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

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It’s no secret to regular readers that I’ve been shaving for a long time. It was my first method of hair removal & after trying out various other methods over the years, I’ve come back to it for good. I’ve even created a lot of shaving related content here, right from a beginner’s guide to shaving your legs to discussing my experience with other forms of hair removal & busting a shaving related myth or two.

Tools of the Trade

Shaving is by far one of the easiest & quickest forms of hair removal but you can’t discount how important the razor is in having a smooth shaving experience. All razors aren’t created equal. I’ve been guilty of using a cheap disposable razor in a pinch (yep, I sometimes forget to pack my beauty essentials) & I found the experience to be uncomfortable & scratchy.

I’d been more than satisfied using the Gillette Venus razor but when I heard there was a new Gillette Venus Breeze razor being released, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! I’ve been using it for over a month now, about every other day & I think I’m ready to share my two cents on the new razor.

At a Glance – The Gillette Venus Breeze

The new Gillette Venus Breeze is quite a looker. All purple body with some translucent, rubberised bits that make it easier to grip, especially when you’re wet & slippery in a shower. But it’s not just looks – what truly sets the razor apart (the 2 in 1 bit) are the built in shave gel bars above & below the blades.These bars are supposed to completely eliminate the need for a shaving gel. Just wet up the razor & you’re totally good to go. The first cartridge is included with your razor (but packaged separately to keep the bars fresh & moisture free). Later on, the cartridges can be purchased in packs of two.

Depending on your frequency of usage, a cartridge can last anywhere between 1-3 months. I found that if improperly stored they do get extra soggy & that can decrease longevity.

When wet up the soap bars do give out a sort of slippery & moist gel (they call it light lather) that makes the razor glide super smooth. Even if you’re shaving at the last minute before stepping out, you can just place the razor under a tap for a few seconds & use it.

The lather may not be visible that much but it works quite well. Of course, using it during a bath / shower is always the best experience though.
I was fairly impressed with the soap bar’s ability to lubricate my skin without getting spent. After a month of use, I can see that bars are more spent but I still have a few more uses before I change cartridges.

In case you’ve experiences dry or scratchy skin after shaving, I think the Gillette Venus Breeze does a very good job of eliminating that problem. As always though, regular exfoliation (at least twice weekly) & moisturization (once or twice a day) should be included in your routine.

I’ve had a very pleasant experience using the Gillette Venus Breeze, it’s made the already simple process of shaving my legs even easier, quicker & more comfortable (can I say breezier? or would that be too much?).

The Gillette Venus Breeze is now available in India, in stores & online. The Gillette Venus Breeze razor retails for ₹299 & a pack of two cartridges costs ₹350. x

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While shaving is kind of the beginning & end of body hair removal for me, as a beauty enthusiast & blogger, I’ve tried almost every other form of hair removal that there is. No one method is ‘perfect’, it’s all about finding what’s right for you, so today I thought I’d compare all the other prominent forms of body hair removal with shaving & see how they stack up & tell you why I choose shaving to have smooth arms & legs.

Methods of Body Hair Removal

If you want to remove body hair, there are so many different ways to go about it. I’m going to consider the four most popular ones – waxing, epilating, depilatory creams & laser hair removal. 

Waxing

Waxing is one of the most popular ways to remove body hair in India – primarily because salon ladies love to say that shaving causes hair to grow back thicker & skin to go dark over time (it’s a myth) & that repeated waxing reduces hair growth (it doesn’t). It’s worth noting that salon owners & staff love saying anything to get you to avail more services, I’ve been coaxed & cajoled to bleach my face because it would somehow help my acne & oily skin (what is the correlation??????) thankfully I didn’t give in.

Outright lies aside, I see the lure – it’s a non chemical way of yanking out hair from the root, the waxed area usually stays completely hair free for close to a week. What’s not to love? I waxed for a few years, it was especially nice before a beach vacation. It is definitely a little painful but since a large section of hair is removed at one time, it’s over fairly quickly too. But there were also a ton of annoyances. The cost aspect. One session of hand & leg waxing even at a humble neighbourhood beauty parlour costs more than a razor, which I can use for up to three months. So while it doesn’t seem like a very expensive method, the costs do stack up, & if you go in even once monthly, you would be spending a significant amount of money in a year. And let’s not forget the waxing schedule. If you’re a regular waxer, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Waxing can only be done when the hair is a certain minimum length, so you have to mentally plan out your forthcoming sessions in advance, which is pretty silly when you give any real thought to it.

You also have to visit a parlour to do so. There was one pretty close to our old apartment so it was easy to get it done then. But it became much harder when we moved as the parlour wasn’t as close anymore. It was about a 15 minute walk & rickshaws would never agree to go, you know the struggle. I know a few friends ever started DIY waxing at home cos it’s convenient & cost efficient. I tried it one or two times but I found it really difficult to pull of the strips myself, there’s a certain knack to it that I could not get.

