Daily shaving is an integral part of men’s grooming and it’s probably the most recurrent duty one has to perform to keep up the neat look.
However, there is often one confusion tons of men face frequently: wet shaving or dry shaving? Which one should I choose? Which will treat my skin in the best way or generate closest results?
These are the questions that need to be answered, and in order to do that, I have to propose this debate of wet vs dry shaving.
Here, I will place the two shaving methods side by side and inspect their pros and cons. Finally, I’ll teach you how to identify the better method for your unique needs and leave a personal verdict at the end!
Contents
What is Wet Shaving?
Wet shaving is exactly what it sounds like: a shaving method that includes water to moist your facial hair, shaving cream or soap to function as lubricants over which you’ll run your razor.
The razor can be both manual or electric, depending on the model you currently own. You’ll definitely have to drench your face to fully comply with this approach.
Let’s have a look at some of the basic elements of wet shaving to help you understand this concept completely.
Tools Required
To perform a wet shave, you have to use the following tools or at least a subset of these, otherwise it cannot be regarded as wet shaving:
- Shaving foam/gel/soap
- Shaving brush
- Lathering products
- Water-resistant shaver
These tools are generally utilized for performing a wet shave. Don’t get it mixed up with pre-shave routines because that is a completely different procedure.
Key Aspects
There are plenty of reasons behind opting for wet shaving. I’ll discuss a few important aspects of this method as it’ll highlight the reason behind its lasting popularity:
- Smoothness: With a wet shave, your skin becomes very smooth, so much that you won’t even feel scratch hair heads right after the grooming session. Some argue that wet shaving with a manual razor generates the closest shaving outcome till date.
- Preparation Time: Good things do come at a cost and wet shaving will consume a longer portion of your time. Because you’ll have to invest your efforts into washing the face, applying foam or gel and spreading it across evenly. In my opinion, it’s still worth it!
- Traditional Appeal: Wet shaving is definitely the traditional way to treat your beard. For hundreds of years, barbers have applied this method for their consumers and it has been the only accepted way until the rise of modern electric shavers.
These key aspects set wet shaving apart from anything else and accredits higher value among widespread grooming enthusiasts.
What is Dry Shaving?
Dry shaving generally refers to the procedure where any sort of wetness will be absent and commonly proceeds with electric shavers.
This method is very swift and lets you avoid all the mess associated with the shaving operation. It’s widely favored by professionals due to its result generation in limited time.
The required tool number is much less than wet shaving, yet certain things are essential to complete shaving in dry mode.
Tools Required
Only an electric shaver will suffice when it comes to dry shaving. However, if you have a stubble growth that exceeds 3 days, you’ll need additional tools.
For instance, a trimmer comes in handy during such scenarios as it trims down your longer beard to a length that can be picked up by the electric razor.
Key Aspects
The important aspects of dry shaving are much different than wet mode. Having a quick look at it should showcase the appeal of this shaving approach.
- Convenience: No matter what you say, dry shaving is highly convenient as you don’t need additional products or accessories to render your operation a fruitful one. From your car to the airport’s washroom, this method can be performed at any place of your desire!
- Speed: Due to the lack of preparation and advanced cutting elements, dry shaving is really fast! It takes only minutes to get everything done which was unimaginable in the olden days.
- Modern Appeal: Since dry shaving is directly associated with electric shavers, there’s this charm of modernity due to the technology-embossed shaving devices. These look smart, contain digital features and oftentimes be treated as a gadget.
So, you now have a clear idea about the vital elements for both of the mentioned shaving types.
Wet vs Dry Shaving: Which One Should You Choose?
Wet Shaving | Dry Shaving |
Delivers a close shave | Can be done swiftly |
Less irritation | Causes less mess |
Caters to sensitive skin | Portable, can be performed anywhere |
Prolongs shaver durability | Less expensive |
Can be therapeutic | Almost all shaver models are capable |
In this section, let me place both wet and dry shaving side by side to learn about their positive and negative aspects at greater depth. The table above will help you draw the basic differentiation.
Shaving Closeness
As I discussed earlier, wet shaving tends to offer closer shaves than dry shaves. Since wet shaving softens the beard down, the facial hair can be trimmed more conveniently from the root.
A lot of the electric shavers these days are able to mimic such performance in dry shaving mode but I believe there’s still a little room for progress.
