Being well groomed is big business these days, and not just for one half of the population. Male grooming has developed a life of its own and now has a whole host of gadgets, gizmos, creams and potions with more and more men taking more pride in their appearance than ever before.
For a lot of men, shaving will be part of their grooming routine as despite beards being in fashion now not everybody has or wants one. And for those of us that don’t have a beard and do have to shave, it can be right pain – sometimes quite literally. I don’t have a beard, don’t want a beard but I also really hate shaving. Shaving often, even with new blades, causes lots of irritation to my skin. I have used electric shavers in the past but always ended up going back to a manual razor, so I decided to give it another go with the Wahl LifeProof Shaver.
The Wahl LifeProof Shaver is an electric shaver that definitely brightens up the bathroom with its bright yellow colouring (most electric razors I have seen or used seem to black or blue). The LifeProof Shaver is a wet or dry waterproof and shock-resistant 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 is:
- Wahl LifeProof Electric Shaver
- Foil Guard
- Charging Adapter
- Cleaning Brush
- Blade Oil
- Travel Pouch
- Instruction booklet
The Wahl LifeProof Electric Shaver really is a funky looking shaver with its bright yellowing colouring, but apart from its 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, leaving my face quite smooth. 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 is doesn’t switch on in your luggage when travelling, buzzing around like an angry bee.
The Wahl LifeProof is a cordless electric shaver, therefore it has a battery. I have already mentioned the long-life lithium-ion battery (90 minutes use / 30 three-minute shaves), but it also features a five-minute quick charge. This is an extremely handy little feature as it will give five-minutes use, enough for a shave. 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.
I really don’t like shaving, it is irritating and quite frankly boring, but I do like how smooth my face feels after a shave, if only it could stay that way. I have been using the Wahl LifeProof for a while now and am very impressed. 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. Whilst it doesn’t give as close of a shave as my manual razor does, it does get nearly there and best of all, I have less irritation and no razor cuts.
The LifeProof Shaver does an excellent job with its three-cut system; the trimmer cuts longer hairs, 1st foil cuts shorter hairs, 2nd foil removes remaining short hairs.
As with all electric shavers, the LifeProof needs to be looked after and maintained. This means cleaning 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 shower, it is also supplied with a cleaning brush to brush away any whisker dust from the cutters and foil (you should never tap the shaver off the edge of the sink to loosen debris as you could damage the delicate components).
Overall, the Wahl LifeProof Electric Shaver is very impressive. I like that as it is waterproof I can use in the shower (I can’t do this with a manual razor as I can’t wear my glasses in the shower so can’t see what I’m doing). The shaver is very easy to use and maintain, and the travel lock function is very simple to operate, just press and hold the power button to enable/disable.
This shaver isn’t supplied with a charging dock or docking cradle to place the shaver in when not in use. It does however come supplied with a zipped travel pouch that the shaver and charging adapter store neatly in.
It doesn’t need charging a lot as 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 it is very good and this may get better with more practice and better technique, but it does cut very close and reduces irritation which means I can shave more often (much to my girlfriend’s disappointment as she seems to like stubble). It is also lightweight and compact in the travel bag, so it is perfect for putting in your hand luggage so you can keep your face nice and smooth on your travels.
At £70 it isn’t that expensive for an electric shaver, especially when you compare it against the cost of buying good quality razor blades, just note that 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.
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.
