Unless you’re bearded and staying that way, you’re shaving your stubble at least once a week. Which makes the question, should you shave your face when it’s wet or when it’s dry up for debate. Both are effective and remove your unwanted facial hair, so really, the choice is yours. Here’s what the experts at Gilette have to say about the age-old, blade versus electric shaving question. Keep reading, as it’ll help you to decide which method you prefer.
What’s the difference between using a blade or an electric shaver?
When it comes right down to it, the blade versus the shave is all about how you want the hair on your face to be cut. “In blade shaving, the hair of the beard is cut with a single stroke of the blade,” explain the Gilette experts. “With an electric shaver, the hair is cut between two blades like the motion of scissors.”
Explain the basics of wet shaving:
Wet shaving is when you use water, soap or foam and a razor blade to remove your facial hair. “Razors use what is called the hysteresis, which is a fancy way of saying that when a blade touches the hair, it lifts the hair up from the follicle before cutting it,” says the Gilette experts. “Nowadays, razors have a second and third blade added (or more—like the Gillette Fusion5™ ProGlide Shield, which has 5), positioned in such a way that the lifted hair is cut and then pulls back below the skin’s surface giving you that smooth shave. This means a close shave can be accomplished; when precisely engineered, this provides a comfortable shave.”
Explain the basics of dry shaving:
This is when you use an electric shaver to remove your beard or stubble. “An electric razor has two parts to cut hair: a thin, perforated metal foil, and the undercutter, a set of tiny blades that move back and forth very quickly under the foil,” says the Gilette experts. “The tiny, perforated holes in the foil are smooth on the outside, but sharp on the inside, acting like a second blade. Electric shavers use the skin’s elasticity for prolonged shaving results. The shaver presses down on the skin and moves it, like a ship creating a bow wave. As a result, the skin contacts the holes of the foil, causing the hair to become more exposed. After it has been cut, the remainder of the hair pulls back into the skin’s surface giving you that close shave.”
