Ok: I've shaved my face. Am I bonkers?

[notsogoldenoldie]

Saw this in the Mail this week (I know, I know...) and couldn't resist. I did it with a bic and some shaving gel. Apart from cutting the top off a zit I'm in one piece.....and my face is like a baby's bum today.

Anyone else done this?

What the fuck?

You mean that as well as putting up with the usual mundane shit involved in being female, ie periods, everyday sexism, pregnancy and birth you are actually taking on the everyday mundane shit that men have to do as well?

In gods name whyyyy? Are you utterly nuts?

I read this garbage in magazines and I think to myself no, surely no one can be that easily duped. No one is frankly stupid enough to swallow this tripe that the media attempt to sell to women day in and day out. You're too fat, too thin, too old, too wrinkly, your fanny is the wrong shape and your boobs are the wrong size. And now they're telling you your face is too..... what? Hairy, rough?? And you believe it? And you do something about it? Which potentially involves you adding something else annoying and time consuming to your daily schedule?

Are you stark raving mad?

I read this garbage in magazines and I think to myself no, surely no one can be that easily duped. No one is frankly stupid enough to swallow this tripe that the media attempt to sell to women day in and day out.

Wow, you're so amazing and clever with special eyes that mean you can see whether women are really hairy or fat when they have no idea themselves.

I don't really read women's magazines. Does anyone actually read them for any other reason than to sneer at the other stuoid women they imagine take them really seriously?

Shaving off villus hair is not something you do every day. It's something some women do because they are self-conscious about very furry faces/they are really stupid.

angelpip, sorry that sounds miserable.

everyone else with chin hair try electrolysis! It's a miracle!

I get horrendous I growing hairs if I pluck or wax my furry face. I've shaved the peach down and it felt very smooth and apparently creams serums go on better. I've just ordered the Philips precision.
damn you one click!

I have severe PCOS and have to shave my face 2 or 3 times a day.

I have thick, dark growth on my cheeks, chin and neck and wouldn't dream of allowing anyone to see it or feel the stubble.

It would take me approx an hour in the morning and again in the evening every single day to pluck the hairs. Have tried IPL and electrolysis. Waxing is out of the question because I would have to let the hairs grow to a suitable length which would mean hiding myself away for several days.

Am I bonkers? Probably

I'm rather fond of my face fluff, though I attack it with the tweezers if any of the fluffy little hairs get ideas above their station. I agree, it does look lovely in the sunlight.

Don't you end up looking rather shiny if you get rid of it?

And I'm not a 'woman you are inadequate improve yourself beauty sheep' at all. I rarely shave my legs or underarms, high days and holidays only but my very fine face hair is so thick that make up and sun cream clogs and sits on it! When I shave it off you can see the contours of my face and I look much lighter and younger.

Oh great.

So everyone who has shared about embarrassing personal problems gets laughed at all over facebook.

Well that's a pleasing result for mumsnet, isn't it?

I have resorted to shaving my downy light shiny sun catching bastard facial hair.

Tweezing the whole chin, jaw, tache and cheek area (not forgetting eyebrows) would be impossible.
Epilation hurts and gives me ingrown hairs bastarding springy stick
Waxing leaves me with a spotty red beard.
Creams leave me with a scaly dry red beard.

Light coloured hairs are unsuitable for lasers etc
It's the best option for me.

I also remove hair from my armpits, lady garden some of it and legs when they are seen.
I don't want to be bald, I just want to wear make up that doesn't catch in the hairs, and not be concious of my long blonde hair beard the same as my mothers, that is like a beacon in sunlight any fucking light

Mine does that too Seriously :( I've stopped trying to wear most cream foundations because I just end up with swirls where it won't rub in. A Nivea tinted one is currently the best I've got.

I've shaved my upper lip since I was about 12 when razors were the only hair removal option available to me. I have very visible dark hair there. I've just carried on out of habit I suppose. I could pursue other hair removal options but I don't have the inclination as shaving is cheap, quick and convenient. I've also always used tweezers on my chin hairs.

DD1 has PCOS and the only thing that works on her sideburns and chin is IPL (she has to shave it between sessions-had the first course about 5 years ago and is in the middle of another, as they are growing back. She hates the shaving ) It is hideously expensive though ,and it annoys me that its not available on the NHS ,as it is the unsightly and upsetting result of a medical condition . Electrolysis gives her scars, though it works for me on my (dark and coarse white) chin hairs . Tweezing gives me spots .Threading works fine on the finer hairs on my upper lip and chin . Wouldn't dream of removing the fine fair down on my cheeks though

I dye my moustache blonde, otherwise I would just look ridiculous all the time. I used to use creams and tried home waxing but they always looked shit and hurt. I don't care most of the time that I havd blonde hair there, although this convo will make me paranoid again :(
Big scary chin hairs get plucked

I have an ancient Epilady with a sort of coiled spring on it. It grips hairs of all lengths and I have used it around my mouth successfully. It brings tears to the eyes, but it works and no stubble. I am sure there are more modern versions on the market. Shaving sounds like a slippery slope.

Black skin has fewer velous hairs, which is one of the reasons some believe it ages better. It also won't do any harm to try, velous hairs will not grow back stubley.

LOVE Squoosh

I also use an ancient Epilady for chin, throat, jawline and upper lip. Upper lip still hurts when I do it, rest is almost pain free. Leaves the skin nice and smooth with no risk of cutting, although upper lip can go red. Has been my happy solution for also two decades. I remember finding a long black hair over my throat when I was 16.

I don't think women should judge whether or not other women need to remove any facial hair. Quite a few references to downy hair above. Clearly those of us who do need to remove facial hair do a good job of it as those who don't remove maybe don't realise how bad it can be. I consider it grooming and not bowing to any kind of feminine ideal.

I have very downy facial hair. I have recently taken to veeting it. Why did I not do this sooner,? Do it every six months to look half normal.
I'm embarrassed that it hads taken so long to realise this is the norm.

My hairy face is fantastic. Can't wear foundation, it clogs. Keeps me warm too. Mum and Nan are the same and both look so young for there ages! Did have to shave my forehead and sideburns once though, a hairdresser dyed those lovely soft blonde hairs jet black

Don't worry about face hairs be more worried about the nostrils hairs when you get to certain age

Has no one got a No-No yet....

ive been tempted to try this too worried that the hair will grow back black though

If you're happy with it then good for you. There's some good advice on this thread with regards to methods of hair removal if the bic doesn't work out.

If I was being judgey, which, let's face it, we all are at some point, I'd ask why you wanted to do that. But I know it's none of my business, and that I'm mostly curious because it's not something I would choose to do myself.

I have PCOS, and so am rather hirsute - I have a faint, but probably noticeable moustache, and long dark hair on my arms, as well as hair in all the other normal, natural places.

I don't often do much about it. I'll probably shave my legs once every 3 or 4 months; whenever the hair gets long enough that it gets pulled by my leggings. I shave my armpits more regularly, and will occasionally trim my bikini line, but it's always a jungle down there. (Not a sentence I imagined writing about myself this morning, but oh well!)

My thinking is that whatever beauty regime I stick to, the only importance is that it leaves me feeling good about myself. I used to bleach my arm hair, and it just left me feeling rather shitty that I was made so un-feminine and had to go through all these processes just to look acceptable. So I thought sod it; I can accept me how I am, cyst-covered ovaries, and a smattering of facial hair included. It's other people's problem if they don't like it.

(sorry for the essay!)