When you think about it, shaving isn’t really a natural process. In fact, dragging super-sharp metal over your face is an … odd practice. And when you start shaving, your skin isn’t quite ready for it. “Nicks and cuts galore,” in other words. As you get older, though, your skin gets used to the razors—but shaving presents new challenges. For some older gentlemen, that means drier skin; for others, it means looser skin or winkles; and for some others, it means redness and irritation. With all that in mind, here we’ll discuss the best electric razor for an elderly man.
In this article we’ll not only evaluate the performance of these electric razors – but specifically we’ll look at how each will perform for older men. Your face and skin deserve the best, and we’ll deliver the goods.
We’ll go over the models we like, why they’re a good fit for the needs of older gentlemen, and after all that, we’ll provide a few tips on how to get the most of the model you choose.
Thank you for giving us your time—hopefully somewhere here there are a few models worth your interest.
In a hurry? No problem. If we were pressed to recommend just one model it is actually pretty easy because there was one clear winner in our testing.
We think the best electric razor for an elderly man is the Braun Series 7 790cc. This electric foil shaver is truly in a class of its own, and delivers an amazingly consistent and comfortable shave. Keep reading to see our full list of options and learn exactly why it stood out, or you can read our full review of the Braun 790cc right here.
Alrighty! Let’s jump in:
Electric Razors for Older Gentlemen: Our Recommendations
We’ll dive into the details in a moment, but for now, here are some quick overviews that describe each of our recommendations, and why they stand out:
> Most Adaptable / Best “Mid-Range” Model—the Philips Norelco Shaver 2300: it’s nothing too fancy, but it’s a reliable rotary razor that can adapt to the contours of your face, and that’s all you need;
| Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|
 | Philips Norelco Shaver 2300 Rechargeable Electric Shaver with PopUp Trimmer, Black, 1 Count,… | Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2022-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
> Most “Bells and Whistles” for a “Mid-Range” Model—the Remington F5-5800: for an electric razor in this range, it has a lot of features, and can be a great option if you like your tools to have a lot of functionality;
| Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|
 | Remington F5-5800 Foil Shaver, Men’s Electric Razor, Electric Shaver, Black* | Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2022-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
> Best “Old-School” Razor—the Andis 17220 Pro Foil Shaver: we like this one because it’s relatively easy to use and compact, and it can provide a barber-style shave;
| Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|
 | Andis 17220 Pro Foil Lithium Plus Titanium Foil Shaver, Cord/Cordless – Professional Turbocharged… | Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2022-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
> Best Barber-Grade Razor—the BaBylissPRO FOILFX02 Barberology Shaver: yes, “BaByliss”—an odd name, but a really high-end foil razor, that can provide a very close shave;
Last update on 2022-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
> Best Option for Sensitive Skin—the Philips Norelco Shaver 7700: Philips Norelco is a well-regarded manufacturer, and the 7700 is our suggestion for men prone to skin irritation; and finally
| Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|
 | Philips Norelco Shaver 7700, Rechargeable Wet & Dry Electric Shaver with SenseIQ Technology, Quick… | Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2022-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
> Most Adjustable / Best-of-the-Best Razor—the Braun Series 7 Electric Razor: a top-shelf option for men who know how to shave and want a highly adjustable, precision tool.
| Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|
 | Braun Series 7 790cc* | Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2022-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Alright! There you have it. Now we’ll get into the nitty-gritty, and provide the details about what we like (and what we find less-than-perfect) about each model.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Actually, before we jump in, there’s one quick note we should make, and that’s the difference between rotary shavers and foil shavers. Rotary shavers have little discs on their head—you can see them in the images below—and foil shavers have a flat, smooth surface on their head. As for which is better—well, that’s a matter of opinion, but generally speaking, older gentleman with a little bit of wrinkles and/or loose skin can use a rotary shaver, whereas older gentleman with a lot of wrinkles and/or loose skin tend to do better with a foil shaver. The reason for that is because rotary shavers are used in a circular or random pattern over the skin, whereas foil shavers travel in a straight line over the skin—and if you’ve got wrinkles or loose skin and need to tighten them up when shaving, it’s easier and more effective to shave over that loose skin in a straight line. OK—now back to our regularly scheduled program!
The Best Electric Razors for Elderly Men: Our In-Depth Reviews
We’ll start with the basic models, and move towards the more high-end, deluxe ones. First up:
The Philips Norelco Shaver 2300
Summary: The Philips Norelco Shaver 2300 is our “just-the-basics” / get-‘er done recommendation for older men who need a flexible razor that can adapt to the contours of the face and can help trim a styled beard or mustache.
