How Shaving Your Face Could Replace Your AHA (Especially During the Summer)

We all know AHAs can make your skin photosensitive, but how do you give up that gloriously smooth skin in the summer? Answer: face shaving. Here’s how.

We are all familiar with the more common ways we can get soft, smooth, bright skin: AHAs slough away dead skin cells from the surface, BHAs work underneath the surface to unglue clogs and dead skin cells that can contribute to whiteheads and blackheads. Vitamin C and niacinamide both work to brighten the skin. But there’s also another way. *cue dramatic music*

Shaving your face.

I know. I see the look on your face, and I hear your doubts from the computer screen. Trust me. When someone told me about this method, I gave them a serious side-eye and a definitive “girl, bye.” But ya know, they may be on to something.

Face shaving has been done for centuries. Celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor were fans, and historical figures like Cleopatra (seriously, what beauty tip HASN’T Cleopatra tried at this point) have been rumored to shave their faces to get the soft, glowing skin of their dreams. And there’s even the fancy spa version of face shaving called dermaplaning, where a licensed esthetician removes the peach fuzz and top layer of skin using a machine. If you want to see some truly badass before and after photos, search #dermaplaning on Instagram.

 

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A post shared by Anisah S. (@beautybyas) on Jun 13, 2019 at 7:10am PDT

So how does face shaving work? 

I’ll tell you first what NOT to do: Don’t use your regular ol’ razor and lather up some shaving cream and go to town. Not the same process at all. Instead, you’re gonna want to fire up the good ol’ Google and search for a tool called “Tinkle Eyebrow Shaper.” (Or try this cute Etude House one.) It’s a small blade attached to a plastic handle that’s designed to shape your eyebrows, but it’s just the thing you need to get your shave on.

Next step, make sure your skin is clean but dry. Pull your skin taut in whatever area you’re planning on shaving first (I personally start with my cheeks), and holding the razor in the other hand at a 45-degree angle, make small, quick downward strokes. You may have some redness, but you should have no irritation. If you experience any irritation, stop shaving immediately.

After you’re finished, moisturize your skin as normal. This is not the time to use an exfoliating product or something new — remember, your skin is just freshly exfoliated so all you need is some oil and/or a moisturizer and BOOM. Smooth skin central.

Now to dispel a major myth 

Will your hair grow back thicker or darker?

I sadly believed this myth for a vast majority of my life … and the answer is no. No, it will not. Shaving does not in any way affect how thick or dark your hair grows. It might FEEL like it’s darker or thicker, but that’s mostly how stubble feels in general.

And what about the results? 

Well, pretty much immediately you’ll notice how soft your skin is. Your skincare products will seem to apply better, and makeup looks as if you’ve airbrushed it on to your skin. I didn’t realize how much hair you have on your face and what a difference removing it makes, especially for makeup application. Just make sure you clean and sanitize your razor after each use by soaking it in some rubbing alcohol. After about three uses, toss it!

Oh, and one more thing: Like waxing, face shaving is somewhat of a commitment. The hair will grow back, so it’ll be something you’re keeping up with for the foreseeable future.

And finally, this goes without saying, but if you have an active acne outbreak or any sort of skin irritation, face shaving is probably not going to be the best option for you.

Have you tried shaving your face? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!