What is the purpose of a foil shaver?
The purpose is for this device is to cut your facial hairs by getting close to your face as possible without having to use a razor blade. It was designed as a way for men to gain more flexibility in their busy lives. Because we all know traditional shaving takes time, shaving cream or oils, etc. With foil shaving, there is none of that since you can shave on your dry skin with a foil shaver.
What is the purpose of a rotary shaver?
The same as a foil shaver, to give you a good shape by getting as close to your skin as possible. It does this by having round shaving foils that have blades moving circularly. Rotary shavers have various independent shaving heads. Foil shavers shave in one direction, but rotary shavers are used in circular motions around all the corners and curvatures of your head, face, and neck.
The Foil Shavers Bio
A man named Jacob Shick invented the first electric shaver. The original, back in the early 1900s. He created it, designed the look of the shaver. Remington came in the game with their own by shaver in 1937. Their version had micro-foils.
The foils act as a barrier to provide your skin with protection. Over time, the design of the foil shaver would improve. But the overlining principle of the foil shavers would not change.
They would always have the head made from steel along with the oscillating blades. Others may call it reciprocating bladed that can move forward and backward during high-speed movement.
They get up close and cut your hair without touching the skin. The foil shaver has small holes that the hair drops in when the blades are moving are high speeds and cutting your hair.
What are some good things about a Foil Shaver?
- Shave all types of hair
- Achieve a smooth shave
- Fast shaving time
- Great for trimming sideburns and mustache
- Easy to maintain
Achieving a nice shave
Most, not all foil shavers have at least two blades some may come with three that shave in a straight line. They can get close to your skin, therefore cutting hairs close to the point of entry (from which the hair starts to grow out the skin)
Foil shavers can shave all types of hair
Because they have different arrangements on every foil and a short crevice, round holes, and a long but wide pattern. They can work on all types of hair. From coarse hair to loose and curly, all in one go.
The guiding holes come with a wavy pattern that allows all types of hair lengths to enter the holes. Some come with a hexagonal pattern. So, no matter if the hair is lying flat or If it has a wavy consistency. It can be rough also, it can still be raised and cut. But be careful, they aren’t good for LONG Hair.
Quick shaving time
The blades work at increased speeds. Also, they can go up to an oscillation rate of up to 13,000 cycles every minute. Now that is fast.
Good for trimming your sideburns and good for lining up your mustache
Because foil shavers have a rectangular shape to them, they can produce a straight line which makes it perfect for sideburns and your mustache.
Easy maintenance
All you have to do is run it under some water or use a table to clean and get out all the dirt. Sometimes you’ll have to take out the foils before you wash them off. Also, you must lubricate the head occasionally.
The downsides with foil shavers
These types of shavers can perform in certain directions such as straight, vertical, and horizontal positions. So, if you would rather shave in circles the foil shaver will be a challenge. It may not go along with the natural curvature of your face.
So, it’ll affect your shaving experience when you prefer to shave go around your face.
It produces a lot of noise. The vibrations are what give off the noise. But that noise is good. It’s from a powerful machine that can give you a close shave.
Read More:
- So, you are obviously a fan of electric razors but do you know how often you should be cleaning your razors?
- Guess what, when you don’t clean your razors they may tend to smell bad or do they?
Things that can lower the productivity of a foil shaver
- Long hair
- You don’t dry the shaver
- Pressing the shaver hard on your skin
- Tapping it too hard while cleaning it
Using the shave for long hair, the hair may end up stuck inside the foils and stop the haver from working.
You’re not drying out the shaver
A wet foil shaver is not good, and it’s a good way to have good rust formation. Dry it, lubricate the head, and place it in a warm and dry area.
Don’t press hard on your skin
Aim for a gentle touch. The same way you use traditional shaving with a gentle touch. The same goes for this. Pressing hard against your skin might cut you or even worse, mess up your device.
Cleaning it, and tapping shaver real hard
All you need is a slight tap on the shaver. Taping it too hard can damage the internal parts. Especially tapping it on a countertop.
What about the Rotary Shaver?
They are a bit different from their foil shaver counterparts. They come equipped with circular blades attached to round heads. The design was by Philips and comes with about three discs. Ever since they created it, they have maintained their industry standing by creating a variety of rotary shavers.
Today there are a few cool designs of the rotary shaver in all sorts of types and marketed for different users. In the discs of the rotary shaver, the razors spin repeatedly. They are specifically made for staying near the corners and curves of the face.
