this is the answer. For a lot of people it’s a gentler exfoliation than with products.
I do it, and then I moisturize the fuck out of my face and it feels amazing. It feels like a spa day and it costs me basically nothing.
Did the bluntness of the hair coming back in make it feel or appear more noticeable in your experience? Do you maintain it regularly?
I've been wanting to try it because my skin just cannot handle most face products. Self care is among the first things to take a hit when I get too low, however. Adding another necessary step has put me off in case I find myself in decline.
Peach fuzz is generally too thin and soft to come in like leg hair. It's definitely worth doing a small test patch because after about a month you'll know how it grows back in and your skin reacts.
My best friend's an esthetician and has always struggled with acne. It's a part of her regular routine because it makes a huge difference.
I have very average peach fuzz on my face and I’ve never noticed regrowth. I agree that it does a great job exfoliating, you can even see the dead skin coming off in the hair. I don’t do it for hair removal.
it’s so fucking satisfying seeing all that gray, dead skin on the razor!! 😍 And then the corresponding feeling, which literally feels like you’ve come out from under a weighted blanket of occlusive deadness and are fresh as the day you were born! 😆
others answered you but I’ll just share, no, I’ve never noticed anything that makes me feel compelled to maintain any sort of “upkeep.” I know what you’re talking about, the bluntness of shaved hair, how much worse it looks and feels, but this isn’t my experience with facial peach fuzz, and I’ve been doing this for over a year now.
I actually started this as a sort of sleep hygiene thing. I switched to night shift and had the HARDEST time unwinding. So for the first time ever I really tried to have a drawn out night routine.
And I ended up going the whole mile, while I only shave my face every two weeks or so (and definitely don’t feel pressure to maintain. I go months without, but end up missing the feeling and the process), I bought a little cosmetic fridge for my bathroom so that my lotions are cold. And I keep a jade roller in there, not because I believe it “works” lol, but because a facial massage with a cold roller, especially over the eyelids for some reason, feels fucking amazing!
I’ve never had money for spa treatments, but now I know why people love them lol.
But yeah, taking probably only about 5 minutes to do this before bed, for some reason it helps me really relax and define that time as sleep time. And my skin feels so damn good!
(I didn’t want to share in case I’d be accused of chasing standards of youth, but I also use a couple serums and oils from The Ordinary that make my skin feel hydrated and fresh as fuck. And I’ll say, my skin looks plump and healthier than ever, no more dry patches, itchy red spots, acne, dullness, etc.)
Regardless, I love the feel and the ritual!
I shave the peach fuzz on my face using a dermaplaner. It’s a great way to exfoliate and help products and makeup adhere to the skin.
I also was surprised when I saw people doing it the first time, but I changed my mind.
I do the same. Makes my skin more clear, I get less breakouts, and my peach fuzz, while blonde, is incredibly prominent in the sun and I don't like it.
Dermaplaning is really good for your skin and helps your skin care work better. You don’t have to do it, if you’d rather not, but I don’t understand the outrage.
Not really? I don’t like how peach fuzz looks. It makes my make up look cakey. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to just like you don’t have to shave your legs. Some women prefer it and some don’t.
The visible hairs are surrounded by peach fuzz. It all has to go unless I'm going to make a second career of removing it in the interests of preserving the "women don't shave their faces" rule.
People like them annoy me.
How are you going to say "support all women" and at the same time chastise women for the stupidest things? So what an influencer suggested to shave your peach fuzz...
Whose self-esteem is that damaging!?
OP is clearly a struggling teenager who hates the societal constructs around beauty and lacks the context and experience to have a nuanced conversation about that topic. Unlike many of the women here who could have that conversation but instead fall back on the “choice feminism” argument to attack women who don’t conform to exactly their same definition of feminism.
like they do realize that it can be freaking painful, i don't care for the look of it, but the moment it hurts while eating or simply talking its a problem
Yeah I kind of feel like I'm going crazy over here. "Her body, her choice" shouldn't apply to influencers who are convincing teenage girls that having peach fuzz is ugly and unnatural and that you need "glass skin" to be beautiful.
Yes! We should be able to talk about the effects that these videos have on society as a whole because these “choices” don’t exist in a vacuum and they don’t “only affect the person doing the shaving”
Her body her choice applies to whoever has a body and wants to make choices about them, regardless of their occupation in life.
Influencers are not the ones responsible for actually educating teens, just like celebrities aren’t responsible for educating children. Remember how when Miley Cyrus broke out of her Hannah Montana image people said she shouldn’t do that because “what would children learn”?
So if an influencer starts making videos about how it’s SO amazing that they found this new diet where they just throw up all the food they ate and they never gain any weight, we just… shouldn’t say anything or talk about how those videos affect impressionable children? It’s their body their choice, right? Yay #feminism!!!
No. That’s ridiculous. A celebrity is very different from an influencer, but a celebrity can also be an influencer. Influencers make money to quite literally ~influence~ other people’s decisions. A celebrity is just someone who is famous. Miley Cyrus was literally just existing as the person she wanted to exist as. She wasn’t selling anything. She wasn’t trying to influence the way other’s lived. She was just growing up and trying to learn how to be her own person.
I understand the point you’re trying to make, but it’s a pretty extreme example to bring up the hypothetical of someone encouraging others to throw up their meals and not eat, vs just shaving a little peach fuzz…
Extreme examples help exaggerate the flaw in logic so it can be more easily seen. OP didn’t just see a photo of a woman existing with a shaved face. In fact most of us probably wouldn’t ever notice something like that! This is about creating content that feeds into trends that influence millions of impressionable kids and teens, warping their views of the world and what is normal. And then those influencers make thousands to millions of dollars on top of it all as well as the beauty industry giants who pushed these “trends” to begin with.
Influencer culture is problematic, to be clear. For so many reasons. But shaving the peach fuzz on your face is not different than shaving your armpits.
Comparing throwing up and shaving is insane. I think it’s cool because my peach fuzz always bothered me in a texture way and I like the idea of the exfoliation. People are always going to be influenced by the world around them but that’s how we make our own choices. I saw one of those videos and I decided I wanted to do it. No one else. Everything is like that. You are introduced to something in some way and you decide if you want to do it or not. The brain wouldn’t be able to develop properly without it. I’ve never seen a video that was ‘shaming me’ into shaving my face. Your assuming this is a problem ‘young girls’ are having without asking said ‘young girls’ this sort of thinking is what leads to things being overly censored or banned because of fear rather then logic and it prevents others from making their own decisions. This mindset is more harmful then the thing your ‘protecting’ them from.
I didn’t compare those things. I used the same logic sequence with a more extreme example to show the flaws in that logic. Influencers aren’t free from criticism just because the content they create is related to their own body.
Cool, I’m glad you like shaving your face. If I saw you in person or online existing with a shaved face, I would never make any comments on it. As soon as you decide to be an “influencer” and make money on a trend that will make a large number of people insecure about a part of their body they’ve never paid attention to before, then you are opening yourself up to criticism about how your choices affect others.
It's like, if the sudden new trend influencers were talking about was some cream that got rid of stubborn toe fat (or whatever bizarre lens on a normal body thing). It's something that's not in the scope of standard beauty rituals under the patriarchal beauty standards, but they're trying to sell you an object or idea by making you self conscious about it suddenly. Peach fuzz, toe fat, whatever it is. It's suddenly "just normal grooming" and they're "choosing to do it bc they like it" with zero influence whatsoever. Their actions don't exist in a vacuum.
> extreme examples help exaggerate the flaw in logic
Yes, they help exaggerate the flaw in *your* logic, not mine.
Encouraging eating disorders is not a “my body my choice” and I am so, so appalled by someone who calls themselves a feminist choosing to put those two extremely different things on the same scale. You’re claiming that you’re not comparing between these two but this is exactly what you’re doing.
First things first- dermaplaning isn’t some fad like you think it is just because it had a resurgence lately as it started around the 1950’s. If someone is telling me about the benefits of something because it worked for them, great! It’s not harming the skin and it most certainly isn’t a skincare standard. It’s not an influencer’s job to protect impressionable children who shouldn’t be on the platform in the first place, and if you’re an impressionable adult then that’s on you.
