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| Summer Beauty Tip #87 - Lighten up on the lipstick |
There are more Adventures in Real Parenting here.
As the youngest of three, my daughter Sophie has a few advantages.
Her father and I, who have been at this parenting thing for over twenty-two years, are tired. Worn down from enforcing rules and shouldering high expectations, we've relaxed. We're less uptight about details, less inclined to over-program or hover like we did when we were new to this adventure.
In other words, well, in the words of Sophie's two older siblings, we've given up. Sophie, in their opinion, gets away with murder.
It's not exactly murder. But a couple of years ago, when she denuded half her eyebrow with a pair of toenail clippers and then tried to glue the eyebrow back with SuperGlu, neither I nor her father shouted or made a scene. The truth is - we were laughing too hard.
But it's not all benign neglect. No. When Sophie asked to start shaving her legs, I treated the subject with seriousness. This was a big step. I remembered the eyebrow incident and my own early experiences with shaving my legs.
We recently talked about it.
Sophie: Mom, do you remember when I wanted to shave my legs and you didn't want to let me because you thought once I started, I wouldn't want to stick with it?
Me: I do. I was worried it would turn out like needlepoint. Or basketball. You know how that went.
Sophie: I quit those things.
Me: Exactly.
Sophie: Kind of like you writing your novel.
Me: Yes. Thank you for reminding me.
Sophie: Do you remember how you grossed me out by telling me about what not to shave?
Me: I grossed you out?
Sophie: How could you forget?
Me: I can't believe I talked to you about that.
Sophie: Mom! Not that. You told me not to shave my toes or my belly button.
Me: Oh. Right. I'm glad I told you those things. It will save you aggravation in the future.
Sophie: Why did you shave your toes in the first place? Were your feet that hairy?
Me: Like a Hobbit. Or so I thought when I was twelve.
Sophie: That's really weird.
Me: I didn't like wearing sandals with hairy toes.
Sophie: So what about your belly button? You shaved that?
Me: Yeah.
Sophie: Why?
Me: Well, you know how I liked to make my aunt laugh by making my belly button talk?
Sophie: Yes. You told us about that.
Me: I didn't want my talking belly button to be all fuzzy.
Sophie: That's even stranger than the toes.
Me: Which part? The shaved belly button or the talking belly button?
When Sophie decided that she was ready to shave and keep it up so that she wouldn't be a stubbly monster, we got her her own razor. I was using a Venus razor and she picked out the Venus Embrace because it has a Ribbon of Moisture that helps the razor glide over the skin to help minimize the chance for nicks.
Sophie also likes the Soft Grip handle because it has great grip when she shaves in the shower. I like the replacement heads because they're easy to get off and on.
We were all set. I demonstrated on my leg, showing her how to be especially careful on her knees and around her ankles. I reminded her that the shinbone can be a tricky spot as well.
If you have a someone in your house who might be ready to shave soon, here's a link you might find helpful.
Venus is sponsoring a sweepstakes here at That's Why. Enter to win a $50 Visa Gift Card by answering the following question in comments:
"What's the best beauty tip you have shared with your daughter to prepare her for the summer or share your funniest beauty mishap for the chance to win a $50 gift card!”
This sweepstakes isn't limited to the females among us. I mean, my dad once offered me the best summer beauty tip of all.
"Don't stay out in the sun too long," he warned. "Or you'll ruin your skin."
But that's a blog post for another day.
Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 7/26 - 8/23.
Be sure to visit the Venus brand feature page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!
Have you checked out the Life Well Lived section of BlogHer.com? There are some great tips and expert posts on everything from Looking Your Best to Getting Happy and Getting Organized!
Damn, we're smooth. Oops, wrong plumbing.
ReplyDeleteWell, Randal, now I know where Sophie may have gotten the idea to glue her eyebrow back on.
DeleteMaybe mom should concentrate on her own ENGLISH as a starting point for leadership
DeleteUgh another boring blog? by someone who thinks they are creative...
DeleteWhat's wrong with mom's english? Very well written article.
