The Best Electric Shaver for Sensitive Skin
Did you know that skin sensitivity is on the rise, meaning that more people every year are suffering from razor burn and other shaving induced skin irritations. If you’ve ever shaved regularly, you’ve probably experienced razor burn, and the burning, stinging, red and inflamed skin that goes along with it.
Not only does this feel painful and irritating, enough to be distracting throughout the day, but it also doesn’t look good. Thankfully, by using the right shaving method, and using the correct electric shaver, you can basically say goodbye to razor burn for good.
The Best Electric Shaver for Sensitive Skin
Braun Series 9 9385cc
The latest in Braun’s shaving range, the Series 9 is supposedly the world’s most efficient electric shaver, and the host of award and accolades it has, from magazines like GQ, and from the Skin Health Alliance, definitely speak to that.
This is why it’s the top of our list. If you have sensitive skin, it’s basically the best option on the market. The powerful motor is super efficient, with 5 shaving elements that capture and shave more hair in a single pass than any other electric razor, and less passes means less aggravation for your skin.
For a close, easy shave the shaving elements use a sonic system to vibrate 10,000 times a minute, letting it glide over your skin, and helping to raise hairs for an ultra close shave (up to 0.5mm.)
Fully waterproof, it can be used with foam or gel, and washed under water for easy clean up. A charging stand is included, which keeps the advanced Li-Ion battery charged, for up to a month of shaves off of a single charge.
The single downside to the Series 9 is the cost. It’s not a budget piece of kit, but as an investment into your comfort, there’s no better electric razor out there.
Philips Norelco OneBlade
Designed as a replacement to cheap disposable razors, the OneBlade is an innovative design that can work as a trimmer and a razor, and will let you keep your entire face and head groomed with one tool.
Each blade head is double sided so you can shave from any angle, which really helps to get into the difficult areas. The powerful motor moves the cutting elements 200 times per second, with a dual protection system that keeps sensitive skin safe. The blades are also replaceable, with extra packs going for a reasonable price, and snapping on and off in seconds, ensuring you always get a close and comfortable shave.
Included in the kit are a whole bunch of different stubble combs, so this can also be used to trim an existing beard, and the tiny blades are perfect for edging and detailing.
It’s waterproof and washable. The battery is rechargeable and lasts for up to 45 minutes off a single charge.
Panasonic Arc 5
Well priced and packed with technology, the Arc 5 is a fantastic generalist choice that’s easy to use and suitable for almost anyone.
The shaving elements are fantastic, with 5 precision engineered nanotech blades that’s driven by a strong motor that delivers 14,000 cuts per minute. The shaving head is mounted on a multi-flex pivoting head that moves in all directions so it can perfectly follow the contours of your face.
Shaving sensors adjust the speed of the motor, boosting power when you reach thicker areas, and slowing down in sensitive zones, for a close but comfortable shave. A wet/dry function, pop out trimmer, and a detailed and easy to read LED info panel built into the body round out the features list.
Braun Series 3 Proskin 3050
The venerable Braun Series 3 is a fantastic generalist razor, which is why the design has lasted so long, and the Proskin series packs a whole lot of skin safe technology into a tiny little frame.
3 pressure sensitive stainless steel foils handle the shaving side. Each one can flex on its mounting, adjusting to the contours of your face and cutting the maximum amount of hair in one pass. Thin, precision heads and a sensofoil protective cover helps to soften the impact on your skin, and difficult areas can be touched up with the back mounted precision trimmer.
100% waterproof, it can be safely used in the shower or with creams and lotions. And when it’s not in use, it sits comfortably in its own charging station, which also serves double duty as a cleaning system, which cleans, charges and lubricates the blades so it feels like new, every single time.
Philips Norelco 7500
The best Philips razor for sensitive skin, the 7500 is a rotary head design, which is unusual for this list, but there’s so much here to recommend.
First, the most important part, the blades. They’re designed with Philips precision blade system, and covered in an anti-friction coating, so the feel on your skin is silky smooth and soft. Each blade is mounted on a 5 directional head that flexes as you shave, maintaining a constant pressure and making sure you end up with an even finish.
Fully waterproof and shower safe, you can use this anywhere, wash it under the faucet, and also use shaving gels and cremes. A separate trimmer is included for detailing like sideburns, which locks into the same head as the main shaver, and the kit also includes a smart charging base.
Panasonic Cordless All-In-One Women’s Shaver
The best women’s shaver for sensitive skin, the Panasonic All-In-One has a lot to offer, for a really reasonable price.
Designed for the specific differences between men’s and women’s shaving (the need to shave a larger area, slightly tougher skin, very sensitive areas) the blades are a large set of three foils that are made from hypoallergenic stainless steel, which is gentle on sensitive skin and great for allergies.
Designed for wet and dry use, and suitable for all areas including legs, underarm and bikini line, and is safe for complete immersion, so you can shave in the bath just like with a normal razor.
It can fully charge in an hour, and a 5 minute charge will give you enough power for one quick shave, perfect for those emergency situations!