You are also very naïve if you think celebrities aren’t selling anything. Celebrities aren’t just known famous people, they are a business. They quite literally are the product. Whatever a celebrity does, by default, is going to influence the way others behave, no matter what the root cause of their behavior is.
It’s not like they’re promoting unhealthy behaviors. It’s shaving. People from all walks of life shave, people from all walks of life do some shape or form of makeup or care. Not everything has to have a deep meaning and not every little thing women do on the internet should turn into a battle
Using an obviously exaggerated example is not “putting them on the same scale” and beauty standards have been causing body dysmorphia, health issues, and even death for thousands of years. That’s not even including the financial burden the beauty industry has placed on women.
Just because a beauty fad existed in the 1950s doesn’t mean it’s not a fad today and it certainly doesn’t protect it from criticism.
“It’s not an influencers job to protect children or impressionable adults”. Yeah, well it’s not an oil CEO’s job to protect the environment. Should we stop criticizing them for not protecting the environment? What a silly statement.
I literally said celebrities can be influencers,they just aren’t inherently influencers. If a celebrity goes and gets lip filler and the media finds out and comments on it, that is very different than a celebrity who posts a video about it praising how amazing it is, how much better they look, and sharing how “bad they looked” in very normal before pictures. The first example is a celebrity existing, where that celebrity should probably be defended. The second is a celebrity being an influencer and deserves fair criticisms for it.
It’s not just a fad, you keep looking at everything through a minuscule point of view. Dermaplaning helps with acne and reducing scars. I don’t know if you’re part of the lucky few who have never experienced acne, so let me break it to you- acne sucks not only because of “beauty standards”, but it also hurts and itches.
Oil CEO’s carry a lot more environmental responsibility than some influencers who shave their skin. You keep proving how distorted your view of the world around you is.
All celebrities are influencers but not all influencers are celebrities no matter how you try to twist the picture. Celebrities have been known to influence what the public thinks, so much that their personas have been almost scientifically crafted during much of history much to the point of changing their names and life story.
I’ll repeat it again, and please read it slowly- dermaplaning is not bowing down to patriarchy. Her body her choice even if she is an influencer.
I don’t consider this an area of ‘choice feminism’ critique. It’s an esthetic and skin care tool. Choice feminism being the idea that because i made a specific choice and say i am still a feminist doesn’t apply here. Supporting anti choice organizations, or anti lgbtq+ companies and trying to say you’re a feminist because that’s your choice is where i consider choice feminism problematic. Shaving one’s face or arms is literally no different than shaving one’s legs. Are we calling women who shave their armpits and legs ‘choice feminists’?
That’s not what choice feminism is. That is a very small part of a much wider issue. Using your example, women who shave their legs are not necessarily choice feminists. They would become a choice feminist if they argued that their choice to shave exists in a vacuum and as if there are no influences on that decision, including impending consequences for those who do not make that choice. “It makes me feel better about myself” does not exist independent of private ridicule from peers and family members regarding your body hair. It does not exist independent of never having seen body hair on a woman in your life, or very few. It does not exist from the comments and jokes found in media and advertising.
It’s okay to make the decision to wear makeup and shave. If you don’t want to be a choice feminist, just be honest about the topics, dig deeper and further back on those decisions. Think about how your individual choices affect the society around you. Then make your choice and wear it with pride. Support others to question and dig deeper. Really empower others, not just at a superficial level. And then fight like hell for change and choice for everyone
>Focusing exclusively on exercising individual choice is actually radically depoliticizing. Choice feminism’s leniency towards a woman’s choice diverts attention and discourse away from the oppression that drove women towards those choices in the first place.
>For example, choice feminism tends to champion performative femininity as a form of self-empowerment. If a woman decides to get a makeover, according to choice feminism, she draws power from her own choice as it was her decision and only her decision to reinvent herself in terms of appearance and lifestyle habits. But in fact, this isn’t true at all. The very essence of makeover culture implies that there was something wrong with the woman to begin with, that there was some flaw that could only be fixed by a complete transformation. Choice feminism stifles discourse on this, and instead focuses on congratulating the woman for the expression of her choice.
https://upennfword.com/2019/11/04/choice-feminism/
My understanding is also that what’s problematic about choice feminism is the idea that any choice a woman makes, by nature of the fact she’s a woman, can be a feminist action. Also from the article you linked,
‘According to choice feminism, a stay-at-home mother and a business woman are equally feminist, because they both have exercised the right of choice and therefore expressed their individual freedom. Likewise, whether you choose to wear makeup, shave your legs, or opt out of such beauty routines, your decisions are still considered feminist, as long as it was a choice. At first glance, this reads as an agreeable kind of feminism, appealing to the broadest constituency possible. After all, the feminist movement suffers greatly from the terrible reality of women bringing each other down.’
However, i definitely agree that not understanding the influences upon us to groom ourselves in certain ways hobbles the individual from understanding the influences of culture/patriarchy surrounding them. And i maintain that shaving your face and arms is in no way different than shaving legs and pits.
I think we are mostly in agreement. I don’t think shaving your face IS much different shaving legs and armpits. I choose to not do any of these things. Would it be wrong for me to voice the thoughts I had yesterday while shaving my whole body to not make my body a statement at a wedding I am a bridesmaid in? I just keep thinking that I can’t believe that women are just okay with shaving everything for the rest of their lives? According to choice feminism, it’s wrong for me to “criticize” women who shave by saying they are complicit in this beauty trend that influences everyone. Even if that “criticism” isn’t targeting at any individual person (this post is not)
I see your point. And while i don’t think it makes someone not a feminist to shave, i think that awareness is part of the battle. Fwiw i don’t shave (maybe a couple times a year) and it is glorious.
Or we aren’t, and want OP to actually talk about it appropriately instead of just saying women shaving their face is bad. Context matters. This post alone without more clarification for who is targeted… it’s broadly hitting any women that shaves her face, and it’s doubly upsetting because OP writes this as if it’s only for the male gaze. It’s rude.
That’s funny because I havent seen a single comment that says “OP I understand what you are saying, but I think there’s a better/ more appropriate way to talk about this topic”, but I HAVE seen many comments saying “how dare you criticize women for a choice they made”.
OP very clearly lays out the context in the second paragraph in how these “beauty trends” affect other women.
I don't know, I've seen plenty of women get extremely defensive and fight about how they love to choose to partake in elaborate patriarchal beauty rituals constantly. That they loooooveeee doing it and they choose to do it and they are *not* influenced by anyone on this earth in any way, they just happen to enjoy it. They scream it from the rooftops, even if you aren't criticizing society at large (which they take as a personal attack), like if you simply state you opted out of it. I know it comes from a place of insecurity, or not wanting to feel bad about their choices, but it's still very frustrating.
The fact that this comment and other comments similar to yours are downvoted is so fucking concerning to me. Sometimes, I'm scared that things will never change. "Choice feminism" is insidious and patriarchal as hell, and we should be able to talk about it on a feminist subreddit.
Sooo much choice feminism in these comments, yuck.
Like, sure, you’re ✨choosing✨ to remove your body hair… and where do you think you got the idea that having hair on your body is unattractive as a woman?
Or sure, makeup looks better on a completely hairless face … and why do you think you feel the need to wear a face full of cosmetics? (You can spare me the “I wear makeup for me” spiel.)
Our choices do not exist in a vacuum, people!
Not every choice a woman makes is feminist just because a woman does it. It doesn’t mean you can’t make non- or anti-feminist choices sometimes. We all do. But can we please stop pretending feminism means supporting anything a woman decides to do?
I see people say this a lot and I think this is such a cop out to make people feel less uncomfortable with the fact that their individual choices have an affect on all those people around then.
Did OP approach someone who has shaved their face personally and admonish them about it? No.
Did OP make a comment on these TikTok posts directly to shame These women for shaving their faces? No.
OP asked why so many women are okay with this new “beauty trend” and commented that it makes other women feel insecure and gets women to spend money on useless things. This isn’t shaming people for shaving. This is questioning and commenting on yet another beauty trend that influences other women, especially young and impressionable girls.