DeleteWe've been at this parenting thing for 26yrs and still counting. Our youngest is still a few years from graduation & our oldest is grown, returned to college for the 4th time for her grad degree, & married w/2 step-sons.
DeleteI've been in a precarious position w/our girls. I'm Native American Indian whereas my husband is of almost pure European descent complete with natural blond hair, blue eyes, & fair complexion. Our oldest has dark hair like mine yet she's fair-skinned like her dad whereas our youngest has natural blond highlights yet she's dark complexioned like me; hwr, both have dark eye brows & their leg, underarm, & bikini lines are dark; it also begin growing much sooner than most girls their age so they were both shaving in the tween yrs.
With regards to the eyebrows, the girls were going w/me to the beautician b/c I have 2-4 varying color blond highlights foiled in regularly as well as brow/lip waxing as needed. I've had the girls brows and/or lip waxing done since their tween to pre-tween yrs b/c as we all know, children can be merciless when it comes to teasing. It also taught them not to use a razor on their eyes anywhere!
As for shaving, they each were taught as if they were blind b/c I have been losing my sight to a recessive genetic retinal disease then later compounded by autoimmune diseases that run in my family as I'm a bit more than half Cherokee & half Arapaho Indian. I taught them to use their hands going against the grain when shaving. And yes, we've had Venus razors in our home since they 1st hit the market! Love the moisturizing strip addition! I only wish it was available in the earlier yrs w/ our oldest. Instead of shaving cream or goat-milk sulfate-free soap, we use heavy dry-hair conditioner that goes in a bottle that has a pump on it & it sits in a rack over the shower doors. I found out it was the same thing in Coochie Cream after 2yrs of buying it so I saved a fortune!
The hair condition adds to the smooth shave with the Venus razor by reducing/eliminating ingrown hairs or those bumps that come with bikini line shaving. The girls had to start shaving much earlier than other girls b/c of their dark hair on their legs, underarms, & bikini line but each girl is different so it's important to judge maturity of growth more than age. Also, the fact they were taught to shave by feel allowed them a closer & more uniformed shave other girls were jealous of & asked about when they had to dress out for gym or went to the pool. I did get a lot of flack from other moms over their waxing of the brows but it prevented what poor Sophie endured.
Even tho my oldest is grown, she still uses the moisture strip Venus razor w/heavy hair conditioner for dry hair in a pump bottle for shaving as an adult and shaves as if she were a blind women even tho she's fully sighted like her sister. She can go out w/o pantyhose in skirts with no fear of missed hairs; hwr, she did have to shave the area below her belly-button to the top of a a bikini b/c there's a run of hair that's dark there. Now she has it waxed so it doesn't return as quickly but she refuses to have leg, underarm, or bikini line waxes. It's Venus only & only w/the moisturizing strips like we still have at home in a divided cabinet that matches the vanity while other items are in two separate baskets below the vanity where we once had 3 when both girls were home leaving Dad the master bath for his things so he didn't feel as if the 3 of us were taking over this solitary male's every space! LOL! We used the girls bathroom while giving him complete use of the master bathroom for his "space".
Hey, Sammy-Jo! Thank you for your comments. It truly is a "to each her own" kind of situation. It sounds as though you did a great job teaching your daughters how to manage their shaving routine and then, as we all do, you'll leave them to it, to adjust as they see fit.
DeleteI'm going to try your shaving my feel on the backs of my ankles. I swear there are three hairs that always escape me. Much to my horror when wearing skirts.
i am glad i do not have to shave my legs....you know...or my belly button....only my face occassionally...smiles...
ReplyDeleteBrian, if you ever decide to shave your legs or your belly button, try this razor. You will look marvelous.
DeleteHow on earth does on shave one's belly button? Are you an outie or just really, really determined?
ReplyDeleteI'm an innie, Sarah, so shaving my belly button is very easy. Even so, I do it very carefully.
DeleteAnd every time I shave my toes, I think of AmyG.
