The Best Electric Razor For Women

Buying Guide

Although routines vary, women generally don’t shave as often as men. That doesn’t mean that a close shave is any less important when it happens, though. When it comes to time to make those legs, armpits and other sensitive areas nice and smooth, there are a lot of reasons to go with an electric razor over a plain old manual razor.

For one thing, electric razors are safer on the skin, and they keep getting safer with each new generation. No, there’s nothing that shaves quite as close on the first pass as a good hand-held razor, but the best electrics can take care of stubborn growth much more easily — and most can even do so in the shower.

Women’s electric shavers can come in a lot of shapes designed to tackle a lot of different areas, but they break down into two basic types: foil and rotary.

Rotary shavers keep their blades away from the skin behind a fine mesh screen. They’re usually arranged in circular heads that spin around, trying to catch and remove hairs in a wide surface area. This makes for a quicker shave and a fairly comfortable one, once you get used to the circular motion. Most rotary shavers are also easy to clean, since the screen lets the tiny hairs fall out as they’re cut.

If you want a closer shave, though, you’ll generally want to go with a foil shaver. The engineering here is a little simpler than with a rotary model. The blades oscillate on one single axis which might be straight or curved. This type also keeps the blades separated from the skin, but the barrier is a foil screen that tends to be finer by a fraction of a millimeter — and when you’re going for smooth legs, these fractions count. The best foil shavers have a screen that’s flexible as well as durable, allowing those blades to glide in close without ever scratching the skin.

The choice between the two types depends on your shaving habits, but there’s one feature you’ll probably want no matter what: waterproofing. Half the point of having an electric shaver is the ability to multitask your morning routine. if it can’t be used in the shower, you’re probably not likely to use it much at all. Obviously, that means your shaver will have to be cordless, but don’t assume that all cordless shavers are can hold up long term under the jets. Seek out shavers that are waterproof as opposed to water resistant, and look for an IPX rating of at least four if it’s listed.

If you’re getting a shaver you primarily plan to use for travel, pay attention to the battery life. Ideally, the charger should be a stand you can easily slip the shaver back onto after you’re done using it, much like an electric toothbrush.

Those with sensitive skin might want to look for lubricated shavers or ones with hypoallergenic foil guards. Finally, make sure it’s easy to clean — especially if you plan on using your shaver on a daily basis.

It can take awhile to get used to electric shaving if you’ve only used manual razors, so start slow and gentle. It’s worth noting that foil and rotary shavers lend themselves to very different shaving styles. As the name implies, rotary shavers are meant to be rubbed around the skin in a circular motion, covering the same area a few times until all the hair is cut. Foil shavers simply roll over the skin like a lawnmower, as many times as is needed. Either way, be thorough — and don’t forget to clean the heads periodically.