Long Haired Mama Seeks Lawnmower

April 2, 2008 7:08 PM

Razor Filter: What's a good electric razor for legs and face?

Mama Moth has, like her sisters and female relatives, a moustache. While not bothered by this to the extent of laser removal, she wants a little workhorse of a razor she can use on her mouth and chin area and then on her legs in the summer time. Thus she has asked me (her daughter) to beg the mighty green mefi for their advice in this matter.

The intended gender of the razor doesn't matter, and she'll pay plenty if it's a nice, long lasting unit that gives a good shave. So, give ye your advice, oh wise and mighty hivemind! Which products are worth it and which aren't worth the cost of stamps to return them?

posted by Phalene to clothing, beauty, & fashion (13 answers total)

I use a Braun electric and it is pretty nice, but for the kind of fine hair a women has on an upper lip etc. I would go with a blade and shaving cream. You will get a much better result. Electrics are for the heavy stubbly stuff, not fine hairs; they suck for that.
posted by caddis at 7:22 PM on April 2, 2008

Can she wax the mustache or get it waxed? Seriously, I just cringe at the idea of shaving the face. Shaving will make the hair seem coarser and darker when it comes back. If she waxes it often enough, the hair eventually will become sparser to the point that eventually she won't even have to wax.
posted by pised at 7:49 PM on April 2, 2008

I got myself an epilator (Braun) last week (~$100 CDN).

Good God! It's Awesome!

It hurts less than waxing (no hothothot! wax), and zero ingrowns/torn-off hairs (which I've had problems with even with really skilled technicians).

It's probably not so good for facial hair (I'm imagining that it'd hurt. A lot.), but perhaps Nair (chemical hair remover) or a bleaching agent might be good for that.
posted by porpoise at 8:06 PM on April 2, 2008

Errr, hivemind? I know you're trying to be helpful...

The issue isn't the 'stache, it's her desire for a razor. She already knows about waxes and stuff, but is hoping there's an electric razor that would also work.
posted by Phalene at 8:18 PM on April 2, 2008

Get an electric razor with a platinum foil. The foils can be made thinner with platinum = closer shave.

Electric razors, in general, are not particularly satisfactory for hair removal.
posted by porpoise at 8:23 PM on April 2, 2008

I was kind of interested in recommendations here myself.. It's a shame that no one is coming up with anything. I mean, don't men buy and use electric razors on their faces?!
posted by Mael Oui at 11:43 PM on April 2, 2008

I mean, don't men buy and use electric razors on their faces?!

Not if we want a close shave, no.
posted by The Monkey at 5:00 AM on April 3, 2008

It's a shame that no one is coming up with anything.

It's because electric razors made for men's facial hair do a crappy job on fine hair. Any guy who has ever used one knows that one of the biggest pains is getting the fine hairs just under the ears. You usually have to use the trimmer for that, but the trimmer does not give a close shave. When shaving the whole male face this is just a small annoyance, but when the whole purpose is to shave fine hairs it is failure. Go with a blade and cream. As for the epilator though, I have no knowledge.
posted by caddis at 5:10 AM on April 3, 2008

don't men buy and use electric razors on their faces?!

Yeah, I do. The remaining hair gives me a designer stubble look. Probably not what a woman would want. Use a safety razor.
posted by grouse at 6:48 AM on April 3, 2008

yep, electric razors are great for my thick man hairs. not so great on wispy stuff. you get what you pay for. i got a Braun for Christmas. it was a $180 one. it works wonders on my man face. it is a million times nice than the $40 dollar one i got as a gift a number of years ago.
posted by Amby72 at 8:14 AM on April 3, 2008

Yeah men's facial hair is pretty different from any other human hair. Electrics are made for that and the operation sometimes seem more akin to sanding than shaving. You'll want a blade for a woman's face.

I don't believe the stuff about growing back coarser if you shave it but facial shaving is, like leg shaving, not as easy as it looks. Facial cuts can bleed for hours. I'd really suggest waxing for women's facial hair.
posted by chairface at 11:55 AM on April 3, 2008

Sorry, I didn't know!

I'm just going to point out that there are many women who have facial hair that is more akin to a man's (coarse, stubbly - often a hereditary condition), and, while I don't know if this is the sort of hair that this question was meant to address, I do assume that most women considering shaving are probably closer to this category. I doubt someone with fine, wispy hair would bother with any sort of razor.

And, Phalene, I really do wish that I had a recommendation for you!
posted by Mael Oui at 11:49 PM on April 3, 2008

As others have said electric razors kind of suck. They almost never shave closely, so I really doubt they'd work for women trying to look hairless.
posted by chunking express at 10:49 AM on April 4, 2008