Both my girls & I are innies & there's no way we could shave our belly-button itself, plus, we never have had hair grow there; hwr, my oldest daughter & I have had the problem too but only when my ovaries were producing estrogen/progesterone or when I was on HRTs, we have a dark line of hair that grows from below the belly-button to the lower belly just below where a low-cut bikini would fit so we have shaved that line. It's common in my family but I think it's a Native American Indian thing b/c my MIL was actually upset & lost when she caught our oldest shaving her lower tummy line below the belly-button area. Our youngest has light hairs in that area so she was spared it, most likely due to some genetic thing w/their dad being of almost solely European descent. It's why his mom was so lost as to why her hair grew that way & even suggested having her peds or a dermatologist check it out! I reassured her that it was normal & could happen with our youngest when she hit puberty but didn't.
DeleteAlso, if you replace your shaving cream, gel, or soaps with a cheap generic brand of heavy hair conditioner for really dry hair & use it when shaving, you'll find there's even fewer bumps from ingrown hairs & the bumps that come up when shaving the bikini line, which can become extremely uncomfortable for tweens, teens, & women depending on how the female child's matures w/regards to hair growth vs age as age is not really a good factor to use. Again, as I mentioned above, children, esp young girls can be merciless with their teasing so keep a check on daughters as they grow even when they hit the "Mom get out ta here" stage. If they need to shave due to maturing faster than other girls, even if in the pre- to tween times, teach them how or they will go around you and that's the last thing they need. It's why my girls have had their eyebrows waxed since they were pre-tween/tweens - no uni-brow for girls to tease them over & they learned razors are not to be used on the face - only on the underarms, legs, & bikini lines when their bodies are ready for it & only when you show them how to shave properly, preferably with the moisturizing strip Venus razors & hair conditioner to make the whole process easier, more uniform, & cuts down on the need to shave as frequently not to mention seriously reducing any cuts or nicks.
First time I shaved my legs I used my dad's double-edged razor. I didn't know he released the blade after using it himself. I found out the hard way.
ReplyDeletesusan,was there much blood? I remember nicking knees, ankles and shins with my father's razor. Yowza.
DeleteYes..
DeleteThankfully the scar faded as time went by.
I didn't shave my face for 30 years. Boy did it hurt when I finally did. It's better now, though.
ReplyDeleteHow soft was your skin under there, Rusty? I imagine was super soft.
DeleteI'm glad it's better now.
My mother always told me to use plenty of sunscreen. She has great skin so I know this is so important!
ReplyDeletemami2jcn at gmail dot com
You were smart to listen to your mother, Mami2jcn. Every time I survey my crows feet, I wish I'd listened to my father.
Deletetweet:
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/228628076190367744
mami2jcn at gmail dot com
Thanks for tweeting this post!
DeleteMy mother always said to use moisturizer and sunscreen whenever you're outside.
ReplyDeletereklaw422 at hotmail dot com
Jessica To, Your mother was smart. It's not just beauty, it's health.
DeleteWell, it wasn't just summer advise, it I told my daughter that one day she would be happy need to have eyebrows and so to stop yanking out her eyebrow hairs. I also handed her my eyebrow pencil to fill in her bald spots...
ReplyDeleteLinda - Oh, yeah. My eyebrows are thinning. You are wise to tell you daughter to leave hers alone.
DeleteI remember telling my daughter to always use moisturizer and use sunscreen when under the sun. I know it paid off, because now as an adult, she has a very nice skin.
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/rosorior/status/228650522272493568
ReplyDeleteroso1946@gmail.com
Good luck in the drawing, Rosa! Thank you for tweeting the link to this post.
DeleteBTW, this is my daughter and my favorite (okay, only) razor too!
ReplyDeleteMy best tip = cheap Suave hair conditioner, at 99 cents a bottle, makes excellent shaving cream.
ReplyDeleteShaving story - with my meager allowance sometime around 1975, I bought one of those new "fancy" razors where the shaving heads spun in a little circle, within a round plastic compact. I thought it was so cool, and played with it by spinning all the heads. Then to my horror I realized that it wouldn't spin back to the start again! I was only supposed to rotate it when it was dull and useless, to bring up the next razor-sharp edge. I was too embarrassed to tell my Mom, so I threw it away at my Grandma's.
