Tips for tween girl shaving

[teachermom2834]

My tween girl has a lot of hair and it isn’t light so I feel like her desire to shave her legs is imminent. 
 

I thought about it the other day and realized I’m not sure how to guide her. I use cheap disposable razors with water in the shower. Are there products or razors that are particularly good for a tween or newbie shaving?

ETA: I feel pretty certain that my subject line will end up in the “forum game” thread but 😂

Edited January 31, 2020 by teachermom2834

[alisoncooks]

My oldest was fearful of razors so we did an electric razor first for a while. She eventually figured out it was quicker just to do it in the shower. 

Provide shaving cream. I don't use it (and my girls don't now) but they started off with it. 

My youngest shaves like once a year, lol, right before summer camp. Otherwise she can't be bothered. 😄 My oldest is meticulous about shaving. 

[Forget-Me-Not]

I like the Schick Intuition razors and cartridges. They’re a little pricey but great for tweens and teens that are learning to shave. 

[Just Kate]

1 hour ago, Forget-Me-Not said:

I like the Schick Intuition razors and cartridges. They’re a little pricey but great for tweens and teens that are learning to shave. 

Yes, this. My 12 year old dd is super sensitive to pain and she’s scared of everything! She’s also a super girly girl who wanted to shave since about age 10. I told her she could shave whenever she wanted to but she was so scared. I read and read online about the best options for younger girls. I thought about using an electric shaver, but when reading reviews found that they can pull the hair during the first shave, which would hurt.
 

I use a Schick Intuition razor and love it, so I bought her one (purple!) along with some shave gel that she chose. She decided she wanted to give it a try, but she was scared, so when she was in the shower I had her put the shave gel on her wet leg and I swiped the razor down her leg. I think that by feeling for herself what it was supposed to feel like helped her. She now shaves regularly (well, when she feels like it) and all has been well. She is even had her first tiny cut, and she lived through it. 
 

Good luck! Everything with preteen girls seems like A LOT (my preteen is so dramatic but also so sweet and wonderful!). So many things for them to have to learn and do!!! 

[zimom]

Do you want me to tell you what NOT to do?????

Mom glances down at DD16 legs and notices her hair has become quite long and dark.  Mom:  "DD16, I really think you need to shave your legs."

Later Mom realizes DD has disappeared up into her room for quite a long time.  When she finally reappears Mom asked her where she has been all this time.  DD16: "Well you said I needed to shave so I was upstairs watching Youtube videos about how to shave and then I shaved for the first time."

Yes, mother-of-the-year award again.  I didn't realize she had never shaved!

 

[SounderChick]

Both my girls use a battery operated razor. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018A32XS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_eyhnEbQPWMDGG

[bibiche]

Have you considered an epilator rather than having her shave? No chance of nicks, and it weakens the hair shaft so the hair doesn’t grow back as heavily. There is a small amount of pain the first time, but the exchange is long-lasting baby smooth legs and less regrowth.  I’ve made converts of all my nieces. 

Edited January 31, 2020 by bibiche

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

1 hour ago, bibiche said:

Have you considered an epilator rather than having her shave? No chance of nicks, and it weakens the hair shaft so the hair doesn’t grow back as heavily. There is a small amount of pain the first time, but the exchange is long-lasting baby smooth legs and less regrowth.  I’ve made converts of all my nieces. 

 

I use an epilator myself and have for about 8 months now.  Never in a million years would I describe it as "a small amount" of pain.  It's downright painful, and still is for me, epilating once a week.  I think the pain is worth it, but a tween is still pretty young, and (hopefully) doesn't have a good memory bank of painful things to help relativize the epilator pain.  Like, less than childbirth, but more than being eaten alive by piranhas.  🤣

[Chris in VA]

Teach her to rinse the razor after every stroke (or thereabouts),  especially if you use shaving cream or gel. I like to scrub first with a sugar scrub with coconut oil and then use a bit of liquid bodywash. 

[Ali in OR]

My girls and I all like the Skintimate shave gel. I get the boring one (light pink--might be for sensitive skin or something) and they like strawberry or raspberry. We use disposable twin blade razors--not the very cheapest, not the most expensive. Something I can get in a multipack. I think we have Shick right now.

