It’s been close to two years since I switched to exclusively shaving my hands & legs – & I’ve also written a ton of shaving related posts here on the blog – everything from shaving for beginners to comparing shaving with other hair removal methods.
Despite shaving being quick, easy & perfectly safe, I’ve also found a that there are a lot of undue & baseless myths associated with shaving – some of them are just old wives tales, while most others are repeated by ladies at beauty salon, worried that you’ll stop waxing & giving them business (hey, waxing may not seem that expensive just once, but those bills add up really quickly!)
I’ve previously discussed (& dispelled!) the myth that you need to press harder to get a close shave. Today I’m going to discuss the myth that you shouldn’t shave everyday as it damages your skin.
Every method of hair removal comes with it’s own set of pros & cons. One of the main reasons I chose shaving is because it really is one of the safest method that there is. It doesn’t violently yank out hair from the roots (like waxing or epilating), this can be disastrous for sensitive skin in the long run. It doesn’t involve the use of heavy machinery (laser hair removal) or harsh chemicals (like hair removal creams) & it can literally be done in the comfort of your home (or hotel room, if you’re travelling) anytime. There is no risk of any kind of long term damage or skin degradation even if you’ve shaved your entire life!
Related: Shaving vs Other Forms of Hair Removal in detail.
Of course, of the cons of shaving is that the effects of removing your hair are shorter lived & you do need to do it more often. You are free to adjust the frequency of shaving based on the speed of your hair growth as well as your personal preferences. A lot of people ask me, how often do I shave & whether shaving daily or very regularly is bad.
I have medium thick hair that grows back really fast. How often I shave will be depending on my schedule, mood or what I’m planning to wear. If I’m on a beach vacation & I know I’ll be wearing shorts a lot, I shave every other day. At home, I’ll shave a couple of times a week. It is totally safe to shave daily if you wish to. In fact, shaving in the shower is super efficient & won’t take more than a couple of minutes. Most people won’t have to, every with quick growing hair. But if you hair grows very quickly & you want silky smooth legs always, you can easily shave daily. Of course, make sure to moisturise (daily) & exfoliate (once or twice a week). These two steps are just taking care of your skin (you should do them even if you aren’t shaving!) & they will also prevent any occurrence of ingrown hair.
I’ve been using the new Gillette Venus Breeze 2 in 1 razor for the last couple of months (since it released) & I love how smooth & easy it is to use, the shave gel bars mean I don’t even need a separate shaving gel or foam. One cartridge (blades) last me over a month with regular use – it ends up being quite economical!
In summation- You can shave as rarely or as often as you like! It’s safe, quick & has no side effects at all.
I hope you’re finding this shaving series useful. Feel free to leave any questions in the comments below – you can even suggest future myths or topics you’d like me to cover! x