So I still kept going to the parlour for a couple of years; that was until… the rashes started.

I wouldn’t call it a rash maybe but I used to get angry red boils on my hands & legs around 12 hours after it was done. I was surprised the first time it happened but then it started to happen every single time. I did a little research & found out that it was an allergy of sorts that a lot of people with sensitive skin face – When hair is removed from the root during waxing, your body views this as an assault or skin trauma. In response, your body’s immune system kicks in and you start producing histamine. Histamine is produced within the cells at the site of the trauma. It was a little strange to me that I could undergo waxing for a good few years without much issue, but allergies or sensitivities do sometimes randomly pop up & although it was something I could calm with anti-histamines (anti allergy medication), I decided it was time to give up waxing & look for less violent methods of hair removal.

Epilating

Epilating is another method I’ve used a lot in my life. It’s a method wherein hair is removed from the root (similar to waxing) with an epilator, a small electronic device. The beauty of it is that the device is totally portable, travel friendly & rechargeable. Also it might be viewed as slightly gentler method, as waxing sometimes removes cells from the upper layer of the skin, & epilating does not. Modern epilators are often used wet & dry, so that is another great option that gives you a lot of flexibility.

The downsides of epilating is that a good epilator can be quite an investment (anywhere between ₹5,000 – ₹10,000). And whereas waxing is over rather quickly, epilating is a very slow process depending on your hair growth. I have a pretty thick growth & epilating just my entire legs can take 30 minutes or more, if I want to be through. I do also find it pretty painful as it’s like mechanised tweezers pulling your hair out constantly, bit by bit. (Can’t believed those TV ads fooled me as a kid!) If you’re not sensitive to pain this might be a good option but I wasn’t able to keep up epilating.

Since the last year or so I love using epilators to remove facial hair, as I have much less facial hair as compared to body hair, & epilation removes it quickly. I just need to do it once a week (or less) & I’m set.

Hair Removal Creams

Hair removal creams are another fairly popular method of removing body hair. Growing up, I had an aunt who loved to use them & the main thing I can remember about them is the awful stink! Modern hair removal creams aren’t as stinky though (doesn’t mean they don’t stink) & seem to be a good option. So of course I had to try them.

They’re another pretty easy method. The cream comes in a tube, you can apply it in the comfort of your home & within 5-10 minutes depending on the brand, it dissolves the hair & can be rinsed off. It takes out hair at the skin level (similar to shaving, complete opposite of waxing & epilating) & there is zero pain involved. The tube also means it’s really travel friendly.

It’s not like I use only natural products but I was very skeptical about the fact that the cream actually dissolves all the hair – it’s supposed to be safe for the skin, but I was definitely a little concerned about long term usage of this. I once absent mindedly used it over a very minor skin irritation & it got a lot worse – It was definitely my fault as you aren’t supposed to use the cream if you have any rash, cuts, breakouts or anything of that nature. But after that, I thought it better to stop now. I definitely don’t think this is a good method even if your skin is mildly sensitive.

Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is quite different to all the other methods presented on this list, but it’s still pretty popular in India (especially for brides to be). Firstly the name is a bit of a misnomer, as even multiple sessions only reduce hair, not remove it. Plus, it’s most efficient on fair skin with thick, dark hair so if you don’t fall in that bracket, you might not be right for it.

I only did a single session of laser hair removal a few years ago on my underarms, & it was pretty underwhelming. Similar to waxing, you had to grow out the hair on whichever part of your body you want to have it done. The session definitely did sting a little bit, not unbearable. The hair did take little longer to grow back, but grow back it did (& I didn’t notice that much of a reduction in growth either). I wasn’t impressed enough to go again, frankly.

Other Forms of Hair Removal

I thought I’d briefly mention any other methods that I’ve heard of but haven’t tried, one of them being electrolysis. I was always under the impression that Electrolysis is just another (more technical?) name for laser hair removal so I did a bit of research & turns out I couldn’t be more wrong. Electrolysis is more expensive, invasive, time consuming & painful that laser hair removal. The description of the procedure sort of horrified me & it’s definitely not one I’m interested in trying out, even if the results are more long term.

