Disclaimer: This article is in no way intended to try and sway those participating in Movember to shave their bushy faces.

In case you haven’t noticed folks, Movember is in full swing. This month, those able to grow prickly patches of hair above their lips will be saying ‘no’ to their razor to promote prostate and testicular cancer awareness. Without said razor, though, mustaches would run rampant in our society, and we’d have Kyle Clauss (pictured above) look-alikes posting up on nearly every streetcorner across the nation. You can thank King C. Gillette for patenting the first safe, inexpensive blade and for keeping us all safe from that.

Based in Boston, Gillette has become one of the most successful corporations in the world thanks to aptly named King.

Though not a native to The Hub, Gillette trekked to the East Coast from The Windy City after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 charred 3.3 square miles of cityscape.

According to MIT, “Gillette used to shave every morning with a Star Safety Razor: that is, a heavy, wedge-shaped blade fitted perpendicularly into its handle.” After teaming up with an MIT inventor, Gillette began producing lightweight blades, packaging multiple blades together, for the utmost practicality.

In 1904, he was awarded a patent for his invention and the rest is Boston history. Interestingly, Gillette was a noted Utopian Socialist and was staunchly against privately owned corporations. In fact, he published several books on the matter, contesting that the entire country live in a single city powered by Niagra Falls.

According to Brand New, in 1999 Gillette’s company was valued at $43 billion while it’s brand was valued at $16 billion. In 2005, the company merged with Proctor & Gamble and has since developed various personal care and household products.