomb – A new comb that helps to guide hair to the blade more efficiently.
• Blade Stabilizer – Helps to maintain optimal blade spacing for comfort while allowing them to adjust to the contours of your mug.
• Precision Trimmer Upgrade – They added a comb card to help align long hairs and made it easier to clean.
• Redesigned Handle – A bigger, more ergonomic grip that allows for better control and comfort.

This is your chance to take the razor for a test drive on your own! My only request is that you report back! I’d love to hear what you think of the razor. If you’d like to give Gillette your feedback directly, you can find them on Facebook or Twitter (or tweet out your review with the hashtag #ProGlideChallenge).

1. Tom Ford Bois Marocain Fragrance ($180, Saks Fifth Avenue)

There’s no doubt that Tom Ford practically wrote the book on how to look like a real man, and his fragrances are everything you’d expect: masculine, sexy, mysterious and a little dirty (in a good way). It’s not quite Spanish Fly, but this is a gift for your dad.

2. Baxter of California 45th Anniversary Straight-Razor ($345, baxterofcalifornia.com)

45 years ago, Baxter Finley created his first grooming product for men and the Baxter of California brand was born. In honor of the anniversary, the brand is going back to its roots with a limited-edition cut-throat razor handcrafted by Hart Steel. It features 24k gold inlay “45” on the spine of the blackened steel blade to mark the milestone, and includes a plush leather sleeve for the blade.

3. The Art of Shaving Fusion Chrome Collection with Pro-Glide Razors ($150, theartofshaving.com)

These days, razors have more bells and whistles than a one-man band, but that doesn’t mean it can’t look stylish in your bathroom. Check out The Art of Shaving’s newest upgrade to the Fusion Chrome Collection razor. The chrome-plated razor not only uses the newest Pro-Glide Razors, but it features a no-slip grip, micropulse power and a handy headlight so you can see where you’re going!

4. Wahl Lithium Ion Facial Hair Trimmer (Sponsored) ($49.95, Wahl-Store.com)

As a shout out to our new advertisers, Wahl’s Lithium Ion Trimmer deserves a lot of credit. This all-in-one set contains numerous changeable blade heads and guards to trim, sculpt and shear any kind of facial hair from beards and stubble to goatees and sideburns. And it’s Lithium Ion battery lasts three times as long between charges.

5. Zeo Personal Sleep Coach ($199, MyZeo.com)

As a crazy insomniac, the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach makes sleeping a game. Each night, it tracks how much time you spend in light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep. It also counts how many times your sleep was interrupted and gives you a grade each morning. Track your progress online and get tips emailed to you each day to improve your Z’s.

6. Anthony Logistics The Tool Kit ($18, sephora.com)

Give Dad a different kind of tool kit. He has all the screwdrivers and hammers he’ll ever need but his hands are looking a bit busted. The four-piece kit includes stainless steel nail clippers, scissors, nail file and tweezers that come in a handy steel case. There’s no way he’ll mistake it for mom’s manicure set.

7. Jack Spade Drill Nylon Soap Bag ($75, jackspade.com)

Every dopp kit has a lifespan and chances are that Dad’s has lived long past it’s prime. Refresh his travelin’ man style with a heavy-duty but lightweight nylon soap kit from Jack Spade. It’s easier to clean than his moldy leather kit and can take a beating in the suitcase.

8. Flight 1 5-Star Hotel Kit ($42, flight001.com)

If your dad’s like mine, he’ll use whatever bar soap he finds in the hotel bathroom and then complains about the scent or how dry his skin feels. Don’t let him leave the house without Flight 001′s 5-Star Hotel Kit–the ultimate survival kit for men on the move. It includes Malin + Goetz Peppermint Shampoo and Conditioner, Vitamin B5 Body Moisturizer, Bergamot Body Wash, Grapefruit Face Cleanser, mending kit, F1 shower cap, F1 dental kit, do not disturb hanging door sign, Dylans Candy chocolate square, and Maura Peters scented candle in pear moss. Even staying at the  Holiday Inn will feel five-star with this gift.

9. The Bearded Gentleman: The Style Guide to Shaving Face ($14.95 10.17, Amazon.com)

If you’ll forgive the shameless self-promotion, give Dad a copy of The Bearded Gentleman, written by Allan Peterkin and Nick Burns (me!). TBG is the complete guide to facial hair from cultivating a fabulous beard or mustache to shaving it all off for a clean-shaven look. Get step-by-step instructions for shaving with a straight razor, honing and stropping, dyeing your whiskers, and finding cures for the most common of shaving gripes. If you email me at nick@beardedgentleman.com, I will sign a copy and mail it to you in time for Father’s Day!

