Question About Shaving......

It's really normal and her way of controlling the changes going on in her body that she really CAN'T control.

Why not ask her which she would prefer?

"Honey - I know you want to wax your moustach so I booked an appointment at the spa for a girls day - do you want me to get your legs waxed this first time or try shaving first? We can pick up a razor and some nice shave gel on the way home."

She'll feel listened to and important and you guys might have an awesome time together - get pedicures and have fun!

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I was also a child with dark hair on my legs, body, face. I started shaving at 11 years old when the teasing became too much. I have extremely sensitive skin and I've tried just about everything out there - self-help and professional. Here are my recommendations:

1) If you can afford it, take your daughter to a very experienced and reputable laser hair removal technician for both the face and legs. (I'm happy to give a recommendation if anyone needs one.) No razor burn or bumps. Skin reaction is usually gone within 2-24 hours. Legs can often be finished and hairless forever within 6-8 treatments. I wished I'd had this available when I was young. It would have saved decades of insecurity and pain.

2) If you can't afford laser hair removal, I'd say bleach the facial hair. Sally Hansen has a good one. If the hair is minimal, this is much gentler than hair removal and works quite well.

3) For the legs, I'd recommend professional waxing first. (Have some good recommendations for this, too.) Painful for a while, but gets easier and less painful over time. Also, the hair does diminish and become thinner.

4) If professional waxing is also too expensive, I think that starting your daughter off with a good electric razor is easy and the least painful and least likely to cause a skin reaction.

5) For any kind of razor burn/bumps, I recommend: Tend Skin. It's the only thing I've ever found that helps.

6) Although some people can use hair removal foams like Neet, Nair, etc. those caused MAJOR skin rashes, burns, bumps and pain, no matter which brand I used.

Good luck!

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I haven't read all of the comments, but I agree with some of the ones I've read. Ask for her preference. However, if you are concerned about her using a razor, you might consider the Veet Rasera Bladeless Kit. It comes with hair removal gel and a plastic hair removal tool that is shaped like a razor. I've used this product and I really like it because it isn't painful like waxing and I do not have to worry about cuts (which is especially helpful when I am getting a pedicure).

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I agree with the others- let her shave. Now I wouldn't do the waxing until she is older and understands how painful it can be. Have the lip hair lightened (I think you might even be able to buy a cream to put on it to lighten it yourself.)

I recommend the Venus razer for new shavers, or a good electric razer. My husband loves my Venus. LOL No cuts. I have offered to buy him his own so he'll stop using mine. :)

I don't like the Veet or Nair because while you are sitting there waiting for it work your skin is absorbing all those chemicals. I avoid chemicals as much as possible.

S., mom to four girls

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My daughter just started to shave. I bought her an electoc razor (less cuts and such) as far as the waxing...I'm not sure

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We are dark haired people, and my twelve year old did have quite a forest and mustache going. I went ahead and started letting her deal with that once it started causing her some embarassment. I'm sure that if we were lighter haired, she could have waited until she was older. Anyway, she did start out by using an Avon hair remover, which worked somewhat, but not as well as we would have liked. Then, she started shaving. So far, shaving has not been a problem, and we discovered that olive oil was the very best shaving lotion because it won't let her skin get irritated. Later on, she discovered VEET, and says that it is wonderful. It is a hair removal cream, but comes with a scraper to scrape it off with, and doesn't smell bad like most of the other creams. As for the stache, if she doesn't have much, then I would just pluck. Otherwise, you might experiment with some creams that are made just for the face. There are also those tiny razors that you can use on those little areas. We like them for straightening up our eyebrows. Welcome to young ladyhood and good luck!

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hi C. i havea 14 yr. old daughter and we went with the hair removal cream veet and had great success! it was painless and the hair doesnt grow as fast or as thick. now the muctache i would try bleach because thats one area you dont want to get thicker.

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Just one note about waxing her lip. Some people (and I'm one of them) get horrible breakouts on their lips from waxing. This can be much worse if you wax close to your period (yeah hormones.) I've found a great home remedy for bleaching and have used it for years.

Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide into a paste and pack it on over the hairs. As it starts to dry out use a Q-tip to add more peroxide. Continue this for about 10 minutes and your daughter will have much lighter hair.

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They also do threading at Ulta in Arlington. I have not ever had it done myself, but I have seen it done there and it was very interesting. When I got home I tried to do it (it looks very simple) but it must be harder to do than it looks. Because I didn't have any luck.

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My girls Nair or Veet their legs. It works for them.

As for the facial hair I would do THREADING. I think it's great and works better and longer than waxing, which can hurt the folicles and the face if not done right.

Threading can be found at Grapevine Mills Mall in a kiosk not far from Old Navy or in Las Colinas at Eyes of India.

It's a very old eastern technique and is done with special cotton thread. It takes a few minutes and is pretty cheap. It still hurts, but not as much as waxing.

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No plucking the stache!!!! Try Sally Hansen facial hair remover--it works really well for me, and not at all painful. As for the legs...let her shave. I needed to shave very badly by the time I was 12, and my mom would never let me. I finally snuck into the medicine cabinet and got her razor and did it anyway b/c I was so desparately embarrassed. I cut the back of my leg b/c obviously I didn't know what I was doing. Instead of having that situation, make it a really special deal and show her the proper technique and remind her once she starts, it'll be an everyday (or every other day) thing from now on...

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C.,
My mom didn't let me start shaving until I was 13 and she started me off with an electric razor which I thought was such a great idea that it's what I did for my daughter. The only exception is I let her start shaving at almost 12 because the hair on her legs was pretty noticeable. As for her lip, she doesn't have a problem with that but if you are able to notice it on your daughter then chances are kids will, too. I wouldn't pluck those hairs because as you know it kind of hurts. I would buy some Nair or something like it and do it that way. Make sure she knows she can only use that in your presence. As for the waxing thing, I don't know but I was always told it was a myth. I know the hair takes a lot longer to grow back in but I don't think it effects the thickness or color. But, I could be wrong. Best of luck!
M.

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I met an Italian woman with two girls who had very dark hair on their arms and legs (ages 7 & 9). She takes them in for sugaring - it's much less painful and damaging than waxing yet lasts longer than shaving.

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