Gillette Ups the Razor Ante. Again.

Gillette’s razors have been helping to trim faces, both famous and plain, for decades. And they’ve done it all while keeping their products at the “cutting edge’’ of shaving technology. Here’s a look at the history of their innovative products, including their latest development.

Pictured: David Ortiz of Boston Red Sox has his beard shaved off for charity at Gillette’s Boston headquarters.

Plans For A Shaving Dynasty

Patent drawings show King Gillette’s original razor design. The patent was filed in 1901 and approved three years later.

Not the First Razor – But the First Safe One

The first safety razor was introduced by Gillette in 1903. Unlike a traditional straight razor, the user could purchase, use and dispose of Gillette’s blades.

Adding Bells and Whistles

The Gillette Techmatic razor, introduced in the 1960s, featured a replaceable cream colored plastic cartridge and a black plastic handle. This unusual razor used replacable cartridges which contained a ribbon of razor blade. After every few shaves the silver lever turned one full rotation, advancing the blade ribbon to a new sharp-edged portion of the ribbon. A counter kept track of the number of times the lever had been turned so that the owner wouldn’t be caught without a fresh cartridge.

Double the Blades, Double the Fun

Gillette’s next step was introducing a double-bladed razor. The Trak II was introduced in 1971. Gillette claimed the parallel blades cut shaving time in half. A Track II Plus model also featured a lubricating strip on the cartridge.

Turning Heads

Released in 1977, the Atra was the first razor with a pivoting head. The Plus version included a lubricating strip along with the standard two blades.

The Sensitive, New Age Razor

The Gillette Sensor razor was introduced in 1990. The razor’s blades were mounted on springs, which Gillette said allowed them to closely follow the contours of the user’s face while reducing cuts and nicks.

Refillable! Wet! A Version for the Ladies!

When the Gillette Sensor Excel for Women hit store shelves in the early 1990s, it was touted as the “most advanced refillable wet shaving system available for women.’’ The big advance for the men’s and women’s Excel was “microfins,’’ or little rubber strips that “lifted’’ the offending hair for a closer shave.

Two Blades? We Can Do Better Than That

The Gillette Mach3 razor was introduced in 1998. For a public long dissatisfied with only two blades, the three-blade razor was a welcome addition.

Venus, Because It’s for Ladies

The Gillette Venus was first introduced as a female version of the Mach3. Later versions of the Venus increased the blade count to four, and then to five.

You Know What Razors Need? Batteries

Gillette introduced the Mach3 Power in 2004, adding a vibrating razor handle to the Mach 3’s previous multi-blade, microfin innovations. The vibration caused hair to rise away from the skin, offering a closer shave, according to Gillette.

Brute Force in the Front, Precision in the Back

The Gillette Fusion razor was introduced in 2006. There were five blades on the normal cutting face, and a sixth blade on the reverse. The single blade was for “precision trimming,’’ according to Gillette.

Resistance to the New Coating is Futile

The Fusion ProGlide was launched in 2010. Similar to the Fusion, the ProGlide’s blades had a special coating Gillette claimed would reduce resistance to the cutting edge.

A 3-D Swiveling Ball Hinge!

In 2014, Gillette introduced the Fusion ProGlide Flexball razor. The handle offers a 3-dimensional swiveling ball hinge. The razor will be on store shelves in early June and will retail at $11.49, with a battery operated version available for a dollar more.