Why I Shave My...

Face. There, I said it. I shave my face. I know a lot of you are worrying, won’t the hair grow back thicker? Won’t it grow back darker? What if I get a rash? I know. There are so many questions and several things to consider with shaving your face. It isn’t really considered "the norm" for a female to shave their face, is it? You must think… well, there must be reasons for that. But no, there isn’t really.

There are so many benefits to shaving your face, even as a female, which tends to be overlooked just because it’s often seen as something that only men should do.

Here’s a bit about me. I’m 19-years-old and about to be a university student in England. Growing up, there were several things that I was self-conscious about but that peach fuzz on my face was at the top. Even at school, I would hear comments from people about my barely existent mustache and, I quote, fluffy face. Now I don’t know if those people even considered how demoralizing saying those things can be for a young girl. As I grew older, I started to notice those things more and more and my self-esteem plummeted pretty quickly. I tried using hair removal products like Nair or Veet just to get rid of the stache but that shit hurt for my sensitive skin. There would be times where after just three minutes, I would come out with a rash-like burn on my upper lip. Of course I was not willing to smear hair removal cream over my entire face so this was the best I could do at the time. Shaving felt like a huge no-no and I had all the reasons to be fearful of even attempting it.

Eventually, after many hours of research and watching videos on YouTube, I decided to give shaving a try. Boy, did I wish I did it sooner.

Here are some of the many benefits I have come to enjoy since I started shaving my face.

#1. Exfoliation

When you shave your face, or any part of your body for that matter, the top layer of skin is taken off with all the dead skin cells and the hair. This means that your skin is so soft and healthy and feels amazing.

#2. You hair does NOT grow back thicker OR darker.

We all have this fear, but it's all bullcrap. Your hair has a growth cycle and just because you hacked it off doesn’t mean that it will get darker or grow back with a vengeance. Yes, the tips of the hair will be more blunt, but the difference is not noticeable and it will NOT be darker.

#3. Your makeup will look great.

Particularly foundation. If you wear foundation, you may often not get the effortless and smooth blend you always want. When you shave your face, foundation glides on smoothly and effortlessly and looks incredible.

#4. If you have been self conscious of the peach fuzz on your face, shaving will boost your confidence dramatically.

If you are anything like me and have been so self conscious of the peach fuzz on your face, shaving will boost your confidence dramatically. The fear of the hair being noticed and commented on is GONE and you feel on top of the world. Once you tackle your nemesis, it’s incredible how much better you can feel. I know I did.

#5. Selfies will look sharper.

Have you ever wondered why your jaw of cheeks aren’t looking crisp in selfies? This may well be the reason if you have the same struggles as I did. The hair on your face, and lack thereof, can make a massive difference on how a picture turns out. If there is nothing between the camera and your skin, the images will look on point.

#6. Do you or have you ever had the fear of taking selfies in the light?

I mean literally any bright light. It feels like every single hair is amplified by 10000 and it can make you so self conscious, especially in the summer. You want to be out there taking selfies in the sun with your friends but that peach fuzz really shows and your confidence is gone. I struggled with that too. Shaving your face gives you that confidence back and soon enough you’ll be taking selfies in every strip of sunlight you can find.

Now don’t hear what I’m not saying. Any and all peach fuzz is okay. There is no right or wrong. If you have a bit of peach fuzz and aren’t bothered by it? Good for you! I just know that there are many of us out there who are self conscious of their facial hair even though it is completely natural. This isn’t for everyone and I wouldn’t dream of suggesting it is.

It is my belief that, if you are insecure about something that you have the power and the will to change, why shouldn’t you? No one has a right to speak over you and dictate how you should think and act and feel. You do what makes YOU happy.

If you feel that shaving your face is something you would consider, below are some tips that I would definitely recommend you read before going ahead with it. This is your face we’re talking about, after all.

1. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT use the same razor that you use for your legs or pits. I wouldn’t recommend even using the same TYPE of razor, since it can be very harmful to sensitive skin. I would recommend using a Dermal razor. My favourite is the brand Tinkle and it is the same razor that you would use to shape your eyebrows. You can get a pack of three razors for under £5.
2. I wouldn’t recommend shaving more than once a week. Shaving your face is a form of exfoliation and doing it too much could damage your skin.
3. It’s better to shave after a shower or after steaming your face so that the hairs are softer, much like shaving any other part of your body.
4. DO NOT shave over spots or pimples. By shaving over them you are spreading bacteria which will lead to more. Very damaging.
5. I would suggest binning your razor after using it for your full face five times. As you use it, the blade will get more blunt and you could hurt yourself. It’s really not worth the risk.
6. Using something like coconut oil on your skin before you shave is great. Just the idea of scraping a razor across my dry skin gives me the shivers. By putting on a lubricant of sorts, you are reducing friction and your skin will thank you.
7. Use short strokes going DOWN your face. Using long strokes is a surefire way to cut yourself.
8. ALWAYS wash your face with a gentle unscented soap after shaving your face. You want to make sure there are no loose hairs left behind. Scented soaps and products usually contain chemicals which can be damaging to the skin on your face.
9. It’s best to sanitize your dermal razor after you use it. The best is to use diluted sanitizer of sorts so that there will be no bacteria on it when you use it again.

I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful or interesting in some way. I’ll say it again, this is not for everyone and no one should feel pressured to do anything if they are not comfortable with it.

Feel free to leave a tip, but don’t feel obligated. Thank you for reading!