- ComfortCut Blades, get a clean shave that’s comfortable on your skin. Rounded blade caps shield 27 self-sharpening blades to gently cut hair just above skin level and help the shaver glide smoothly over your skin
- Experience a convenient, clean shave with heads that flex and float in 4 directions. The head adjusts to the curves of your face, ensuring smooth contact with your skin without a lot of pressure. 4D Flex Heads follow your face’s contours for a clean shave
- Pop-up trimmer for mustache and sideburns. Finish your look with the built-in trimmer. Ideal for maintaining your mustache and trimming your sideburns.
Last update on 2022-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros:
3 flex heads with multiple blades
Reasonably easy to clean
Flip-up clipper for sideburns
Cons:
Battery can run out quickly
Requires an 8-hour charge for 40 minutes of juice
Pop-up trimmers are a nice perk but can be challenging to use
We tend to like models like these: not too fancy, mid-range models that get the job done. We imagine most guys like this sort of model, but that’s just a guess.
The Philips Norelco 2300 is a rotary shaver that provides a shave with three flex heads. Each has a little “give” to it—they can bend and adapt to the shape of your face—and that can avoid pinching loose skin while still getting hairs down in the grooves and wrinkles. If you find your skin isn’t as tight as it used to be—a fate we all face!—that can be a great feature.
The flex heads themselves each contain 27 self-sharpening blades, and that “self-sharpening” feature is really fantastic—not only because older models used to require blade sharpening (and that was a HUGE pain), but because it allows them to more easily cut whiskers without pulling on them, thereby reducing skin irritation, as well as just snags and discomfort while you’re shaving.
The main downside of this razor is the battery, which requires an eight-hour charge for just 40 minutes of shaving. If you keep the razor plugged in overnight, that’s not the biggest deal, but it can make the razor difficult to travel with. Also, the marketing materials say that that 40 minutes translates to about 13 shaves, but… well, that’s if you shave pretty quick, and shaving quickly with an electric razor isn’t a great idea. Luckily, you can use the shaver while it’s plugged in, and the cord is long enough so you can move around a bit—making shaving while plugged not too bad.
The construction isn’t the most durable of all the razors we used, but it is built in a way that’s easy to clean. That’s a big plus—a simple eject button lets you take off the top to remove hair clippings.
One last thing: we really like the flip up clippers. They’re designed for sideburns, but you can trim off some of those new hairs the seem to want to grow on the ears and/or eyebrows. The only issue is that those clippers can be a little tricky to use—the piece pops up perpendicularly to the razor itself—but you can get the hang of it with a little practice.
Overall, a good, “get-‘er-done” model. Not great for travel, and nothing too fancy, but a good solid model nonetheless.
The Remington F5-5800 Foil Shaver
Summary: The Remington F5-5800 Foil Shaver is a reliable model that IS good for travel, with a good charge and washable head, and, for a mid-range model, has some really nice perks.
Sale Remington F5-5800 Foil Shaver, Men’s Electric Razor, Electric Shaver, Black*
- Pivot and Flex Foil Technology Stays close to skin for smooth results
- Rechargeable battery 60 minutes of cordless runtime.To clean the external surfaces of the shaver, use a damp cloth
- Pop up Detail Trimmer For finishing touches on your facial hair and sideburns.Do not use strong detergents or other chemical
Last update on 2022-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros:
Good value
Intercept shaving technology (we’ll describe that in a moment)
Adjustable head pivots a bit
Washable under running water
60 minutes of use for 2-hour charge (pretty good!)
Worldwide voltages compatibility
Cons:
No horizontal head rotation
Foil requires replacement every now and then
The Remington F5-5800 is a high-quality, well-constructed foil shaver that comes at a great value—especially when compared to some higher-end models. In fact, it even has some unique features that a lot of higher-end shavers don’t have.
Perhaps the best thing about the model is the “intercept shaving technology,” which is basically just two inversely oriented blades that sit in between the two foils. This is a fantastic design, in our humble opinion, because it precuts the whiskers before they enter the foil to be trimmed. That not only provides a close shave, but it can also prevent that “tugging” feeling you get from a lot of foil razors. It also keeps the blades sharper for a long period of time, because it does a little bit of the work for them.