Positives of Rotary Shavers
- They are great because you have a thick quick growing
- They can work great on coarse hair
- Great for contours
- They are quieter than foil shavers
They can work wonders on fast-growing thick hair. This shave is ideal since they can cut long hair. Also great for passing on rough skin made from years of continuous shaving.
When you have coarse hair, it’ll grow in various patterns and directions. You can get a good shave even if you have some tangled hair. Although neither rotary nor foil shavers can give you close enough shave as traditional shaving.
It’s great for the contours of your face
Now there are great things about rotary shavers. One is that they can spin their foil heads. I meant to write rotate them. Doing so allows the popular 360-degree shave on our faces. Bending and passing across your face. Doesn’t matter. No place is off-limits. Under your nose, even behind your ears.
It works great for your Adam’s apple, weird cheekbones, tight jawlines are no problem for this type of shaver. The rotary shaver is great but not the foil shaver. What makes it great for sensitive places such as the neck or your underarms are the slow moves. The moves are circular also. They sometimes.
It’s hard for them to miss a spot. So, because of this. You might not be shaving more than once.
They are quiet
They don’t irritate the eardrums as much as a foil shaver will. Although both can be quite noisy. I mean they do have a motor in them.
Disadvantages of a rotary shaver
The two things that bother me with rotary shavers are that they don’t offer a close shave and it is much harder to clean than I expected.
They don’t offer a close shave
But I wouldn’t worry too much about this disadvantage. No device will give a close shave. None. Traditional shaving will always reign supreme when it comes to shaving and getting a close shave. They aren’t as precise on the straight, and fine hair since the discs rotate independently.
More difficult to clean
With rotary shavers, there are a lot of parts that must be taken apart to clean them. Making it difficult for the people who may not be looking to spend an hour or two cleaning it. Since they will have to do each step and do what can only be considered a “perfect job.”
Maybe over time, you can figure out a way to speed up the process.
Things that can reduce the Rotary shaver’s effectiveness
• Putting too much pressure on your face. More than what is needed
• You don’t give it a proper cleaning
• Do you go with a dry shave or wet shave?
Putting too much pressure
Anytime I was shaving I would revert to putting too much pressure because I thought that was what I should do. I do this because I’m thinking it can give you a closer shave. Rotary shavers aren’t built in this way. It is made for cutting hair sprouting in all sorts of angles and directions.
You don’t give it a proper cleaning
It doesn’t have a cleaning terminal? You should try to get one because it must be cleaned properly. Doing this ensures the blades work at their best. If you fail to clean them, then there will be softening of the blades. Dull blades mean bad shaving.
Dry Shave versus Wet Shave
It can be hard to choose between dry and wet shave. The wet shave is great for people with thick, coarse hair. The shaving cream will protect the skin but will also keep your hair soft enough to be cut by the blades.
Straight hair tends to disappear in the shaving cream straight hair. The blades have a hard time grabbing hold of the air. But the wet shave is great for preventing skin irritation.
Dry shaving is quick in the shaving process. Picking the wrong one can mean doom for your skin and overall shaving experience.
Comparison with Both Shavers
Comparison between rotary and foil shavers is based on three factors. The movement of the blades. How well they deal with the contours of your head. And how good of a job it does when it comes to shaving.
First, let’s tackle the blade design
On foil shavers, the blades are manufactured in a way that they move backward and forward movement which happens to be the same pattern you have when you start grooming yourself. The blades underneath the foil can touch your skin. So, your skin will be protected.
The result of this is a smooth and close shave. Now the rotary is a bit more complex. It works through a spinning disc and a few sharp blades. They come equipped with 2 – 3 discs. These three discs can deliver a good cut.
Face and head contours
I don’t know your face or your head. I don’t know how it’s shaped. But everyone’s is different. The shaver you need should be able to go over the various lumps, bumps, dips, and curves of your head and face. That shaver is a rotary shaver. The rotary outperforms the foil shavers when it comes to flat surfaces. Those surfaces such as your cheeks.
Foil electric shavers can work well with flat surfaces. The foil shavers will give a more accurate cutting but for the contours of your face and head, the rotary shaver you can’t go wrong.
How well do they cut hair and the cleaning of the device?
The precision of the cutting will depend greatly on the type and brand that you are cutting with. Some are made of cheap quality. The others are built with better material and cut better. Rotary shavers will take time to clean rather than a foil shaver.
Which one is the best option if your skin is sensitive?
