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Lady shaver purchasing advice: how to choose the right product
- The most important facts in brief
- In addition to the classic disposable or reusable razors, there are also electric razors for women.
- Shaving with an electric razor is gentler on the skin than with a wet razor.
- With a hand razor, you get a cleaner result, but you risk more skin irritation and minor cuts.
- Some battery-operated electric razors can also be used for wet shaving.
- Thanks to various attachments, many electric razors for women can be used multifunctionally.
Smooth skin the gentle way
Velvety smooth skin, free of any body hair, is not only a time-honoured beauty ideal, but many women simply feel more comfortable without annoying underarm hair or uncontrolled growth in the bikini line. They spend a lot of time trying to remove all unwanted hair. In the process, they sometimes strain their skin, deal with irritation as well as pimples and, in the worst case, injure themselves. A good hair removal method, along with proper application, is essential to avoid such problems.
The classic is the razor. It consists of a handle and a blade block with at least one blade. The electric version is equipped with an integrated motor in the housing as well as a replaceable shaving head.
Electric women’s and men’s razors differ only slightly: In women’s razors, the shaving head is often rounded and movable. Furthermore, the razor blades and shaving foils are designed finer for women, as the common view among manufacturers is that they have a finer hair growth than men and therefore do not need coarser blades.
Women’s razor variants
Women’s razors, broadly speaking, are the devices for women that remove hair from the surface of the skin. There are both mechanical and electric models. Mechanical lady razors, also called hand razors, are available as either disposable or reusable.
Disposable razors
The blades of disposable razors are not replaceable. As soon as they are blunt, dispose of the entire device. This happens after about three to ten shaves. They are small, handy and therefore practical for holidays. While simple disposable razors only have one or two blades, high-quality models come with up to five razor blades. In addition, the handle of premium models is more ergonomically designed, which makes them easier to handle. They are thus similar to reusable razors in design, except that the blade block cannot be replaced.
Reusable razor
Reusable razors consist of a handpiece and a removable blade block with up to six integrated blades. Since the handpiece can be used several times and only the blades need to be replaced, they are also called system razors. In many versions, the blades are mounted on movable bearings. Some manufacturers, for example Gillette Venus, produce different replacement blades that fit on one handpiece. The shape of the blade block remains the same, while the number of blades changes, for example, or a shaving gel strip is integrated.
Electric lady shavers
Electric lady shavers are also known as ladyshavers. Unlike hand shavers, the blades do not come into direct contact with the skin. They are covered by the shaving foil, a kind of fine sieve. This makes shaving gentler than with mechanical shavers and less likely to cause skin irritation. Ladyshavers are equipped with a rechargeable battery, batteries or a mains cable. Corded devices are not suitable for wet shaving. Rechargeable battery and battery-powered versions can be used in the shower as long as the housing is waterproof.
Electric lady shaver versus epilator – the differences
Electric lady shavers and epilators look very similar, but they are completely different in the way they work. While lady shavers remove the hair on the surface of the skin, epilators have tiny electrically rotating tweezers that pull out the hair including the root. Ladyshavers depilate the hair gently and painlessly. Therefore, skin irritation is rare. These are most likely to occur in sensitive areas such as under the armpits, the bikini line and the genital area. Epilators, on the other hand, irritate the skin by removing the hair roots. Depending on the epilator and your own perception of pain, you can be subjected to anything from mild pinching to severe pain when using it. In return, you enjoy smooth skin for several weeks. With women’s shavers, on the other hand, the hair grows back after just a few days.
| Electric lady shaver | Epilator |
| Shaves hair on the surface of the skin | Removes hair with root |
| Is gentle and painless | Is painful |
| Gentle on the skin, rarely causes skin irritation | Irritates the skin |
| Hair grows back after a few days | Takes several weeks for hair to grow back |
How to find the right women’s razor
There is no universal razor that is suitable for every need. Some want results as quickly as possible, others want to stress their skin as little as possible. Besides personal preference, there are other aspects, such as shape and handling, that affect the shaving result.
Mechanical or electric?
Shaving is gentler with an electric than with a manual razor because the blades do not come into direct contact with the skin. Therefore, skin irritation, spots or irritation rarely occur. With disposable or reusable shavers, on the other hand, cuts are possible in case of carelessness. The disadvantage of shaving foils, however, is that it often takes more passes than with hand shavers until the skin is smooth in one place. Therefore, hair removal with a hand razor is usually faster than with the electric version.
Furthermore, a purely mechanical device is always ready for use. Corded electric shavers are not suitable for wet shaving. Of the battery- and battery-operated versions, some can be used in the shower. However, if they are not charged, they cannot be used.
Furthermore, electric women’s razors are more expensive to buy than manual razors. However, since they often come with several attachments, they are more versatile than the mechanical version, where at most the number of blades can be varied. With a precision attachment, hair can also be removed from hard-to-reach and sensitive areas.
System shavers, on the other hand, are available at a reasonable price, but cause more follow-up costs than electric shavers. The manufacturer Gillette recommends changing the blades of your hand razor after six weeks at the latest if you shave twice a week. If you shave every day, you need a replacement after just one or two weeks. You even have to replace disposable razors completely when the blades are no longer sharp. They are therefore not sustainable at all. In contrast, the shaving head of an electric lady’s razor lasts about 18 months before you should replace it.