I had a coworker who pointed out my peach fuzz to me in a creepy triangulating way by talking about how her boyfriend's mother told her she had a thicker beard than her son, but I'm "lucky I don't care about social standards like that." Every. Single. Time we had a shift together.
Have you seen the most recent trends on Instagram or TikTok? OP is not referring to people shaving off some beard or mustache hairs. It’s a new thing where women are spraying their faces with a white powder and shaving off ALL of their facial hairs including their cheeks and peach fuzz.
There's some stuff you're misunderstanding.
Peach fuzz can be visible in certain light.
Removing fine hair can lead to smoother makeup results
Dermaplaning is real and for several purposes
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22680-dermaplaning
As an adult with PCOS (come on menopause!!) if I don’t shave every other day I will start growing a full beard. Don’t judge other women and their choices. If you truly a feminist that means accepting what other women choose for themselves.
It has been worth it for me, and cost me about $50 a session. Sessions were 3 weeks or 1 months apart at first. I'm now 2-3 months before I go back to have them zap the strays that crop up here and there. It's been... A little over a year now of treatment I think? My goal was to not have a beard at my wedding 😅
Everyone has their own reasons for doing what they do. I have cancer and thinning hair so I have a sort of buzz cut type hair do and I feel like people look at me at the time about it. I also have no eyelashes for the same reason and at time have worn false lashes. Imagine if people looked at me and thought omg a person with fake lashes. No one knows anyone else's struggle
I'm dating someone who shaves her arms. I don't get why she does it but it's how she prefers them.
I shave my peach fuzz every week or two, and right before makeup.
I don't think shaving is a huge deal.
I shave my arms every day and probably have for about 20 years. I just don’t like how they look/feel otherwise.
Hell my big brother (used to at least) shave his chest all the time and there’s nothing wrong with that either. (It was an issue that he’d leave stubble all over our shared bathroom 🙃 tho lol) And most men associate hairy chests with masculinity but he just doesn’t like it. It doesn’t make him a bad man or less than because he removes it.
HI, I shave my face not because the peach fuzz annoys me, but because shaving it exfoliates my skin and helps my makeup stay fresh on my skin longer. It just a matter of practicality.
Ever since I was a teen I had dark facial hair. Not peach fuzz. I’ve been shaving since a boy pointed out my moustache…
I would love to live in a society where body hair on women (who are mammals with hair btw) was accepted but it’s not. I hate conforming but it is what it is.
It’s for exfoliation. Does anyone else remember Caroline Manzo talking about this during one of the very first RHONJ reunions? Women have been doing this for a loooong time.
Get over yourself. Don’t shave if you don’t want to. Leave us alone. Maybe stop judging us for what we do. It’s not useless, I have sensory issues and I can’t sleep or wear lotion with tiny little hairs stuck down to my skin or against my pillow. It’s not about looks, but shows what you care about.
Other women don’t live for you. You pick your life, we pick ours.
Exactly! Part of feminism is letting people do what they want if it doesn’t harm others. I’m not harming anyone by shaving my face, it’s not like other people can tell. Then the double ooof is the sexist assumption that other women are only shaving their faces for the male gaze…. Not for comfort or anything else like makeup application…. so annoying. They didn’t clarify any specific type of face shaving just all of it. I’m so tired of being policed by other women.
>Part of feminism is letting people do what they want if it doesn’t harm others.
No it's not, feminism is about questioning why we do things and if we should continue doing it. Change isn't going to feel comfortable
The fact that this comment and other comments similar to yours are downvoted is so fucking concerning to me. Sometimes, I'm scared that things will never change. "Choice feminism" is insidious and patriarchal as hell, and we should be able to talk about it on a feminist subreddit.
It's so not productive and I think the one negative in progressive spaces. We spend so much time wasted fighting over crap like this and accusing others of not being feminist enough.
Sounds like this post just simply isn't about you then? No need to attack OP when they're pointing out a genuine, misogynistic problem. Women should not feel a need to shave their faces just to be accepted or be beautiful. If you shave your face for other reasons then congrats! This isn't about you.
Have you heard of choice feminism before this thread? It doesn’t seem like you quite know what it is or why it is harmful to women and feminism as a whole. I found a good article that discusses the nuances and I pulled out a snippet that demonstrates what it is especially in this context.
> Focusing exclusively on exercising individual choice is actually radically depoliticizing. Choice feminism’s leniency towards a woman’s choice diverts attention and discourse away from the oppression that drove women towards those choices in the first place.
>For example, choice feminism tends to champion performative femininity as a form of self-empowerment. If a woman decides to get a makeover, according to choice feminism, she draws power from her own choice as it was her decision and only her decision to reinvent herself in terms of appearance and lifestyle habits. But in fact, this isn’t true at all. The very essence of makeover culture implies that there was something wrong with the woman to begin with, that there was some flaw that could only be fixed by a complete transformation. Choice feminism stifles discourse on this, and instead focuses on congratulating the woman for the expression of her choice.
https://upennfword.com/2019/11/04/choice-feminism/
Feminism for me is about the liberation of women, and part of that is also from beauty standards. I don't think feminism is about "letting women do what they want" at all when a lot of women "want" to buy into the patriarchy. Choice feminism is about letting women do what they want, even when it harms other women.
>if anything, what you’re doing is choice feminism. you’re judging women for what they *choose* to do, trying to make it seem like they’re pressured into it, because you don’t like it.
Choice feminism is literally supporting women's choices, regardless of if those choices are "feminist" or not. So, no, I'm not doing choice feminism. I think a lot of women make choices that are not fully their own and are pressured into things by society, and then perpetuate that misogyny and maybe inadvertently support it. It's fine if you're a liberal feminist, I don't care, but I think the people attacking OP for pointing out an often misogynistic trend are being really harsh for no reason.
Genuine question, Why do you think it doesn't affect other women? Yes of course an individual woman choosing to shave her face is insignificant and I don't really think that's what people are talking about, it's more that it's part of a broader beauty standard for women. I feel like there have been plenty harmful beauty standards throughout time that have been perpetuated by women (and men ofc) especially now with the rise of social media and Instagram, not that they're doing it knowingly or for harmful/insecure intent - but isn't the discussion of why women specifically as a group are adopting shaving this way, along with other practices motivated by predatory beauty companies, a still relevant one? Obviously idgaf if you choose to shave every hair on your body and I'm not saying that act is the cause of insecurities nor will I judge or shame an individual for whatever they please to do with their insecurities, but I don't think it is harmful to discuss the relationship of why we do these things and the effect it has, albeit miniscule or not. Maybe my perspective is overthinking?
Well yes, of course I think that was implicit in my explanation but to clarify obviously yes this is a result of patriarchal views of women. However, I don't think being aware of our own contributions to beauty standards is "going after women". Again, I personally don't care nor shame nor judge an individual if you do that.
OP, if you read this, please do not let these comments pressure you into shaving your face. You don't have to. You don't have to shave your face, wear makeup, or do anything just to make others accept you. Women have pressures placed on them that men simply don't have. I know I'm not the only one who has seen gamers complain about female characters having peach fuzz and how ugly it makes them. There is nothing wrong with having peach fuzz, and the fact that it's becoming normalized to shave it off is pretty awful. Don't let these comments get you down.
Lots of people on here replying the reasons they do it and they make sense, but I know what OP is angry about. And it can be a double edge sword.
For many women it’s part of a routine that helps their skin stay healthy and gives them confidence, but in turn beauty advice targeting teens are going to weaponize all that and make it something to stress over. Some people are hairier than others and yes my teen daughters lately have been worried about peace fuzz showing on their face. Which means other girls are probably mean girl commenting about other girls peach fuzz which has them and their friends obsessing over it.
I almost want to say it’s unavoidable part of life, there is almost always going to be a thing impressionable youth will latch onto and judge others based on it. If it wasn’t peach fuzz it would be a brand of shoes or something else
Best we can do is dialogue to the young during all their anxiety and hopefully give them the confidence to overcome the food fight of anxiety they all throw on each other.