Mnmom - I remember those Flicker razors. My mom would never let us get them. We mostly had those blue Good News razors. I think that's what they were called. They were disposables and we used them until they rusted.
DeleteSomeone is selling a two-pack of those flicker razors on Amazon for $68. I should have stocked up.
DeleteHere it is! http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-FLICKER-WOMENS-SHAVER-5-RAZOR-BLADES-LILAC-MAUVE-COLOR-NIP-NOS-/360471186125#ht_1462wt_958
ReplyDeleteYou should have seen it the first time Michael shaved his legs. (Settle down, he was a swimmer in high school and college.) He would also shave his chest, pits, etc. He inherited my testosterone. Poor guy.
ReplyDeleteOh, Steve. I hear you about that extra hair. You should see MathMan's back!
DeleteIf anyone remembers what Eliot Gould, the actor, looks like without a shirt that gives you an idea what my son has to deal with. His hair is a beautiful auburn color but her grew that thick curly hair down his arms, legs, chest and back. as a teenager, he wouls have me at least shave his back for him. When he left home I don't know how he handled it until his then girlfriend now wife joined him at college. He blames me for marrying his dad. lol
DeleteMy moter was so against me shaving that she refused to discuss it. That was back in the day when we didn't have nice lady razors and used straight edge killer razors. It took years for my right shin to heal.
ReplyDeleteSusan - I cannot imagine shaving with a straight edge razor. I DON'T want to imagine.
DeleteMy Mom used to tell me to wear sunscreen every day
ReplyDeleteelena150980@yahoo.com
https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/228726210656612352
ReplyDeleteelena150980@yahoo.com
Good luck in the drawing, Elena! Thank you for the tweet.
Delete... speaking of movie shaving scenes, from the terrific "Breaking Away":
ReplyDeleteMom: What's the matter?
Dad: He's shavin'.
Mom: Well... so what?
Dad: ...his legs.
Cyril: Hey! Are you really gonna shave your legs?
Dave: Certo! All the Italians do it.
Mike: Ah. Some country. The women don't shave theirs.
Ah, now, Bill, you're quoting the movie made in the place where I met and married my sweetheart. You know I love this film.
DeleteOkay, this was hilarious!! I don't have any funny shaving stories to share -- suffice to say, I do, and so do my girls (with no prompting from me, or advice, or warnings...). :) B
ReplyDeleteThanks, Barb! It's great to see you!
Deletewash your fash twice a day and exfoliate once a week
ReplyDeletevanitizebaby at yahoo dot com
Thank you for the comment and the tweet, Courtney.
Deletetweet
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/MeandBells/status/228845134320635904
vanitizebaby at yahoo dot com
Auditioning for "Mad Men"? Blog posts that are thinly disguised commercials is not a good way to retain readers.
ReplyDeleteNan - The top of the post states clearly that it's a sponsored ad. I'm sorry if you are offended. I was offered the opportunity for a paid post and with our current financial situation, had to take it. With the hole we're in, there are no dollars I can turn down.
DeleteThe story is true and I do, in fact, use the product.
I've been providing free content and entertainment for readers for years and have never complained that I rarely get donations. It's up to you whether you continue to read here. If you choose not to, I understand and will miss you.
I'm not offended, just a little annoyed that I didn't catch the disclaimer at the top before I read the post.
DeleteBeauty mishap...one word: Epilady. Enough said.
ReplyDeleteOh yikes, Amy. A sadist must have invented the Epilady.
DeleteBought one for my wife then one day out of curiosity I tried it on my arm. No wonder its still sitting in a drawer unused for 20 years. Now that's pain.
Deletehey.... I shave my toes alla time. No hairs in my pressed grapes, see.
ReplyDeleteokjimm - I hadn't thought about the pressed grapes angle. Good luck in the contest. You gave great advice to both your kids.
Deletethe best tip i give is to be your self :) and wear SPF!