[Jaz]

5 hours ago, Forget-Me-Not said:

I like the Schick Intuition razors and cartridges. They’re a little pricey but great for tweens and teens that are learning to shave. 

 

I agree, these are great for teens and for me! We have a tiny shower with little room to move so I appreciate not having to use shaving gel.

[teachermom2834]

3 hours ago, bibiche said:

Have you considered an epilator rather than having her shave? No chance of nicks, and it weakens the hair shaft so the hair doesn’t grow back as heavily. There is a small amount of pain the first time, but the exchange is long-lasting baby smooth legs and less regrowth.  I’ve made converts of all my nieces. 

Well I am terrified to try these so I don't think I'd be a good support system for her. But thank you. Someone does always chime in and suggest this. But I'm still scared. 

[regentrude]

4 hours ago, ZiMom said:

Mom glances down at DD16 legs and notices her hair has become quite long and dark.  Mom:  "DD16, I really think you need to shave your legs."

why would a girl need to shave her legs? It's not like having hair is unsanitary and causes disease.

Edited January 31, 2020 by regentrude

[maize]

4 minutes ago, regentrude said:

why would a girl need to shave her legs? It's not like having hair is unsanitary and causes disease.

Having been raised by a mother who thought that doing anything for the sake of social conformity was nonsense, I try to be realistic with my kids:

We can choose not to conform on any given point, but need to recognize that there are usually social (and sometimes practical) consequences for non-conformity. We have to decide for ourselves if and when those consequences are worthwhile.

So yeah, she doesn't need to shave, but choosing not to shave in a society that expects female legs to be shaved will likely affect the way other people view her and interact with her and yes she should be aware of that so she can make an informed choice.

Me, I shave maybe twice a year. My legs are rarely visible in public though, and I'm not a teen girl. My lack of hairstyling and makeup is more likely to be noticeable...

[J-rap]

I gave my girls the choice to shave but didn't make a big deal of it.  I have really hairy legs but choose not to shave them from about September - May (when I wear pants).  I do shave them in the summer when I wear shorts.  When my first two dd's decided they wanted to shave, we went to the local drug store and got a good, but not pricy razor.  (Usually around $8 - $10.)  I don't like the bags of disposable ones -- they tend to nick the skin easily.  I also got them shaving gel, which they liked.  Over the years, they transferred over to just using soap suds (like I do), but I think the shaving gel was nice for beginners.

One of my dd's used Nair for awhile -- It's a cream hair remover.  It works well, but really stinks and is a type of chemical.

But honestly, I think my favorite razors are my dh's.  I think men's razors are often a little higher quality and work better.  I used a men's razor for years until I lost it.  Come to think of it, I don't know why I didn't get another men's razor!

 

 

[RootAnn]

4 hours ago, bibiche said:

Have you considered an epilator rather than having her shave? No chance of nicks, and it weakens the hair shaft so the hair doesn’t grow back as heavily. There is a small amount of pain the first time, but the exchange is long-lasting baby smooth legs and less regrowth.

So, I have three daughters. The one you would expect to be the wimpiest is the only epilator-user. The other two are the types you'd think would handle the pain just fine. Both opted to go with shaving.

The first time isn't for the weak. I started them all off with a spot about the size of a quarter. Then went over the same area a couple days later plus another quarter-size new area. The one kid picked the idea up from there & had smooth legs in just over a week. I bought her one for herself. She keeps it up on her own & there are no screams from her room...

As long as you don't let the hair regrow for too long, the pain is never as bad as that first time. But, yow! It is bad at first.

My hair is too thick to ever have baby-smoith legs, but I love that epilating doesn't take me as long as shaving & I don't have to do it as often.

[Wheres Toto]

49 minutes ago, maize said:

Having been raised by a mother who thought that doing anything for the sake of social conformity was nonsense, I try to be realistic with my kids:

We can choose not to conform on any given point, but need to recognize that there are usually social (and sometimes practical) consequences for non-conformity. We have to decide for ourselves if and when those consequences are worthwhile.

So yeah, she doesn't need to shave, but choosing not to shave in a society that expects female legs to be shaved will likely affect the way other people view her and interact with her and yes she should be aware of that so she can make an informed choice.

