Philips Aquatouch AT890 Wet and Dry Electric Shaver

First off, I have very sensitive skin. If you do too, read this review.**For those with short attention spans, if you have sensitive skin and you are on the fence about buying an electric shaver then just buy it. There is a learning curve, however it a great shave.**Using a new 3-4 bladed razor was my only option to prevent awful skin burn and irritation spots. There in lies the problem, having to use 3-4 bladed razors generally meant that I had to use gillet series blades; at the prices they sell them at, I was easily spending £20-30 per month on blades.I read through reviews of at least 10-20 shavers, and went on a hunt for the best shaver for a mid-range budget. This came up on top time and time again.I'll split this review into four parts:1. What is the learning curve like2. What is the shave like3. Wet or Dry4. Pro's and Con's---1. What is the learning curve likeWell.. painful. Expect some serious razor burn on your neck and chin area. There was actually one day that my face was still burning several hours after shaving. That being said, after around 3-4 weeks, you will notice a difference. Your face really does get used to shaving with it. I'm at week 6-7 now, and any razor burn I get is the same i'd expect using a NEW razor blade.You will find certain areas of your face will be harder to shave than others, and this is integral to the learning process.---2. What is the shave likeThis ties into my title "Saves money, not time".If you have 15 minute shaving time in the morning, which I personaly don't, you can get a fantastic shave. Honestly, it's on par with a razor blade!. Your face will feel smooth, and it'll take around the same length of time for the hair to start showing again.If you only have 5-10 minutes you can get a good shave. It's smooth on the cheeks ( as they are easy to shave ), but you can feel a bit of "roughness" around the chin and especially the upper lip. You will not be able to see the stubble, just feel it. So it is perfectly acceptable to go into work with it and "look" clean-shaven. [THOUGH THIS TIMESCALE MIGHT BE BECAUSE I AM STILL LEARNING!]2 minute shave will only remove the worst of the stubble, and you'll likely miss lots of areas.---3. Wet or Dry.Deffinately wet. Shaving with shaving cream is like heaven when using this shaver. A dry shave will only leave you feeling .. well dry. It's marketed as a "wet and dry", though i'd say it was designed for wet.If you are looking to buy this for a dry shave then don't bother. Look for a shaver that was designed to work best in dry conditions.---4. Pros and ConsPro's:Looks greatEasy to cleanFast chargeLong battery lifePossible to get a really good shaveCon'sDoesn't come with UK adapter, you will need to buy a 2pin-3pin adpater. Though, I think this is because most people shave in the bathroom and most bathrooms tend to have a 2pin socket on the wall for electric shavers??Can struggle with stubble.. In areas where the hair lies completely flat, i'd recommend using the electric clippers to shorten the hairs before attempting to shave there.Upper lip is very hard to properly shave, generally I have to use an good ol' gillet razor blade to give the upper lip a once over.IN-GROWN HAIRS! Never had them before until I started to use this. I think it is before it pulls the hair UP before it cuts them, so on the neck where the hairs grow in random directions, it must cause the hair to grow under the skin. It's not a big deal, but it'll leave a red bump on the neck until you can pull the hair out.========If you have sensitive skin, and can't afford to continually purchase good quality blades, then buy this. It'll save you money in the long term and it really does give a great shave.

Having sensitive skin and acne, regular wet shaving doesn't do my skin any good at all. The traditional problem with electric shavers (or so I believed) though is that you can't get a very close shave.Having said that i've been really pleased so far with the Philips AquaTouch. This is my second electric shaver and it performs much better than my previous one (also a philips, but cheaper model)Its very quiet, has never clogged (in a year of owning it) and holds it's charge well. I probably charge once a month on average, and that is using it every day.My skin always feels pretty smooth after a shave, and importantly for my skin its not irritable at all.I'd say that the longer time you have to shave the better results you will get. A quick shave will be good but you really need to dedicate 5-10 minutes (probably closer to 10) to get that smooth finish. Important to note if you are in a rush in the morning.As for wet or dry, both work well but wet has the edge. If you can be bothered to get the shaving cream out then its a lot smoother (obviously) and feels much better after you are finished. Either way its great that this little shaver can do both.Looks wise, its pretty decent. I like the colours and the form of it. It's got a good grip on it and is weighty enough to feel solid but not too heavy. The small carry case it comes with is a nice bonus for travelling or keeping it nicely in the cupboard - nothing worse than stray hairs everywhere!All in all, i'm very pleased with my choice. Certainly worth a look if you have sensitive skin.I

I would recommend this shaver. It gives a nice close shave on short facial hair, and leaves the skin very smooth without redness or irritation. I have only ever used a conventional razor, except for an early experiment with a electric shaver about 20 years ago, and i had assumed from that brief flirtation they electric shavers were not very good. However, this one is mostly excellent. You have to move it in circular motions, not up and down or side to side, and it needs regular cleaning (opening up the top and running it under hot water) as you shave. It's a bit tricky on the neck, I find, but it still works very well, especially if you push your chin down, rather than up as one would when using a razor. I did encounter few problems, but these are mostly correctable. Firstly, it doesn't work very well on long facial hair. I have fairly dense, dark beard growth, and after a few days of stubble -- three or four -- the shaver doesn't really work. It works best for daily shaving, or once every other days -- though maybe isn't an issue for those with lighter, fairer beards. Secondly, it definitely needs to be used wet, on a shaving preparation (a non-foaming gel works best for me). The dry shave isn't very good. Finally, and this is the only problem that can't be fixed -- the trimmer on the reverse side is useless. It doesn't work on sideburns, for example, or for trimming longer beard hair before using the shaver. In summary, this is a great piece of equipment, but if you buy it, don't throw away your razor just yet -- you'll need it for longer stubble, and for cleaning up sideburns or around your ears.