It was one of those unforgettable moments that stay with you forever.
The Story
Late in 2002, I was a senior in high school and on a date with a boy I thought was pretty into me. (Turns out he wasn’t, BUT I DIGRESS.) Sitting in the car at the end of the night, we were making silly small talk, frequently glancing at each other’s lips, wondering if our first kiss was imminent. (It wasn’t, BUT I DIGRESS.)
Because I was like pretty much the most awkward and least sexy date that poor guy had probably ever been out with, I somehow (no, I don’t remember how it happened, but really, I don’t think I want to) made a pitiful attempt at a cute, flirtatious joke by making some comment about his lack of facial hair and how I probably had more hair on my face. Look, I know I was weird, but please stay with me. Thinking I was coyly teasing his manhood, I was surprised when he scored the ultimate comeback with a casual, “Yeah, I noticed.”
This is the point where I wish this story was an episode of “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” so I could see her hilarious expression and laugh until I cried, but alas, it was me, and my recollection causes tears of another sort. I fear what my face may have actually done in that moment, because I very vividly remember what my stomach was doing (lurching). He must have noticed my horrified expression and realized that kiss we were working up to wasn’t going to happen now, because he tried to apologize. “It’s okay! I mean, my mom has that too!” WORSE. Worse worse worse worse WORST. I don’t remember what happened after that moment, or really anything that ever happened after that (other than later finding out he had also been simultaneously, probably-less-awkwardly, pseudo-dating my friend and then dumped both of us for some girl in Ohio, BUT I DIGRESS), but I do know that was the first day I started caring about my facial hair.
The Struggle
Over the years I have tried all kinds of hair removal treatments. In my teens and early 20s, I could settle for occasional plucking despite the slight discomfort (read: tearful cries of unthinkable pain) because I simply didn’t have that much hair. However, having had six pregnancies and at least three boys, my thyroid has decided to be best friends with testosterone and given me stubble that rivals an 8th grade boy. I have used creams and buffers and waxes and tweezers; I even tried an expensive hair removal tool my mom bought off QVC. They all did an okay job I guess, but many were time consuming, damaging to my skin, expensive, and downright painful. And it never failed that as soon as I would get into the car to go out with my fresh face, I would find a long hair on my chin that must have somehow gone undiscovered for weeks.
Then one day something amazing happened. One of our Knoxville Moms Blog team members shared this post from Jacksonville with our contributors and asked what we thought about addressing the peach fuzz (and wirey stubble) the good old fashioned way – shaving. I was shocked – “Shave my face?? Like a MAN?! Isn’t that just admitting defeat?” I inwardly scoffed and returned to my pink lady-hair-removal products that really didn’t work. Then I started seeing more comments. As it turns out, this is a growing trend, and several of our contributors had been shaving for years. It actually became a little game of ours as several more of us tried it and shared videos of our first shave.
GUYS, I AM TELLING YOU. THIS. IS. AMAZING.
The Solution
I use a single-blade eyebrow razor, though it doesn’t actually feel very sharp. This is a plus for me because one of my biggest fears and deterrents to face shaving has been the idea of cutting my face as I regularly do to my legs. You certainly could shave your face using a 5-bladed Gillette specialty razor and a face full of Barbasol, but that really isn’t necessary unless you just want to. Using the eyebrow razor, I simply glide across troublesome areas using short, gentle strokes in a variety of directions to make sure I get all the hair. You can also safely use the razor on your entire face if you tend to have more on your cheeks or even neck. I don’t generally have much on my face or neck aside from my upper lip and chin, but I have used my Tinkle razor all over my face and neck, just to see, and it hasn’t even knicked my skin at all.
I know what you’re thinking, “Won’t that make the hair grow back thicker?” Well, of course not. That rumor is simply false, there’s nothing more to it. However, I do end up shaving more often than I used to pluck or buff, but not because the hair is thicker. Quite the contrary, I was previously accustomed to having a little bit of hair left even after treatment, so I could stand to go longer between uses. But with the razor, my skin is so unbelievably smooth and soft, I am completely addicted to that feeling! I can get by with shaving maybe twice a week, but I end up doing it about every other day just because I like it.
