PSA TO ALL MY GIRLS !!
I want you to shave your face.
YOU READ THAT RIGHT!
NO, you don’t need a goatee to shave your face – hell, not even a mustache. We are talking about shaving that top layer of rough, dull skin… and we will probably take off some peach fuzz while we are at it. This is my new fave facial treatment.
ENTER: ~*~Dermaplaning~*~
I was excited to see that a partner of my school’s hospital, UnityPoint Health – Meriter, also embraces this facial treatment. According to UnityPoint,
“Dermaplaning: Dermaplaning, also called epidermal leveling [the “epidermis” is the outermost layer of cells], is a non-invasive technique designed to smooth fine lines, even skin tone and brighten complexion. The painless treatment involves moving a blade across the skin’s surface in short strokes, carefully exfoliating the very top layer of dead skin and tissue…
In addition to removing the top layer of rough, dull skin, dermaplaning removes unwanted hair that sits above the skin.”
As a dedicated human guinea pig, I wanted to try dermaplaning at home. I don’t have issues with facial hair, but I do have peach fuzz and seize every opportunity to care for my skin. I’ve been shaving my face for a while now – since early summer ’18 – and I am OBSESSED. I waited to share my experience because I wanted to see how my peach fuzz grew back – it’s ALWAYS the first question my friends ask me after I tell them about my experiment.
( I waited EIGHT months ).
Spoiler alert, I DON’T have thicker or darker hair. It would be pretty obvi too because I’m blonde!! Meriter agrees with me:
“Many patients express concern that, following the treatment, hair will grow back thicker and darker. In reality, this belief is simply an old wives’ tale; the hair will grow back at the same rate and texture as before the treatment.”
Still not convinced?? Elizabeth K. Hale, a clinical associate professor of dermatology at the NYU Langone Medical Center said,
“It is definitely a myth that shaving will make the hair coarser or darker.”
Some girls enjoy participating in a massage train at sleepovers; I’d rather teach my girlfriends the art of face shaving.
Last Thursday, I went to my friends’ apartment ( they live next door to me ) and legit gave the girls a full blown face shaving lesson…
Join me, Kate Somerville ( a celeb facialist ), Marilyn Monroe, Betty Paige, Elizabeth Taylor, Carli Bybel, Michelle Money, my GFs, and GAZILLIONS of other girls who shave their face.
Still skeptical? Here is why you MUST try it out.
1. makeup is easier to apply
Your face is a canvas. You need a clean, smooth canvas to allow your inner Leonardo da Vinci to work that contour magic.
BTW: Because the area may be prone to irritation after shaving, so wait at least an hour before applying any foundation, makeup, or moisturizer that isn’t specifically formulated for sensitive skin.
2. maximize the benefits from your $$$ skincare routine
Skin care routines can be expensive. ( deets on: ice rolling and serum ). I believe in investing in high quality skincare products and I know that 50 y/o Hailey will **strongly** support that statement. That’s why you want to make sure that your skin care products are able to penetrate through your skin so you can maximize the benefits from your EXPENSIVE products!!
3. Your clown lines will disappear
**This is if you wax above the brow !! **
When I leave my eyebrow appointment at European Wax, I don’t leave with just a red, hairless border around my brows. Once the redness subsides, the border of my forehead’s peach fuzz and the eyebrow wax is AS CLEAR AS DAY.
Just think: If you are willing to wax your brow, why not shave your face??!
4. Your face will be as smooth as a baby’s tush
Because shaving your face removes peach fuzz AND exfoliates your face, you remove the dead skin cells from the superficial layers of your skin, leaving your skin soft, smooth, and more even.
I shaved my face last Wednesday night and on Thursday morning, I was going through my usual morning skin routine of ice rolling my face and applying my serum and early wrinkle plumping serum. When applying my products, I couldn’t help but notice how smooth my skin was. My skin ate those products up!!
5. Save $ on spa
Professional dermaplaning prices range from $75-150+.
Here’s the issue: I’m on a budget!! I don’t know many college gals who are down to drop $75+ for a professional to scrap dead skin and peach fuzz off their face. That’s why you take this situation home where you can shave in the comfort of your own home with your light makeup mirror.
It may not be as effective as going to an expert’s office, it will save you MAJOR BANK. You can buy Tinkle facial razors with change you find in your couch. College budget, whassup?!!
HERE’S HOW TO DO IT:
- Gently cleanse your face. Use a fresh, clean face with NO products. If you have dry skin, you may want to use a moisturizer.
- To support the face, gently pull it slightly taut and shave in the same direction as the hair grows to prevent ingrown hairs.
- If you are concerned, talk to your dermatologist about antiseptic brands that will work well with your skin.
- Wait to apply makeup or lotion for about 1 hour.
TIPS:
♡ Use a Tinkle razor, NOT a regular razor. Esthetician and creator of DERMAFLASH, Dara Levy, says that men grow “terminal hair”, which is like a piece of copper wire. Women grow “vellus hair” which is soft and delicate. Shaving a women’s face with a razor designed for tough skin and terminal hair is coutnerintuitive.
♡ Use a Kleenex to clean your Tinkle razor multiple times during your shave sesh – NOT your thumb. I cut my thumb once…
♡ Hold your hair back when you get to your hairline – you don’t want to mess with the hairline. JUST the epidermal layer & peach fuzz.
♡ Take your time, use small strokes, and DON’T get razor happy. Again, just the peach fuzz.
♡ If you are still nervous, check out a YouTube video video like THIS one.
♡ BE CAREFUL!! Take precautions to avoid razor burn and use new blades because old Tinkle razors may have a buildup of bacteria.
♡
Let me know what you think!
xx hails
References:
https://www.thelist.com/56671/really-happens-shave-face/
https://www.unitypoint.org/madison/dermaplaning.aspx