Product Description

Nivea for Men conditioner is dispensed directly onto your skin, moisturizing your shave. The conditioner contains natural Micro Tec which helps to protect your skin against irritation.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #451 in Health and Beauty
• Brand: Philips Norelco
• Model: HS8420/20
• Released on: 2009-07-07
• Dimensions: 3.54" h x 10.03" w x 6.81" l, 1.26 pounds

Features

• Prepares your skin with an enhanced stretch and lift pattern
• Follows the contours of the skin for a close shave
• The conditioner contains MICROtec to protect the skin against irritation
• Shave in or out of the shower
• Has a battery charge/low indicator with charging stand and anti-slip grip

Customer Reviews

By far the most comfortable shaver electric or razor I have ever used, but replacement cartridges are expensive.
The most outstanding feature of this shaver is its comfort...but that comfort comes at a price. The shaver uses an innovative Nivea lotion dispenser that you pump into the body of the shaver. As you are shaving you press a button to dispense it. This works great for me. Produces a smooth, comfortable shave, I never have even the slightest bit of skin irritation.

As stated in other reviews, the manual does ask you to try the shaver for three weeks. I have and am very happy with how comfortable it is. But it still doesn't shave as close as a razor blade. I find the heads too big on my face to be effective in between my nose and lips so I still use a razor for that. Also I do find myself having to go over spots multiple times to get a trim to my satisfaction. On the other hand I have had electric shavers that cost more and have not performed as well.

You can check the cost of replacement lotion on Amazon and draw your own conclusions. The lotion that came with it is running low after three weeks of use. I can use shaving lotion or gel a lot longer before they run out and they cost less. But the comfort really is outstanding. Sometimes my razor still leaves my face red, this one never has. My face feels GOOD after using this, and that is certainly worth something. Comfort is a 5+ but closeness of shave and cost of replacement lotion brings the overall to a 4.

Very close shave, but time consuming
There's several reasons for wanting to use an electric shaver versus a blade. For me, it's been speed and comfort - an electric is faster, easier and less messy than using a blade and shaving cream. But, a dry shave with an electric is not as ultra close as a blade shave. Close enough for me, but if you're striving for the ultimate in closeness, you typically need to use a blade.

This Norelco is one of the few electrics that will match the closeness of a blade but it comes at a price - time and effort.

The shaver has a dispensing system where you push a button and it dispenses a small amount of Nivea cream. The Nivea is great stuff - very soothing, moisturizes, and has a nice, light scent. You wet your face first, then shave and push the dispensing button anytime you want some Nivea. The problem is, you need to dispense quite a bit of the stuff to get a comfortable shave, which gets pretty costly.

To keep the cost down and maintain high comfort levels, I use a gel-type shave cream first. Do one pass with the shaver, dunking it in water a couple of times to clear off the shave cream that builds up, then do a final pass using the Nivea. That keeps the Nivea use down to a small amount, but you still get the benefits of using the cream.

The resulting shave is as close, if not closer, than any blade shave I've ever had. It's essential that you use a light touch when using the Norelco - press too hard, and you'll get irritation, especially in the neck area. Also, you need to clean the head when you're done or the dispensing tubes will get clogged with the Nivea. Not hard to do - just run it under hot water while it the razor is on.

The shaver is water proof, and can be used in the shower. It's very similar to the previous model (8040 and related models), but with some improvements in ergonomics and overall design. The concept is the same, however, so if you can get older model at a discount, go for that instead of the newer model. The shave is the same.

Don't even think of shaving dry with this razor - you'll tear up your face.

Build quality is decent. A lot more plasticy than a premium razor, but in line with the price charged.

If you're looking to get the ultimate in closeness from an electric, you'll be happy with this. If, however, you're looking for speed and convenience, a dry shaver such as the Braun Series 5 or 7 should be on the short list. If you're unsure if you want to shave dry or wet (or want to do both), the Panasonic Arc IV is an outstanding shaver that can be used in both modes.

Give it time....
I have been using this for over three weeks. The manual states it takes three weeks for your skin to acclimate to the shaver. At first I was disappointed. It would not shave close like a razor. Every time I used it kept getting better and better. After three weeks the shave is pretty close but not as close as a razor. Sometimes I would take to long between shaves and it would become harder to get a clean shave. It is best when used every other day or however quick your stubble grows. The only problem I really have with this is not getting the closeness of a razor but it is still great. The other is that at time I need to use the razor to get stubble by my adams apple or neck area. The shaver doesn't pick it up even by doing it slow or by applying more shave. The last thing is the shave gel can get expensive. I purchased a bottle for $7 and it lasted the three weeks. Overall it is a great shaver. You have to stick with it for a few weeks to see if it will work for you. Give it time and you just might not use razors any more.