Three months ago, I made a bit of a crazy beauty choice — and I started shaving my face.
Beauty blogger and all-around life inspiration Huda Kattan says that shaving not only makes makeup apply better, it also has some pretty awesome anti-aging benefits. Sold.
Back when this long, strange journey began (so, y'know, in May), I had my doubts. But, as I said all those months ago, I also spend 90% of my working life in front of a camera. So I'll try anything that will make me look awesome under those bright video lights.
Two and a half months later, here are my results (and what I've learned along the way).
First, here are two things that shaving didn't change — and one surprising thing that it DID.
Sorry, Huda — I'm calling baloney on your scar-reducing, wrinkle-vanishing claim. My skin is still acne-prone. It's still scarred. I don't have *many* lines (thanks to genetics and Botox), but the ones I have are still there.
HOWEVER! Thanks to the one-two punch of seasonal dryness and a prescription retinoid, my forehead and cheeks were insanely flakey. I felt like my skin was pilling like an old sweater; it was gross. Nothing was giving me the kind of exfoliation I needed — until I started shaving. Bizarrely, it's really helped. My prone-to-dryness areas are no longer dry and flakey, and we've had some gnarly weather here in New York. My smooth skin is battle-tested.
Makeup really does apply better.
As I said originally — I don't think it's SUCH a dramatic difference that everyone on Earth should run out and shave their face right this second. But again, because I apply makeup on HD camera for a living, de-fuzzing my face has been a game changer. Foundation really DOES look smoother in extreme close-ups!
I also learned that shaving cream makes a really amazing makeup remover.
I mean, it's not going to replace actually washing your face. But in a makeup emergency — it's pretty great. Just saying.
Related: A lot of people were concerned that using a brand-new razor that isn't especially designed for my face ON my face would make my head fall off or something. It didn't; these razors worked really well. But on that note…
Shaving does not work for everyone!
It is a truth universally acknowledged that beauty shit often works the best for people who need it the least. Please see: undereye concealer, "effortless beach waves," and hiding zits. And this is also 100% true of shaving one's face.
My facial hair is blonde peach fuzz. It is so subtle as to be nearly invisible, so shaving works really well on me. If your facial hair is dark or coarse, or if you're prone to ingrown hairs — shaving will likely not work as well. There's regrowth and discomfort to worry about, and seriously, who needs that kind of stress?
So again, just want to hit really hard: my results are ONLY representative of my own experiences. Facial hair-life is not fair. Like, at all.
Accidents happen, dammit.
For three months, I didn't have a single shaving accident. Not a nick, not an accidental haircut — nothing. And then last night, as I was drafting this story in my head, I cut my forehead.
Perfect safety record ruined.
Anyway. It's a minor cut that didn't even bleed much, but don't be fooled — the potential for face-damage is real. So be warned.
My final verdict: I'm going to keep shaving my face twice a week until I die — will you try it?
More importantly, do you have any other pressing questions about face-shaving for me? Let me know in the comments, or over on Facebook!
