When we think of face shaving, we think of men. While women don’t generally shave their face, it is becoming more widely accepted. There are people that believe women should not shave their faces due to societal expectations especially in Western countries. However, this is changing. Many women find that shaving their faces have several benefits which include smoother skin, reduced skin flaws and improved make-up application.

In fact, women face shaving has been popular in Asian countries for decades as a normal beauty regimen to remove the dead layers of skin, peach fuzz and reveal fresh glowing skin. But the idea of women’s face shaving in the United States is still relatively new. Let’s look at the benefits.

One of the main benefits of face shaving for women is smoother, glowing skin. Shaving exfoliates the skin by removing dead skin cells and hair, leaving the skin soft and smooth. With peach fuzz, also known as vellus hair, the hair is very fine, but it seems to grow the most around the cheeks and upper lip. Although it’s much thinner and softer than a man’s facial hair, many women don’t like the peach fuzz so shaving their face is a cheap and easy solution to this problem. After shaving, skin is often brighter with a more youthful complexion.

Another benefit of face shaving for women is that it can help reduce skin blemishes such as ingrown hairs and acne (if a sharp blade is used) as well as minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also can reduce the appearance of pores. By removing the dead skin cells, it makes the fine lines and wrinkles less visible. Shaving also helps prevent pores from clogging over time which may lead to ingrown hair or acne.

A third benefit is that it can improve the application of makeup and who doesn’t want that? Putting makeup over hair is not a pretty sight. Even small peach fuzz hair can make it difficult to apply foundation and other makeup products evenly and flawlessly. Shaving the face allows the facial skin to be smooth and hairless which makes for a much easier canvas to work with.

However, despite these benefits it’s important to take the necessary precautions to avoid irritation and injury. It is recommended to use a new, sharp razor and shaving cream or shaving lotion to allow the razor to glide across the skin more easily. A sharp blade and shaving in the direction of hair growth is going to help prevent ingrown hairs and irritation. A sharp blade with proper technique will reduce the risk of cuts and nicks. Also, it’s best to not to do too many passes in the same area.

To ere on the side of safety, opt for a blade with a built-in guard to help prevent cuts and nicks. This extra layer of safety can make a woman feel more comfortable about shaving her face.

For women who want to give it a try, skin preparation is a very important step that is often overlooked. By cleansing the face with warm water and applying shaving cream or a shaving lotion, this lubricates the skin and hair and opens the hair follicles. After shaving, it’s important to close the hair follicles back up with cold water and then hydrating the skin with a good facial moisturizer.

It all seems fine and dandy, but are there downsides? What are people saying who don’t recommend it? Some proponents of face shaving say that it does the opposite and makes hair grow back thicker and darker, but there is no evidence that this is true.

It’s also important to note that for some women face shaving is not recommended. If the skin is prone to acne or other skin conditions that make it unsuitable for shaving, it’s better to resort to different hair removal techniques than shaving. Perhaps laser hair removal or waxing are better alternatives.

Lastly, no woman wants is irritation, redness or dryness as this can exacerbate any existing skin condition. It may be wise to consult with a dermatologist if there are any concerns.

Shaving is a personal choice, but it does have several benefits. It’s a relatively cheap, easy and a quick solution for various beauty problems. Just make sure to prepare the skin properly before shaving, shave with a sharp blade and with the grain and then finish it off with an aftercare regimen. It’s not difficult and the result of flawless, glowing and youthful skin make this regimen totally worth it. Let us know what you think in the comments below!