Electric Razor Advice Needed
 

For Christmas, my girlfriend got me the Norelco 7735x - Nivea Bundle , it comes with some Nivea packets of goo that you can use while shaving.

I've never used an electric razor in my life, I've been using the Mach 3 power now for a couple years and am afraid to put the Electric up to my face. Can you share some helpful tips to ease my transition?

FYI, I have very sensitive skin, always shave in a hot shower and I usually only shave 3 or 4 times a week. My stubble grows in every possible direction and in one point it spirals to a point! Thanks in advance for all your help!

IMO they're worthless. My wife spent a fortune on the Braun Activator self-cleaning razor as a gift last year. I tried it for a month and went back to the good 'ol M3Power. Perhaps it was me, with the electric I just don't get as close a shave and also had much more stubble and razor burn. I get the job done more quickly and neatly with a normal razor (if one can call a vibra-razor normal :D)

I use a Panasonic 8092 Wet/Dry razor and LOVE it. I use it with shaving cream and rinse the shaver under the faucet. It's the best razor I have ever had, shaves as close as I can with a blade, and doesn't nick at all like a blade does. It can run for 6 or 7 days without a recharge, so it's perfect for my travel schedule.

I've never used anything but an electric--the thought of naked blades on my skin is scary! As the blades in an electric are behind some sort of screen there's no way to cut yourself, nothing to worry about.

I'm the opposite, afraid to shave with a blade. I've used Norelcos for years, not sure if it's the best, but they're adequate for me. I think what I need to try is more pre- and/or after- shaving products that might help the dry and irritated skin on my neck. I really can't imagine a blade or other type of electric being better for that.

The electric shouldn't do anything horrible to your face as the blades are below those floating heads. It's not impossible to cut a pimple or something like that, but it's fairly difficult unless you're really rough with the thing. The Norelcos take a few weeks of adjustment, so to really try it out you have to give it at least three weeks. The model you have does appear to be the best for transitioning from a blade, and you can even keep using it in the shower.

I'd recommend shaving sooner than usual, since if you let the stubble get too long the Norelco may tug a bit more than is comfortable. (The action of the blades is meant to lift the hair slightly before cutting it off.) After you give it the few weeks, if you want to keep using it, then go back to your normal 3-4 times a week. (Must be nice. Mine looks pretty hideous if I don't shave every day and worse gets much much harder to shave if I skip a day.)

In the end it's probably more a matter of preference than anything. No one method is perfect for everyone. Hope the relationship is such that if the electric doesn't work out for you there won't be any hard feelings. :D

The stubble and razor burn made an electric razor not a good option for me. Sure, they can be convenient but they do not provide the same quality shave as a nice blade nor are they really good for your face.

M3Power has my vote as well, plus Aveda Shave Cream.

If you have bad razor burn, try Tend Skin. A friend of mine reccomended it for my bikini line, and my SO found it works wonders on his face. No more ingrowns and such. He also has a crazy stubble growth pattern.

I've never used the Philips gel shaver but I have used the standard model until recently. I also have sensitive skin and a horrible growth pattern and I need to shave daily.

The Philips should get everything regardless fo direction though you will need to go over it a couple of times - I'm not sure of the effect of the gel.

I now use a Braun Activator and find it to be really good. It handles the different directions of growth and is more tender on the skin (rotary shavers like the Philips are not the best for sensitive skin), and I get a closer shave. I bought it on a try it for 60 days and if you don't like it bring it back for a full refund deal.

Hope this helps. Buying a shaver is a hard thing to get right because you normally can't try before you buy and the good ones aren't cheap.

I fall into the anti-electric camp. I have been a loyal Mach3 user for years, and last year I got a Braun Activator. I could never get a shave close enough or as fast as I do with the blades. In addition, I also have sensitive skin and no matter what products I used with the Braun, I had a red, irritated and painful face! (No jokes about the painful face, please :D ).

With the Mach 3 I use a variety of sandalwood-based products from The Art of Shaving, including pre-shave oil, shaving cream applied with a shaving brush (I have home and travel brushes) and an aftershave cream. I'll stick with this, but good luck with whatever you wind up doing!!!

Thanks for all the good advice everyone. I tried my new razor this morning for the first time and I wouldn't quite say that I am impressed. I had to go over my face a couple times and there are still areas that I feel like the razor missed. It certainly doesn't *save* time using an electric and so far, it hasn't proved well on my stubble. The area that I had the most difficult time with is the area of skin adjacent to my sideburns. I had to resort to my Mach 3 to clean this area up.

I will give it the full three weeks as recommended by Norelco and will report after that, but I have suspicion this is will be an uphill battle.

Send that baby to me Kanebear! I love my Braun Activator.

I can't shave with a razor more than once a week without scraping the hell out of my skin and bleeding everywhere. So, I use the Braun M-F, let it grow Sat, and blade shave on Sun. Works for me.

I'm glad this thread came up because I've been thinking about switching back to electric but after this thread I think I'll stay with razor....I have a M3 for home and the old Sensor for travel....I actually think I like the Sensor a little better but the handle is getting old and the blades slightly wobbly...but can't find Sensor handles in my town any longer...Anyone have an idea of a source?

I am much like you. I do agree with others that electric shaves tend not to be as close, but I get way too much razor burn with a blade if I use it two consecutive days. FWIW, I have recently converted to King of Shaves shaving gel on those blade days and have found it to help minimize the worst of the problems. Infinitely better than regular shave cream.

I recently bought a Braun activator as well, unfortunately, it didn't work too well for me so I bought another Philip's rotary which seems to work much better for me than the foil.

So now I have a Braun Activator, an extra set of foil cutters and half a dozen cleaning cartridges that I won't use, :(

FWIW, I'd dstick with the Mach 3 - or any razor for that matter.

While I use one in urgent emergency situations, is it really possible to get a good shave with an electric razor? I tend to doubt it.

Mark