Hair Removal & Shaving Tips from a hairy girl

Growing up as an Iranian girl in the United States, hair has always been my number 1 enemy. It’s unattractive to be hairy, but it’s so hard to contain all that hair allllll the time. Most people don’t understand the struggle, but people like me shave in the morning and are prickly by nighttime. YIKES. Over the years, I’ve learned how to control it and keep myself soft and groomed with minimal effort. Here are my hair removal tips for you, my fellow hairy person!

If you’re reeeeeally hairy…

People with more than average hair often find that shaving alone is not enough. The hair comes back quickly and it’s usually more coarse. What I have found works for me is a mix of removing hair from the root and shaving. If you want to get rid of strawberry skin (dots all over your skin), this option is the best for you. Removing hair from the root is definitely more painful, but you only have to do it once a month and you get to stay soft all month. Also, over time the hair could get thinner and the pain will decrease. There are three effective ways of doing this.

Epilation

An epilator is a device that pulls out your hair with hundreds of tweezers at once. The first few times you use an epilator, it hurts really bad, but don’t let this turn you off to using it. After using it a couple times, the roots of your hair get smaller and epilating becomes way less painful. Also if you keep up with it every couple weeks, not much hair will grow out so removing it is easy! This is a great option if you like waxing but don’t like the cost or mess. You can quickly remove hair at home and you’ll stay soft!

Waxing

Waxing is simple and there are different ways to approach it. You can get waxed at a salon, but this isn’t a smart long-term option because it’s costly in the United States. You can wax at home with store bought wax or you can make sugar wax. You can get fabric anywhere they sell it and you can scraps or patches for really cheap. I got about 9 yards for $3 and it has lasted a year so far. If you can’t handle the pain of epilating (because it takes longer) I recommend waxing first and keep up the hair removal with epilation.

Threading

Threading is the best option for small areas like the face, neck, or bikini line. I get my eyebrows, lip, and sideburns threaded about once a month. I know how to thread, so I like going over areas I waxed or epilated with thread and getting the hairs I missed. It’s easy to learn and a great skill to have to keep yourself and your family looking fresh and clean.

The day after I remove hair using one of these three methods, I like to go back and shave. This helps keep underskin hairs from happening which is usually a problem with hairy people. This also gets any hair you missed and makes your skin silky smooth. Here are some shaving tips to make your hairlessness and smoothness last as long as possible!

Shaving Tips

Tip 1: Stay Moist

NEVER shave with soap. People think soap is a brilliant alternative for shaving cream, but actually, soap is meant to cleanse. It strips the skin of oils and doing this while shaving makes your legs horribly cracked and dry over time. Also, you’re increasing the chance of getting cut because your skin isn’t supple. Instead, make sure you use an oil or shaving cream. I like coconut oil.

Tip 2: Shave Both Ways

Shave the hair with your razor head up and then down. This way you’re ensuring that you get every hair.

Tip 3: Use a Clean Razor

Never use a razor that’s too dull, old, or rusty. You increase the chance of razor burns and cuts significantly by doing so. Always make sure you have back up fresh razors and regularly change them out. Using a subscription service to buy your razors can eliminate the hassle of remembering to buy new blades.

Tip 4: Post Shave

After shaving, keep your skin exfoliated by either using a beaded wash or a loofah/shower glove. This helps make sure your hair doesn’t become underskin hairs and it prevents strawberry skin. Also, keep your skin moisturized. This helps keep your skin soft until the next shave and improves the overall look of your skin.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope this was helpful for you! Feel free to share your favorite tips below and be sure to check out some more posts!