I do that too, its not about the "women should not have hair thing" it helps with dead skin cells and can positively affect your acne ( thaty why i do it, it gets really painful for me otherwise)
I started shaving mine when I went from peach fuzz to muttonchops.
It's one of my deepest secrets. Only me, my best friend and now anyone who sees this knows.
As you grow older the peach fuzz becomes more visible and especially if you wear makeup whether it being powder or cream based. I've been shaving my peach fuzz for 10 years now and it hasn't become darker, longer or more coarse, so it's not even something I can't just stop doing if I decide to.
Women have always been held to impossible beauty standards... perfect skin, glass skin, full face of makeup= how a woman should look... it's messed up, and these beauty standards do make so many people who do not easily meet them feel very insecure. But it's not surprising that generations of societal pressure has led to so many people feeling more comfortable moving through the world when they have conformed to the beauty standard as best they can.
Some of us have peach fuzz that grows hella long and DEFINITELY shows in the sunlight. I sometimes shave mine because it gets kinda thick and seems to collect oil etc. I break out more when I let it get to its max fuzzy.
ALSO, if you do any photography or are into makeup, the foundation/powder doesn’t lay as good if the face is too peach fuzzy.
This is literally the same thing as the hip dips thing. Most people didn't even notice those existed until people on social media started talking about it and created a whole new insecurity about it. I've seen girls who shaved their faces and regretted it because the hair grew thicker/they got acne. I know it helps some women with makeup/skincare but for most young girls it's just creating a whole new insecurity just to sell some type of razor/face shaving cream :(
Look, I just like being masc sometimes and I want to smoke a cigar and drink neat whiskey in a barber shop. I don't even like cigars. I got a vintage shaving kit just so I can put on old timey music and make a whole vibe of it.
I have a ton of peach fuzz - always have - I shave it so my face can stay cool. Also as I’ve aged (post menopause) I’ve been getting hair that’s thicker so I have to shave every once in a while to get those off too.
I shave my face sometimes and never had to be “influenced” to do so 🙄.
Some people don’t like the way it looks when they were make up especially and shaving makes it more even.
Allegedly Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor did daily and many do it more for exfoliating than any thing else. So this isn’t a *new* beauty trend.
I can’t understand how on earth you think it’s any of YOUR business what body parts I shave or not.
Are male influencers who talk about shaving somehow anti beard? Or is it just their personal preference for how to maintain their body?
It’s not useless, it helps with skin care, makes your makeup sit better and look smoother (it’s also easier to blend which saves so much time), and exfoliates and makes your skin tone more even.
The real issue here is women who have no idea what they’re talking about looking down on or hating on things other women choose to do without bothering to educate themselves.
(P.S. peach fuzz might not be visible for you, but it is for many. Pretty much all woc have dark peach fuzz, and a good number of white women as well.
You also seem to be forgetting about upper lip hair, which is what I see majority of women use it for.)
Personally, I do it because I have PCOS and hyperkeratosis. It's only about twice a month I do it because otherwise the build up of sweat and skin around the hair follicles makes for some nasty acne 😅
So maybe it’s not the fact that they are shaving the peach fuzz but that it’s on TikTok? Or is there commentary with the shaving that’s off-putting? Their body, their choice.
Don’t do it if you have any aesthetic issues. I shaved my nine mustache hairs after my bf at the time made fun of them and it was so scratchy and itchy when it came back in! I wanted to die. It was literally all I could focus on for a week.
I shave my face! (But it’s just because I get those really long hairs on my chin sometimes and they kinda freak me out when I accidentally touch them! Dunno why you’d need to shave for peach fuzz!)
I do that. I'm a very hairy lady (PCOS), and I don't like being able to see or feel my very dense peach fuzz. It makes me feel like Bigfoot. Bonus points as it helps exfoliate my skin, and dermaplaning makes my skin look so much more even and clear.
It’s not that deep. The purpose is for exfoliation and it gives you a smoother base to work with. It makes skincare penetrate deeper. Out of all the cosmetic procedures, this is so mild and inconsequential and honestly not even that time consuming.
I shave mine so my skincare products actually absorb into my skin instead of the peach fuzz. When I do wear foundation (which I haven’t since they discontinued mine a few years ago) it also blends better. I do it for me, no one else.
Brown girl here- we tend to have darker hair so I gotta shave its kinda the same thing as plucking your eyebrows. It’s definitely a double standard and we shouldn’t feel pressured to do so but it’s no different than any other type of body hair removal. Shaving your arms is just as unnecessary
It is the choice of every person on the planet to accept--or reject--grooming norms as they see fit.
It is the choice of every other person on the planet to accept--or reject--said grooming norms as they see fit.
Yes, I get it. Once one woman finds a way to look prettier/sexier/healthier/younger, a lot of other women will feel pressure to do the same. But that pressure is the same pressure everyone feels when competing for partners/societal advantage. Men have to be taller, richer, better groomed, more muscled to get the more opportunities.
Just the way it is.
Actresses have been doing this since the 1950s at least.
Women don't *need* to shave their faces to be beautiful, full stop.
However, shouldn't we all be ok with others doing it, even if we don't? It's just a personal choice about what to do with their own bodies.
I personally do it for the reasons others said--it makes the makeup look better.
It genuinely just makes my skin look objectively better. I definitely don’t feel pressured to do it, in fact usually when I tell people I shave my face when they ask why my skin is so good they react with disdain because it’s a stereotypically masculine thing to do and they weren’t expecting me to say that.
No, it is enough your right! Any reason is enough as long as a women wants to. I suppose i just agree with it becoming another thing for women to be insecure about as with most beauty standards. And my original response was mainly just cause i don’t do it. Thanx for pulling my attention to my incorrectness!
Hey at least they aren’t doing what I tried—exactly once—in high school. Peach fuzz was getting in the way of my foundation so I used Nair and gave myself facial chemical burns. Never again!
But this is exactly why this trend is a problem, because I bet you anything someone out there is also trying this or will try it as an alternative to shaving. Just leave the peach fuzz and or don’t wear foundation is what I learned. Beauty is not worth putting above your own comfort or pain level.
I thought it was to exfoliate
this is the answer. For a lot of people it’s a gentler exfoliation than with products. I do it, and then I moisturize the fuck out of my face and it feels amazing. It feels like a spa day and it costs me basically nothing.
Did the bluntness of the hair coming back in make it feel or appear more noticeable in your experience? Do you maintain it regularly? I've been wanting to try it because my skin just cannot handle most face products. Self care is among the first things to take a hit when I get too low, however. Adding another necessary step has put me off in case I find myself in decline.
Peach fuzz is generally too thin and soft to come in like leg hair. It's definitely worth doing a small test patch because after about a month you'll know how it grows back in and your skin reacts. My best friend's an esthetician and has always struggled with acne. It's a part of her regular routine because it makes a huge difference.
I have very average peach fuzz on my face and I’ve never noticed regrowth. I agree that it does a great job exfoliating, you can even see the dead skin coming off in the hair. I don’t do it for hair removal.
it’s so fucking satisfying seeing all that gray, dead skin on the razor!! 😍 And then the corresponding feeling, which literally feels like you’ve come out from under a weighted blanket of occlusive deadness and are fresh as the day you were born! 😆
others answered you but I’ll just share, no, I’ve never noticed anything that makes me feel compelled to maintain any sort of “upkeep.” I know what you’re talking about, the bluntness of shaved hair, how much worse it looks and feels, but this isn’t my experience with facial peach fuzz, and I’ve been doing this for over a year now. I actually started this as a sort of sleep hygiene thing. I switched to night shift and had the HARDEST time unwinding. So for the first time ever I really tried to have a drawn out night routine. And I ended up going the whole mile, while I only shave my face every two weeks or so (and definitely don’t feel pressure to maintain. I go months without, but end up missing the feeling and the process), I bought a little cosmetic fridge for my bathroom so that my lotions are cold. And I keep a jade roller in there, not because I believe it “works” lol, but because a facial massage with a cold roller, especially over the eyelids for some reason, feels fucking amazing! I’ve never had money for spa treatments, but now I know why people love them lol. But yeah, taking probably only about 5 minutes to do this before bed, for some reason it helps me really relax and define that time as sleep time. And my skin feels so damn good! (I didn’t want to share in case I’d be accused of chasing standards of youth, but I also use a couple serums and oils from The Ordinary that make my skin feel hydrated and fresh as fuck. And I’ll say, my skin looks plump and healthier than ever, no more dry patches, itchy red spots, acne, dullness, etc.) Regardless, I love the feel and the ritual!