The shaving head adjusts to your face a little bit, and while it doesn’t adjust as much as a three-head flex razor, it still moves enough to adapt to looser skin at the neck and jawline. Because of the model’s design—it’s a foil—you may need to pull looser skin taught so that you can get the razor to travel over it, but that strategy actually works well for a lot of older/elderly men: because you use foil shavers in a straight line, you can tighten the skin shave over it in a straight line, and that can more reliably cut whiskers.
Just like a few other models in this range, it features pop-up clippers that let you trim and style a beard or mustache, as well as some of those “surprise!” hairs that pop up in new places as you age. Like all pop-up clippers, it can take a little practice to use accurately, and it’s not as good as individual set of clippers, but it’s definitely a nice add-on.
It’s washable, too, but it’s washable in a unique way—you put it under running water to remove hair clippings. If you shave regularly, that can be a very convenient feature, and it means you don’t have to go through the hassle of opening up the whole razor every time you need to clean it. You do need to remove the head every once in a while, but that “run-it-under-water” feature can be a huge time saver.
Lastly, the battery: it gets 60 minutes of use for a two-hour charge, which is pretty good—that can probably take you at least a week without needing to charge it. It’s also compatible to worldwide voltages, so it can be a good option for the traveling wilbury.
It’s not perfect, though, and we should mention that the foil doesn’t last forever, and if you’re prone to marathon shaving sessions, the foil itself can get a little hot. That’s common amongst all foils, though, but it’s worth mentioning.
This is another high-performing mid-range model, and seeing as electric razors can get really pricey, we like to suggest this one as a good, sturdy, reliable pick.
The Andis 17220 Pro Foil Shaver
Summary: The Andis 17220 Foil Shaver is an old-school electric razor—one of the first, in fact!—and it’s designed to reduce razor burn and/or skin irritation, while providing a shave akin to one you’d get at a barber shop.
- ULTRA THIN HYPOALLERGENIC gold titanium foils for zero finishes, ideal even for the most sensitive skin.
- LITHIUM-ION BATTERY: It delivers an industry-leading 2 hours of cordless run-time with a rapid 60-minute recharge.
- PROFESSIONAL QUALITY: Use this professional quality shaver to get a close shave on the neck, face, & hairline.
Last update on 2022-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros:
Can provide a barber-shop style shave
Octagonal foil holes
Hypoallergenic titanium foil
80-minute battery life
Reliable company with long history making shavers
Cons:
No pivot heads
Foil can be delicate
Electric shavers were invented at the end of the 19th Century, but weren’t really ready for mass production or use until the early 20th Century, and Andis was among the first companies to create them: in 1922, Mathew Andis created a hair clipper in his basement, and more than a century later, they’re still at it.
So if you’re looking for old-school bona fides, there you go!
There are plenty of companies that have been in the shaving game for a long time—Remington is one of them—but we really like the compact foil shavers like the Andis 17220 because they look and feel like traditional barbershop razors. They can provide super-close shaves, are durable and powerful, and easy to use over and over again. Plus, they look manly, somehow—they don’t look like futuristic space-age tools, which is a common trap a lot of electric razors fall into.
Anyway. Here are the technical aspects of what we like on the Andis 17220:
It features octagonal holes in the foil. That seems like a small thing, but it’s actually a really clever design—the octagonal holes catch and trap more whiskers than circular holes, and it helps provide a more consistent shave. That’s a somewhat rare design in an electric shaver, probably because it’s much more difficult to make, from a manufacturing point of view.
The foils themselves, too, are made of hypoallergenic titanium, which is a step above a lot of other foil materials. The titanium makes razor burn much less likely, which can be great for older men who have developed sensitive skin or eczema. Unfortunately, these types of foils can be pretty delicate, so you should keep them covered as much as possible—it’s not uncommon for them to tear or chip if you’re not careful.
One last thing: the model is very compact, which makes it a little easier to handle (and a lot easier to store!). It can also make it easier to travel with, especially when consider that it has about 80 minutes of battery life when fully charged.
The Andis is another great mid-range model, and one we like a lot, especially if you’re looking for a “classic” look and an old-school model.
The BaBylissPRO FOILFX02 Barberology Shaver
Summary: Despite its ridiculous name, The BaBylissPRO FOILFX02 Barberology Shaver is a high-quality electric razor, and with its high-quality foil, it can provide an incredibly close shave with fewer nicks and little irritation.
