How to Shave Your Legs With an Electric Shaver

Opting for an electric leg shaver is a fantastic choice when it comes to convenience and avoiding painful and unsightly nicks and cuts. While using a manual razor may provide a closer shave, learning how to shave with an electric shaver can offer you the desired results without the hassle.

In this article, the Groom+Style team explain how to get the best results when shaving your legs with an electric leg razor, whether it’s a dry shaver, or a wet shaver.

Dry vs. Wet Electric Shavers For Legs

The main difference between a dry and a wet electric leg shaver is that a wet shaver can be used in the shower. This can be a more comfortable option for people with sensitive skin, as the water can help to soothe the skin and reduce friction.

The technique is similar with both, what matters most when electric shaving your legs, is that you prep your skin properly (and maintain your shaver), which we’ll get into next.

Both dry and wet electric shavers work by lifting and cutting the hair using an oscillating cutting head.

However, it is still important to note that electric shavers aren’t recommended to be used in the bath, as the soap can create a slippery surface and increase the risk of accidents.

Preparing Your Legs for Dry Shaving

The ultimate goal is, of course, to remove as much hair as possible, but you also need to protect your skin from damage, both during and after shaving.

Step One

Wash your legs with warm water and a gentle soap. Rinse them thoroughly and dry. Washing and drying before is essential because it softens the hair and makes the skin more pliable.

Step Two

Work the shaver upward, from the ankle to the thigh, moving in gentle circular movements (or as instructed by your electric shaver), going back over any parts where the hair is still visible.

Step Three

You can either rinse your skin again, or gently wipe your legs down with a clean towel.

Step Four

Moisturise. This helps to repair the skin and seal in moisture so that your legs don’t dry out.

Preparing Your Legs for a Wet Shave

A wet electric shave is much the same as a dry shave, only you might choose to use a shaving gel (link to Amazon), choose a shaver, and your legs will be wet. A wet shave with an electric shaver is kinder to your skin, as the skin stays lubricated the entire time.

Step One

Wash your legs with warm water and a gentle soap.

Step Two

Apply a small amount of shaving gel and work into the legs, lifting the hairs.

Step Three

Shave in gentle circular motions (or as instructed by your electric shaver) from ankle, up to the thigh, going over any parts you may have missed.

Step Four

Rinse and dry. Apply moisturizer, as you would with a dry shave.

Cleaning Your Electric Leg Shaver

To prevent clogging and maximize your shaver’s effectiveness, it’s best to clean it after every use. Wait until the shaver is dry (rinse out any excess hairs) then brush the remaining hairs away with the supplied brush, or a small paint brush.

Read more here on how to clean an electric shaver.

Groom+Style Recommends (Best Electric Leg Shaver)

Should you decide to purchase an electric razor for your legs, keep in mind there are plenty of shavers for women in the market today, so read our Top 5 ratings page to ensure you make an informed choice.

You can also consider buying one of the best men’s electric shaver which can also be used for women’s legs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Here are some important points to keep in mind when learning how to shave with an electric shaver:

1. Ensure proper skin cleansing before shaving.
2. Use slow and gentle circular motions while shaving.
3. Thoroughly rinse and dry the skin after shaving.
4. Apply a generous amount of moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated.
5. Clean your electric shaver regularly to maintain its effectiveness.

For more skin care tips, visit the Groom+Style Art of Skin Care section.  If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.

How to Replace an Electric Shaver Battery

When you buy an electric shaver, it will come with a pre-installed battery. Once you take it home, you are typically required to fully charge the battery before using the shaver. A normal charging cycle will take about 60 minutes though this may vary depending on the manufacturer (best to read the manual).   The device should run for about 45 minutes.

Tips for Extended Shaver Battery Life

General tips to improve your battery life are;

– Fully recharge the shaver battery before the first use – Reading the user manual will help you understand how to fully recharge the battery.

– For Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries, wait until the battery is running low before recharging  – These batteries have what is known as a “memory effect” so recharging a battery that is partially charged may negatively affect the battery capacity. You also need to fully discharge these batteries at least once every 6 months to preserve their capacity.

– Never leave the shaver plugged in for longer than 24 hours – this may lower battery life.

– Avoid using the charger from the mains – even if the battery is empty, it is advisable to recharge and use it when unplugged. Mains switch operation can still be used but only in emergency cases.

– Don’t leave the shaver exposed to direct sunlight – overheating has been proven to steadily damage batteries.

– Don’t charge your batteries in extreme temperatures – charging in very hot or very cold environments also reduce battery life.

When and How to Replace Electric Shaver Batteries

Even though the above steps will help you to significantly prolong your battery life, the time might come when you finally need to replace the battery.

For example, you might find that you have to recharge more than once in order to complete one shaving cycle. If this is the case then the battery might be too weak necessitating replacement. Or you wake up one day and the shaver simply doesn’t work. The first thing that comes to mind is that the battery might be dead. In this case you may also want to replace.

Steps When Replacing Electric Shaver Batteries

1. Completely discharge the shaver – Turn on the shaver and allow it to run until it shuts down on its own. This only happens when the battery inside is completely discharged. This complete discharging is required because in order to replace the battery you need to open the shaver casing and will at some point touch the circuit board. Any little charge left in the old battery could shock and injure you.

2. Open the shaver casing – most electric shavers are held into place using old screws accessible from the back side of the shaver. Remove these screws one by one using a screw driver and place them on a small plate to avoid losing them. If your shaver won’t come apart easily, look around the edge of the appliance for little plastic clips. Pressing on these clips with a screwdriver should release them allowing you to pull the shaver casing apart.

3. Remove the old battery – most batteries are soldered onto the circuit board so you’ll need your wire cutters for this step. Carefully sever the solder at the top end of the battery connections then slowly pull the batteries out.

4. Install the new batteries – a number of new batteries come with small metal tabs at the top. Such batteries are said to be pre-tabbed. It is these tabs that connect to the circuit boar so you’ll only need to firmly press on the tabs to ensure that they come into contact with the board; you don’t have to solder. If the replacement batteries are not pre-tabbed, you can detach the tabs on the old batteries and solder them on the new ones.

5. Replace the shaver cover – use the screws to fix the back half of the shaver into place. Then plug in the charger and allow the new batteries to charge for about 30 minutes. Turn the shaver on to see if the installed batteries are working correctly.

Summary

Just as important as properly installing new batteries in your electric shaver is finding the right replacement batteries.  To find the correct replacement battery Groom+Style suggests you check on Amazon or contact the manufacturer directly.

For more detailed step by step instructions for you specific device you could check a website like https://www.ifixit.com.

If all this seems to difficult you can always just buy a new shaver based on our review of the Top 5 Best Electric Shavers on the market.