Why I Choose to Shave

I’ve mentioned on my previous hair removal posts, I was first taught to shave & after dabbling in a lot of methods, I shaved almost exclusively last year. There are a lot of reasons why I absolutely love doing it – it’s safe, painless (unless you cut yourself, which is rare), compact (making it very travel friendly) and incredibly affordable. The razor that I use, Gillette Venus is one that’s created for the contour’s of a woman’s body. The quality is top notch, it’s good looking & practical, the grip helps prevent slippage. And it costs a mere₹199. One cartridge (blades) will last 2-3 months depending on how often you shave & when you need to replace it, a pack of two cartridges costs ₹275. The Satin Care shave gel is not a necessity for shaving, but it just made it so much more enjoyable. My skin was left softer & the foam helped me miss less spots. It’s another super affordable product at just ₹225, & it does last a very long time I definitely recommend it! Better still, if it’s your first time shaving you can choose to buy the Gillette Venus Shaving Kit (which has everything you need – razor, cartridge & gel) at a discounted cost.

You can adjust your shaving frequency depending on hair growth. My hair is thick but it doesn’t grow too fast, if I’m at home I tend to shave around twice a week or so. If I’m on a beach vacation & want smooth legs every single day, I sometimes shave every alternate day. That’s what works for me. It’s totally safe even to shave daily if you want, you will just have to change your cartridge a bit

Finally, I did get a couple of questions on instagram that I thought I’ll address here – Sam had concerns about ingrown hair & shaving causes rashes. Regarding the first one, ingrown hair is always a possibility in any form of body hair removal unfortunately. The one, easy way to prevent them is to add some sort of regular exfoliation to your shower time, whether it’s a body polisher / scrub or manual exfoliation. Regarding rashes, that isn’t something I’ve experienced with shaving (only waxing) but I’d advise always shaving in the shower, after the hot water & steam has had a chance to open your pores a bit. Dry shaving is a huge no-no & should never be done (even if you’re shaving in a hurry, make sure you run some cold water on your skin first) & secondly make sure you aren’t using a razor with blunt or damaged blades / cartridges. It’s important to replace them as soon as they don’t glide smoothly, whether you’re using a regular razor like mine or disposable.

I hope all of my experiences with hair removal will help you make the decision right for you. If you remove your body hair, what’s your preferred method & why? Let’s chat in the comments! x

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But it also made me aware of just how many myths surround the process. Most of these are just old wives’ tales, with no basis in the reality, so today I’m going to attempt to debunk one of the most common ones – the belief that pressing hard or repeatedly with a razor will give you a closer shave.

Many people still associate shaving with men only, even though it is such a great way to remove body hair too, on both genders! Recently women shaving their face has become quite the rage on YouTube, but it’s not something I’ve tried yet.

It’s incredibly easy to shave, & it’s become second nature for me to just do it every other day while in the shower. In case you missed it, I did write a beginner’s guide to shaving, aimed at anyone who might be wanting to try shaving for the first time.

My Shaving Apparatus

I did cover the equipment I use to shave in my previous post, but it’s worth repeating. The only thing you really need is a razor. Any razor. I’ve used all kinds, from regular men’s razors to cheap disposables. I currently use the Gillette Venus razor – it’s looks good, is affordably priced & each cartridge will last you a very long time. The razor is designed for women using it on their bodies, so I think the grip works exceptionally well at preventing slippage, even if you’re all soapy & shaving in a hurry. I also always have a stock of cartridges (blades) on hands, even though one of them lasts me around two months. Finally after years of shaving with soap (bad idea) or conditioner (okay, but not ideal) I’ve incorporated the Satin Care shave gel in my routine. This smells amazing, the foam works as a sort of a ‘guide’ so I don’t miss a spot, & it moisturizes my legs too, so they’re never left dry or patchy. I think most women who shave don’t think to use a gel, but it makes such a big difference! If you’re just starting out, you can buy all three products at a discounted rate in the Gillette Venus Shaving Kit.

Let’s Bust Some Myths

One of the primary shaving related concerns I’ve heard is whether shaving will cause excessive dryness, itchiness, red bumps or ingrown hair. The short answer, is definitely a big NO but there are a few best practises you can follow & things you can keep in mind.

Firstly, please never ever dry shave. You won’t get a close shave, but more importantly this can damage your skin & give rise to ingrown hair. Even if you’re in a hurry, make sure you moisten your hands / legs properly then shave. It’s best done in the shower, because warm water / steam can open up your pores & give an overall smoother shave.

Ingrown Hair can arise after any form of hair removal, whether you shave, epilate or wax. The one small thing you can do, to banish them for good? Exfoliate! I do it around twice a week, usually on days that I’m not shaving. If you shave daily, you can exfoliate just before shaving. Preferably avoid doing it on freshly shaved skin. Just being particular, using a good scrub or exfoliating gloves will banish those ingrown hair for good.

Now to the main / headlining myth- pressing harder or repeatedly will give you a closer shave. This couldn’t be further from the truth, rather it could be damaging to your skin in the long run.

You ideally want to do shorter strokes, as they will help with a close shave. You also should be applying a medium amount of pressure – so the razor is properly coming in contact with your skin, but not pressing down too hard. Pressing harder will just give you bumps & razor burn! Places like your legs are the easiest to shave, but on areas that aren’t exactly ‘even’ such as knees, wrists, knuckles & even underarms, go a bit slower to avoid getting any nicks.

