Only use electric if you have soft facial hair. It does a crappy job on coarse hair, and the extra time you spend rubbing the razor against your face trying to get those stubborn hairs starts to chafe your skin.
When shaving, ONLY use a sharp razor. The people who suggest using a dull razor don't know what they're talking about. A dull razor will tug your facial hair and uneven sharpness can create small burrs on the blade that irritate and scratch the skin. Shave using the hottest water you can stand, preferably after a shower. This will soften up your scruff, and your skin will be more flexible = less razor damage! It doesn't matter if you use shaving gel or cream. Let it sit on your face for a minute or two, to help soften the hair further.
When I shave, I divide my face up into 6 regions (right/left cheek, right/left neck, mouth, throat) Finish an entire region at once, so that the skin doesn't air dry after the shaving cream is shaved off. Shave a region by moving the blade in short, firm strokes with the grain of your beard. Then immediately go back over the region against the grain with longer, smooth strokes. Rinse the blade often with hot water so the hair doesn't build up. When you're all done, rinse with cool or cold water (your choice) and apply some
after-shave gel.