Sensitive skin can turn routine shaving into routine stress. Resulting frequently in razor burns, awful bumps, agonizing irritation, dryness and redness, shaving a sensitive skin is a huge dilemma for quite a few of us. And with shave after shave extracting more blood from the face than a Red Cross Drive, a sensitive skin can be a huge obstacle to achieving a clean-shaven, hot and elegant face.
Do You Have Sensitive Skin?
The majority of men simply assume that they have sensitive skins. But that is not entirely correct! Simply having irritation, bleeding and breakouts after shaving does not mean you have sensitive skin. And often, these problems occur because men lack the understanding and knowledge as to how to shave well and care for their skin correctly. In fact, for majority of men, just picking the right shaver and using it appropriately will eliminate these problems.
That said, approximately 40% of men actually have sensitive skins and need to take extra precautions while shaving to achieve a close and smooth shave without pain. If you fall in the category of people with sensitive skin, some of the common signs you are likely to experience include:
- Intense skin dryness: characterized by severe flaking, itchiness, and reddish rashes that fade after some time.
- Ingrown hairs: common among men with curly hair.
- Eczema: occurrence of eczema indicates clinical-grade skin sensitivity and is typically manifested via small red bumps on the skin surface.
Avoid Manual Razors: Prioritize Electric Shavers
When you have sensitive skin, you MUST avoid using a manual razor. While manual razors are loved for their close and smooth shaves, they cut extremely close to the skin and cause more friction and irritation which can worsen skin sensitivity. Besides, manual razors cause burns, nicks and scrapes more frequently and will definitely trigger sensitivity reactions.
On the contrary, electric shavers are designed with thin foils on their shaving heads to prevent the blades from actually touching the surface of the skin. Hence, the shavers minimize potential damage, irritation and burns to the skin.
Top 7 Tips On Shaving Sensitive Skin
If your skin is sensitive, buying a suitable electric shaver is the most important step towards achieving a clean-shaven look without skin irritation, discomfort and pain. Nevertheless, just owning that wonderful shaver will not do much if you are not familiar with ways to minimize skin sensitivity problems when you shave. Below are some tips that will help you achieve a comfortable shave on your sensitive skin.
- Clean your face thoroughly before shaving: Eliminating impurities from your skin before shaving will minimize irritation and sensitivity reactions. Use a soap-free, dermatologist-recommended cleanser for sensitive skin, to clean your face at least 10 minutes before you shave. Avoid products with high pH, those with antibacterial properties, and products with dyes and perfumes, which may result in adverse skin reactions.
- Moisturize your face with a product formulated for sensitive skin such as Jojoba oil. They will allow the shaver to glide smoothly across your face.
- Use the best shaver: Shavers can cause friction and irritation which may aggravate sensitive skin. But choosing the right one will make a huge difference. That shaver must have sharp and clean blades which don’t make direct contact with the skin (i.e. separated by a thin foil). Never use dull blades on sensitive skin!
- Shave in the direction of hair growth: The shaver strokes should go in the direction of hair growth to minimize friction and irritation. Going against the grain is usually preferred because it delivers closer shaves, but if you have sensitive skin, you must sacrifice some degree of closeness for extra comfort. Avoid the temptation to go against the grain when dealing with stubborn hair. Just take your time and shave with the grain.
- Use short and very light strokes as you shave: Shorter strokes are usually lighter on the skin, therefore minimizes pressure and irritation.
- Shave using a high quality cream or gel that is specifically made for sensitive skin. Take your time and never rush. Rinse the blades in between the strokes to allow you to catch maximum amount of hair in fewer strokes.
- Rinse your face with warm water immediately after shaving. This will allow you to remove any excess shaving cream/gel and dirt from the skin and skin pores. Follow the warm water wash with cold water to seal the pores. Pat your face dry. Never rub! Rubbing is a serious invitation to disaster.
Main Features of the Best Electric Shavers for Men with Sensitive Skin
When choosing the right electric shaver for sensitive skin, the goal is to reduce irritation and minimize adverse skin reaction: therefore, the shaver chosen must have powerful motor, ultra-sharp blades, flexing and high-precision head, ultra-thin foil and provide more coverage per stroke. Here are some of the other pertinent features that such a shaver should have:
- Multiple Ultra-Sharp Blades: Should have at least 3 sharp blades that can capture and cut more hair per stroke, hence guarantees comfort and convenience.
