Henson AL13 guide clears up mild, medium and aggressive versions

Choosing a Henson AL13 comes down to beard density, shave frequency, skin sensitivity and comfort with pressure control. Viewed that way, the Mild, Medium and aggressive versions stop looking like a hierarchy and start looking like a practical menu.

How the AL13 lineup actually works

A lot of the confusion comes from the way the colors and levels interact. Common finishes such as Copper and Tan can be found in Mild or Medium, while the aggressive AL13 is its own Grey +++ model rather than a universal gap setting that appears across every colorway. That distinction matters because the finish is not what determines the shave feel; the configuration does.

It is easy to assume a more dramatic-looking finish means a more aggressive shave, but the Henson family separates appearance from performance. If you are choosing based only on color, you can end up with the wrong plate character even if the razor looks right in hand.

Why the Henson shape won over so many shavers

Part of the Henson appeal is the geometry. The head is designed to guide the blade into a narrow, consistent shaving angle, which takes a lot of the guesswork out of finding the right position. Instead of hunting around for the sweet spot the way you often do with a looser traditional head, the razor nudges you toward a controlled stroke.

That makes the AL13 especially attractive to cartridge shavers who are moving into safety razors and want a tool that encourages lighter pressure and cleaner mechanics.

Choosing Mild, Medium or Aggressive by real-world use

Read the AL13 lineup as a fit chart for your own habits.

Mild is the best starting point if you shave daily, have sensitive skin, are new to safety razors, or deal with light to average growth. It is the version that favors comfort and consistency, especially if you are still learning how little pressure a safety razor actually needs.

Medium makes more sense if your beard sits in the average-to-denser range or if you shave every two or three days. That extra step up in efficiency helps when there is more growth to clear, but it still keeps the Henson-style control that makes the series so approachable.

Aggressive, in the Grey +++ form, is aimed at experienced users who want more efficiency and more blade feel. It is the option for someone who already knows how to maintain angle and pressure and wants the razor to do a little more work per pass.

Match the plate to your beard and routine

Look at four variables together: beard density, shave frequency, skin sensitivity and prior safety-razor experience. A daily shaver with finer growth and reactive skin is usually better served by Mild than by chasing extra efficiency. Someone shaving less often, or dealing with a denser patchier beard, may find Medium a better middle ground before ever considering Grey +++.

Experience matters just as much as hair growth. If you are coming from cartridges, the Henson design already helps because it guides you into a narrow angle, but Mild still gives the easiest on-ramp. If you already know your face tolerates a firmer, more efficient shave and you can control pressure naturally, Aggressive becomes a plausible fit.

A simple way to think about it:

• Mild: daily use, sensitive skin, beginners, light to average growth
• Medium: average to denser growth, shaving every two or three days
• Aggressive: experienced users, maximum efficiency, more blade feel

Colorway should not be mistaken for aggressiveness

The lineup’s color system is where a lot of first-time buyers get tripped up. Copper and Tan can appear in either Mild or Medium, so the visual finish alone does not tell you how the razor will behave. Grey is the notable exception because the aggressive AL13 lives as the Grey +++ model, which makes it stand apart from the milder finishes instead of blending into them.

If you want a particular color, you still need to confirm the plate level. If you want a particular shave feel, the plate level is the first thing to check and the finish is second.

Where Ti22 fits in the family

The Ti22 titanium version sits at the premium end of the Henson ecosystem. It is not presented as a different logic altogether, just as a higher-end option for shoppers already interested in the platform. For buyers who are drawn to the Henson approach and want a more upscale version of the same general idea, Ti22 gives them another lane without changing the core decision about mild, medium or aggressive behavior.

The titanium option may appeal to people who already know the Henson format works for them, but the core decision remains the same: mild, medium or aggressive behavior.