Whether an electric or a mechanical lady shaver is more suitable depends on your own needs. Both types will give you good results. If you want to shave quickly and effectively and don’t need a variety of attachments, a mechanical razor is usually enough. For maximum comfort and a particularly gentle shave, electric razors are more suitable.
| Electric lady shavers | Hand shavers |
| Less skin irritation and pimples | Skin irritation in sensitive areas |
| Multiple attachments | Single blade block model |
| Electricity required | No electricity required |
| Expensive to buy | Inexpensive to buy |
| Shaving head lasts about 18 months | Follow-up costs: frequent blade replacement |
Design and handling
Ladies’ razors can be judged by the shaving result: All the hairs you wanted to remove should be completely shaved off. Ideally, neither skin irritation nor pimples occur after shaving. In addition to aspects such as the preparation and post-processing of the skin and your own shaving technique, the design and features of the razor also play a role in the result. The handle, for example, should have a non-slip coating and fit comfortably in the hand.
Having to run over a shaved area as seldom as possible in order to completely free it from hair not only saves time, but is also gentle on the skin. Look for sharp, corrosion-protected blades that can be guided precisely along the body contours thanks to the flexible shaving head. Another practical feature is an integrated LED light that helps you to detect fine hairs.
If you also want to shave in the shower with an electric lady shaver, it is advisable to take a look at the IP protection class. This indicates how resistant an electric product is to water. If an electric shaver is marked with protection level IPX6, it can withstand strong jets of water. At level IPX7, the device is even protected against temporary submersion. Even if you mainly use an electric shaver for dry shaving, a protection class is recommended for easy cleaning. Waterproof women’s razors are very easy to clean under running water. With electric dry shavers, on the other hand, you clean the shaving heads with a cleaning brush. This is usually included in the delivery.
Operating mode
Electric women’s shavers are available with rechargeable batteries, batteries or mains cable. Mains-operated electric shavers are particularly suitable for those who only want to perform dry shaves. If you want to shave in the shower, you are better off with a waterproof battery or battery-operated model.
As long as you have a power socket available, a model with a mains cable is always ready for use. You do not need to charge it or change batteries in the meantime. For a holiday abroad, however, you need a suitable socket adapter to be able to connect the mains cable.
Only a few battery-powered devices have a runtime of more than 60 minutes: A 40-minute runtime is already considered powerful. A battery life of at least 20 minutes is recommended so that you can depilate all desired skin areas at once.
The charging time is highly dependent on the model. While the ELLE HLE 30 lady shaver from Beurer is fully charged within two hours, the SatinShave Advanced BRL 140/00 lady shaver from Philips needs around eight hours.
Common attachments for electric shavers
Electric lady shavers often come with at least one trimmer attachment. Trimmers shorten the hair to a few millimetres instead of removing it completely. They are ideal for the bikini line and intimate areas: minimal body hair in these areas repels bacteria and still looks well-groomed. Rounded trimmer tips reduce the risk of injury. If the body hair in the area to be shaved is too long, it is a good idea to shorten it with the trimmer before the actual shave so that it can be completely removed afterwards. Hair that is more than one centimetre long causes difficulties for many shavers. Some women’s shavers add several trimmer attachments or offer them separately as accessories. You can use them to trim the hair to different lengths.
Another common attachment is for exfoliation. A body scrub before shaving removes dead skin flakes and loose hairs, which helps the blades to grip the hairs better. There are also special precision attachments for the face. To shave the so-called lady’s beard or trim the eyebrows, such shaving heads are particularly small. They are also helpful for shaving hard-to-reach areas, such as the bikini area.
With a pedicure attachment, calluses on the feet can be removed electrically. It is not necessary as an accessory for a women’s electric shaver, but it is definitely an advantage for those who have to deal with calluses.
Wet shavers and shaving heads
While electric models are multifunctional thanks to various attachments, there is only a limited choice of shaving heads and blades for wet shavers. With mechanical system shavers, it is necessary to replace the shaving head, but the replacement blade does not always have to be identical. The shape and blade size may remain the same, but the number of blades may change, for example. There are some shaving heads for sensitive skin as well as hypoallergenic versions. Practical are also razor heads that are equipped with a gel pad that replaces common shaving gel. Another variant is a skin-care strip that contains active ingredients such as aloe vera or various vitamins.
If there is only one type of replacement blade available for a razor, it is advisable to pay closer attention to the properties of the blade. Sensitive skin types, for example, will then opt for a razor specially designed for their type.
Care products for shaving
Two other products are useful for an optimal shave: shaving foam for the preparation and a care product for the follow-up. Both products help prevent skin irritation, redness and razor burn. They also moisturise the skin. Shaving foam or gel ensures that the ladies’ razor glides over the skin better. If you are a sensitive skin type, a shaving foam for sensitive skin is advisable.
When choosing a suitable skin care product, it is important that it is free of alcohol. You can use both skin care creams and skin oils. Especially when shaving the sensitive bikini area or under the armpits, it is advisable to choose a product with soothing active ingredients. Aloe vera and jojoba oil, for example, have a cooling and anti-inflammatory effect.
