(Akiit.com) There are many black men that go about the routine of shaving, in various forms, for their personal preference or job requirement. I, and many black men I have encountered, grew up being told to stay away from electric shavers. This warning was given because our skin was deemed to sensitive for the constant passes, and in turn we would bump up pretty bad. Many black men already dealt with the hair bumps and razor bumps they were a source of discomfort, acne and ridicule so the electric shaver was out of the question. With he emergence of skin care lines that have been made specifically for black men to help address the bumping and sensitivity some of us are finally getting to a point whereby we can shave without consequence. Wahl’s Bump-Free Rechargeable Shaver was advertised as a way by which men, and definitely black men, could use the convenience of an electric shaver without the negative drawbacks. I used the product for about two weeks, and while working as a firefighter, to see if it would be a great alternative for work seeing that I have to get through my morning hygiene routine with less time when I’m at the fire station.
Let me begin by saying prior to testing this product I have had a skin care regimen that has been in place for over a year, and it has been maintained by Shea Moisture’s products. This is important because the health of your skin might be a factor as to how well the shaver can cut without undue irritation. One of the concerns I have if I were to use the product long term is your face must be completely dry. It’s best to wash your face thoroughly, but do not add any moisturizer or oil. I’ve found that when I washed my face and moisturized the shaver did not cut well, and this was on routine usage. I don’t like that aspect much because I feel that irritation may become an issue, and the dryness will limit the amount of passes you can make over your face comfortably.
The shaver does not cut well if you are heading back to work after a few days off, or vacation. You will find there are patches of hair that remain behind causing you to have to make more passes over your face, with a bit more pressure, and that alone can cause irritation, and rash. The shaver does not contour to the face at all, it is one solid unit. Due to this it is not very effective on any part ov your face below the jaw line, and it can even give you difficulty on the chin area. The box includes a stiff brush for you to brush the hair away from the face as to help the shaver cut, which is standard with most electric shavers. However, that could be another source of irritation as you are brushing completely dry skin with a stiff bristle only to apply the shaver thereafter.
There is a built-in trimmer that is a wonderful idea, and a necessity, given that the shaver doesn’t contour. However, there can be difficulty with the trimmer staying up on its own, and you might find the cutting angle to be a bit awkward. Improving the cutting ability of the hypoallergenic titanium foil, which is supposed to help with irritation, would be a better solution verses a needed trimmer.
I felt the construct of this shaver would have been more effective if it could contour the face and neck. The shaver looks great, but it quickly proved that the unit itself could have been made of sturdier material. There is a brush enclosed to clean the shaver as best as possible, but it’s not waterproof and that makes keeping it clean more difficult. Given my job, I need a shaver that doesn’t require timely maintenance after every use. One would have thought, given the price, this would have been considered.
Wahl’s Bump-Free Rechargeable Shaver is good for a light quick shave on just the face. I would not recommend this shaver for hair more than one day long, nor if your face is extremely sensitive as any moisture would deem the shaver unable to cut. It is also not a good option if you are short on time but need to actually shave a couple of days of hair off your face. I expected more from the shaver overall, but I might still consider it for a small touch up.
Wahl Official Site; https://wahlusa.com/
Wahl Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/wahlpro/ (—–
Staff Writer; Sam Starr