Is It Safe For A Woman To Shave Her Face?

Chloe Morello. Photo: YouTube.

When Chloe Morello admitted that she shaves her face last week, we were caught off guard.

The popular beauty blogger is famed for her on-point YouTube tutorials, but as it turns out, the secret to her flawless look isn’t quite what we expected.

According to Morello, the reason her foundation looks so perfect all the time is because she shaves the “peach fuzz” off her face everyday.

Upon hearing this, we couldn’t help but freak out – wouldn’t the hair grow back thicker and darker, therefore making her “peach fuzz” something more like a beard?

Apparently not, according to experts.

“Firstly there is no scientific evidence that shaving fine, vellus (baby) hair makes it grow back anything other than the same,” Emma Hobson, Education Manager for the International Dermal Institute and Dermalogica, told Yahoo7 Lifestyle. “The only thing you can experience is the hair can feel coarser as it grows out of the skin, this is due to the hair being cut creating a blunt edge by the razor.”

Similarly, beauty entrepreneur Kate Somerville argues that Elizabeth Taylor shaved her face, as did Marilyn Monroe and Cleopatra. “It makes your makeup go on smoother, gives you a glow, and because it's a razor, you're physically exfoliating your skin — great for antiaging! Why do you think men look so youthful as they age? They shave a majority of their lives!” she posted on her website.

Aesthetician and skincare expert Kerry Benjamin agrees – but cautions that there are some rules to follow.

“There's no need to lather up like a man,” Benjamin tells Yahoo7 Lifestyle. "The main purpose for shaving is exfoliation and removing the baby vellus hairs - this is best achieved with dry skin. Shave in downward strokes from your ear across your cheek and down to your jawline. Then go from your jawline down your neck. Finally, from the top of your hairline towards your eyebrows. One thing to remember: don’t use the same razor for your body and your face. Follow up with a hydrating serum, moisturiser and an SPF.”

Despite the professional advice though, others in the industry warn against facial shaving altogether, with the Telegraph UK’s beauty editor, Anita Bhagwandas, arguing that it shouldn’t be used as an anti-ageing weapon.

“Men have thicker, more youthful-looking skin because male androgens cause an increase in skin thickness of up to 25%, compared with women,” said Bhagwandas. “Men also produce more sebum, which is oil that keeps the skin moisturised and plumper-looking. Finally, men have a higher density of collagen in their skin than women – which is why women age faster.”

Whichever camp you fall into, Hobson says it’s important to educate yourself on the best techniques and razors before trying it for yourself.

“You need to well prep the skin and use a sharp, clean blade so you don’t cut yourself and risk infection,” warns Hobson.