Women should shave their faces too. Is that coming on a bit too strong? I apologize, but T’is the Season of Giving right? So I’m giving my take on this issue of facial hair removal. I know women have been shaving, lasering, waxing and using hair removal creams for years so this is nothing new.
However, I know a lot men will be opting out of shaving their faces and women their legs because of the weather but I hope after reading, us ladies will continue or begin to enjoy an added step to at-home-facials.
Also, I just felt like sharing why and how I personally remove these annoying hair strands that are not my eyelashes, brows or edges- you know we ALL need those- so that you might learn a few tips and teach me some as well.
Note briefly: Dermaplaning is a safe cosmetic exfoliation procedure that removes the top layers of the skin. It uses a sterile surgical scalpel to remove excess dead skin and peach fuzz hairs. At home dermaplaning/ shaving the face is done with a far less sharp razor and may not exfoliate as effectively as a professional procedure.
Why do I shave my face?
I remember shaving my face for the very first time years ago early in high school and my neighbor- a boy- said I shouldn’t have because now my moustache would only grow back faster and thicker. I think the latter was the only scary part for me. I have always had hairy skin, while I quite tolerated it everywhere else, my moustache was always something I wanted to remove so I was very anxious about it coming back with a vengeance- cue scary movie sound.
Funny enough, the regrowth was nothing different from what was there before so much so I was unaware of when it grew back. The following years would see me not really paying much attention to the little patch until I was in college and started experimented with makeup. The rest of my face would appear smooth and blended well with the face beat but my upper lip would always seem to get sweaty and then the hair would just peep through like, here we are!
Still not giving it much thought because I wouldn’t notice them too much when I was barefaced, I ignored it but fast forward to June 2020 I decided I would just shave my whole face this time. Having binge-watched so many YouTube tutorials anyways.
I went for it and I loved the results. I even recorded it for my channel. Catch it here.
How do I shave my face?
First things first, if laser removal is available to you and you can afford it, by all means, check it out. If you can endure a little discomfort, getting a face wax works too. With that out of the way, here are the steps I take to shave:
- Sourcing all tools/ products. Razors, shaving gel, cream or oil. I prefer to use aloe gel- not straight from the plant though. Rubbing alcohol and cotton pads, wipes or paper towel. Moisturizer or any other skincare products to be used after.
- Cleanse face. I wash my face and for good measure I may use some rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad to wipe away any unseen bacteria.
- Add gel/ oil/ shaving cream. In this step I use either aloe gel or coconut oil generously spread unto my face. This adds slips to the razor and creates a smooth surface to reduce the chance of cutting the skin.
- Shave. The key is to hold the razor at a 45-degree angle and move in slow strokes. Be sure to pull the skin away from the direction you are moving the blade, allowing the skin to be taut/ tight resulting in an easier shave. Wipe away hair from the blade at intervals using wipes or paper towel.
- Wipe with rubbing alcohol. You should not feel any unbearable stinging during this step unless you may have broken your skin during shaving. I wipe my face very lightly and I don’t wipe any area more than once. This step is not mandatory but I believe it’s great if you cut yourself during the process.
- Rinse face. To remove any hair that may be left on the face and just to clean up for the next step.
- Moisturize. A cooling moisturizer or your favorite works well. I may use aloe vera gel and then go over with my moisturizer and an oil. You must moisturize because your skin is now exfoliated and exposed in a fragile state. Moisturizer will coat your pores and offer protection. Then I am finished. Not hard right?
Believe me, I know that this at home dermaplaning procedure is not as effective as a visit to a professional as it requires a quicker touch up but I am pleased with the results so far. Let me share:
Benefits of women shaving their faces;
- visibly brighter skin. My skin glows after a shave and this is because I remove any dead skin and peach fuzz which would have been blocking the glow.
- deeper product penetration. Less hair and dead skin on the face means all the serums and oils have far less barriers to go through to get into my skin, they reach quicker and work quicker.
- smoother makeup application. I’m not a makeup artist so I enjoy all the help I get from having a flatter and smoother surface to apply my products to. Thanks to shaving, my face is much easier to work with. Plus without a moustache, my upper lip area doesn’t heat up as often and my whole face can stay made up for longer.
- less acne. Acne-prone skin like mine hates dead skin and clogged pores, shaving my face exfoliates the skin, removing hair that can trap oils and dirt. I find that I have less frequent breakouts or shorter lasting pimples when my face is shaved.
- overall smoother skin. Without all the hair on my face, my skin feels softer and appears smoother, even my smile lines seem to show less and my acne scars appear less dark.
If you are skeptical about trying this, please leave it to the professionals and book an appointment.
If you are interested in trying, follow the steps and let me know how it goes. Feel free to leave any thoughts you may have.
Thank you so much for reading, enjoy the season and have a great hair day!
Manes and Crowns 