By Barbara Bishop
The other day, I managed to catch a glimpse of myself in the bathroom mirror of a restaurant that I was at with a new date. I realized I could use more lipstick, and leaned closer to the mirror to apply it.
Much to my horror, I saw a single, dark long hair growing out of the side of my chin. Holy crap! I immediately pulled it out. Upon closer examination when I got home and was getting ready for bed, I noticed that I had a lot of hair on my face. Most of it was blonde “baby hair,” but some of it was darker and courser. Like on my upper lip, more on my chin, and some even in my nose!
I’ve had my unwanted hair waxed over the years, but it hurt and I broke out where the hair used to be. Recently, I’ve been reading about how women are beginning to shave their faces, just like men – shaving cream, sharp blades, aftershave.
I did a little research on the topic. According to Yahoo, (on top of marrying multiple rich dudes), Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor had something else in common: They both shaved their faces and had amazing skin because of it.
Dermaplaning (the clinical term for using a straight-edge-like facial razor on skin to mechanically – not chemically – exfoliate it) has many beautiful benefits. It removes deep layers of dead skin cells thoroughly, it’s a fine exfoliation, and it gets rid of the vellus hairs (the tiny peach fuzz that covers your face) that can make your complexion look lackluster and can even contribute to clogged pores that break you out. It also makes your skin smoother, allows any products you apply after to penetrate deeper, and promotes cellular turnover, which is one of the reasons some men always look five or so years younger than their age, since they’re constantly exfoliating through shaving and encouraging new cells to the surface of your skin, experts say.
I always thought idea of shaving my face terrifying because I was thinking, “Oh no, I don’t want my facial hair to grow back thicker and darker in the process!” But it won’t, don’t worry. I learned that the myth exists because people mistake the wispy feeling of their unshaven facial hair with the slightly blunt feeling they experience as their hair starts to grow back in as ‘thicker,’ and the new, not-yet-sun-bleached hair as ‘darker.’ It’s more about what you’re feeling and seeing versus what is actually going on, experts report.
Ready to shave your face like a guy? Experts recommend wetting your entire face first to soften the hairs, and then applying a cream or gel shaving cream all over your face, since these formulas’ viscosities will help deflect friction, keeping your skin from getting irritated.
Then, use your facial razor in the direction your hairs grow for a subtle shave and against their growth pattern for an even closer shave. Finally, rinse and moisturize your face. For sanitary purposes, make sure to wash your razor every time you use it and dip it in 90 percent rubbing alcohol after each use. Only use the same razor three times before tossing them for the best results.
One last thing to know about shaving: Shaving any part of your body can cause ingrown hairs, especially if you have medium to darker skin, which means your hair follicles are more curved. Hair grows in at a parallel angle, so when you shave your face, it ends up with a harsher, blunt cut that is more likely to puncture the skin as it continues to grow.
I tried shaving my face this week; all the baby hair was gone in a second, the individual hairs near my chin line, gone, as well as my slight moustache growth! My face felt like a baby’s behind. Highly recommended!