- Small Floating and Flexing Heads: When shaving sensitive skins, it is recommended to apply minimal pressure. A small head will access hard-to-reach areas easily. And a flexing head can arch and float across the skin surface by adapting to facial contours.
- Wet/Dry Functionality: Men with sensitive skin rely on wet shaving to minimize friction, irritation and chances of adverse skin reactions. Therefore, the ideal shaver for sensitive skin should be waterproof and perfect for use in the shower and with shaving gels and creams.
- Rechargeable Battery with Extended Runtime: With a rechargeable battery that offers an extended period of cordless use, you can take your time and make small light strokes for as long as it takes to achieve your desired appearance without irritating the skin. A quick-charge option is also desirable.
- Easy-To-Use Design: A firm grip and snug-fit in the hands should be important considerations of such a shaver, especially when used in wet conditions. It should also be lightweight and easy to manoeuvre so that the user can make short and light strokes to avoid aggravating their sensitive skin.
- Total Comfort: When it comes to shaving a sensitive skin, comfort is paramount. You do not want even the slightest bit of irritation because that can trigger further adverse skin reactions. Therefore, the right shaver should buzz/glide seamlessly across the skin, following contours and adapting well to the face. It should have very high motor power to cut hair without pulling or tugging.
- Easy to Clean: To remain in the best working condition, the shaver should be cleaned thoroughly after every use: It should have the function to be cleaned quickly and effortlessly.
How to Choose the Best Electric Shaver for Men with Sensitive Skin?
Selecting the right electric shaver is usually influenced by several factors such as ease of cleaning, ease of use, capacity to deliver close and clean shaves quickly, value for money, customer service, performance and durability. In addition to these factors, men with sensitive skin must choose premium quality shavers that will reduce skin irritation and eliminate adverse skin reactions.
When buying a shaver for your sensitive skin, you should:
- Prioritize multiple and sharp blades, flexing and contour-following heads, and wet and dry functionality: A shaver with these features will give you quick, comfortable and close shaves.
- Prioritize an easy-to-clean, easy-to-use and cordless shaver: Such a shaver will be easy to maintain and manoeuvre in order to achieve short, light and high-precision strokes.
- Prepare to buy a competitively priced shaver: It is hard to come across a low-cost shaver with all the features needed to shave sensitive skins. Do not sacrifice quality versus price.
- Go for a trustworthy brand: Reputable brands have been thoroughly tested before being introduced on the market. Therefore, they do offer the features, precision, convenience and comfort promised by the manufacturers. Choose a top brand such as Panasonic, Braun, Wahl, or Philips Norelco.
Before buying an electric shaver, make sure to conduct thorough research. The more informed you are, the more likely that you will make the right choice. Besides, you should look through consumer reviews to read other users’ experiences.
Through the research conducted, I can confidently present you with the top 3 shavers that are best suited for sensitive skin:
Braun Series 7- 790cc Pulsonic
Uniquely designed with personalization options, self-cleaning system, relatively quiet operation, ultra-sharp multiple blades, powerful motor and flexing head, the shaver delivers irritation-free, bumps-free, comfortable and remarkably close shaves on sensitive skin. It shaves tough areas and coarse beards effortlessly and gives maximum coverage per stroke, enabling men with sensitive skin to make quick light strokes and achieve desired closeness with minimal pressure.
Nanotech-Blade Wet/Dry Electric Shaver
The easy-to-clean, cordless, easy-to-use, convenient and irritation-free shaver delivers smooth and close shaves on sensitive skin. Boasting of ultra-thin protective foil, hypoallergenic blades, wet/dry shaving functionality and an amazingly powerful motor, the shaver is a cost-effective option for men with sensitive skin.
Multi-Flex Pivoting Head Wet/Dry Electric Shaver
The super-comfortable, cordless, premium-tier shaver with ultra-sharp hypoallergenic Nano-tech blades and high-efficiency 14,000-CPM Linear-Drive Motor delivers gentle and clean shaves. And with its wet/dry options, perfect-finish pop-up trimmer and 4 sharp blades, the shaver is ideal for men with sensitive skin.
The Karmin T7 is my favorite
Hi Erin,
Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
The Hairblog Team