Shaving can be a pain- especially when you’re anything like me, and your hair begins to grow back within a few hours of shaving it all off. So why do we feel the need to keep our bodies hairless anyways? The blame falls on the unfair standards that we have grown to normalize within our society. Men are “supposed” to have facial hair, leg hair, armpit hair, etc. But girls and women are “supposed” to have none of the above… And that is far from the reality. Growing up, I remember being teased about my dark leg and arm hair and my thick, bushy eyebrows. At only ten years old, I became overwhelmingly conscious of the fact that I had more hair than other girls. Those memories stuck with me through my highschool years and caused significant insecurities. It wasn’t until my freshman year of college when I took a step back and thought to myself- “Why do I even care?” And now I ask you to do the same.
The truth is, we need to rethink the way we look at our bodies and stop letting society decide what is “right and wrong”. Do you think women would grow body hair if we weren’t supposed to have it? Nope. In fact, letting your body hair grow has numerous benefits:
Not shaving allows you to protect your skin from infections, cuts, and ingrown hairs. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never really had an enjoyable experience with shaving. I’ve been doing it for nine plus years now, and I still get cuts and ingrown hairs on the regular. When you have cuts on your skin, it allows for harmful bacteria to enter, and in turn, can lead to infection- our hair protects us! This is especially true for pubic hair, which is particularly susceptible to infections if not properly cared for. I’ve tried everything- from different razors to softening shaving creams, and I have never really had success. This was one of the biggest reasons I decided to embrace my natural hair, and made the choice to only shave once every few weeks. Beauty does not have to be painful… In fact, I believe it shouldn’t hurt at all.
Keeping your armpit hair can help to avoid chafing and rashes that are caused by the friction of sweat on bare skin. Plus, I find my unshaved armpits somewhat trendy and empowering. It’s like saying “screw societal standards” and “I love my natural self” without having to utter a word. When I’ve discussed the topic of embracing pit hair with family and friends, they’ve often responded with, “But won’t it smell bad?” And the answer is- nope! As long as you wash and use deodorant regularly, you will be just fine! Trust me, I sweat a lot. When it comes to being shaved or unshaved, I haven’t noticed a difference in the amount of sweat I produce- if anything, I think I sweat less when my armpits are not shaved. P.S. I have been trying out natural deodorants recently, and I’ve found that they are much more effective than your average “Secret” or “Suave”. My two faves have been Arm & Hammer Essentials Natural Deodorant, and Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant. You should try them out!
Going all natural (or reducing how often you shave) will save you $$! This is one of my favorite parts of ditching weekly/daily shavings! I no longer worry about how I will afford more blades, and I don’t have to spend excessive money on shaving creams or gels. As a college student who is always trying to find a way to save up my money, I have found that this was one of my best choices. After all, quality razors and blades are way overpriced, and in my opinion- totally not worth it. I’d rather spend my extra cash on sushi burritos and iced coffee, anyways.
I would like to add that I do still shave occasionally. But, I chose to stop caring so much about how others feel about my body and facial hair. I have hair on my upper lip and chin that still makes me insecure from time-to-time, but I do my best to remind myself that it grows for a reason, and it is totally not worth my precious time wishing that I am someone who I am not. If I don’t mind it, why should I care if others do?
Try giving the razor and your skin a break, and start accepting your body in its true, gorgeous entirety. I encouraged you to recognize that your body hair is natural and beneficial, not “gross” at all! Let’s say “screw gender norms!” and embrace our beautiful bodies and all that they do for us. Don’t get me wrong- it’s not totally bad to shave, and you should do whatever makes you comfortable! I just hope to change the perspectives for girls and women like myself, who cannot always manage being 100% body hair free.