While shaving cream is unnecessary (and probably a hindrance) when using an eyebrow razor, a clean, dry face with a little bit of moisturizer or coconut oil helps the blade glide more smoothly with less irritation. Just to be clear – by irritation I mean slight discomfort (read: actually very slight discomfort) during the process; shaving has never left any sort of red marks or irritation on my skin at all. If anything, shaving has made my skin more supple, as it is a really excellent way to exfoliate! My makeup goes on more smoothly, I use less product, and my bare skin has a youthful glow. Best of all, my husband no longer calls me “Pedro” when my upper lip hair glistens in the sun.
I’m certainly not the only one raving! Here’s what a few of our contributor’s have to say:
“My skin looks and feels better than it ever has. Also when I got poison ivy this summer I legitimately was sad that I couldn’t shave (because it would spread the poison). It’s the most effective exfoliater I’ve ever used. Also my face products seem to stretch farther because my skin uses less. It doesn’t make me look stubbly or like the wolf man or anything like that afterwards when the hair grows back. I know a lot of people were worried about that but it’s totally not like leg stubble.” -Ashley G.
“Since I started shaving, it has really helped with my scarring and the overall texture of my skin.” -Lindsey B.
“My 5 o’clock upper lip ‘stache thanks me.” -Jennifer D.
My skin is SUPER sensitive, so other than plucking daily and shaving occasionally, I don’t have very many options. I’ll have to give Tinkle razors a try!
Dixie, try using the tinkle with a little almond oil (or what you have available…I used to use olive oil in my cleansing so it works, too!) on the spots you’re shaving so you don’t get too irritated! I loved that trick and it made the whole process smoother!
Dixie, I’m there with you! Lindsay’s tip is great – use whatever moisturizer or oils work well for your skin. It won’t mess up the Tinkle. I have never used a traditional leg or men’s face razor to know how they work with different emollients, but the Tinkle is so great and gentle on the skin!
You just narrated my life story!! Thank you for your candid, brave, humorous dose of reality. Time to give up the junk and use what works!
Whew! Glad I’m not the only one. 😉 Onward, fuzzy warrior!
I’ve really been wanting to try this, but have been a little scared about it. I’m afraid that after I start i might not like it ( I’m sure I’ll like the results, I’m just not sure I’ll like doing it or have the time to do it) Does your hair come in darker than it was before you started? Does your hair come back fine like it was before? Can you feel any stubble at all? What’s the longest you’ve went between shaving and how did your hair look then? Sorry for all the questions, I really want to try this, im just afraid once I start I won’t be able to stop or I’ll look like a werewolf. Thanks!
Questions are welcome, Natasha! I felt like using a Tinkle razor was a much easier idea for me to wrap my head around than a men’s razor. It felt less like saying I have a beard and more like feminine beauty care. So if you’re having trouble making that leap just because it “feels” weird, the Tinkle razor is perfect.
As far as having time – this is the FASTEST method I have ever used. The creams have to sit for 5 minutes; the buffer takes 30 seconds in each spot; the plucking takes FOREVER… With the eyebrow razor, I just run it across my chin and lips while I’m doing my usual skincare/moisturizing routine. It takes literally seconds. It takes a few more seconds when I go longer between shaves, but if I’m doing it every other day or so, I’m talking like 5-10 seconds.
My hair has not come back in darker or more coarse or really different at all. I shaved the “peach fuzz” areas on my cheeks and near my ears, which I do not normally do, and it came back exactly the same. I don’t do that very often because I naturally don’t have very much there, and it’s so light that I can’t see it, so it doesn’t bother me. The hair on my chin was already pretty coarse to be honest, but it definitely is not more so. I can feel stubble by the 2nd (barely) or 3rd (a little) day, but it’s not nearly as bad as when I was plucking or buffing.
The longest I have gone between shaves was a week, and it looked about like it did back when I was buffing (my most recent method before shaving). You will not look like a werewolf at all!! If you’re like me, the only difference you will notice is that you have a lower tolerance for regrowth, because that smooth feeling is just so fast and easy!
Reading this article, and then buying Tinkle Razors has changed my life. I just looked this page up to share with my sister. Thank you! I mix some lavender oil with tea tree oil, vitamin e oil and sweet almond oil. I keep this in a dropper bottle. I put it on my face before and after I shave. It is *awesome*.