BabylissPRO Cordless Black Metal Double Foil Shaver*
- All-metal housing
- Powerful rotary motor
- Cordless/Up to 3 hours of runtime
Last update on 2022-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros:
Barber-style design
3 hours of battery life
Protective cap
Hypoallergenic foil
Storage pouch
6 color options
Cons:
Weird name
Head doesn’t pivot
Allow us, if you will, to wax nostalgic for a moment, before we try and tell you about an electric razor named “BaByliss,” which—despite its name—is actually a very good electric razor for grown men (and not for babies, as the name might incoherently suggest).
There was a time when products made for men were advertised in a way that appealed to a very strict view of American masculinity. You may remember a commercial advertising Stetson Cologne, that features a man with his beautiful girlfriend, riding on a horse, through beautiful canyons out West someplace… before dismounting and taking off in a single engine plane:
That’s pretty masculine! And when you realize the voice in the commercial is the one-and-only Johnny Cash, Mr. Outlaw Country himself, well… it’s hard to imagine a more masculine advertisement.
Fast forward 40 years, and we’ve got an electric razor named “BaByliss,” which means… what does that word even mean? Babe Bliss? Baby-less? Not only is it odd, it’s just confusing.
We’re not sure what it means, but what is for certain is that traditionally masculine products are no longer promoted by simply appealing to traditionally masculinity.
Here’s where we going with all this:
That commercial above is absolutely fantastic, but what does it really say about Stetson? All your really know about Stetson is that they’re willing to spend a ton on advertising and make really fantastic commercials. Their product could be absolute garbage, but we’re inclined to think it’s fantastic, because that commercial is so much fun.
In other words, with a name like BaByliss… whoever is making BaByliss has got to bring the goods. These electric razors better be something special, in order to get past a name like “BaByliss.” So, after all that: how does B-a-B-y-l-i-s-s hold up? Pretty darn well, in fact!
We’ll start with a feature where a lot of mid-range electric razors disappoint: construction. The make-up of the BaBylissPRO FOILFX02 is surprisingly sturdy and durable, and while much of that is due to its shape—it’s built like an old-school Zippo lighter—a lot of it is manufacturing: the shaving surface is not one but two foils, both of which are very large and hypoallergenic. The model might be a little bigger than you expect—it looks kind of slight but it actually fills out the hand pretty well—and that translates to a very large cutting surface. If you want to take fewer passes over your face in the morning, this can be a great option.
The battery, too, is pretty impressive: it gets a full three hours of run-time off the battery, which makes it a great pick for barbers (and we’ve actually seen this in a few of the barbershops we’ve visited recently). It can be a little bit tricky to pinpoint, because it’s actually designed in six different colors—black, gold, gunmetal, rose gold, silver, and white—and that’s also a new-ish phenomenon, because most manufacturers of electric razors adhere to Ford’s Model-T idea of design, which is, “You can have a car in any color you like, as long as it’s black.” It’s neat that BaByLiss offers the razor in different color schemes.
Lastly—it can provide a very nice shave! It’s a well-designed, well-made shaver, and feels comfortable along the face, jawline, and neck. We would urge that users take it slow—just like any electric razor, the worst thing you can do is move too fast, and that’s true for even high-end razors—but taking it slow with a well-made model can be a very pleasant task.
RECOMMENDED: So You’ve Got a Baby Face After Shaving (here’s what you can do)
Because we’ve been talking so much about masculinity in this particular review, we’ll mention one final thing we appreciate a great deal: the BaBylissPRO FOILFX02 features that old-school, compact shape that you’ll see on a lot of traditional electric razors. But it combines that with a clever twist: it’s got a sleek, aerodynamic design that makes it look a little futuristic. That’s an interesting mash-up, that makes it masculine and feminine at the same time, and old-school and futuristic all at once. That’s pretty clever.
So, to wrap up: odd name, great razor.
The Philips Norelco Shaver 7700
Summary: The Philips Norelco Shaver 7700 is a state-of-the-art model that features ComfortGlide rings designed to glide over the skin and a Quick Clean Pod that thoroughly cleans the unit to inhibit skin infection and inflammation.
- Philips Norelco Shaver 7700 delivers a smooth shave while reducing skin irritation. Only Philips has ComfortGlide rings, a special coating to protect your face from irritation.
- Shaving heads are surrounded with ComfortGlide rings, a special protective coating with skin gliding properties, to shield your face from irritation.