Brori Electric Razor for Women
A simple, budget razor that’s surprisingly solid for the low price, this model by Brori can almost compete with the big names, which considering what you’re paying, is seriously impressive.
The 3 foil blades are made from stainless steel, and mounted on floating heads to they adjust to the shape of your body. An LED light illuminates the shaving area, which helps to find all those little hairs that can be hard to see otherwise.
Waterproof and safe for bath use, this shaver is completely safe for shaving lotions. It can be charged from any standard USB jack, so it’s great for travel, but when you’re charging from home, you can also use the provided charging port.
Remington Smooth and Silky
Incredibly small and incredibly simple, this tiny little shaver by Remington isn’t ever going to compete with any of the bigger shavers on the list, but then, it was never designed to.
Absolutely tiny, this razor will fit into the palm of your hand, which makes it perfect for its purpose; an on-the-go model that you can tuck into any piece of luggage or even a handbag, and pull it out when you need a quick touch up.
3 stainless steel blades offer a close and careful shave, and the whole thing is completely waterproof, so it can be used in showers and baths. The sole downside is it’s battery powered instead of having a rechargeable battery, but considering that this is less than a quarter of the cost of most of the other options on the list, that’s barely a problem.
If you regularly travel and need a portable backup shaver, this could be just what you need, and considering it costs the same as a couple of lattes, you lose almost nothing for trying it out.
Yemei 5 in 1 Electric Shaver
A complete kit that’s perfect for grooming your whole head, as well as your face, this 5 in 1 shaver by Yemei is the best option on our list for whole head shaving and sensitive scalps. Five sets of blades set in a star pattern sit on a flexing head that has an 8 directional contour and moulds itself to your scalp, following every line and making sure that you’ve got every errant hair.
The rest of the kit is equally as good, with a standard beard trimmer, a nose trimmer, a soft cleansing brush and a facial massager that’s fantastic for encouraging blood flow and healthier skin.
The small body is easy to hold, and has the remaining shaving time on a large and easy to see LED display. 90 minutes of battery life and USB charging round out a shaver that’s easy to use and offers a whole lot.
Remington Comfort Series F4
Another budget model from Remington, the F4 Series might be one of the cheapest shavers on our list, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in features.
Light and easy to use, it’s packing the same high quality stainless steel blades as other Remington shavers, with Intercept technology that pre-cuts longer hairs before they reach the blade foils. This is great for sensitive shavers, because a lot of the issues come from blades catching on and puling out longer hairs.
The shaver head has a good amount of flex so it can adjust to your face, and a motor engineered to be quieter than previous models. 50 minutes of run time from one charge, and a washable (but not water proof) design round out the specs.
The best way to deal with sensitive skin when shaving
One of the best ways to prevent sensitive skin when you’re shaving is prep work. It’s important to get the basics right, which will go a long way to preventing that dreaded tingly, pink feeling.
First off, if you dry shave, have your skin as dry as possible. This means avoiding taking your shave after having a shower or washing your face, and making sure that everything is completely dry.
If you wet shave, make sure that you lather correctly, use a high-quality shaving cream, and if possible give your skin time to adjust to the heat and moisture.
Second, when shaving, make sure that you’re using high quality tools. An old or dull razor, or an electric razor with a dying battery will have more issues cutting your beard and cause more problems.
Third, don’t push too hard, and try not to go over an area more times than you need to. The more times you shave an area, the more you’re going to aggravate your skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you use a rotary or foil shaver for sensitive skin?
There are two types of electric shaver, divided between the type of blades they have. Foil shavers use a long, bar style blade that spins on its axle to trim your hair, and rotary shavers use rotating blades (hence the name.)
There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of shaver, and the answer to what one you need is subjective.
In general, foil shavers are more comfortable and easy to use. You can be more confident in your control of them, and they are normally better at getting into difficult areas.
Rotary shavers on the other hand are very easy to use, and cover a large area, so they’re fantastic for a very quick shave. But lower end rotary shavers are known for pulling hairs, making foil shavers a safer choice. Our list features mostly foil shavers, with one or two rotary shavers that are noteworthy.
What makes a shaver good for sensitive skin?
Good blades
It stands to reason, since the blades are what’s going to be in contact with your face and doing all the work, that better blades make for a better shaver.
Unless you’re buying a shaver that’s very cheap, you can expect any blade to be made from high-quality stainless steel. Occasionally, you’ll also see blades that have been coated with titanium or ceramic.
A strong motor
In the same way that good blades are always preferable, so is a strong, powerful motor.
A stronger motor will drive the blades at a higher RPM, which means they are much less likely to catch, or stick. Faster blades means a smoother shave, with fewer passes and less pressure.
Wet and dry operation
Wet shaving can be a huge help for men with sensitive skin. While it does take longer, and a lot more prep work, the use of hot water and shaving gel or foam will take a lot of the sting out of shaving. Most of the shavers on our list are compatible with wet shaving, but always double check when buying, as this is something you’re probably going to want.
