I Shave My Face And I Like It

By: Anonymous 

You probably read the title of this article and thought, “WHAT?! Well, keep reading because at the end you’ll be saying to yourself, “Maybe I will try this.”

I will come out and say it, I am a redhead with a very hairy face. It would probably look like a beard if it was dark. Now that I am getting older, I swear my facial hair is getting hairier. Thank you, mom, for giving me the bad facial hair gene.

Many people who have waxed or threaded my face before have told me, “But, you should be lucky it is light hair.” And, yes, this may be true. But, my hair is thick and is definitely noticeable if I do not consciously tweeze or pluck nightly, or go weekly for waxing or threading. And, to make matters worse, waxing always irritates my sensitive skin and recently, my skin has been reacting badly to threading. I’ve even found some dark hairs sprouting from the sides of my lips in past few weeks.

I found out the hard way, and it might come as a shocker to you, but it’s almost impossible for natural redheads to get laser hair removal. To test the waters for this piece, I called a local well-known laser hair removal clinic in New York City to get their opinion. Here’s how the conversation went down:

Receptionist: “Hello, this is blah blah speaking. Thank you for calling blah blah. How may I assist you today?”

Me: “Hello! I am looking to get laser hair removal done on my face, mostly my chin and lip.”

Receptionist: “Wonderful! Can you tell me a little about yourself?”

Me [of course, I say the one attribute I’m most proud of first]: “Well, I’m a redhead with very sensitive thing looking to get rid of the hairy blonde peach fuzz….”

Receptionist: “I am so sorry to cut you off, but unfortunately we cannot do laser on redheads.”

The call continues with her telling me laser hair removal can only work on dark-haired individuals because the laser light simply cannot pick up the hair to extract it. I do know that there are beautiful redheads of the world with darker skin and hair, so it may be possible for you. But, I am a traditional redhead, with freckles, very fair skin and vibrant red hair.

So, what’s next? Was I going to succumb to my daily tweezing and regular, painful waxing and/or threading appointments? Some redheads can deal with facial hair, but not me. I hate it more than anything. It may be blonde but it’s noticeable, especially when wearing foundation. It looks like makeup covered over peach fuzz.

I had read on the web that many women shave their face. Keeping in mind that many redheads are allergic to nickel in razors, I began asking around. I called a friend who shaves her dark facial hair and raved about a certain technique: using a facial razor or eyebrow razor.

So, I tried it (why not?) and fell in love.

How to do it:

It is simple, easy and painless. Plus, it leaves your skin so smooth and doesn’t break the bank. Oh, and it doesn’t require any shaving cream since they are designed to use on dry skin. How perfect is that?

1. Start with a clean, dry face without makeup or lotion.

2. Grab your brow razor and shave the skin ever so lightly. Always shave downwards on your skin in super short strokes*. If hair starts to collect on the razor, simply wash it under warm water and dry the razor before using again.

3. After you’re done and get over the initial shock of how easy it can be to get rid of facial hair, cleanse your skin and moisturize with your favorite serum and/or moisturizer.

*Please note: I have never cut myself doing this but it could happen. Be focused and close up to the mirror. Concentrate on doing really short strokes. It’s important to see how your skin reacts first before taking the plunge. I do not recommend shaving your entire face in the very beginning. If this is your first time, start with a tiny, tiny spot on your face to see how your skin reacts. Your skin may not react until a couple hours after shaving, so wait at least a day or so to see.

I shave my face about once a week (twice if I have big things planned) because I can’t go out on the town with a hairy chin. I do want to urge you to only try this if you feel totally comfortable doing it. It is a commitment, but it is totally worth it for me. I’ve met many women who love their facial hair just the way it is, and if that’s you, then rock it. At the end of the day, redheads, it’s all about confidence.

As always, Rock it like a Redhead!