- With up to 90,000 cutting actions per minute, the SkinProtect blades deliver a close shave with fewer passes for more comfortable skin. Automatic voltage: 100-240 V
Last update on 2022-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros:
3 360-degree pivot heads
90,000 cutting actions/minute
ComfortGlide rings
1-to-1 charge to use ratio
Lots of extras
Pop-up trimmer
Quick Clean Pod
Cons:
Top-shelf price
Two-piece charging
When you get into the upper-tier of electric razors, you start to hear about all sorts of “patented technologies.” Companies spend a looooot of money on these features—and spend a lot of time researching and developing them—so that makes sense.
For the Philips Norelco Shaver 7700—one of the few rotary shavers on our list—the most important pieces of patented tech are the ComfortGlide rings. They’re a pretty neat feature—they’re blades that have been treated with an anti-friction coating to prevent redness and irritation on your skin—and all 45 blades of the razor feature that coating. As for the blades themselves, they produce 90,000 cutting actions per minute, which is a lot more than most other shavers out there. The blades, too, are located on the 360-degree pivoting heads, which is one of the nice perks of a rotary shaver—they bend and give a little as they travel over your face. That bend and give can lead to fewer pulls and nicks, which nobody likes.
The other bit of tech that makes the Philips Norelco 7700 stand out is the Quick Clean Pod. Like all proprietary tech, that’s a patented name that only kind-of tells you what it does, and that’s a shame, because it’s actually a really cool feature. Most razors have some sort of easy-clean functionality, but the Quick Clean Pod is a little reservoir that you put the top of the shaver in—pivoting heads and all—and it both cleans and lubricates the blades. That can go a long way to helping various skin conditions, like inflammation or infection. It’s not a sure thing, and your mileage may vary, but it’s a great design.
As for the battery… well, the battery is only OK! At full juice, it can give you an hour of usage, which is a little surprising—a lot of shavers at this range (and this is definitely a higher-end model) usually last longer than the Philips Norelco 7700. If you mainly shave in the same place every time, that’s absolutely fine, but if you travel a lot, or you do have a plug in your bathroom, it’s definitely “points deducted.”
That’s OK, though. When it comes to the most important aspects of an electric shaver—and that would be providing a close shave in a way that’s less likely to damage or irritate the skin—the 7700 is a stand-out.
The Braun Series 7 Electric Razor
Summary: the Braun Series 7 Electric Razor is our pick for best electric razor for elderly men overall, and with its Intelligent Sonic technology and multiple shaving modes, it can provide a close but comfortable shave regardless of your skin type or hair density
- Intelligent Sonic technology automatically increases power while shaving in difficult areas and on denser hair
Last update on 2022-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pros:
Adjusts power automatically to hair density
5 personalized modes
10,000 microvibrations
Heads pivot in 8 directions
Clean & Charge station charges, sterilizes and lubricates
Cons:
Not usable in the shower
The Braun Series 7 is “best of the best electric razors for elderly men” recommendation. In terms of all the electric razors we’ve reviewed for men in this age group, it’s got the best features, performs most effectively, and is the least likely to create skin irritation or stress. Your mileage may vary, of course—and these are our findings; other websites may suggest something else—but given our experience with it, we think this is top of the heap. Here’s why:
It features Intelligent Sonic Technology. Earlier we stated that higher-end electric razors tend to have Very Official Sounding names for their features, and “Intelligent Sonic Technology” falls into that camp. Basically, that’s a fancy way of saying that the shaver increases or decreases power based on the density of the hair in the area where you’re shaving. That is—in a word—fantastic. Not only does it mean that the shaver can attack whiskers of different lengths and thicknesses—making the tool a truly “one-size-fits-all” model—but it means that it can gather and cut facial hair without pulling or catching on whiskers, while at the same time not overdoing it and causing irritation. That’s pretty much all we could ask for from an electric shaver.
It’s got five different “intensity” modes. This is something that’s actually very rare among foil shavers—the ability to turn up or dial down the force of the shaver itself. If it’s going a little too rough, you can dial it down a bit; if it’s not doing enough for you, you can dial it up a bit. That is a fantastic feature if you’re dealing with loose, wrinkly, or dry skin. The razors themselves shave to a closeness of up to 0.05mm, which is as thin as half a human hair. To put that “0.05mm” in a different way—think of a millimeter, and then think of 1/20s of that millimeter. That’s pretty close.
The head pivots in eight different directions. That’s VERY rare among foil shavers, and it’s one of the things people complain about. Typically the foils on a shaver don’t move at all, and it’s only rotary shavers, with their circular heads, that can move according to the features of your face. The pivoting head on the Braun Series 7—and that it moves in eight different directions!—is really fantastic, and pivoting heads are a feature that Braun electric shavers do well.
