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- #121
Here is the next installment, but with some changes.
I changed my mind about the soap/aftershave this morning. Here's how it went.
I used Razorock Keyhole synthetic brush and TOBS Lemon & Lime cream. I realized I did not have to make a ton of lather, because there is no reason to do a traditional multi-pass shave with this electric shaver. I debated using a Proraso pre-shave cream, but decided not to.
I wasn't sure what to expect because I don't have much experience shaving with an electric, but the shave was incredibly smooth! I'd definitely recommend using it with the soap/bream and a brush if you are not in a hurry. The experience is much better and your skin will thank you for it. Since electric shaver does not remove a ton of lather like a wet DE razor does, you can go over the same spot multiple times, changing direction freely - even doing circular motion - with absolutely no drag or irritation. The downside is that i had to feel my skin often in order to know if I needed to get it extra smooth in certain spots. The shave approached BBS in about 2 minutes and originally I was happy to stop there.
This is when I made a mistake: there are two spots on my neck when the hair sort of "swirls" - ie. it grows randomly in all directions. I never buff these spots with a DE/SE razor, because it only leads to horrible irritation (although I don't have super sensitive skin) and I usually just go over them twice, north to south. It looks alright afterwards, not perfect, but good enough. Since Braun Series 6 is incredibly smooth and gentle (all my previous experiences with old electrics were really bad) I decided to use more pressure and get these spots as smooth as possible. And you know what - it worked! I did not feel any irritation at all, but when I finally washed my face, there were two 1/2-inch red spots there. Did not hurt at all, but this was totally unnecessary on my part... I should have known better. So, if you feel tempted to use pressure and buff the spot because this shaver is ultra smooth -- don't. That's all I am going to say.
Anyway, I applied Proraso Wood & Spice balm afterwards, which surprisingly did not burn anywhere, even on those irritated spots, but I still decided to steal some expensive Kohl's Calendula Water Cream from my wife after 20 minutes to see if it would soothe my skin more effectively. This is an awesome cream I have to say! Wow! But it did burn a little on my neck.
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this shaver. Dry or wet. It looks like a great investment, but I can't tell how sturdy it is. It looks very attractive but it's all cheap plastic that is rubberized for better grip. Don't drop it! With a brush+soap/cream it shaves just as good as a blade with much less work - smooth and no irritation - just don't make the same mistake I did if you have trouble spots. One thing that surprised me greatly is that the shave quality surpassed the blade on my chin; I can get it that smooth with a DE/SE at the cost of some minor irritation. Series 6 just did it in 10-15 seconds with a light touch. Unbelievable!
Are there spots where it did not perform as well as a traditional blade? Yup. It might be my lack of experience, but I did not come close enough to my sideburns and I had to use my Parker open comb to do that part afterwards. It only took 10 seconds, but still... I'll just come closer to the sideburn next time with the electric. Under the nose it did alright, but I had to go sideways a few times to really get it right. I'll keep that in mind too for next time.
Verdict: 9/10 for dry shavers, 10/10 for wet shaving. It really lets you explore finer aspects of shaving (brushes, soaps, aftershaves...) without ever having to touch a real blade or go down a rabbit hole spending $$ on colectible stuff. But then, you'll go down the rabbit hole on "software" and have a drawer full of half used creams and soaps.
Basically, if you really want the convenience of an electric with an option to shave wet, say on the weekends, this is what you need to invest in (or something similar):
View attachment 1061704
It's definitely worth it.
Thanks for that report. 9/10 for dry and 10/10 for wet on your first two shaves is amazing. Give us an update after using it daily for a couple of weeks to see if your shave improves after your skin and beard becomes accustomed to your new shaver.
Just for clarification, does the owner’s manual require using a drop of light machine oil on the screens occasionally if you use it wet?