However, wet-shave capable electric razors can match the closeness of a manual razor followed by pre-shave routines and conducting the grooming session in wet mode.
Skin Comfort
It might come to you as a surprise, but dry electric shaving can very often cause irritation on skin and the experience can be quite unnerving.
On the other hand, wet shaves are much more comfortable and it caters to sensitive skin, although your shaver must contain skin-friendly features.
You should know that wet shaving with a manual razor is still more likely to cause accidental cuts as opposed to shaving dry with an electric device.
Speed of Shaving
I don’t need to mention it again that dry shaves are much faster than wet shaving since there’s no hassle of applying anything on your skin.
But if you think dry shaves are rough and the glides start to hurt after a while, there’s a swift middle ground you can explore.
It is the application of shaving lotion which doesn’t require much time but reduces friction between the blade and your skin to smooth out the shaving experience!
Durability
When you perform a shaving action in dry mode, the cutting elements have to chop through thicker and more robust hair strands.
It tends to gradually damage these cutting elements and compromises durability in the long run. As per wet shaving, the soft beard removal imposes less stress on the blades.
Therefore, if your priority lies within protecting your shaving gears, then you should opt for a wet shaving routine.
Maintenance
There’s a mixed feeling from my end when it comes to the maintenance of both wet and dry shaving grooming tools.
While it’s easier to simply dust off the stray hair from the razor using a brush after a dry shave, the devices that are not waterproof won’t encourage thorough cleaning.
On the other hand, washable shavers are generally waterproof and used for wet shaving. You can perform proper cleansing by rinsing or soap application, a relatively hectic procedure.
However, if your shaver comes with a cleaning station, then your maintenance routine will definitely be an effortless one even for wet shaves.
Flexibility
Dry shaving is definitely the more flexible choice than wet shaving. You can perform it any time at any place, whereas wet shaving demands a setup to place your foam/gel and additional tools.
Also, shaving in the dry mode causes relatively less mess if you manage to keep yourself covered properly.
Wet shaving demands water contact before and after the session, therefore it’s ideal to situate the station near a water source.
Overall Cost
Based on the tools and products you need for wet shaving, you can make a guess that the venture is quite costly.
Then again, for dry shaving, you have to purchase electric shavers that aren’t always cheap, especially if you’re looking for something that’ll last a long time.
Comparing the overall cost between these two categories suggest that dry shaving tends to cost a large sum initially, but wet shaving will cost more over time.
Dry vs Wet Shaving: Factors to Consider
There are a few factors that determine whether you should opt for the wet shaving routine or dry. Let’s find those out as I believe it’ll help you settle the debate for yourself!
- Skin Type: While consumers with general skin types can perform both shaving routines effectively, ones with skin conditions will find wet shaving more soothing than dry. That said, certain scenarios will demand your skin for a dry shave, so try realizing your skin’s requirements first!
- Hair Texture: Coarse hair is a challenging affair when it comes to shaving, and nothing beats the convenience of a wet shave in this regard. The wetness and additional product application reduces the integrity of the facial hair which makes it easier for your blades to trim through.
- Lifestyle: If your lifestyle is very hectic and busy, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll find the time to perform wet shaves each time. Therefore, dry shaving would be the ideal option to squeeze into your routine.
- Cost: I mentioned it earlier – dry shaving will cost in the initial phase but it’s the overall cost-effective method. Wet shaving does not only increase the cost over time, but also there’s the trouble of refilling the spent foam or gel.
- Preference: In the end, your preference has a big role in deciding between wet vs dry shaving routines. If you’re more into traditions of grooming, wet shaving will surely float your boat. Or for modern gadget enthusiasts like myself, dry shaving with an electric razor can fulfil your grooming expectations.
With these essential determinants in mind, I hope you’ll be able to make up your mind and settle for a routine that’s both healthy and preferential!
Final Thoughts
We began this journey with a very simple question: dry shaving or wet shaving? Since then, we have explored what each of these routines suggest quite elaborately.
Then, I drew a comparative analysis of these two categories, explaining both the strengths and weaknesses side by side.
I personally believe that the best approach is to combine the two routines – not at the same time, rather within the same week.
For instance, during my work days, I prefer a quick, dry shave. But when it comes to the weekends or any special occasion, wet shaving has always been my preferred method.
You can follow this approach if your skin and facial hair type allows you, otherwise settle for the one that caters to your needs the best!