Over time, women have been constantly shoved into asinine beauty standards. One of said standards is the need to become a ‘naked mole-rat’- essentially hairless. “Women have been waging war against the hair we don’t want for centuries.” Laurel Naversen Geraghty, MD. Men wanted their women small, hairless, thin-basically, child-like and because for many years all women could aspire to was marriage, they did their best to please said men.
However, in recent times women have reclaimed their rights to shave, not shave, grow hairs in their pits, on their legs, on their faces and so on. Nobody tells them when or how to do whatever it is, they want to do to their own bodies. A lot of women today still shave their faces for various reasons, maybe because they have too much facial hair and they don’t like it, or they’d like their skincare products, make-up and whatever else to lie on their skin better. For whatever reason they choose, women have been asking if it is okay to shave their faces.
EXPERTS WEIGH IN
When it comes to shaving your face, there is no right or wrong to it (assuming you do it correctly, of course); it is all a matter of preference- Dermatologist Estee Williams, MD.
There isn’t really anything great or awful about shaving; it’s mostly a matter of personal preference. Depending on how quickly each person’s hair grows, shaving might go for hours or even up to several days at a time. Women who may want to avoid shaving their faces include those who are prone to coarse, curly, or ingrown hairs on the chin or neck; pseudofolliculitis barbae, a condition that causes irritated shaving bumps and is more common in men; an active infection (like a cold sore, which is caused by the herpes simplex virus); or inflamed pimples or cystic acne (shaving could scrape or injure raised acne bumps, leaving small wounds and potentially contributing to scars)- Laurel Naversen Geraghty, MD
Women all have facial hair. There are two varieties: terminal hair and vellus hair. The peach-coloured hair that covers much of your face and torso is called vellus hair. Its function is to control temperature and remove sweat. Very fine and transparent, vellus hair. You might be able to notice vellus hair on your cheeks, forehead, upper and lower lips, neck, chin, and sideburn area if you closely examine your face, especially in direct sunshine. The hair at the ends is thicker and darker. Some women have terminal hair on their chin, neck, sideburns, and upper and lower lips. Both terminal and vellus hair on the face can be removed with shaving- A nurse practitioner specializing in women’s health, aesthetics and cosmetics, and skin care, Dr Cynthia Cobb
A common concern most women have about shaving their face is whether or not the hair would grow back thicker. Cynthia Cobb shared that “ shaving blunts the edges of the hair, which creates an illusion that the hair becomes thicker and darker, facial hair doesn’t thicken or change colour after it’s shaved.”
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
| MAKE-UP: For people that love a clean look when doing their make-up, shaving your face can help create a clean canvas for your make-up. | SKIN DAMAGE: Shaving could cause razor burns. Also through shaving, there is a possibility that one could risk nicking or cutting their face. |
| BRIGHTER LOOK: It cleans away dead skin cells, debris, and excess oil, which can brighten the look of the skin. | INGROWN HAIRS: Shaving terminal hairs can cause ingrown hairs and painful bumps to come up. |
| SKIN CARE: It makes the application of skin care products better, for people working on getting better skin, shaving the face can help the products sink into the skin and be more effective. | SHADOW: When you are shaving the terminal hairs on your face, you may need to shave more often to be able to keep it in control and if you have a lot of dark hairs, you may get a shadow under the skin after shaving. |
| SELF-CONFIDENCE: For people who are self-conscious about having facial hair, then it is okay to shave if it makes them feel more confident. | DRYNESS: For people who have dry skin, it may cause the skin to dry out more. A solution to this is by moisturizing immediately. |
The Right Way To Shave Your Face
Shaving your face is different from how you shave other parts of your body, it also greatly differs from how men shave their faces.
- First, thoroughly clean and dry your skin. Typically, shaving for the face is done on bare skin with no shaving cream or other products. Take note; dry shaving may irritate the skin for some women. If so, apply cream, moisturizing lotion, or shaving gel to your face before shaving.
- Use a single-blade, straight-edge razor made exclusively for shaving women’s faces. Never use a dull razor to protect your skin from nicks or irritation. Hold the skin firm with one hand while shaving. Apply as little pressure as you can while holding the razor at a 45-degree angle and gently grazing the skin. Never shave against the hair’s grain.
- Every time you use the razor, rinse it. If you’re not totally confident in your razor skills, avoid shaving close to your eyes.
- Rinse your face after shaving, then apply moisturizer right away.