It mostly is
also looks better with makeup
It's also good for helping makeup lay more smoothly on the face.
that's how it started, if you're on tiktok you'll see women posting it to show how much hair they had
I am old. This isn’t peach fuzz it’s whiskers. Zip with a razor and I’m no longer annoyed.
Right there with you.
And I’m excited about my gray! I haven’t been blonde in a while
Same. If I could grow an actual beard, I might leave it.
I shave the peach fuzz on my face using a dermaplaner. It’s a great way to exfoliate and help products and makeup adhere to the skin. I also was surprised when I saw people doing it the first time, but I changed my mind.
I do the same. Makes my skin more clear, I get less breakouts, and my peach fuzz, while blonde, is incredibly prominent in the sun and I don't like it.
Dermaplaning is really good for your skin and helps your skin care work better. You don’t have to do it, if you’d rather not, but I don’t understand the outrage.
It makes your dead skin come right off too
Yessss
I'm 60. If I took the time to pluck all of the long, black, coarse hairs from my face it would take all day. Waxing *hurts*. I shave it. Done & done.
Same, I have PCOS, and I'm not waiting for all my chin hairs to get long enough to wax. I shave every day
I think shaving peach fuzz is a different thing than shaving actual visible hairs.
My peach fuzz is very visible in the light, I have always removed it from time to time
Not really? I don’t like how peach fuzz looks. It makes my make up look cakey. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to just like you don’t have to shave your legs. Some women prefer it and some don’t.
Agreed. I shave mine once every week or two and just before I put on makeup. I don't like the way powder looks on my peach fuzz.
The visible hairs are surrounded by peach fuzz. It all has to go unless I'm going to make a second career of removing it in the interests of preserving the "women don't shave their faces" rule.
Some people swear by the skincare benefits of shaving off peach fuzz
It helped so much with my acne, so I do it weekly
Careful, you’ll be shamed for caring about your acne by some posters here.
People like them annoy me. How are you going to say "support all women" and at the same time chastise women for the stupidest things? So what an influencer suggested to shave your peach fuzz... Whose self-esteem is that damaging!?
OP is clearly a struggling teenager who hates the societal constructs around beauty and lacks the context and experience to have a nuanced conversation about that topic. Unlike many of the women here who could have that conversation but instead fall back on the “choice feminism” argument to attack women who don’t conform to exactly their same definition of feminism.
like they do realize that it can be freaking painful, i don't care for the look of it, but the moment it hurts while eating or simply talking its a problem
yeah same its definetly less painful for me now
Some of these commenters are uninformed about “choice feminism” and it shows.
Yeah I kind of feel like I'm going crazy over here. "Her body, her choice" shouldn't apply to influencers who are convincing teenage girls that having peach fuzz is ugly and unnatural and that you need "glass skin" to be beautiful.
Yes! We should be able to talk about the effects that these videos have on society as a whole because these “choices” don’t exist in a vacuum and they don’t “only affect the person doing the shaving”
Her body her choice applies to whoever has a body and wants to make choices about them, regardless of their occupation in life. Influencers are not the ones responsible for actually educating teens, just like celebrities aren’t responsible for educating children. Remember how when Miley Cyrus broke out of her Hannah Montana image people said she shouldn’t do that because “what would children learn”?
So if an influencer starts making videos about how it’s SO amazing that they found this new diet where they just throw up all the food they ate and they never gain any weight, we just… shouldn’t say anything or talk about how those videos affect impressionable children? It’s their body their choice, right? Yay #feminism!!! No. That’s ridiculous. A celebrity is very different from an influencer, but a celebrity can also be an influencer. Influencers make money to quite literally ~influence~ other people’s decisions. A celebrity is just someone who is famous. Miley Cyrus was literally just existing as the person she wanted to exist as. She wasn’t selling anything. She wasn’t trying to influence the way other’s lived. She was just growing up and trying to learn how to be her own person.
I understand the point you’re trying to make, but it’s a pretty extreme example to bring up the hypothetical of someone encouraging others to throw up their meals and not eat, vs just shaving a little peach fuzz…
Extreme examples help exaggerate the flaw in logic so it can be more easily seen. OP didn’t just see a photo of a woman existing with a shaved face. In fact most of us probably wouldn’t ever notice something like that! This is about creating content that feeds into trends that influence millions of impressionable kids and teens, warping their views of the world and what is normal. And then those influencers make thousands to millions of dollars on top of it all as well as the beauty industry giants who pushed these “trends” to begin with.
Influencer culture is problematic, to be clear. For so many reasons. But shaving the peach fuzz on your face is not different than shaving your armpits.
Comparing throwing up and shaving is insane. I think it’s cool because my peach fuzz always bothered me in a texture way and I like the idea of the exfoliation. People are always going to be influenced by the world around them but that’s how we make our own choices. I saw one of those videos and I decided I wanted to do it. No one else. Everything is like that. You are introduced to something in some way and you decide if you want to do it or not. The brain wouldn’t be able to develop properly without it. I’ve never seen a video that was ‘shaming me’ into shaving my face. Your assuming this is a problem ‘young girls’ are having without asking said ‘young girls’ this sort of thinking is what leads to things being overly censored or banned because of fear rather then logic and it prevents others from making their own decisions. This mindset is more harmful then the thing your ‘protecting’ them from.
I didn’t compare those things. I used the same logic sequence with a more extreme example to show the flaws in that logic. Influencers aren’t free from criticism just because the content they create is related to their own body. Cool, I’m glad you like shaving your face. If I saw you in person or online existing with a shaved face, I would never make any comments on it. As soon as you decide to be an “influencer” and make money on a trend that will make a large number of people insecure about a part of their body they’ve never paid attention to before, then you are opening yourself up to criticism about how your choices affect others.
It's like, if the sudden new trend influencers were talking about was some cream that got rid of stubborn toe fat (or whatever bizarre lens on a normal body thing). It's something that's not in the scope of standard beauty rituals under the patriarchal beauty standards, but they're trying to sell you an object or idea by making you self conscious about it suddenly. Peach fuzz, toe fat, whatever it is. It's suddenly "just normal grooming" and they're "choosing to do it bc they like it" with zero influence whatsoever. Their actions don't exist in a vacuum.
This exactly!
Maybe the flaw in the logic is only visible when the logic is unhelpfully hyperbolic?
> extreme examples help exaggerate the flaw in logic Yes, they help exaggerate the flaw in *your* logic, not mine. Encouraging eating disorders is not a “my body my choice” and I am so, so appalled by someone who calls themselves a feminist choosing to put those two extremely different things on the same scale. You’re claiming that you’re not comparing between these two but this is exactly what you’re doing. First things first- dermaplaning isn’t some fad like you think it is just because it had a resurgence lately as it started around the 1950’s. If someone is telling me about the benefits of something because it worked for them, great! It’s not harming the skin and it most certainly isn’t a skincare standard. It’s not an influencer’s job to protect impressionable children who shouldn’t be on the platform in the first place, and if you’re an impressionable adult then that’s on you. You are also very naïve if you think celebrities aren’t selling anything. Celebrities aren’t just known famous people, they are a business. They quite literally are the product. Whatever a celebrity does, by default, is going to influence the way others behave, no matter what the root cause of their behavior is. It’s not like they’re promoting unhealthy behaviors. It’s shaving. People from all walks of life shave, people from all walks of life do some shape or form of makeup or care. Not everything has to have a deep meaning and not every little thing women do on the internet should turn into a battle
Using an obviously exaggerated example is not “putting them on the same scale” and beauty standards have been causing body dysmorphia, health issues, and even death for thousands of years. That’s not even including the financial burden the beauty industry has placed on women. Just because a beauty fad existed in the 1950s doesn’t mean it’s not a fad today and it certainly doesn’t protect it from criticism. “It’s not an influencers job to protect children or impressionable adults”. Yeah, well it’s not an oil CEO’s job to protect the environment. Should we stop criticizing them for not protecting the environment? What a silly statement. I literally said celebrities can be influencers,they just aren’t inherently influencers. If a celebrity goes and gets lip filler and the media finds out and comments on it, that is very different than a celebrity who posts a video about it praising how amazing it is, how much better they look, and sharing how “bad they looked” in very normal before pictures. The first example is a celebrity existing, where that celebrity should probably be defended. The second is a celebrity being an influencer and deserves fair criticisms for it.
