Electric Shaver Vs. Wet Shave
Can’t decide what kind of shaving tool to use? There are a lot of differences people don’t always consider; here is our summary of the biggest advantages and disadvantages of each system.
The Electric Shaver…
The Pros of Electric Razors
1. It’s Faster (technically)
There is no denying it, shaving with an electric razor takes less time. You’ll save 2 or 3 minutes by using an electric razor instead of a wet one. Granted, those 2 minutes in the morning can be extra precious, but it’s just not likely to be noticed.
2. Controlling beard length
You’ll never get as close of a shave with an electric razor, but for some men that’s a good thing. Some of us like to have that designer stubble look; most electric razors have different trim settings while wet shave razors only have their one. Of course, wet razor shavers can always try shaving the night before. It’s worth noting, the best designer stubble comes from wet shaving the night or day before. While this takes some forethought, the clean cut of the hairs (see above image; wet is on the left) makes the stubble look much more crisp, rather than just unkept.
Electric Shavers: The Cons
1. Upfront costs
While in the long run you will save money with an electric razor, you will need to invest quite a bit upfront. Good quality electric razors start around £60 and can cost as much as £250. There are cheaper ones out there but they won’t last long. Even worse, many of the cheap ones will catch and tug at your hair, causing pimples (even some of the nicer ones will do this from time to time).
2. Better pick the right one
There are a lot of different types of electric razors (that’s a whole other article); one kind will be perfect for you and another will be terrible. With such a heavy upfront investment you better pick the right one the first time. Otherwise, you’ll have just sunk your money into something to clutter up your bathroom. Some of the best electric shavers are made by Braun and Phillips.
3.No romance
If you’ve ever used a wet razor you know what I’m talking about; It’s hard to describe. Everyone loves the sound of an old vinyl record despite MP3s or CDs. In a similar fashion, there is just something special about a wet shave that you don’t get with an electric razor.
The Wet Shave
Pros of a Wet Shave
1. A closer and smoother shave
It sounds like marketing, but it’s true. Wet razors cut closer to the skin and unlike an electric razor that break hairs more than cut them, wet razors truly do cut the hairs. The result is a baby soft face that just cannot be had with an electric razor.
Class and tradition:
Wet razors have an air of class and tradition around them (it helps that your dad, his dad, and his dad, and so on used them.) You fill your sink with steaming hot water, take out your best smelling soap and spread it all over your face, then you shave. You have to invest a little extra time, that time is intrinsically special because that time is for you and only you. There is just something special, a “je ne sais quoi”. I’ve never seen James Bond use an electric razor, nor will I.
Exfoliation like no other:
Women wish they could get the kind of exfoliation that wet shaving gives. Wet razors also remove the top layer of dead skin. Combined with a good shaving cream, it’ll leave your skin refreshed and much healthier.
Cons:
Shaving Rash:
A good electric razor won’t give you shaving rash (though a bad or old one sure will!). Similarly, poor quality razors and bad technique will lead to shaving rash. Thankfully, we’ve created a razor that was designed to combat shaving rash for even the most sensitive skin.
Replacement costs:
You have to change your blades quite frequently or you’ll get shaving rash. Those blades can set you back as much as £20 a pack, and that adds up fast. That’s why we decided to put together a solution to this problem, I’ll cover it in the next section.
Parting words
I do have an electric razor that I use every now and then, but if I had to choose one I would pick my wet razor without hesitation. With the costs of a pack of replacement heads by Gillette running for £20 or more, I can’t blame men for going with an electric. That’s why we at the Bearded Colonel decided to launch our own German-made, 5 bladed razor at a fraction of the cost. (check it out here: www.BeardedColonel.co.uk). Honestly, it’s time that men stop getting cheated out of their cash.
