How to choose the best electric shaver for a tough beard?
As much as people dislike a tough beard or coarse beard, it also can be a blessing in disguise. Imagine, unlike others, you can have a full grown, well-shaped beard after two days of shaving. It means you don’t need to hang around with uncomfortable boyish hair patches all over your face while growing a beard. However, a tough beard is the toughest when one likes a clean shaven face. For starters, you will have to struggle to find the best electric shaver for a tough beard.
Now, the question is how do I know if I have a tough beard?
Dear readers, you will be almost shocked to know that around ninety percent of men around you are unaware of their skin type and hair type. Therefore, it’s obvious that most men don’t know what their beard type is.
To be honest, even I was unaware about the fact that I had a tough beard. And there are several reasons behind that. Firstly, unlike women, men hardly talk about skin care or hair care. Secondly, men tend to purchase products without any prior research or knowledge about their own necessities.
See, facial hair can be of various types. After all, it differs from person to person. While someone struggles with hair growth, you and I enjoy a full grown beard within a few days after clean shaving. Moreover, knowing your beard type is also important because one picks the blade type, the RPM, and other features based on it.
There are several ways of knowing your beard type. Firstly, while shaving try to analyse if you are experiencing any difficulty. Most men with thick, tough beards complain about experiencing tugging and pulling while shaving. So, if you are also having the same experience, it’s more likely that you have a tough beard.
Secondly, after clean shaving, try to touch your skin and test the roughness. If your skin feels rough and prickly the next day itself, it means you have a tough beard.
Thirdly, try to notice your hair growth speed and its density. Thick beard is more likely to be tough while shaving.
Now, let’s get onboard on the buying guide.
What are factors to keep in mind while buying a shaver for a tough beard?
Well, to begin with, you need to pick a razor type. If you are comfortable with a traditional razor, you have nothing to worry about. However, if you don’t want to risk experiencing any nicks and cuts, I recommend electric shavers.
These electric grooming devices are of two types: foil and rotary electric shavers.
Foil electric shavers are known for their to-and-fro movement. And, as the name suggests, they feature foils above the cutters. These foils come with multiple small holes that let the hair strands get into the holes so that the cutters provide a fine cut. Generally, this type of razor is suggested for folks with sensitive skin. However, I recommend the same if you don’t have a thick beard.
But if you are someone with a thick, tough beard, I recommend you use the rotary electric shavers. Besides featuring up to four heads, this razor type moves the heads in circular motion. In addition, they feature tiny scissor-like blades under the heads. I think these electric shavers are the best when it comes to a tough beard and rough stubble.
I have been using rotary shavers since a long time and I must say, I can’t complain of any tangling or tugging.
Next, you must check the motor before buying an electric razor for your tough beard. Even if you purchase an expensive, well-rated razor, you may end up tugging hair strands while shaving. Therefore, you need a powerful motor to give a pain free shaving experience.
And how do you judge if a motor is powerful in an electric shaver?
My answer is checking the RPM/CPM. RPM stands for revolution per minute and CPM stands for cycles per minute. In both the terms, we are talking about the speed and intensity with which a shaver will cut the hair strands.
And for folks with tough beards, the solution always lies with buying razors with the highest RPMs. Although motor seems to be a less discussed factor, let me tell you, it’s the most important one when it comes to shaving tough hair strands. Therefore, never overlook these criteria. I understand RPM and CPM sounds too techy. But, hey, it’s not rocket science. Just try to put your head around the basics and you will learn to buy the best product for yourself.
After checking the motor, it’s time to check the blades. Even though it’s kind of obvious, many men end up buying shavers with unsuitable blades. Dear readers, please remember, not all good shavers are good for you. For instance, a shaver that is good for sensitive skin, may not be as suitable to shave a tough beard. Therefore, always check the blades.
Try to buy thin blades that go closest to the skin. Before purchasing the product, try to read the reviews. You need strong, durable, yet thin blades. Using shavers with blunt blades may tangle your hair and create a very uncomfortable situation for you. So, blade sharpness, angle, number of blades, and accuracy are unavoidable factors that you must check while buying an electric grooming tool for your tough beard.
Again, there’s one more point that hardly anybody talks about: replacing blades and foils frequently. If the brand says to change the blades within three months, I suggest you for two months. You need to understand one thing here that only you know what you need. So, make sure you do everything according to your shaving needs and necessities.
The next factor that you need to consider while buying an electric razor is attachments. For instance, I have been using an electric shaver with a trimmer attachment. But, besides trimmers, there are also other attachments that you may find necessary. Again, another example, there are shavers with extended handles. Many find it very useful.
Bearded men often like to sport long or short stubble. And, honestly, I also fall in the same category. I have been using my electric shaver with a trimmer attached and I enjoy excellent results. Also, I have tried using a shaver and trimmer separately, but ended up experiencing lots of yanking. Therefore, I would like to recommend you to buy razors with trimmer attached.
Next, you need to decide between wet shaving and dry shaving before purchasing an electric shaver.
Dry shaving is an important factor behind electric razor’s popularity. When it first came to the market, it was as popular as almost a revolutionary invention. Even today, if you go around asking your friend why they like electric razors, dry shaving would be one of the most common reasons.
Dry shaving is indeed convenient and easy. If you are a busy person or someone who spends most of their day meeting people, I think you should opt for dry shaving. Also, this feature comes handy for people who travel often. Backpackers and travellers love such features. The point is: dry shaving is a handy and practical feature.
However, in this blog, we are talking about shaving a tough beard. And if one thing we know about shaving a tough beard, it will be our struggle with the hair strands. Sometimes, the hair strands not only experience tugging and yanking, but also end up tangling with the blades. All such situations eventually led to painful after shaving scenarios. While some people report experiencing irritation, some men also experience bleeding.
Therefore, I think it’s very important to talk about the importance of wet shaving for men with tough beard. In fact, I would like to go an extra length and suggest you use lukewarm water to soften your facial hair before shaving. It can be for minimum three minutes. Trust me. You will see remarkable difference.
And, let’s not forget about shaving foam or shaving gel. For men with light hair, this step can be an unnecessary one. But folks with tough hair must never forget about this step.
If you can’t decide between wet shaving and dry shaving, you can also check out electric shaver thinners. These electric grooming devices are almost magical, as they can provide both dry shaving and wet shaving.
The last factor that you need to keep in mind while buying a razor for a tough beard is whether the device is battery operated, rechargeable, or mains powered. I always suggest my friends to pick one that suits their lifestyle. However, if asked about my personal priority, I will suggest buying the rechargeable ones.
Again, there are several things to check before picking the rechargeable ones. In Particular, you need to see the battery life and low battery indication. Don’t go for the razors that need to change batteries because it can prove to be costly maintenance.
Besides all the above points, you need to check its brand, warranty period, and whether the shaver is waterproof. To summarize, if you keep all these points in mind, you are ready to buy the best electric shaver for a tough beard.