ReplyDeletefreebiel0ve@yahoo.com
tweet: https://twitter.com/akronugurl/status/228912259714392064
ReplyDeletefreebiel0ve@yahoo.com
I like that, akronugurl. Be yourself. Thanks for the tweet and good luck!
Deletehold it... this is a contest? best beauty tip I gave my daughter for summer?
ReplyDeleteWowzers....if you wear sandals all summer.... wash your feet.
....course ... I gave the same beauty tip to my son. I am a non-sexist beauty tipper. (course, in his case...clip your damn toenails, too.)
ALWAYS apply sunscreen on your face everyday. amypugmire@live.com
ReplyDeleteI'm looking at my crows' feet. Yeah, Tj & Amy. Sunscreen. Always. Thank you for the tweet!
Deletetweet. amypugmire@live.com
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/1amypugmire/status/229022319710990336
My mom alway reminded me how important it was at night to wash-away-the-day off my face.. (makeup, dirt, oils etc)
ReplyDeletehelped keep my skin looking clear :)
lzamudio02@hotmail.com
https://twitter.com/lindatrink/status/229062778919460865
ReplyDelete@lindatrink
lzamudio02 @ hotmail .com
The best beauty tip I've given is to wash your face every night before bed especially if you have makeup on because in the summer your pores are open more.
ReplyDeletepokergrl8 at gmail.com
https://twitter.com/aes529/status/229253200031649792
ReplyDeletepokergrl8 at gmail.com
funniest beauty mishap: my first perm at 8 years old when my friends thought i was wearing a wig and tried to pull my hair off!
ReplyDeletethismomwins@gmail.com
tweet https://twitter.com/thismomwins/status/229276422521356288
ReplyDeletethismomwins@gmail.com
my best beauty tip is to always wear sunscreen! the sun damage you get as a kid will affect you as an adult!
ReplyDeletekitraz13 at hotmail dot com
tweet:
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/kitraz13/status/229289151885869057
kitraz13 at hotmail dot com
my mishap was blue eyeliner, yuck! scg00387 at yahoo dto com
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/DesMoinesDealin/status/229317827084042241 scg00387 at yahoo dotcom
ReplyDeleteStop eating so damned much corn!
ReplyDeletexxx
try #2
ReplyDeleteStop eating so damn much corn!
(sheesh...I hate blogger)
My daughter kept asking if she could start shaving her legs; my advice to her was to let the thighs go and just shave from the knees down..since both of us are fair-skinned, you can't even tell we don't shave above the knees. We also moisturize after shaving as soon as we get out of the shower..no drying beforehand.
ReplyDeleteshel704 at aol dot com
https://twitter.com/auntiethesis/status/229641937420947456
ReplyDeleteshel704 at aol dot com
Oh love those lips! :) so cute! My funniest beauty mishap happened years ago. I was getting ready for work....during a storm. Power went out. No lights in the bathroom as I was finishing getting ready for work and putting on my makeup. I thought...I have done this so many times...I could do it in my sleep! Haha..wrong. My blush and powder foundation where in a container that looked almost the same. I ended up putting my blush on all over instead of the powder! Haha.....I laughed so hard when I got in the car and looked in the rearview mirror!
ReplyDeletelandfjacobson @ charter.net
I tweeted
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/Ilovemybeagle2/status/229737999338987520
landfjacobson @ charter.net
"But a couple of years ago, when she denuded half her eyebrow with a pair of toenail clippers and then tried to glue the eyebrow back with SuperGlu, neither I nor her father shouted or made a scene. The truth is - we were laughing too hard."
ReplyDeleteOMG! That is HILARIOUS!
PS: I shave my toes. And oh snap, Sophie called you OUT on your novel!
The beauty tip I give my daughter is to wear her hair up in the summer months, either in ponytails or buns, to keep her cool and her skin free of sweat.
ReplyDeletekellywcuATyahooDOTcom
One tip I've passed on to younger women who have smaller breasts: do push ups--it will keep them in the right place for a very long time. My nieces don't listen to me--they are 13 and 14--so I'll tell them when they are older.