If you have quick hair growth, you can easily shave daily, but you definitely don’t want to be shaving with multiple strokes in the same area. Repeatedly running a razor over the same stretch of skin can again cause razor burns or ingrown hair. One stroke should be more than enough per area. It’s important that you aren’t shaving with a dull blade. Cheaper disposable razors tend to have blades that go dull the fastest, & one thing I love about the Gillette Venus is the little blue patch just above the blade area. Not only does it help in moisturizing your skin, but when the deep blue patch turns pale blue, it’s an indicator that you need to change the cartridge. So that feature helps me know that I haven’t been using a dull cartridge.

Just shaving in the right way & making sure I exfoliate & moisturize regularly ensures that my legs are smooth & hair free without pain or damage. The best part is I can do this in my home or when I’m travelling without having to search for a beauty parlor or faff around with messy hot wax. It’s the best! x

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If you’ve never tried shaving, the thought of picking up a razor for the first time can seem a bit intimidating. Additionally, there a lot of baseless myths surrounding shaving. So I thought I’d write a beginner’s guide to shaving, step by step & include a few tips as well.

You can safely shave any part of your body, regardless of gender be it your hands, legs, underarms or bikini region but in this post I’m going to cover arms + legs because these are probably the most common areas people remove hair from & the easiest regions to start with, too!

What You’ll Need

All you’ll really need to begin shaving is a razor & something to lubricate your skin for smooth shaving (because soap isn’t recommended – I’ll get to why soon). I use the Gillette Venus razor because it’s a razor designed especially for women, not only does it look good, it grips well, glides on your skin plus it has a handy blue strip to tell when you need to change your cartridge. I always have a pack of Gillette Venus Cartridges (blades) handy as well, so that when my cartridge goes blunt (the deep blue strip turns pale blue) I can replace it to always get a smooth shave.

Like most people I’ve been guilty of just shaving with whatever soap or shower gel I have on hand in the shower, but soap ends up drying your skin & sensitising it further. I think I first tried the Gillette Satin Care Shaving Gel about two years ago, without too many expectation, but it sort of blew my mind from the very first use. If you’ve shaved before but never used shaving gel, you really must try it because it’ll take your shaving experience to the next level (really).

If it’s your first time shaving, you can save a bunch of money & get all three products in this Gillette Venus Shaving Kit – you can thank me later!

Now let’s get to the actual shaving bit…

HOW TO SHAVE

Moisten your skin

Shaving must never, ever be done on dry skin! You’re much more likely to get jagged hair & even cut your skin, it’s a huge no-no. Always shave on wet skin – your bath or shower is the best place to do it because hot water softens your skin, making it even easier to get a smooth shave.

Lather Up

Now it’s time to put that Gillette Satin Care Shaving Gel to use. It comes out like an aqua blue gel & gives a rich foam in just a few seconds. It expands like crazy, so you don’t need a lot to cover your hand or leg. The foam also serves as a kind of guide, so you’ll know where you shaved & are less likely to miss spots. It’s formulated especially for sensitive skin, I find it nourishing & soothing, my skin is always left feeling smooth & hair free later, not irritated or stripped in any way.

Shave in the Right Direction

Always shave in a light but firm touch & never press down too hard. For your legs, shave legs from the ankle upwards. For your arms, move from your wrist to elbow, but for the upper arm go from your shoulder to elbow. For your underarms, shave from all angles-up, down and sideways. And for the bikini area, shave in the direction of hair growth first (inward) & then against for an extra close shave.

Make sure to go a bit slower on joints & knuckles like toes, knees, your wrist joint etc. to avoid any grazes or nicks. I know this sounds a teensy bit complicated at first but trust me, after a couple of times it becomes second nature!

Moisturize

Another really important step in the process is to use a good moisturizer after stepping out of the shower, & you’ll never have that dry or itchy feeling people complain about.

Don’t Forget to Exfoliate

Any form of hair removal can put you at ‘risk’ of getting ingrown hair. While they’re not particularly dangerous, they can be annoying & a bit unsightly. You can completely eliminate that risk by exfoliating regularly. You can choose to either use a milder, daily scrub everyday or use a body polisher (deeper exfoliant) like this or this once or twice a week. Be regular with this & you won’t see a single ingrown hair.

If you’ve been curious about shaving but never tried it, I hope you found this post useful. Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below & even request guides for any other topic! x

The post How To Shave Your Arms & Legs (For The First Time) appeared first on Magali Vaz | Fashion, Lifestyle & Travel Blog.

If you remove body hair, whats your favorite way to do so?

love,
Magali

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