Your skin sensitivity will depend on how often you’ve taken up shaving. The foil shaver can be a little easy on sensitive skin. But with cheaper quality foil shavers when the motor speed slows, you can go through some roughness from the blades. But what’s best for sensitive skin? It will greatly depend on your skin sensitivity level.
The case for dry and wet shaving: Explanation
Wet shaving
It involves using water. Duh!! You’re going to be using a regular razor, shaving brush, shaving cream, the whole nine. Not many electric shavers work well when it comes to wet shaving. The great thing with wet shaving is that you can get a smoother, closer shave. Especially when using the proper approach.
Dry shaving
The electric shaver you use probably won’t give you a great cut such as the one you would get with wet shaving. With dry shaving, you can shave anywhere unlike with wet shaving. You’ll need to set it up in a bathroom to complete the wet shaving task.
Why are these options available?
These options are available as an option for folks with sensitive skin and also the preconceived notion that it will give you a closer shave. When you use shaving cream, your facial hair follicles start to swell. This makes the shaving cream bond to it a lot better and shaving can be more comfortable.
Getting the most charge out of your foil/ rotary shaver
Taking the speed concern of the electric shaver out of the equation, the other concern comes from the life of the batter along with its portability. For portability concerns, they are small enough for you to travel with. There are a few ways to deal with the dead battery and how to prolong its life. Here are a few ways to go about that.
- Discharge it entirely. Before you recharge it again. There’s this thing called voltage depression, this is lessened by draining the battery.
- Stop overcharging the shaver and don’t leave it charging overnight. Plug it out the outlet when it’s fully charged then leave it alone. If you don’t then your battery is going to have voltage depression.
- The battery you have is important. What type is it? How many cells does it have? The ones made out of nickel-metal hydride are popular for holding more charge. Then comes batteries made out of lithium-ion coming right behind them. Nickel-cadmium batteries are terrible at retaining their charge.
Internal parts
Foil: The device has holes in it. It works by using metals that will actively be pulling your hair toward the oscillating blades.
Rotary: the mechanism was designed with rotating heads. At least three of them. The rotating head forms a triangular shape. The heads can move in a variety of directions, but the head is also moving. Behind the heads are metal cutters that spin rapidly. This is what removes the hair when it falls into the slot or the liners of the head.
Speed
Foil: They move quick. When you combine the vibration levels and significant speed levels this object generates, it will be moving at a speed. The vibration levels can go up to 14,000 cycles every minute.
Rotary: These don’t get up to that many cycles. So, with a rotary, you may find yourself passing over a spot a few times.
Blade motion
Rotary: blades will be in the wheels of the shaver. The wheels spin beneath the shaving head and cut the hair once it enters the shaver.
Foil: blades are directly behind the foils. Oscillating blades slice the hair coming through the shaver.
Technological
Foil: uses sonic technology that can find out the hair follicles density. By doing this, it’s able to adapt its power for the shaving process.
Rotary: The shavers are either wet or dry. That is the technology that comes with them.
How to make a decision? Will it be the rotary or the foil shaver?
You should go with a rotary shaver when you…
- Have either regular or tough skin
- If you have thick coarse hair and a blend of medium to rough beard density
- Haven’t concluded to shave daily, or you don’t want to.
- You have a lot of edges and curves on your face. That is called contours.
- Have to cut long hairs, like you’re going on a two-day trip and aren’t able to shave and you want a close shave.
- Your facial hair grows in all sorts of ways. A good way to determine if that is true is by looking at the neck area
But with a foil shaver, this might be your best option if
- You shave daily
- Have good facial hair
- You’re looking to get the smoothest shave with an electric shaver. I’m talking smooth like a baby bottom
- You have sideburns, and you want real precision cuts
- You want a good shave on your cheekbones
- You need to shave in straight patterns
- Choosing between the two is going to come down to how it deals with your skin. Your skin sensitivity is the most important factor to choose from. Both cut well. Both may come in wet and dry options.
- A lot of concerns will be about razor burn and bumps. I write about how you can minimize this below.
How to keep your electric shaver clean to prevent acne!
Some shavers you’re able to pop off the head of the shaver and rinse it underwater.
Most shavers can come with mini brushes that you’ll be able to use in the hard-to-reach parts of the shaver. There are a few high-end electric shavers that will come with docking and a station for cleaning.
The cleaning stations can serve a variety of purposes. The dock can clean the head with some rubbing alcohol, it can charge the shaver, then even lubricate the blades themselves. And the last thing it can do is dry off the shaver.