ReplyDeletetweet
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/Kellydinpa/status/229768818237505537
kellywcuATyahooDOTcom
Did she REALLY say "Kind of like you writing your novel?" Oh damn. Hilarious and yet wrong all at once.
ReplyDeletei always told my daughter to take pride in her appearance -
ReplyDeletedebbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com
i tweeted here;
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/bellows22/status/229776424200966145
debbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com
Wear plenty of sunscreen to protect/preserve your skin!
ReplyDeletefamily74014 at gmail dot com
Hi, AubreyLaine. Thank you for the tip. Sunscreen is something I wish I'd used more when I was young. Good luck!
DeleteI always stress the importance of sunscreen.
ReplyDeletehuntandride@hotmail.com
https://twitter.com/jen_r_horn/status/230345766646996993
ReplyDeletehuntandride@hotmail.com
Hi, jenspurg! Thank you for the tip on sunscreen and tweet! Good luck!
DeleteCheck out my blog! http://confessionsofapseudoblonde.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteHey, Kickassidy. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteBeauty mishap. It was the summer between 6th & 7th grade and I was away at a co-ed summer camp. That was the summer I decided boys were interesting and I felt that my bangs were too long so I trimmed them. Then I trimmed them because the right side was a little high. Then because the left side was high. And so on. Someone took a picture but I'm really grateful to say that I haven't seen it in years.
ReplyDeleteOh the self-bang trim. Raise your hand if you've done that. (Hand raised!)
DeleteI can imagine your horror, Katherine. As if going from 6th to 7th grade isn't bad enough! Thank you for your entry and good luck!
Aw, I wish my mom was so calm and sensible about grooming. I'm 20, and she nags me about my decision to not shave any part of my body. Her comments on my appearance are starting to go from annoying to offensive.
ReplyDeleteAnon - It's really hard for moms to deal with when their daughters don't keep to their ideas of normal. Give her time and don't absorb her words as much as you can. My mother hated many of the things I did with my hair and eyebrows. Now she WISHES I'd color my hair. Having a 46 year old daughter with a full head of silver hair makes her feel old.
DeleteI'm a widowed father of a 17 year old. I was sitting in my office at home and my daughter called from the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteDaughter: Dad I cut myself shaving really bad.
Me: Where?
Daughter: In the bathroom
Me: How bad?
Daughter: I'm really bleeding badly.
Me: You want me to have a look?
Daughter: NO!!!
Me: What would you like me to do?
Daughter: Tell me how to make it stop:
Me: I have some spray bandage up in the cabinet just spray it on and it should stop quickly.
A few minutes go by and then a shrill scream from the bathroom.
Daughter: Oh my god it's feels like its on fire.
Much later I find out that my daughter had decided to shave her nether region for the first time and had cut quite a chunk from one lip. I can only imagine how painful it was when she sprayed the liquid bandage on it.
Anon - Spray bandage on her labia? Ouch! If you want to be in the sweepstakes for the gift card, shoot me your email address at lisahgolden at gmail dot com
Deletei love your blog, to express your views, this is the correct way.
ReplyDeleteThanks, distributor.
DeleteAs a parent with a 13-year gap between first and second sons, I totally relate to the laissez-faire attitude with the younger one compared to how strict we were with the older one. Thanks for a heartwarming laugh this morning
ReplyDeleteHi, Angela! It's hard to maintain that parenting intensity over time, isn't it. Thank you for your comment! I always love to hear from readers.
DeleteMy older daughter, who is almost 10, will be shaving soon. I told her that she should let me know when she's ready. The sad thing is I will have to help her shave...her back! She has a line of hair growing right down her backbone. Anyway, I will probably start her the same way I started, with an electric razor.
ReplyDeleteAmalthea - Oh goodness. I understand. It's not my back but when I say I shave my belly button, that includes the line of hair south.
DeleteGood luck on your entry and thanks for the comment!
Why would anyone teach a child of 10 that she must shave? Where would she get an idea that she isn't good enough natural? If she has a serious hair problem and is worrying about it, perhaps you can take her to a dermatologist and see if they can remove the hair permanently rather than you shaving it which will cause it to grow back in heavier and darker!
