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The Next BIC Thing?

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I’m going back to shaving with a cartridge razor for a month or so…for science!

The Next BIC Thing

A few months ago I learned of “The Next BIC Thing,” an idea from BIC razors to research how consumers shave.  They are doing it by having test subjects shave with a razor that records how they shave.

From the Next Bic Thing website:

Today, BIC continues its legacy of innovation with the “Next BIC® Thing” platform, bringing consumers directly into the Innovation and Research & Development process.

Kicking off with BIC’s new AI-enabled prototype shaver, this new community of ambassadors – called the “BIC® R&D Squad” – will test BIC’s product prototypes, provide feedback, and interact with BIC’s internal teams.

The first focus of the “Next BIC® Thing” Program is the shaving experience.

Using BIC’s new AI-enabled prototype shaver, the first BIC wet shaver with AI technology, we will capture data about the complete shaving experience, including temperature, hair thickness, hair density, shaving speed, number of strokes, time spent shaving, blade dullness, and more.

With its community of users and the data collected through the companion app, BIC will create its next generation of shavers, perfectly adapted to today’s users, their different skin types and their shaving habits.

Guinea Pig?

I applied to be one of the test subjects and they accepted me (knowing that I blog about old school shaving!).

I just received the research kit and downloaded their app that “talks” to the razor.  Interestingly, the razor came from Greece (BIC is a French company).

They sent along four different cartridges of three different types (three, four, and five blade).  I’ll be shaving with them in a specific order while the razor and app gather data on my shaving habits.

During the research I’ll also have to take a “selfie” of my face and answer a questionnaire.  This is a face-only research program: they asked me not to shave other parts of my body with the razor.

The researchers didn’t ask me to shave with any specific “software” so I’ll mix it up with my usual soaps and creams, and I’ll use some common brushless products, too (Cremo, Pacific Shaving, and perhaps a couple others).  Of course if I find that something in particular is more comfortable with this razor I may go with that more often.

I will try to do more “shave of the day” posts on my social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest) to show you all what I’m up to.  I may do a video about it if it’s OK with them, too.

Conclusion

I’ll be participating in the Next BIC Thing research project until the cartridges are used up, so it will be interesting for me to see what kind of shaves I get.  I try to shave efficiently anyway so I may be an “outlier” in their data model.  I’m not sure how much information I’ll be able to share with you all since I did sign a privacy statement (the information in this post is publicly available) but I hope to be able to at least point you to the results of the research when it’s completed.

Author

Shave tutor and co-founder of sharpologist. Also check out my content on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!View Author posts

10 thoughts on “The Next BIC Thing?”

  1. Any news about this BIC shaver? I too applied for to test it. Received an e-mail back saying that they would contact me, but nothing has happened. I applied for the second time, thinking that maybe something went wrong first time, but still the same: just an e-mail saying that someone from the company would contact me, but nothing more than this.

  2. I don’t think everyone got the gist. It’s for research. BIC gets all the information from the volunteers. Then produces a better mousetrap with it all. Not much more.

  3. Interesting. After using artificial intelligence they are using real intelligence to see if their artificial intelligence is right. I will be interested if you will switch to a cartridge razor. This may be what they are really trying to get you to do. I doubt that you will. Enjoy your shaving experience.

  4. Interesting indeed! I never would have guessed that the company doing something like this would’ve been BIC. I wonder if they’ll be coming out with software-enabled pens and lighters too! 🙂

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