10. Malin + Goetz Dark Rum Candle ($48, malinandgoetz.com)

I know, guys hate candles. But he just might dig this one. It’s not girly or sweet. Instead, it’s got a rich scent of rum and musk that your pops will enjoy but won’t upset your mom. Malin + Goetz candles are made with a 16% concentration of fragrance for a higher-quality scent. —Nick Burns

Photo by Hairy Jacques (Flickr)

Got a burning question for Donatella Versace? Who doesn’t! Now’s your chance to ask her!  Starting today, she’ll be accepting questions from fans of her Facebook page. She’ll answer them with short videos after her show on Friday. [WWD]

Get the long and the short… well, short anyway… on Thom Browne–Menswear’s favorite purveyor of ankle-baring pants, cardigans and the ’50s-style suit. [Out]

London Fashion Week is obviously not for the weak. Sass and Bide’s invite was crafted to look like broken glass and left recipients reaching for Band-Aids. [Fashionista]

Colin Farrell has cleaned up his look. His mustache and goatee are looking neat and tidy. Women will swoon once again over the lad. [She Knows Best]

Gillette launches its Odor Shield line. This must mean that Spring is right around the corner. The line of body washes, deodorants and antiperspirants are designed to keep you smelling fresh and not foul–all day long. [She Knows Best]

Luckily, the geniuses at Gillette (who brought you the five-blade Fusion and fancy vibrating shaving equipment) have teamed up with the luxury shaving innovators at The Art of Shaving to produce The Fusion Chrome Collection. The co-branded Power razor not only vibrates to provide a closer shave and uses Fusion blades, but the decked out handle comes in chic chrome and includes…wait for it… a headlight! That’s right. It lights up, so you can see the path of the blade making it the ideal shower razor.

If you’re not a fan of vibrating razors, a manual version is also available, but it won’t light up your life in quite the same way: it doesn’t come with the light.

And let’s not forget how chic the chrome razors will look on your bathroom counter with a matching, decorative stand and badger hair brush.

Available in October.

Fusion Chrome Collection Power Razor, $150
Fusion Chrome Collection Manual Razor, $125

Visit The Art of Shaving.

A new survey performed by the National Organization of Social Crusaders Repulsed by Unshaven Faces(NOSCRUF) and Impulse Research in May showed that women overwhelmingly prefer a clean shaven man to one that’s stubble-ridden. In fact, only 3% of women prefer an unshaven face when making it out with a man. To combat male stubble, NOSCRUF is leading a (fake) revolution by urging women to protest stubble by refusing to shave their armpits and legs.

Are ladies avoiding you? Perhaps it’s your stubble! Just for your viewing pleasure, here are some more stats from the research: The smoothest and scruffiest cities in the country based on how frequently upstanding male citizens shave.

P.S. NOSCRUF isn’t real, it’s a Gillette marketing tool, but the statistics are legit and the site is hysterical. Check out the promotional Dream On, Stubble Boy short film.

So here’s what’s in my medicine cabinet.

Shiseido Men’s Moisturizing Emulsion—This is a great warm-weather moisturizer. It absorbs quickly and won’t leave you oily. [Amazon.com]
Clinique Skin Supplies for Men Daily Eye Hydrator—Okay, I’m a sucker for Clinique, what can I say? [Clinique.com]
Clarins Men Active Face Wash—Perfect for my oily skin! It deep cleanses without making my face feel tight and over cleansed. [Nordstrom.com]
Gillette Fusion Razor—Okay, so I have mixed feelings about it. It misses some hairs on my neck and under my chin, but I don’t get as much irritation as I did from the Mach 3. And the precision trimmer is a pretty great feature for getting hairs around the mouth and up near the nostrils. I don’t recommend the vibrating version. [Drugstore.com]
Gillette Fusion HydraGel Ultra Sensitive—Still using it! See my earlier post about it. [Drugstore.com]
Sharp’s Barbers Brigade Lemon Fix Body Wash—Sharps is producing a line of products exclusively for sale at Target Stores. It’s not yet available.
Sally Herschberger Face Place Face Refinisher—This is a great exfoliant. It contains tiny polyethylene spheres that gently exfoliate without being too abrasive like other exfoliants that use crushed seeds (they can actually cause tears in your skin). [Face Place]
Clarins Energizing Hydra-Wear Express Body Lotion—This is one of my favorite products of the moment. It’s the BEST summer moisturizer. It absorbs quickly, smells nice and won’t leave you feeling like you’ve been sprayed with Pam and placed in the oven at 450 degrees. [Nordstrom.com]
Burberry Brit—It’s not exactly a spring fragrance because it has a number of muskier, warm notes, but damn does it smell great! I switched to this because I’ve been seeing someone who also wears Lacoste Essential and it’s not a good idea to smell like your boyfriend or girlfriend unless their fragrance rubs off on you from a romp in the sheets. [Nordstrom.com]

I’ve had a problem with shaving irritation and in-grown hairs since I began shaving, so I’ve tried just about all of the shaving creams, gels, lotions, foams and oils out there. I was pleasantly surprised when I tried Gillette’s Fusion HydraGel Ultra Sensitive. I received a better shave with less irritation than when I used some of the higher-priced, luxury lines. While I didn’t escape irritation-free, my neck was noticeably less aggravated.

 I have tried the Gillette gel once before when they were meeting with editors to try their 5-blade behemoth of a razor. The poor PR woman had to follow me into the men’s bathroom to watch me shave so she could be sure that I wasn’t sharing Gillette’s secrets with Schick. I noticed a better shave at that time, as well. But I chalked it up to the new high-tech razor. So after a recent and unfortunate experience with a less-friendly shave cream, I decided to give the Gillette gel another shot.

  Skin care is a very personal thing. So, what might work for one person, might not work for another. It’s really about finding what works best for you. If you’ve got a shave gel or a 5-step shaving system that you feel works for you and isn’t messing up your mug. Don’t change it.

The moral of the story? Don’t knock major drugstrore brands.Â