DeleteShaving doesn't cause hair to grow back thicker... or heavier. Plucking it, as in removing it from the skin does. It's the body's defense reaction to the removal. Because you don't remove it when you shave, there is no defense reaction. This is why, your eyebrows have thicker hair, but where you usually leave it for the shape fo your eyebrows, that stays thin if it was never plucked.
DeleteI remember being 10 and hating the fact that I had hair on my legs - fine, blonde little hairs; plus I was a tomboy!! For some reason back then, I thought that having hair anywhere but on your head was weird for a girl.
DeleteIf you shave, you'll end with a man who expects it. You'll be stuck shaving FOREVER. If you don't shave, you'll end up with a man who likes real natural adult women. They exist. The same goes for make-up too: would you want a man who thinks you are unattractive until you paint on a Barbie face, or one who adores you for the way you are naturally? Also remember that you are being manipulated by corporations with products to sell. There is no money to be had from women who don't buy so-called "beauty" products. All you need is water, a toothbrush, floss, a nail clipper, toothpaste, and maybe some unscented shampoo. Keep the skin nice by avoiding Sun, alcohol, smoking, and processed/charred meat. Be proud of your natural self.
ReplyDeleteThanks, anon, for your comment. I'm all for personal choice and have gone the no shaving route from time to time. Depending on what's going on in my life, either works for me.
DeleteI've often pondered how complicated it can be to be a woman. Shaving all that skin area must get old at times, I've asked my wife, who is 38d if she doesn't tire on occasion of carrying the weight around on her chest. (She doesn't) And plucking eyebrows and everything else you do to look and feel pretty. Then there's the fashion, and all the choices. You have my respect.
DeleteI don't understand the routines that women endure to say they feel beautiful. It is ingrained by society (both men and women) and the corporations. So everyone believes a natural women is not beautiful.
DeleteThere are plenty people in the world that believes a natural woman is beautiful. Why is it so terrible to feel good when you have soft, silky smooth legs after a shave? It's not about society - it's about what i feel good doing. My husband doesn't care if I shave my legs or not - he's happy with me all the same.
DeleteMy best beauty tip - always remember to wear sunscreen. It's just a simply step daily but goes a long way to keep your skin healthy.
ReplyDeletetcarolinep at gmail dot com
https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/230886999358328832
ReplyDeleteHey, JC! Thanks for the tip and the tweet. Good luck!
DeleteHehehe - I can imagine the flash of shock when you wondered, "Exactly WHAT did I tell my daughter not to shave?!?", and the relief in her benign response.
ReplyDeleteBeauty tip for my daughter: "You don't need to straighen your hair before the swim meet." Especially not for 15 minutes...
Kevin - You can bet I DID wonder what I'd told her. It could have been anything. And your daughter straightening her hair before the swim meet? Classic! Good luck on your entry!
DeleteLOL. That eyebrow story kills me! My summer beauty tip is to always, always, always moisturize. And drink a ton of water!
ReplyDeleteHeather - We just found a photo of her with her half-eyebrow. Your tip about water is great for your health and your skin. Good luck on the drawing!
DeletePluck the brows right after you get out of the shower & your skin is most tender... don't wax. It's so much less painful.
ReplyDeletekytah00@yahoo.com
Angel - that's a great tip about plucking. Good luck!
Deletehttps://twitter.com/kytah00/status/232555240593952768
ReplyDeletewear sunscreen all the time
ReplyDeletemerleandtina@yahoo.com
Hey, Tina! Thank you for the tip and the entry. Good luck!
Deletehttps://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/232604645661491200
ReplyDeletemerleandtina@yahoo.com
Don't shave after a sunburn or right after exfoliating. If you do shave then, you're apt to nick yourself since your skin needs a chance to heal at least overnight.
ReplyDeletealways wear spf & moisturize!
ReplyDeletestefanie.gladden@gmail.com
Hi, Stefanie! Thank you for the entry.