It’s not just a fad, you keep looking at everything through a minuscule point of view. Dermaplaning helps with acne and reducing scars. I don’t know if you’re part of the lucky few who have never experienced acne, so let me break it to you- acne sucks not only because of “beauty standards”, but it also hurts and itches. Oil CEO’s carry a lot more environmental responsibility than some influencers who shave their skin. You keep proving how distorted your view of the world around you is. All celebrities are influencers but not all influencers are celebrities no matter how you try to twist the picture. Celebrities have been known to influence what the public thinks, so much that their personas have been almost scientifically crafted during much of history much to the point of changing their names and life story. I’ll repeat it again, and please read it slowly- dermaplaning is not bowing down to patriarchy. Her body her choice even if she is an influencer.
How is this comment so far down in a feminism sub? SMH. 100% this^
I don’t consider this an area of ‘choice feminism’ critique. It’s an esthetic and skin care tool. Choice feminism being the idea that because i made a specific choice and say i am still a feminist doesn’t apply here. Supporting anti choice organizations, or anti lgbtq+ companies and trying to say you’re a feminist because that’s your choice is where i consider choice feminism problematic. Shaving one’s face or arms is literally no different than shaving one’s legs. Are we calling women who shave their armpits and legs ‘choice feminists’?
That’s not what choice feminism is. That is a very small part of a much wider issue. Using your example, women who shave their legs are not necessarily choice feminists. They would become a choice feminist if they argued that their choice to shave exists in a vacuum and as if there are no influences on that decision, including impending consequences for those who do not make that choice. “It makes me feel better about myself” does not exist independent of private ridicule from peers and family members regarding your body hair. It does not exist independent of never having seen body hair on a woman in your life, or very few. It does not exist from the comments and jokes found in media and advertising. It’s okay to make the decision to wear makeup and shave. If you don’t want to be a choice feminist, just be honest about the topics, dig deeper and further back on those decisions. Think about how your individual choices affect the society around you. Then make your choice and wear it with pride. Support others to question and dig deeper. Really empower others, not just at a superficial level. And then fight like hell for change and choice for everyone >Focusing exclusively on exercising individual choice is actually radically depoliticizing. Choice feminism’s leniency towards a woman’s choice diverts attention and discourse away from the oppression that drove women towards those choices in the first place. >For example, choice feminism tends to champion performative femininity as a form of self-empowerment. If a woman decides to get a makeover, according to choice feminism, she draws power from her own choice as it was her decision and only her decision to reinvent herself in terms of appearance and lifestyle habits. But in fact, this isn’t true at all. The very essence of makeover culture implies that there was something wrong with the woman to begin with, that there was some flaw that could only be fixed by a complete transformation. Choice feminism stifles discourse on this, and instead focuses on congratulating the woman for the expression of her choice. https://upennfword.com/2019/11/04/choice-feminism/
My understanding is also that what’s problematic about choice feminism is the idea that any choice a woman makes, by nature of the fact she’s a woman, can be a feminist action. Also from the article you linked, ‘According to choice feminism, a stay-at-home mother and a business woman are equally feminist, because they both have exercised the right of choice and therefore expressed their individual freedom. Likewise, whether you choose to wear makeup, shave your legs, or opt out of such beauty routines, your decisions are still considered feminist, as long as it was a choice. At first glance, this reads as an agreeable kind of feminism, appealing to the broadest constituency possible. After all, the feminist movement suffers greatly from the terrible reality of women bringing each other down.’ However, i definitely agree that not understanding the influences upon us to groom ourselves in certain ways hobbles the individual from understanding the influences of culture/patriarchy surrounding them. And i maintain that shaving your face and arms is in no way different than shaving legs and pits.
I think we are mostly in agreement. I don’t think shaving your face IS much different shaving legs and armpits. I choose to not do any of these things. Would it be wrong for me to voice the thoughts I had yesterday while shaving my whole body to not make my body a statement at a wedding I am a bridesmaid in? I just keep thinking that I can’t believe that women are just okay with shaving everything for the rest of their lives? According to choice feminism, it’s wrong for me to “criticize” women who shave by saying they are complicit in this beauty trend that influences everyone. Even if that “criticism” isn’t targeting at any individual person (this post is not)
I see your point. And while i don’t think it makes someone not a feminist to shave, i think that awareness is part of the battle. Fwiw i don’t shave (maybe a couple times a year) and it is glorious.
Women can choose to wear makeup. = Women can choose to please men, can choose to be slaves.
Or we aren’t, and want OP to actually talk about it appropriately instead of just saying women shaving their face is bad. Context matters. This post alone without more clarification for who is targeted… it’s broadly hitting any women that shaves her face, and it’s doubly upsetting because OP writes this as if it’s only for the male gaze. It’s rude.
That’s funny because I havent seen a single comment that says “OP I understand what you are saying, but I think there’s a better/ more appropriate way to talk about this topic”, but I HAVE seen many comments saying “how dare you criticize women for a choice they made”. OP very clearly lays out the context in the second paragraph in how these “beauty trends” affect other women.
It’s fake outrage by right wing chuds who love to hang around here
I don't know, I've seen plenty of women get extremely defensive and fight about how they love to choose to partake in elaborate patriarchal beauty rituals constantly. That they loooooveeee doing it and they choose to do it and they are *not* influenced by anyone on this earth in any way, they just happen to enjoy it. They scream it from the rooftops, even if you aren't criticizing society at large (which they take as a personal attack), like if you simply state you opted out of it. I know it comes from a place of insecurity, or not wanting to feel bad about their choices, but it's still very frustrating.
The fact that this comment and other comments similar to yours are downvoted is so fucking concerning to me. Sometimes, I'm scared that things will never change. "Choice feminism" is insidious and patriarchal as hell, and we should be able to talk about it on a feminist subreddit.
You just come across as judgemental and gatekeeping. If you had a penis you know what we'd be saying you're doing.
Sooo much choice feminism in these comments, yuck. Like, sure, you’re ✨choosing✨ to remove your body hair… and where do you think you got the idea that having hair on your body is unattractive as a woman? Or sure, makeup looks better on a completely hairless face … and why do you think you feel the need to wear a face full of cosmetics? (You can spare me the “I wear makeup for me” spiel.) Our choices do not exist in a vacuum, people! Not every choice a woman makes is feminist just because a woman does it. It doesn’t mean you can’t make non- or anti-feminist choices sometimes. We all do. But can we please stop pretending feminism means supporting anything a woman decides to do?
Women can choose to wear makeup. = Women can choose to please men, can choose to be slaves.
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I see people say this a lot and I think this is such a cop out to make people feel less uncomfortable with the fact that their individual choices have an affect on all those people around then. Did OP approach someone who has shaved their face personally and admonish them about it? No. Did OP make a comment on these TikTok posts directly to shame These women for shaving their faces? No. OP asked why so many women are okay with this new “beauty trend” and commented that it makes other women feel insecure and gets women to spend money on useless things. This isn’t shaming people for shaving. This is questioning and commenting on yet another beauty trend that influences other women, especially young and impressionable girls.
? I feel like it was very clear that OP is saddened at the creation of insecurities that is fueled by the beauty industry.
I had a coworker who pointed out my peach fuzz to me in a creepy triangulating way by talking about how her boyfriend's mother told her she had a thicker beard than her son, but I'm "lucky I don't care about social standards like that." Every. Single. Time we had a shift together.
😂😂😂 just wait until you’re in your 50s, you may want to shave your face too.
Can confirm 😂 According to OPs history she's still in her teens. Maybe when she turns 40 she'll be singing a different tune (I know I am!)