It’s got a really unique and powerful cleaning station. The cleaning station requires specialized fluid, designed to clean the blades and keep them strong, and that can be much more powerful than simply cleaning them with water. Often times, mid-range shavers that you clean with water simply collect facial oils, dead skin, and other grotesqueries, and all that can cause skin irritation. The cleaning fluid on the Braun Series 7 is alcohol-based, meaning it actually cleans the blades. It’s not just a rinse, it’s a clean. And, not only that, but the device tells you when it needs cleaning and when it’s clean. That’s fantastic, especially if you’re concerned about skin irritation.
So, this is our “best of the best” pick. The battery is unfortunately good for 50 minutes, which is a bummer, but it makes sense that all these features require a lot of juice and can drain the battery pretty quickly. If we to pick one electric razor to travel to a distant island and live out the end of our lives, it would be this one.
Alright! There you have it—everything we know about electric shavers for older men. We hope it helps!
If case you’d like to learn more, here’s some guidance on how to use your electric shaver like a pro—even if you’ve been using electric razors for a while:
Tips on How to Get the Most Out of Your Electric Shaver
There are plenty of men who enjoy a life-long shaving relationship with non-machine razors, only to hear, a little bit later in life, that a doctor or loved one thinks you should switch to an electric razor.
That’s a little insulting, perhaps, but there’s a reason for it: electric razors are less likely to cause cuts on the skin, and while they may cause a little bit of irritation when you first start using them, they can be a great for that skin that’s been shaved over for a few decades and isn’t as tight as it used to be. Happens to the best of us! Actually—it happens to all of us! :)Electric razors are a great match for older gentlemen, in other words—but they can seem a little bit complicated, and that’s regardless of your age.
Luckily, they’re pretty simple to use once you know a few ground rules, and with that in mind, always…
Charge to Full Charge
This is an important one, especially if you’re just starting to use a new shaver. Before using your razor for the first time, use the model’s specific charger to give it a FULL charge. Not only will you get a good idea of the razor’s full power, you’ll be “capping out” the battery for further charging down the line.
When you’re finished, you can put it back on the charger, or you can choose to use it repeatedly until the battery is low and then charge it.
Learn and Adjust the Settings
Some razors—typically the more affordable ones—are pretty simple: you’ve got an “On/Off” button over here, and… that might be it! There’s something wonderful about machines that are easy to use (especially because they seem to be few-and-far-between these days).
If you’ve got a mid-range or a high-end electric razor, though, chances are it’s got a lot of features. You can do what most guys do—and that’s just play with it until you figure it out—but we’d urge you to actually read the manual and learn about all the features. A surprising amount of R and D goes into modern electric razors, and your device probably has features you wouldn’t figure out on your own. Plus, it can save you a lot of time.
Once you’ve figured out all your features, you can adjust them to your needs.
Find Out Whether Your Model is Wet/Dry or Just Dry
If you’re new to electric razors, you may be surprised to learn that you can bring certain models into the shower with you. It’s true! They’re typically called wet/dry electric shavers, and you can get them submerged in water and use them while you shower. We were a bit surprised at that first, and it took a fair bit of courage to try that for the first time, but it’s true.
However, it is truly, truly worth noting that not all electric razors are safe for use in the shower.
We’ll repeat that one more time, because it’s pretty important:
Not all electric razors are safe for use in the shower.
Said another way: if you use the wrong electric razor in the shower, it could kill you dead.
So, read the instructions, and if your electric razor is safe to use in the shower, have fun! If not, don’t take it into the shower with you. Because, you know, it could kill you.
You’ve made it this far, so you must have some common sense—keep using it!
Brace Yourself for Some Bracing Shaves
It’s pretty common for guys who are new to electric shavers to get a little bit of razor burn. That could take the shape of red bumps, cuts and nicks, or just general irritation. It’s pretty common, actually, so don’t get too upset if it happens. If you’re shaving a few times a week, it usually goes away in two or three weeks.
If, however, it doesn’t go away—and for some guys, it doesn’t—you may want to switch up the style of electric razor, and see if that does anything for you. That is, if you’re using a foil shaver, you may want to try a rotary shaver, and if you’re using a rotary shaver, you may want to try a foil shaver. One of the reasons why guys who are new to electric shaving experience “growing pains,” if you will, is because they need to learn to…
Take It Nice and Slow
After 30, 40, 50, or 60+ years of shaving, you probably discovered a routine where you could shave pretty quickly. Pass, pass, pass, boom! You’re good to go. Decades of practice make you pretty good at something.
