Edited on May 3, 2021
Shaving your legs daily is a non-negotiable ritual in the summer, and this can cause a redhead’s summer to not be as fun as it should be; due to the sensitivity of most redhead skin, razors can cause the skin to dry out and itch. And with shaving comes a set of questions: How should a redhead shave to avoid nicks and cuts? How often should one shave? What are the best razors to use?
Thankfully, Venus Dermatologist Dr. Jody Levine was there to answer our questions. Here are some of her best shaving tips for redheads:
1. As you know, redheads have extremely sensitive skin. How should a redhead prep her skin before shaving? How about after shaving?
“The reason redheads are known to have sensitive skin is that they typically have fairer skin so you’re more likely to see blood vessels and redness under the surface. Someone with darker skin might get redness, but you won’t see it as quickly. A redhead’s skin is also normally very sensitive to the sun and can dry out more easily. So you should do whatever you can to minimize drying out your skin and making it irritated–especially with summer coming up,” says Dr. Jody Levine.
Dr. Levine’s Recommendation for Prepping The Skin: Make sure to shower in warm, not extremely hot, water to help soften skin before shaving without stripping the skin and drying it out further.
Dr. Levine’s Recommendation When Choosing The Right Product: People with sensitive skin will benefit from a razor with built-in shave gel bars like Venus and Olay which contains skin conditioning elements to help protect against moisture loss while shaving. A shave gel’s lubricating agents will help enhance the glide for a smoother shave and helps keep track of where you’ve already shaved so you won’t go over the same area more than once which can lead to irritation.
Dr. Levine’s After Care. Tips: After showering, a redhead should make sure to use a moisturizer containing ceramide as a key ingredient for longer-lasting hydration.
2. Should a redhead wax or shave? What is the biggest difference?
“Because the skin of a redhead tends to be more sensitive you want to avoid any trauma to the skin. Waxing can be very traumatic to anyone’s skin–especially sensitive skin,” says Dr. Levine. “Waxing involves pulling out the hair follicle out which can also remove outer layers of the skin with it, so by nature, this is a much more traumatic method than shaving.
You want to remove hair in the most gentle manner by using something with built-in hydration and that will glide easily over skin to minimize friction and irritation.
You also have to let your hair grow out in order to wax. People with red hair usually have lighter skin so you’ll see the hair easier during the grow-out periods which can also be inconvenient. Shaving prevents grow-out period for more smoothness.”
3. How should a redhead treat her in-grown hairs (ouch!)?
“Ingrown hairs come from dead skin growing over hair and pushing it back into the skin. Areas of the body with more curvature, such as underarms and the bikini line, are especially prone to ingrown hairs. The key to avoiding ingrown hairs is to keep skin well exfoliated. I recommend applying a Glycolic acid toner or a small amount of hydrocortisone cream to the affected area up to twice a day to decrease the chance of ingrown hairs,” Dr. Levine recommends.
4. Does the ‘perfect razor’ really make a difference?
Dr. Levine says using the correct razor makes a huge difference! A razor should be able to reach tricky areas without causing nicks and cuts.
It’s also known that many redheads are allergic to nickel. Use a razor that is nickel-free like this one.
5. Should redheads use shaving cream?
“Yes, using shaving gel designed for sensitive skin creates a layer between the blade and your skin, allowing razors to glide with ease and protect you from nicks, cuts and razor burn.”
Rock it like a Redhead!
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