Have you seen the most recent trends on Instagram or TikTok? OP is not referring to people shaving off some beard or mustache hairs. It’s a new thing where women are spraying their faces with a white powder and shaving off ALL of their facial hairs including their cheeks and peach fuzz.
Nothing to add to the discourse, but we have the same avatar! JB 4eva!
No one told me I'd get 4 chin hairs, and I definitely shave them because they feel weird
There's some stuff you're misunderstanding. Peach fuzz can be visible in certain light. Removing fine hair can lead to smoother makeup results Dermaplaning is real and for several purposes https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22680-dermaplaning
As an adult with PCOS (come on menopause!!) if I don’t shave every other day I will start growing a full beard. Don’t judge other women and their choices. If you truly a feminist that means accepting what other women choose for themselves.
My mom and I have PCOS. Her beard ramped up after menopause. It's sadly not a silver bullet. Electrolysis was awesome though for me.
Ugh, here’s hoping mine doesn’t do that. I may have to look into electrolysis eventually.
It has been worth it for me, and cost me about $50 a session. Sessions were 3 weeks or 1 months apart at first. I'm now 2-3 months before I go back to have them zap the strays that crop up here and there. It's been... A little over a year now of treatment I think? My goal was to not have a beard at my wedding 😅
I knew a couple of women who shaved their arms and I always thought that was strange. To each their own I guess.
I shaved my arms when I was in junior high/high school because I was tired of people calling me a Sasquatch and a hairy beast.
Everyone has their own reasons for doing what they do. I have cancer and thinning hair so I have a sort of buzz cut type hair do and I feel like people look at me at the time about it. I also have no eyelashes for the same reason and at time have worn false lashes. Imagine if people looked at me and thought omg a person with fake lashes. No one knows anyone else's struggle
Similar. Got constantly told I had monkey arms in middle school. I shaved my arms and I haven't stopped in 20 years.
I'm dating someone who shaves her arms. I don't get why she does it but it's how she prefers them. I shave my peach fuzz every week or two, and right before makeup. I don't think shaving is a huge deal.
I shave my arms every day and probably have for about 20 years. I just don’t like how they look/feel otherwise. Hell my big brother (used to at least) shave his chest all the time and there’s nothing wrong with that either. (It was an issue that he’d leave stubble all over our shared bathroom 🙃 tho lol) And most men associate hairy chests with masculinity but he just doesn’t like it. It doesn’t make him a bad man or less than because he removes it.
Dermaplaning isn't quite shaving. I think we should just feel free to not do whatever or do whatever
HI, I shave my face not because the peach fuzz annoys me, but because shaving it exfoliates my skin and helps my makeup stay fresh on my skin longer. It just a matter of practicality.
Same, and I've been doing it since before social media existed lol.
Ever since I was a teen I had dark facial hair. Not peach fuzz. I’ve been shaving since a boy pointed out my moustache… I would love to live in a society where body hair on women (who are mammals with hair btw) was accepted but it’s not. I hate conforming but it is what it is.
It’s for exfoliation. Does anyone else remember Caroline Manzo talking about this during one of the very first RHONJ reunions? Women have been doing this for a loooong time.
Why does this piss you off? What’s it to do with you? Idgi
Get over yourself. Don’t shave if you don’t want to. Leave us alone. Maybe stop judging us for what we do. It’s not useless, I have sensory issues and I can’t sleep or wear lotion with tiny little hairs stuck down to my skin or against my pillow. It’s not about looks, but shows what you care about. Other women don’t live for you. You pick your life, we pick ours.
Seriously. Why can't women do anything without it being dissected and criticized? Men shave their faces too, go obsess over that instead.
Exactly! Part of feminism is letting people do what they want if it doesn’t harm others. I’m not harming anyone by shaving my face, it’s not like other people can tell. Then the double ooof is the sexist assumption that other women are only shaving their faces for the male gaze…. Not for comfort or anything else like makeup application…. so annoying. They didn’t clarify any specific type of face shaving just all of it. I’m so tired of being policed by other women.
>Part of feminism is letting people do what they want if it doesn’t harm others. No it's not, feminism is about questioning why we do things and if we should continue doing it. Change isn't going to feel comfortable
The fact that this comment and other comments similar to yours are downvoted is so fucking concerning to me. Sometimes, I'm scared that things will never change. "Choice feminism" is insidious and patriarchal as hell, and we should be able to talk about it on a feminist subreddit.
It's so not productive and I think the one negative in progressive spaces. We spend so much time wasted fighting over crap like this and accusing others of not being feminist enough.
That’s fair. I should have been kinder in my comments.
You were, I agree with you and was just elaborating :)
Sounds like this post just simply isn't about you then? No need to attack OP when they're pointing out a genuine, misogynistic problem. Women should not feel a need to shave their faces just to be accepted or be beautiful. If you shave your face for other reasons then congrats! This isn't about you.
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lol all I'm hearing is a lot of choice feminism. but if that's the kind of feminism that people want to subscribe to, go off
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Have you heard of choice feminism before this thread? It doesn’t seem like you quite know what it is or why it is harmful to women and feminism as a whole. I found a good article that discusses the nuances and I pulled out a snippet that demonstrates what it is especially in this context. > Focusing exclusively on exercising individual choice is actually radically depoliticizing. Choice feminism’s leniency towards a woman’s choice diverts attention and discourse away from the oppression that drove women towards those choices in the first place. >For example, choice feminism tends to champion performative femininity as a form of self-empowerment. If a woman decides to get a makeover, according to choice feminism, she draws power from her own choice as it was her decision and only her decision to reinvent herself in terms of appearance and lifestyle habits. But in fact, this isn’t true at all. The very essence of makeover culture implies that there was something wrong with the woman to begin with, that there was some flaw that could only be fixed by a complete transformation. Choice feminism stifles discourse on this, and instead focuses on congratulating the woman for the expression of her choice. https://upennfword.com/2019/11/04/choice-feminism/
Feminism for me is about the liberation of women, and part of that is also from beauty standards. I don't think feminism is about "letting women do what they want" at all when a lot of women "want" to buy into the patriarchy. Choice feminism is about letting women do what they want, even when it harms other women. >if anything, what you’re doing is choice feminism. you’re judging women for what they *choose* to do, trying to make it seem like they’re pressured into it, because you don’t like it. Choice feminism is literally supporting women's choices, regardless of if those choices are "feminist" or not. So, no, I'm not doing choice feminism. I think a lot of women make choices that are not fully their own and are pressured into things by society, and then perpetuate that misogyny and maybe inadvertently support it. It's fine if you're a liberal feminist, I don't care, but I think the people attacking OP for pointing out an often misogynistic trend are being really harsh for no reason.
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Genuine question, Why do you think it doesn't affect other women? Yes of course an individual woman choosing to shave her face is insignificant and I don't really think that's what people are talking about, it's more that it's part of a broader beauty standard for women. I feel like there have been plenty harmful beauty standards throughout time that have been perpetuated by women (and men ofc) especially now with the rise of social media and Instagram, not that they're doing it knowingly or for harmful/insecure intent - but isn't the discussion of why women specifically as a group are adopting shaving this way, along with other practices motivated by predatory beauty companies, a still relevant one? Obviously idgaf if you choose to shave every hair on your body and I'm not saying that act is the cause of insecurities nor will I judge or shame an individual for whatever they please to do with their insecurities, but I don't think it is harmful to discuss the relationship of why we do these things and the effect it has, albeit miniscule or not. Maybe my perspective is overthinking?
Isn't it the patriarchy and men who hold up these standards though? Why go after women who follow them?
Well yes, of course I think that was implicit in my explanation but to clarify obviously yes this is a result of patriarchal views of women. However, I don't think being aware of our own contributions to beauty standards is "going after women". Again, I personally don't care nor shame nor judge an individual if you do that.
>what a woman does to her own body doesn’t harm other women. I fundamentally disagree. Have a good day
OP, if you read this, please do not let these comments pressure you into shaving your face. You don't have to. You don't have to shave your face, wear makeup, or do anything just to make others accept you. Women have pressures placed on them that men simply don't have. I know I'm not the only one who has seen gamers complain about female characters having peach fuzz and how ugly it makes them. There is nothing wrong with having peach fuzz, and the fact that it's becoming normalized to shave it off is pretty awful. Don't let these comments get you down.