You can just drop the shaver in the cradle and touch a button or two and you are on your way.
Some more costs are added to this. The cleaning station may require a certain cartridge to be placed in. A cartridge that contains alcohol and lubricant.
Cleaning it regularly can help offset the problem of razor bumps or acne as a result of the razor bumps. The cleaning cartridge can hit your pockets for up to $60 a year.
Tip To prevent the spread of acne and skin irritation: your technique matters when it comes to using an electric shaver. The foil heads should be used downward or upward, left to right. The rotary head is used in a clockwise circular motion. One problem that is prevalent with using electric shavers is going over the area multiple times.
Also, you can prewash your face before the shaving process starts.
Benefits to using foil or rotary shaver
You don’t have to spend money on new blades as much as you do with cartridge razors or safety razors. Maybe once every year and a half you’ll have to dig in your pocket. Or maybe you won’t sine you clean them so well.
Depending on where you buy, they can cost less than a cartridge razor. You can end up paying $30 for a foil head and $35 for a rotary head. But the brand name of each may increase the price drastically.
Would a foil shaver work on pubic hair?
Yes, you can. But would you want to? Both shavers will have blades moving at high speeds. They maneuver rapidly in either an oscillating or circular motion. That alone makes it quite dangerous to use on your pubic hair. Also, it’s difficult to take up those motions to the pubic hair area and the hairs grow in all sorts of directions. You’re better off with a trimmer that is made for only shaving your pubic hair.
How Close will your shave be?
Both shavers can give a decent amount of closeness in their shave. When it comes to foil vs rotary. Many believe the foil reigns supreme. But the thing you have to think about is how you shave, the technique being used, are your hairs are properly trimmed before shaving, are using a dry or wet option for your shaving. Do you have any contours on your face? For my money, I would go with the foil shaver.
Does the shave have a pattern?
Both are going to be different. The rotary moves in a circular pattern. Foil moves upward and downward, left to right. If you go against the pattern of the shave for either device, you can experience a razor burn.
What about contouring? Is this something you care much about?
If you’re worried about contouring, then the foil razor might not be the right choice. It’s going to be problematic for you. They have limited flexibility and you’ll end up being frustrated by the razor.
Will you be needing a certain type of cutting pattern or style to see good results?
So contouring is nothing you are worried about, but you want to shape up your sideburns and your beard. Foil shaver is the way to go. Close shave with proper straight lines.
But if contouring isn’t something you care about. But you care deeply about how your sideburns and beard are shaped up. Then the foil shaver might be something you should look at. What more can you get when you’ll have the close shave along with sharp shape-up lines?
F. A. Q
Looking for easy cleanup?
Well, look no more. With the foil razor, you will find that the top where the head is coming off easily and if you use your mouth to blow on it. It can remove the hairs that are stuck in there. If not, then you can get some compressed air and use that.
With the rotary shaver, the cleaning process can be a difficult one. The problems lie in losing the discs when you take them apart and when it comes time to put them back on, putting the head back in place can be difficult.
Are foil shavers better than rotary?
Only depending on what it is you’re looking for. When you look at the disadvantages and advantages of both devices, there is no clear winner. It just depends on your needs. Have long curly hair, and want a smooth baby bottom-like shave, then the foil shaver may be something you want to try out and in your opinion, it will be better than the rotary. But if you have a lot of curves and contours on your face, then the rotary will be something you want to use. In my opinion, it will be better than the foil. It’s all about perspective.
What is a foil shaver for?
Cut your facial hair by using their blades to get close up to your face. All the while not using a razor blade. It is for people to gain more moveability with their busy lives. Traditional shaving is time-consuming especially when you don’t want to do it.
Do foil shavers cause ingrown hairs?
Yes, they can. When you shave and your hair starts to grow back, if it grows back into the skin, you’ll get ingrown hair. To combat this, you should be shaving every other day. Or every two days. Doing this can slow down the progress of ingrown hairs.
Do foil shavers leave stubble?
No, they remove the stubble. What leaves stubble is you not shaving regularly. The only way a foil shaver will be leaving stubble is if it’s a defective model, not clean properly. Either of these two will prevent it from working properly. So, when you go to shave off your stubble and it leaves stubble behind, one of these two may be the culprit.
Conclusion
The choice of whether to go with a foil or rotary comes down ultimately to your preference and your personal needs. The light has been shed on these electric shavers. I hope the information will guide you to a good choice.