There is nothing wrong with taking pride in your appearance; tidy hair, clean shaven (unless you have a beard of course – which you keep nicely groomed). Male grooming is very big business these days with a whole of host of gadgets, gizmos, creams and potions to keep you looking your absolute best.
For a lot of men, shaving is part of their grooming routine, whether daily or otherwise. I hate shaving, but I also don’t want a beard so that leaves me with having to shave. I prefer shaving with a manual razor but even with new blades, it causes a lot of irritation to my skin so I thought I would give an electric shaver another go.
I have been using the Wahl Lifeproof Wet/Dry Electric Shaver. The Lifeproof Shaver is a wet or dry waterproof and shock-resistant cordless electric shaver with dual foil shaving heads. It runs for an impressive ninety minutes between charges, so you can have thirty, three-minute shaves – one a day for a month before you need to recharge it (and it only takes sixty minutes to recharge fully).
In the box:
- Wahl Lifeproof Electric Shaver
- Foil Guard
- Charging Adapter
- Cleaning Brush
- Blade Oil
- Travel Pouch
- Instruction booklet
The Wahl Lifeproof Electric Shaver brightens up the bathroom with its bright banana yellow colouring. Apart from its funky and cheerful bright colour it does have some other features. It features dual floating flex foils that move, meaning that the foils contour you face whilst shaving, resulting in a more comfortable shave with less irritation. The foil cuts extremely close at up to 0.1mm giving a good close shave, which leaves my face reasonably smooth after using it. It is enclosed in a durable shockproof housing with ergonomic rubber grips ensuring a comfortable and secure hold and it is equipped with an extendable precision trimmer with stainless steel blades for edging sideburns and necklines. As a shaver is generally used in a bathroom, they at the very least need to be splashproof but the Wahl Lifeproof is waterproof up to 1 metre (3 feet) so it is perfect for use in the shower. It also features a travel lock function, an excellent little function so that it doesn’t switch on in your luggage when travelling, buzzing around like an angry bee.
As the Wahl Lifeproof is a cordless electric shaver, it has a battery – and this means that it needs charging! I have already mentioned that it has 90 minutes usage time from its lithium-ion battery, which gives 30 three-minute shaves – enough for a month, but it also features a 5 minute quick charge. This feature is extremely handy as it will give enough power for a shave, perfect for when you forget to charge it but need to use it. Charging is easy, just plug in the charging cable into the base of the shaver. The battery life is excellent and doesn’t seem to lose charge when not in use, so it doesn’t need to be left on charge to be able to use it the next day or a couple of days later – a full charge will take approximately 60 minutes.
It is also a tough and durable shaver; Wahl go as far as saying that it is practically indestructible! It is a high impact, shock resistant shaver. Whilst I can’t comment on how indestructible it actually is, I have dropped it in the sink a few times and once on the floor and it has no visible damage and still works in the same way as when I got it – so I will take their word for it. It has been designed to withstand the rigors of everyday life and the ergonomic rubber grips make it comfortable to use as well as offering it drop protection.
It is also lighter than other electric shavers that I have tried over the years, although it doesn’t compromise on power or functionality.
I really don’t like shaving, I find it irritating, but I do like how smooth my face feels after a shave – if only it could stay that way. I have been very impressed with the Wahl Lifeproof. I generally have a shave with my trusty manual razor once a week and then use the Lifeproof every morning of the week (I give my face a rest on the weekends). Whilst the Lifeproof electric shaver doesn’t get as smooth as my manual razor, it does do an excellent job and without so much irritation or razor cuts. It features a three-cut system; the trimmer cuts longer hairs, 1st foil cuts shorter hairs, 2nd foil removes remaining short hairs and the flexible foils move with the contours of your face to give a better shaving experience.
As with all electric shavers you won’t see the best results straightaway when switching from a manual razor to an electric shaver (or switching between different brands of electric shavers), your face needs to get used to the different shaving method, so if you try one don’t give up after one use thinking it is no good – just persevere as it can take several weeks to adjust to the different shaving technique and to begin with you might have some slight irritation.
Like all electric shavers, it needs to be looked after and maintained. This is a painless process. It simply means cleaning off shaving debris and changing the foils when necessary. Cleaning is easy as the foil pulls off and it is all easily rinsed under running tap water or in the shower (it is fully rinseable), it is also supplied with a cleaning brush to brush away any whisker dust from the cutters and foil.
Overall, I am very impressed and happy with the Wahl Lifeproof Wet/Dry Electric Shaver. I like that as it is waterproof, I can use it in the shower (I can’t do this with my manual razor as I can’t wear my glasses in the shower). It’s very easy to operate and maintain, and I love the travel lock function that stops it accidentally switching on when travelling (who wants to hear something buzzing away in someone’s bag?). The travel lock is very simple to enable/disable, just press and hold the power button.
Unlike other electric shavers that I have had in the past, the Lifeproof doesn’t have a charging dock or cradle to place the shaver in when not in use or for charging. It does however come supplied with a zippered travel pouch that the shaver and charging adapter store neatly in.
For me, it only requires charging every 4-6 weeks. The battery life is excellent with a month’s usage from a single charge (based on a three-minute daily shave) and the five-minute quick charge to have a quick shave is a good feature if I have forgotten to charge the shaver for any reason.
Whilst I don’t think it cuts as close and as smooth as my trusted manual razor (I don’t think any electric razor does, at least in my experience anyway), it does get very close and leaves me with a noticeably lot less irritation than if I used my manual razor every day.
I like that is lightweight and compact, neatly storing away in its own travel bag and the foil protected with a plastic cover, perfect for putting in your hand luggage so you can keep your face nice and smooth on your travels.
At £69.99 it isn’t expensive for a good quality electric shaver, especially when you compare it against the cost of buying good quality razor blades every month. Although, whilst you won’t be buying expensive replacement blades for your old razor you will have to replace the foil and cutter every 12-18 months at a of cost £16.49 (a lot cheaper than replacement razor blades).
I think that the Wahl Lifeproof Electric Shaver is an excellent quality shaver that gives a close cut with a smooth finish. The durable and shockproof housing, quick charge and long battery life also make it a cut above the rest.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £69.99
For more information or to buy, visit www.wahl.co.uk.
DISCLOSURE: All thoughts and opinions are my own.