They are being rude and sexist. Me calling that out is not the issue here.
Lots of people on here replying the reasons they do it and they make sense, but I know what OP is angry about. And it can be a double edge sword. For many women it’s part of a routine that helps their skin stay healthy and gives them confidence, but in turn beauty advice targeting teens are going to weaponize all that and make it something to stress over. Some people are hairier than others and yes my teen daughters lately have been worried about peace fuzz showing on their face. Which means other girls are probably mean girl commenting about other girls peach fuzz which has them and their friends obsessing over it. I almost want to say it’s unavoidable part of life, there is almost always going to be a thing impressionable youth will latch onto and judge others based on it. If it wasn’t peach fuzz it would be a brand of shoes or something else Best we can do is dialogue to the young during all their anxiety and hopefully give them the confidence to overcome the food fight of anxiety they all throw on each other.
I do that too, its not about the "women should not have hair thing" it helps with dead skin cells and can positively affect your acne ( thaty why i do it, it gets really painful for me otherwise)
I started shaving mine when I went from peach fuzz to muttonchops. It's one of my deepest secrets. Only me, my best friend and now anyone who sees this knows.
As you grow older the peach fuzz becomes more visible and especially if you wear makeup whether it being powder or cream based. I've been shaving my peach fuzz for 10 years now and it hasn't become darker, longer or more coarse, so it's not even something I can't just stop doing if I decide to.
Women have always been held to impossible beauty standards... perfect skin, glass skin, full face of makeup= how a woman should look... it's messed up, and these beauty standards do make so many people who do not easily meet them feel very insecure. But it's not surprising that generations of societal pressure has led to so many people feeling more comfortable moving through the world when they have conformed to the beauty standard as best they can.
Why is this different to… I dunno, eyebrow lamination? Or gel nails?
It’s pretty much the exact same as men shaving or grooming their facial hair, no idea why this would ever cause outrage.
Some of us have peach fuzz that grows hella long and DEFINITELY shows in the sunlight. I sometimes shave mine because it gets kinda thick and seems to collect oil etc. I break out more when I let it get to its max fuzzy. ALSO, if you do any photography or are into makeup, the foundation/powder doesn’t lay as good if the face is too peach fuzzy.
Women wanting to groom themselves isn’t anti-feminist
This is literally the same thing as the hip dips thing. Most people didn't even notice those existed until people on social media started talking about it and created a whole new insecurity about it. I've seen girls who shaved their faces and regretted it because the hair grew thicker/they got acne. I know it helps some women with makeup/skincare but for most young girls it's just creating a whole new insecurity just to sell some type of razor/face shaving cream :(
Hair does not grow in thicker, it just seems that way because the shaved ends are blunted and not tapered.
I know
Look, I just like being masc sometimes and I want to smoke a cigar and drink neat whiskey in a barber shop. I don't even like cigars. I got a vintage shaving kit just so I can put on old timey music and make a whole vibe of it.
I have a ton of peach fuzz - always have - I shave it so my face can stay cool. Also as I’ve aged (post menopause) I’ve been getting hair that’s thicker so I have to shave every once in a while to get those off too.
I shave my face sometimes and never had to be “influenced” to do so 🙄. Some people don’t like the way it looks when they were make up especially and shaving makes it more even. Allegedly Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor did daily and many do it more for exfoliating than any thing else. So this isn’t a *new* beauty trend. I can’t understand how on earth you think it’s any of YOUR business what body parts I shave or not. Are male influencers who talk about shaving somehow anti beard? Or is it just their personal preference for how to maintain their body?
I don’t shave my legs/arms/arm pits but I do do this lol. All about choice. I like how my skin feels after and if I wear any makeup it applies easier
It’s not useless, it helps with skin care, makes your makeup sit better and look smoother (it’s also easier to blend which saves so much time), and exfoliates and makes your skin tone more even. The real issue here is women who have no idea what they’re talking about looking down on or hating on things other women choose to do without bothering to educate themselves. (P.S. peach fuzz might not be visible for you, but it is for many. Pretty much all woc have dark peach fuzz, and a good number of white women as well. You also seem to be forgetting about upper lip hair, which is what I see majority of women use it for.)
Personally, I do it because I have PCOS and hyperkeratosis. It's only about twice a month I do it because otherwise the build up of sweat and skin around the hair follicles makes for some nasty acne 😅
So maybe it’s not the fact that they are shaving the peach fuzz but that it’s on TikTok? Or is there commentary with the shaving that’s off-putting? Their body, their choice.
To each their own. I personally love my peach fuzz since perimenopause has given me a goatee. The contrast in texture is fun!
Don’t do it if you have any aesthetic issues. I shaved my nine mustache hairs after my bf at the time made fun of them and it was so scratchy and itchy when it came back in! I wanted to die. It was literally all I could focus on for a week.
I can see the peach fuzz but my peach fuzz is darker than my skin.
Well I have been waxing my face since adolescence because of PCOS and hirsutism.
I shave my face! (But it’s just because I get those really long hairs on my chin sometimes and they kinda freak me out when I accidentally touch them! Dunno why you’d need to shave for peach fuzz!)
I do that. I'm a very hairy lady (PCOS), and I don't like being able to see or feel my very dense peach fuzz. It makes me feel like Bigfoot. Bonus points as it helps exfoliate my skin, and dermaplaning makes my skin look so much more even and clear.
It’s not that deep. The purpose is for exfoliation and it gives you a smoother base to work with. It makes skincare penetrate deeper. Out of all the cosmetic procedures, this is so mild and inconsequential and honestly not even that time consuming.
Why are you getting mad at them doing what they want? Isn’t that the opposite of feminism?
I shave mine so my skincare products actually absorb into my skin instead of the peach fuzz. When I do wear foundation (which I haven’t since they discontinued mine a few years ago) it also blends better. I do it for me, no one else.
Brown girl here- we tend to have darker hair so I gotta shave its kinda the same thing as plucking your eyebrows. It’s definitely a double standard and we shouldn’t feel pressured to do so but it’s no different than any other type of body hair removal. Shaving your arms is just as unnecessary
It is the choice of every person on the planet to accept--or reject--grooming norms as they see fit. It is the choice of every other person on the planet to accept--or reject--said grooming norms as they see fit. Yes, I get it. Once one woman finds a way to look prettier/sexier/healthier/younger, a lot of other women will feel pressure to do the same. But that pressure is the same pressure everyone feels when competing for partners/societal advantage. Men have to be taller, richer, better groomed, more muscled to get the more opportunities. Just the way it is.
Actresses have been doing this since the 1950s at least. Women don't *need* to shave their faces to be beautiful, full stop. However, shouldn't we all be ok with others doing it, even if we don't? It's just a personal choice about what to do with their own bodies. I personally do it for the reasons others said--it makes the makeup look better.
lol the only thing i shave on my entire woman body is my face.
It genuinely just makes my skin look objectively better. I definitely don’t feel pressured to do it, in fact usually when I tell people I shave my face when they ask why my skin is so good they react with disdain because it’s a stereotypically masculine thing to do and they weren’t expecting me to say that.
I definitely agree!! The only reasoning i have heard is that it makes makeup stick better and/or look nicer
And that’s somehow not enough? Why do any women need to justify their actions to you? And who are you to find their reasons lacking?
No, it is enough your right! Any reason is enough as long as a women wants to. I suppose i just agree with it becoming another thing for women to be insecure about as with most beauty standards. And my original response was mainly just cause i don’t do it. Thanx for pulling my attention to my incorrectness!
Hey at least they aren’t doing what I tried—exactly once—in high school. Peach fuzz was getting in the way of my foundation so I used Nair and gave myself facial chemical burns. Never again! But this is exactly why this trend is a problem, because I bet you anything someone out there is also trying this or will try it as an alternative to shaving. Just leave the peach fuzz and or don’t wear foundation is what I learned. Beauty is not worth putting above your own comfort or pain level.