It's Bigger on the Outside
Written: Dec 04 '07 (Updated Dec 04 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Dispenses easily, Foams nicely, Moisturizes face
Cons: Not portable, Becomes difficult to use when near empty
The Bottom Line: I'm generally pleased with Nivea Shaving Gel - Sensitive, but I don't really have any reference for comparison.
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| DavidK93's Full Review: Nivea Shaving Gel Sensitive 7oz. |
Having just reviewed my Gillette Sensor 3 razors, it seemed only fair to also review the shaving gel I use with them. That would be Nivea Shaving Gel - Sensitive, which, I do feel I should disclose, is also the only shaving gel I have ever used. So it's not going to be so much with the comparisons or relative merits or anything like that.
I chose Nivea Shaving Gel because I had always been very happy with the Nivea shaving lotion that my electric razor dispensed, and it seemed reasonable to stick with the same company. I went with the "Sensitive" variety because, well, I think it was the only Nivea Shaving Gel that my local Rite Aid had on the shelves.
The first time I used the shaving gel, I didn't really know what to expect. I guess I thought I was going to be dispensing a big handful of foam into my palm. Maybe the fact that it's "shaving gel" and not "shaving foam" should have been a tipoff, but that ascribes a generous and unearned helping of intelligence to me. So, yes, the shaving gel dispenses as a gel, to the surprise of nobody but myself. It dispenses for as long as you depress the conveniently finger-sized button on top of the can, and it does so at a relatively constant rate. The first time you use each can, it does emit a loud popping or cracking sound, which I assume is the breaking of a vacuum seal. The amount of gel you will need depends on the size of the facial area you are shaving. For me, with my mustache and hairy cheeks and neck, I find that the right amount is about twice as much as the amount of toothpaste you normally put on a toothbrush, or a little less than a teaspoon.
Once you have the gel on your fingertips (Yes, your fingertips. The first time, I dispensed it onto my palm. That was a mess. It needs to be on your fingertips so that you can control where it goes.), apply it to your face. I recommend visiting your fingertips to each major region of your face, dabbing on a bit of the gel at each stop along the way. Then, once your fingers are basically clear of gel, return to each dollop that you deposited, and begin gently spreading it along your face using small, slightly vigorous pressing motions. The gel will suddenly foam up to incredible proportions, reminding me somewhat of the time little Bobby tried to do the laundry in that one episode of The Brady Bunch. That teaspoon of gel becomes easily a cup full of foam on your face.
Once you have achieved an even and complete coating of foam on your face, commence shaving. I do recommend the Gillette Sensor 3, but go ahead and use whatever you've got: Gillette, Schick, Remington, a rusty knife, etc. And when you're done, you wash off the foam along with the clinging bits of hair that are still on your face.
The Nivea Shaving Gel is not very travel-friendly. At my local drugstore, I could not find it in any size smaller than 7 oz. Thus, I could not get a can to bring on a flight with me (since all fluids, gels, and areosols must be 3 oz. or smaller) to have during a trip to visit family in New Hampshire. I improvised what I thought would be a reasonable solution: I dispensed an appropriate amount of gel onto a piece of plastic wrap, and then I folded it up very neatly. Two days later, I retrieved the little packet in New Hampshire in order to shave. I found that the gel had foamed itself up (causing the plastic to inflate slightly), and had mostly lost its ability to foam further. So I had this gunky foam that I had to spackle across my face, barely getting full coverage. The shave went okay, but now I know that this stuff just does not travel. This tendency of the gel to foam on its own also causes a small amount of foam to project from the can after gel is dispensed; when I come back to the can two days later to shave again, it is normally filled by a small amount of very airy foam.
The only serious complaint I have about the Nivea Shaving Gel is that it becomes very difficult to dispense when the can is nearly empty. The cross-section of the dispensed foam changes from being wider than a typical toothpaste nozzle to being as fine as silly string. The exit velocity of the gel is reduced as well. So during the last couple of weeks of use of each can (My first can lasted me about four months.), the dispensing time increased from as little as two seconds up to more like thirty. It got very irksome, and I ultimately opened up the new can before the old one was truly empty; I just didn't have the patience to wedge the can between my hip and the counter so I could get more leverage to pin down the button with my thumb for an entire minute.
In general, I'm quite pleased with the Nivea Shaving Gel - Sensitive. My skin never feels irritated after I shave, and it's easy to use most of the time. However, I regret its lack of portability and the difficulty in using the last portion of the product.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
DavidK93
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: David Kaplan
Location: Baltimore, MD
Reviews written: 119
Trusted by: 180 members
About Me:
Passions has been canceled, again. But I think I'll get over it; I've gained perspective.
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