Shaving with an electric razor isn’t really like that, however—there’s no rushing it. You really need to take your time and go slowly. The blades are very fast, but they’re not designed for quick strokes over your skin.
So, as your dad probably told you, and you probably told your kids if you have them, “Take it easy, champ,” and you’ll probably run into fewer skin issues and less irritation.
In terms of actually using the razor, here’s an important one:
Hold the Razor at 90 Degrees
With a regular blade, most guys intuitively know how to fenagle it juuuuuust right to get into all those nooks and crannies on the face. Electric razors are a lot more strict, and they often need to be held at a strict 90 degrees.
That’s easy at first, but you’ll soon realize that you’ll need to move your arm a little bit more than you’re used to. The important thing is that you keep the heads perfectly flat and the blades perpendicular to your face.
From here, you can go on to apply pressure as you feel you need, in order to get the closeness and cut you’re looking for. Just do this lightly and progressively—don’t just jam it down, because that’s a recipe for disaster. Over time and with practice, you’ll figure out just the right amount of pressure for you.
Important!—Clean It Regularly
After each use, you should clean your electric razor. It might not be obvious how to do so, so consult the manual of your individual model if you need to know the details.
For the most basic razors, you usually just remove the heads and brush out any clippings you can. On some of the newer models, you can simply run them under water to remove hair that gets stuck in the blades. Some of the really high-end razors have cleaning pods that let you submerge the razor between uses, and it sterilizes and lubricates the blades (and if you’ve got one of those, you definitely want to consult the manual to make sure you’re doing it right).
So why is it so important to clean your electric razor? Because, as we all know, “Cleanliness is godliness”?
That may be the case, but there are two reasons a clean razor is a happy razor:
1) A clean razor lasts longer and stays sharper. Every time you shave, there is a lot of—for lack of a better word—“gunk” that comes off your face. Oils from your skin, bio-material that gets caught on your whiskers, etc. All of that can get stuck on the blades, blunt them, and wear out the motor—all while given you a sub-rate shave; and
2) A clean razor is less likely to irritate your skin. A moment ago we talked about all that “gunk” that gets stuck on your blades. When you leave all the gunk on your blades, it—and we’re going to get gross for a moment here, so bear with us—it rots, sours, and putrefies. And then, when you use your razor again, you spread all that old gunk on your face—and into the micro-cuts on your face that every razor will create.
So, you get the picture—a clean razor is a happy razor, so make sure your razor is clean.
Use Your Razor Frequently
One important “not so intuitive” tip when it comes to electric razors is that they should be used often. Not every day—although you can certainly do so, if your skin can take it—but every other day, if possible. Electric razors work best with shorter hair, especially if you have a thick beard, and using it when your whiskers are shorter can elongate the life of the machine. Plus, longer hair is more likely to get stuck down in the blades and cause problems, and you should avoid that if you can.
On another note, using your electric razor consistently will help your skin adapt to it. This prevents irritation and can make your shaves more comfortable.
And… that’s a good start! As with all things, you’ll figure out what works best for you—and when you do, drop us a line and us know what you’ve learned! We’d be happy to update the post with your insights.
Some Skin Care Tips for Older Guys
Lastly, because we want this site to be truly helpful and not just a collection of product reviews, we’d like to share some skin care tips for older guys and elderly men. Younger people tend to get inundated with skin care tips, and that’s sort of funny, because… well, they’re young! Their skin is often great, and often with very little effort on their part!
With that in mind, here are some tips for us older gentleman who want to keep our epidermises nice and healthy:
Wear Sunscreen, Even If You Don’t Want To
Yeah, yeah… you’ve heard it a thousand times before. But it’s true. Sun screen is important, and for men over 40 years of age, sunscreen should be an every-day thing. The UV light from the sun is what causes dark spots, broken capillaries, and large pores, and those are really common for older men. Plus, UV light damages collagen, making your skin looser and more prone to wrinkles—all of which makes it harder to shave.
Many of us believe that sunscreen is greasy, and smelly, and sticky, but many sunscreens have come a long way in recent years, and there are a lot of them that actually feel pretty nice—they’re cooling and soft. We don’t have any to recommend—which, after all we’ve written, may come as a surprise!—but they’re out there.
