To SHAVE or not to SHAVE

GIRLFRIENDS, October 2009, by Jenifer Merifield

To SHAVE or
not to SHAVE

And How and When and With What?!?
We all get to that age where all of a sudden we start noticing things that didn’t have much importance to us before. You know, like now it matters if your clothes match, and now you actually WANT to take a shower. As your friends’ bodies start changing you may start comparing your own progress, especially when one of them comes to school and says, "I just shaved my legs this weekend!!" as she points her toe and angles her leg side to side as the rest of you notice how smooth and shiny it looks. Just as quick, you look down at your own legs and notice the hair. It’s always been there, but beside ‘Sally Smoothlegs’ you now question whether or not YOU should start shaving your legs too!

First things first, you gotta ask mom or dad. They may tell you you’re too young, or they may simply say it’s ridiculous, with no explanation at all. On the other hand, they may also say,“Sure, why not?” And well, even though shaving looks and feels fabulous, ask yourself a couple of questions to see if you’re ‘ready’ to embark on the whole shaving thing.

1. If you start, are you prepared to shave every week, or even every second day, in case you have the kind of hair that grows in super-fast?
2. Will your parents supply you with the shaving supplies you need or will you have to get your own (cha-ching!)?

Your First Shave
I like to think that shaving your legs for the first time is a sort of rite-of-passage into womanhood, like getting your first period or your first bra. It’s a big deal, so I say make it memorable! When my daughters wanted to shave their legs for the first time we did it right… We got all the stuff – razors, wax strips, shaving cream – we made fries and root beer floats, turned on some music and lit a couple of tea light candles so it felt more like a spa. Then we did one leg with wax and the other with razors to see which was better. Unfortunately they didn’t let me take a picture, but that would have been cute!

Razors or Wax?
There are benefits to both. Razors are quicker and you get to use those fabulous creamy pink shaving gels that smell so yummy. The downside is you can nick yourself if you aren’t careful and also, the hair grows back a lot faster when you use a razor.

Wax, on the other hand, can be messy but the hair comes out at the root, leaving your legs smoother for longer... sometimes for weeks! There are many different types of wax strips and hot wax so you’ll have to investigate and see what makes sense for you. You could always go to a salon to get it done professionally, but that’s a more expensive option.

After that first home 'spa' adventure, my daughters chose razors. Why? Well, the wax was everywhere, it took forever to get the guts up to peel the strip off (ouch!) and it was more expensive. We did have some great laughs and a ‘first time shave’ we’ll never forget.

Shaving Tips
- Never shave with soap or on dry legs. You could cut yourself and damage your skin.
- Shave and wax against the direction of hair growth for best results.
- Some girls/women only shave the bottom half of their legs. If you have light coloured hair or are in a hurry, that’s a good option.
- A disposable razor is called disposable for a reason... it is NOT meant to last forever! The blades wear down after a few shaves and you need to chuck it and get a new one. You won’t do yourself any favours by trying to use it over and over when it’s dull because you won't get good results and you’ll just have to shave more often.
- Shave over the tub, not while you are showering. You can see better and you won’t waste so much water.
- If waxing with hot wax, be very careful and read the directions. A slip-up could be a bad burn.
- If using wax strips, be sure to get the kind made specifically for ‘legs’. Some of the other types won’t be strong enough and the strips will be too small.
- Razors actually exfoliate your skin and can make them very dry, so always moisturize after shaving or waxing. Be sure to wait a bit after you shave so you don’t get a reaction from your lotion.

Underarms
That’s another area girls and women often shave at the same time they do their legs. Again, ask your mom or dad and be sure to use a mirror so you can see where you’re shaving!

Mom’s love being involved in their daughters’ ‘firsts’. Since they’ve 'been there, done that', they will have some great wisdom for you. Make it fun. The first time only happens once!

~ Jenifer

Comment

Fionkaa

what about sweet ? i used it for 2 years .. and its doing great .. you only gonna feel pain at ur first time .. but after several time .. you wouldnt feel it i think its much better than Razors and wax