Me, I shave maybe twice a year. My legs are rarely visible in public though, and I'm not a teen girl. My lack of hairstyling and makeup is more likely to be noticeable...

I agree that there could be social consequences, but what would be practical consequences?

My 12 year old dd doesn't shave at all.   She swims in the summer, wears shorts and tank tops.   As near as I can tell, she's never had any social consequences or even comments about it.   I told her if she ever decides she wants to, let me know so I could help her the first time.  I'd go with one of the nicer disposable razors, like the Venus or the Intuition mentioned above, probably with some cream or conditioner to start.  

I shave in the summer but not at all from about September to about May.    I don't ever wear dresses without boots in the fall or winter, rarely wear dresses at all these days, so nobody except dh is ever seeing my legs until bathing suit/shorts weather (and I actually have wet suit pants to wear when kayaking now so..)

[maize]

57 minutes ago, Where's Toto? said:

I agree that there could be social consequences, but what would be practical consequences?

My 12 year old dd doesn't shave at all.   She swims in the summer, wears shorts and tank tops.   As near as I can tell, she's never had any social consequences or even comments about it.   I told her if she ever decides she wants to, let me know so I could help her the first time.  I'd go with one of the nicer disposable razors, like the Venus or the Intuition mentioned above, probably with some cream or conditioner to start.  

I shave in the summer but not at all from about September to about May.    I don't ever wear dresses without boots in the fall or winter, rarely wear dresses at all these days, so nobody except dh is ever seeing my legs until bathing suit/shorts weather (and I actually have wet suit pants to wear when kayaking now so..)

Practical consequences such as not getting a job because the woman who wears makeup and shaves her legs meets feminine grooming norms and, even if not consciously, gets higher marks. Same would go for a man meeting or not meeting male grooming standards for his locality and profession.

Doesn't matter so much at twelve, but something young adults should have at least a conscious awareness of.

[alisoncooks]

Don't quote this -- I'll be deleting.  

Also, both my kids got a little...experimental...with the razor (below the belt) really early on and regretted it. That junk itches when it grows back in! If I could go back, I'd be more preemptive and say, "Hey, some ladies choose to shave xyz, however...this can be an uncomfortable experience if not done properly. Razor burn, itchy/pokey hairs/etc. Save it for later." 😉

Just sayin'.

Edited February 1, 2020 by alisoncooks

[Wheres Toto]

26 minutes ago, maize said:

Practical consequences such as not getting a job because the woman who wears makeup and shaves her legs meets feminine grooming norms and, even if not consciously, gets higher marks. Same would go for a man meeting or not meeting male grooming standards for his locality and profession.

Doesn't matter so much at twelve, but something young adults should have at least a conscious awareness of.

I don't know, I worked corporate for many many years.  I don't know of any jobs (except certain types of waitresses maybe or lifeguards) that requires attire that shows the legs.   

[teachermom2834]

@alisoncooks thanks for the reminder to address that. My dd shaved part of her arm years ago because the hair there was bothering her. I can totally see her doing this.

I am trying to be preemptive with all this stuff so she doesn't do her own thing. My parents were not helpful at all and worrying about anything regarding appearance made me shallow or worse. So I took alot of things into my own hands that could have been much better with some guidance. For example, my dd has been complaining about her "unibrow". I think she is too young to worry about that and it isn't bad but it is bothering her. So I've been helping her deal with that because I can totally picture her taking a razor to it with disastrous results. 

I struggle with the girl stuff! I was raised with no regard whatsoever to appearance and makeup was forbidden. So I took to sneaking makeup and trying to figure everything out for myself, including giving myself a huge gash on my first secret attempt to shave.  I grew up so weird I have nothing to draw on. I'm trying to do better for my dd.

[zimom]

19 hours ago, regentrude said:

why would a girl need to shave her legs? It's not like having hair is unsanitary and causes disease.

Well one of my girls needs to shave occasionally because that .02 seconds the hair causes of drag can be the difference between gold and silver.   She doesn't shave in between big meets because the drag is good for training.

For the older one, yes, it is to fit into society.  She has been bullied enough in her life due to differences.   She doesn't need one more thing.  

 

 

Edited February 1, 2020 by ZiMom