A plurality of retainers operable to secure a plurality of blades within a housing of a shaving blade unit. The plurality of retainers extending along a pair of side edges of the housing, between a front edge of the housing and a rear edge of the housing.

According to an aspect, there is provided a method comprising generating (202) a guidance indicator relating to a portion of a user; determining (204) a position of a portion of a portable device relative to the portion of the user; and generating (208) an indication signal when it is determined that at least a portion of the portable device is in a defined position relative to the guidance indicator. According to other aspects, apparatus and a machine readable medium are provided.

A method of resetting a digital counter for a personal care appliance by sending an electrical output signal from an optical sensor to a control circuit. The electrical output signal is compared to a predetermined value with the control circuit or a change in the electrical output signal from the optical sensor is detected over time. A signal is sent to a consumer user interface by the control circuit based on the electrical output signal and the predetermined value or based on the change in the electrical output signal from the optical sensor. The digital counter is reset based on an input signal from the consumer user interface.

A masking foil, for a shaving cartridge, and a shaving cartridge comprising a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge, and a pair of side edges extending between the front edge and the rear edge. The housing includes a main blade disposed between the front edge and the rear edge. The main blade includes a main cutting edge extending toward the top surface and is movable in the housing. The shaving cartridge further comprises a masking foil. The masking foil includes a front portion located forward of the main cutting edge, a back portion located rearward the main cutting edge, and at least one ribbon which extends between the front portion and the back portion and which partially covers the main cutting edge.

A shaving razor has a cartridge containing one or more blades. A base unit supports the shaving razor and has one or more sensors, a processor, and circuitry configured to determine accumulation of debris in the cartridge and/or wear of the blades. The base unit directly, or indirectly via a handheld personal computer, provides a visual or aural alert to the user regarding the accumulation of debris in the cartridge and/or wear of the blades.

A cartridge for a razor comprises at least one blade and a first blade support configured to attach the at least one blade to the cartridge. The first blade support includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, a first optical feature provided on one or more of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion. The first optical feature is selected from one or more of a color, a coating, a texture, a perforation, a transparency of the blade support, a light emitting source, a protrusion and a sticker.

A shaving and grooming apparatus includes a handle and a cartridge attached to the handle. A plurality of upper blades are positioned in the cartridge, where at least some of the plurality of upper blades include curved tips with a curvature that sufficient to prevent the curved tips from contact a cutting surface during use. A plurality of lower blades is positioned adjacent to the plurality of upper blades in the cartridge, where at least some of the plurality of lower blades comprises curved tips with a curvature that sufficient to prevent the curved tips from contact a cutting surface during cutting. At least one of the plurality of upper and the plurality of lower blades has a thickness and flexibility that results in deflection during cutting that increases effectiveness of cutting action. A drive motor moves the plurality of upper blades relative to the plurality of lower blades.

Methods and apparatuses for an intelligent shaving system is disclosed herein. An example intelligent shaving system includes a handle, at least one blade connected to the handle, a microcontroller attached to the handle, a wireless communication unit configured to send and receive data from microcontroller to an external device, a memory configured to store data applicable to the at least one blade, and one or more sensors configured to send sensory data from the one or more sensors to microcontroller. The one of the one or more sensors is a proximity sensor or a camera having image sensor configured to capture video and/or still images. The shaving system assists in determining blade attrition and provides indicators to assist in shaving techniques. The shaving system further may include at least one blade slightly curved to follow a tangent of the skin. The at least one blade may have a nanolattice structure.

A shaving and grooming apparatus includes a handle and a cartridge attached to the handle. A plurality of upper blades are positioned in the cartridge, where at least some of the plurality of upper blades include curved tips with a curvature that sufficient to prevent the curved tips from contact a cutting surface during use. A plurality of lower blades is positioned adjacent to the plurality of upper blades in the cartridge, where at least some of the plurality of lower blades comprises curved tips with a curvature that sufficient to prevent the curved tips from contact a cutting surface during cutting. At least one of the plurality of upper and the plurality of lower blades has a thickness and flexibility that results in deflection during cutting that increases effectiveness of cutting action. A drive motor moves the plurality of upper blades relative to the plurality of lower blades.

A masking foil, for a shaving cartridge, and a shaving cartridge comprising a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge, and a pair of side edges extending between the front edge and the rear edge. The housing includes a main blade disposed between the front edge and the rear edge. The main blade includes a main cutting edge extending toward the top surface and is movable in the housing. The shaving cartridge further comprises a masking foil. The masking foil includes a front portion located forward of the main cutting edge, a back portion located rearward the main cutting edge, and at least one ribbon which extends between the front portion and the back portion and which partially covers the main cutting edge.