Consider Retinol (After Learning What It Is)
We’re going to be honest: before we built an entire website devoted to beards and shaving, we didn’t really know what retinols were. And that’s a shame, because they’re easy to get and easy to use.
Retinols are over-the-counter formulations—usually gels or creams—that include Vitamin A, one of the most important vitamins for skin health. Among other things, retinols encourage collagen growth, which is the substance that keeps skin supple and tight. Applying it can help reduce wrinkles and inflammation and keep skin springy and youthful, and while it’s obviously not the fountain of youth, a lot of men and women say a lot of wonderful things about them.
Retinols can be very powerful, so if you’re interested in using them, ring up the old doctor or medical health professional and see what he or she says.
Drink Plenty of Water, Which You Already Know You Should Do
Just like the rest of your body, water is essential for the health of your skin. It keeps it hydrated and makes it more elastic. Plus, it lets your cells go through the processes they need to reproduce and keep your skin new and fresh.
Staying hydrated is one of the easiest things you can do to take care of your skin, so why not? Also, if you drink alcohol, water is even more important—alcohol takes your moisture at a surprising rate, and a little water can go a long way.
Use a Moisturizer; Yes, a Moisturizer
This one can be a hard sell, because guys—regardless of their age!—are almost reliably resistant to using moisturizers.
That’s a shame, though, because they can provide a lot of benefits. Moisturizers—be they creams or lotions—have oils in them that can trap water in the skin, and keep it from drying out. They can also nutrients and minerals into the skin and hair itself, and that creates an environment where shaving is a lot safer (and pleasant!).
Use the Right Aftershave, and Consider a Balm
Aftershaves waned in popularity for a while, but they’ve made quite the comeback in recent years, and we get a lot of emails asking about them. That’s fantastic, because they can be a fantastic way to end a shave, and many of them smell GREAT.
They can really do a number on your skin, though, and that’s especially true if you use one with a lot of alcohol. Alcohol can really dry out your skin, and if you’ve got dry skin to begin with, that can result in itchiness, scratchiness, and general irritation.
If your skin has gotten sensitive in recent years, you may want to use less aftershave, or even switch it up a bit, and instead of using an aftershave splash, use an aftershave balm. Many balms have natural, moisturizing ingredients, and many feel and smell great.
If you can, try to look for one with witch hazel—it’s an extract that shrinks pores and calms inflammation to prevent razor burn, and you can find it in a lot of different formulations. Thayer’s Aftershave with Witch Hazel is a good one, as is Bevel Aftershave Balm with Tea Tree Oil. Bevel is great, because tea tree oil is minty and cool, just like a traditional aftershave splash can be.
Moderate Your Diet (Grumble…)
Nobody likes this one either, but it can be very powerful, so we’ll mention it: when you eat right, your skin can benefit greatly.
Dermatologists have begun finding links between high-glycemic diets, like ones high in processed sugars, and poor skin health. Too much sugar can harden collagen, cause acne, and create skin irritation—and that’s true for older men who have never encountered these issues before. So if there are items in your diet that may not be so great, and you’re having issues with your skin, you may want to cut them out and see if they’re causing your problems.
On the flip side, there are certain nutrients you need to eat in order to keep your skin healthy. Antioxidants in your diet are especially good for your skin, and vitamins like C and E can help protect your skin cells and keep you looking healthy. Both of those items are plentiful in many fruits and vegetables, so don’t pass on that next salad that comes your way, and maybe skip regular desert for a fruit plate or something like that.
Exfoliate, Which is a Fancy Word for “Wash Your Face”
When you get older, the skin doesn’t rejuvenate as much as when you were younger, and dead skin and dry skin can build up on the surface. This doesn’t just look bad—and feel bad—but it can lead to acne, irritation, and all sorts of other problems.
So wash your face and rub it with a washcloth or exfoliating pad when you can. Exfoliation can help remove that skin to keep the top layer fresh and lively. This will make your skin smoother and healthier looking and reduce redness and skin problems.
Final Thoughts
Electric razors have made it a lot easier for older men to get a close, comfortable, and safe shave, and while they may be a little complicated at first—and that’s true for all guys, regardless of their age—they can offer some real benefits that can transform shaving from a chore into an enjoyable routine. Hopefully there’s something here that helps you—have fun, be good, and happy shaving!
Michael Morris is the head writer here at Rough and Tumble Gentleman. He's got a ducktail beard and loves Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He's married to the woman of his dreams and lives in Brooklyn, NY.
