Panasonic seamlessly integrates the ritual of shaving into a neat little package with their new ARC5 PALM-Sized Electric Razor, handleless and minimal with an incredible coolness to the touch, akin to stone. Careful to not spare any expense, Panasonic wanted to invest their best resources into this project, including our most valuable resource as designers and consumers: time. Spending about eight years in development, the ARC5 is created from NAGORI® by Mitsui Chemicals, a proprietary composite engineered from marine minerals extracted from seawater to feel as close to ceramic as possible, icy yet soft to the touch.
NAGORI® is a sustainable, calcium-based resin developed with TBM from sea minerals, making it an exquisite material companion to razors, and bathroom functions in general. However, the material is naturally completely white, something that natural stone is recognizably not. Through rigorous testing, including color, texture, and density prototyping, meticulous refinement brought the Panasonic team to their final two colors – White NAGORI® and Black. By adding colored pellets to the mix, the designers were able to achieve the final, marble-like finishes to both of the matte color options.
Daily shavers know that portability and hand feel are paramount – with a super close finish as the main event. This palm-sized razor does it all, complete with a carrying case, all ready for travel. Its ergonomic shape was inspired by the rounded form of natural river stones and the smoothness those stones feel in the hand. The lack of a handle is not a detractor, in fact, it’s the defining feature – an incredible amount of engineering went into making a high-quality razor fit into a compact cavity in the first place. In fact, the main circuit board was too large to fit into the relatively slim space allotted, prompting the designers to split it into thirds, and place the boards next to each other, reducing space.
With a handy USB-C charging cord included, taking the ARC5 with you on trips of any kind is a breeze, flat bottom keeping blades off of unknown sink counters and a small footprint keeping it cute and out of the way. A handy cover ensures thing are sanitary and covered, with a carrying case to keep everything organized. Two vents allow air to pass into the razor chamber, allowing for humidity to escape even when it’s sealed.
“Everything began with my ambition to reimagine what shaving is. Conventional electric shavers were evaluated based on how fast, closely, and gently they could shave beards. However, today, quite a few people choose devices based on their designs and how they fit into their lifestyles,” shares Ushio Bessho, senior designer for Panasonic and one of the leads on the project. “So, I thought that an electric shaver should not be just something to clean beards, but rather a device that could uplift us and enhance our quality of life by caring the skin. Thus, I reviewed and considered everything, including colors, textures, and size, to make it perfect.” This smart razor already comes with everything included, making caring for ourselves that much easier.
To learn more about the Panasonic ARC5 PALM-Sized Razor, please visit panasonic.com.
Photography courtesy of Panasonic.