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Can You Use Shaving Cream with an Electric Razor? The ‘Dos’ and ‘Don’ts’

Many consumers believe that they’re not allowed to use shaving cream with an electric razor as it might damage the electronic components of the shaver.

This concern is legit for a handful of devices whereas there are plenty of other electric razors fully capable of handling shaving cream.

Then, what are the capable devices? Which precautions must be considered to keep your dear shaving instrument safe from harm’s way?

I’ll answer all of it with an additional anecdote about the benefits and downsides of using shaving cream with electric razors in this article!

Can You Use Shaving Cream with an Electric Razor?

Can You Use Shaving Cream with an Electric Razor

Let’s cut to the chase and answer this big question first: can you really use shaving cream with an electric shaver?

The short answer is: YES! You can use shaving cream with an electric razor. But there are certain criteria that must be met:

  • Wet/Dry or Dry-only Shaver: First, check if your electric razor is a wet/dry shaver or simply a dry-only shaver. Wet/dry shavers are capable of using shaving cream whereas dry-only shavers cannot.

Note: Check for ‘WET/DRY’ text at the neck or any other part of your shaver’s housing. If it exists, you can conveniently apply shaving cream.

  • Water-resistant Shaver: Certain electric shavers claim they’re water-resistant and even come with a certification like IPX. In that case, you can go ahead and test out if it’s compatible with shaving cream since this experiment won’t cause your device any damage.
  • Washable Shaver: A washable electric razor doesn’t imply it can accommodate shaving cream during a grooming session. Instead, it speaks of the maintenance efficiency and it’s still better to check with the brand or user-manual to learn about its potential.

So basically, a wet/dry electric razor will definitely allow you to use shaving cream, water-resistant shavers generally do so but it varies and washable shavers usually don’t allow shaving cream use but certain tools contain this flexibility.

Pros and Cons of Using Shaving Cream with an Electric Razor

While there are positive aspects of using shaving cream with an electric razor, there are certain demerits worth considering. Time for us to take a stroll through both of these factors.

Pros of Using Shaving Cream with an Electric Razor

Pros of Using Shaving Cream with an Electric Razor

I’ll start with the pros:

Cons of Using Shaving Cream with an Electric Shaver

Cons of Using Shaving Cream with an Electric Shaver

The cons are as follows:

  • Might clog your shaver cutters if not frequently cleaned
  • Can damage dry-only electric razors, even void warranty
  • Cleaning may become difficult for washable shavers
  • Demands additional pre-shave routine steps, therefore time consuming
  • Extends the cost of beard shaving

Which Electric Shavers Can You Use with Shaving Cream?

Which Electric Shavers Can You Use with Shaving Cream?

There are tons of electric razors out there that are capable of utilizing shaving cream in its grooming operation.

However, let me list a few tools that can use shaving cream and some razors that cannot, to give you a comparative idea for your next session!

Razors that Can Use Shaving Cream

  • Braun Series 9
  • Panasonic ARC5 LV67
  • Skull Shaver Pitbull Gold Pro
  • Philips Norelco Shaver 7200
  • Philips Norelco OneBlade Pro 360

Razors that Cannot Use Shaving Cream

  • BaBylissPRO FoilFX02
  • Andis ProFoil TS-1
  • Remington Foil Shaver
  • Philips Norelco Shaver 2300
  • TPOB Mini Skull Shaver

As you can see from the list, both foil and rotary electric razors exist in the two lists, implying the type of shaver is not the primary factor to determine shaving cream-friendliness.

Rather, it’s the technology installed within the system by the shaver brands that determine whether you can apply shaving cream for your shaving operations.

Tips for Using Shaving Cream with an Electric Razor

If you already know the basics of wet or dry shaving, then these advanced tips will definitely enhance your grooming routine for the best!

Choosing the correct shaving cream is very important. Some creams are thick in texture and turn out to be sticky when they come in contact with the cutting elements.

Either check the description for electric shaving compatibility in the cream’s packaging, or pick a non-foaming or gel-based shaving cream for better results.

It’s better to use a smaller amount of shaving cream to avoid clogging your electric razors cutting components.

If you have sensitive or dry skin, pick a shaving cream according to your needs. Remember that the cream must be compatible with electric shaving.

After a few passes, when the cutters are densely covered in the cream, rinse the shaver head under the tap or dunk inside a bowl of water. Otherwise it’s going to compromise the shaving efficiency.

Perform a maintenance session after each shaving session to keep your electric razor in mint condition.

Always refer to your specific electric shaver’s user manual to know how to treat it in different conditions.

These tips can take you a long way if you’re adamant on using shaving cream with your electric razor.

FAQ

Before concluding this discussion, I’ll answer a few more questions regarding using shaving cream with an electric razor for general convenience.

Q: Are there alternatives to shaving cream for electric razors?

Ans: Yes! There are definitely alternatives to shaving creams when it comes to electric razors. For instance, pre-shave lotions, shaving oil, shaving powder or even water can be great substitutes should your device be capable of wet/dry shaving.

Q: Can I use shaving foam with an electric razor?

Ans: Yes, you can use shaving foam with an electric razor but its density might lead you to frequent rinses in the middle of a shaving session. Therefore it’s better to pick a non-foaming cream to reduce that hassle.

Q: What should I do if my electric razor isn’t designed for shaving cream?

Ans: There are many dry-only electric razors that require the application of certain elements to reduce frictions. While shaving cream may jeopardize the shaver’s integrity, shaving powder or lightly applied shaving lotion can do the job for you.

Final Thoughts

So in short, to answer ‘can you use shaving cream with an electric shaver?’ – the short answer is yes, but only if you own a wet/dry electric razor.

Otherwise, it’s better to check your shaver brand’s guidelines or avoid shaving cream altogether to keep your instrument safe.

A lot of the experience lies in your hand as well – experiment with different modes of shaving with creams that suit you the best and it’s highly personal, so there’s no alternative to first-hand use.

If you have further queries regarding this matter or want to share your experience of using shaving cream with electric razors, feel free to drop a comment below!

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