Deletetweeted - https://twitter.com/luvx143/status/232626934608191489
ReplyDeleteWhen I was six, I used my Mom's round daisy razor and shaved my arms and legs, surprisingly with no cuts. Needless to say, the hair grew back dark and thick. I wasn't allowed to shave until 6th grade! NIGHTMARE
ReplyDeleteI tell my teenage girls to wear moisturizer with sunscreen and not to tan in a tanning booth.
Debi - Yikes. And kids can be so mean about things like that. Also -- your advice to stay out of tanning booths is spot on. Those things are horrible and dangerous.
DeleteMy best advice would have been,"Don't 'test' anything except food on your tongue, sweetie."
ReplyDeleteWhen I was about 3 years old, I was surprised to see my aunt's forbidden razor blade apparatus sitting on the edge of the tub. In the past, I had been mesmerized as I watched her twist the handle to open the little jaws so she could place the thin, double-edged blade into the mouth and then screw it safely closed again. I wanted to play with it so badly, but knew that if a blade was inside it could be dangerous. So rather than touch it on my finger - I mean, it could CUT me! - I decided to rub it across my tongue to learn if it was loaded. It was. My next memory is of having wet wads of cotton shoved into my mouth to stop the bleeding. I still think those old razors are cool, though!
P.U.Who? - OUCH! Tough lesson.
DeleteMy moms best beauty advice: Always walk with you head high, you back straight, and your belly sucked in! Works on the confidence and to this day I remember to 'suck it in' whenever I'm out and about!
ReplyDeletefroggybiker75@yahoo.com
My moms best beauty advice: Walk with your head held high, your back straight and your belly sucked in! It worked for my confidence (I was always a little chunky) and to this day I still 'suck it in' when I'm out and about =)
ReplyDeleteMy beauty mishap could have been avoided if I had thought it through. I was trying to eradicate some blackheads on my nose but I didn't have any Biore strips. I decided I could probably just use some kind of tape. All I could find was silver duct tape so I used that. That was really a BAD idea because when I went to remove it, it had stuck to my skin so bad that it felt like I was pulling my eyeballs out! I tried and tried to ease that tape off my face and each try resulted in feeling like parts of my face were being torn off with the tape. Since it is waterproof, nothing was working to get it off! I finally had to go ask for help and just suck up the embarrassment!
ReplyDeleteI tried to use makeup that didn't match my skin color to cover up some acne, it looked worse and made the acne worse. thanks for the tips and giveaway.
ReplyDeletesongyueyu at gmail
tweet: https://twitter.com/syytta/status/233823259861340160
ReplyDeletesongyueyu at gmail
Legs should be pretty easy to shave. Try being a guy with a hairy back.
ReplyDeleteStop worrying and wasting money on physical beauty. Take care of your fellow person.
ReplyDeleteOh my...this post just had me in giggles! So funny and so true! My daughter just turned 11 and has asked to start shaving her legs...but I told her *not yet*....because once you *start* shaving...you really can't stop because the hair always grows back thicker!
ReplyDeleteA beauty mishap for me was when I was in my teens, I went to the beach with a friend and her parents for a week. I tan well so I insisted that I didn't need to wear sunscreen. I wanted to get a good "tan"....well, it turns out that I got a good "red"...lobster red. I hurt so bad and couldn't sleep well. I had to lay on my back and not move...it was *horrible*! And did I mention, I did that on our very FIRST day there?? I sat in the shade of an umbrella for the rest of the week when I was on the beach!
thecountryblossom at hotmail dot com
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/KatyLMA/status/234281884941684737
ReplyDeletethecountryblossom at hotmail dot com
My grandma always tells me to follow directions. When she was young she read in a beauty magazine that olive oil could be applied to your eyelashes to make them longer. It said to let it sit for 15 minutes. Well my grandma wanted her eyelashes much longer so she decided to apply the olive oil and then let it sit for over an hour. And when she took the cotton ball to wipe it off finally, she looked at the swab and saw all the hairs mixed in with the olive oil. She was devastated and to this day her eyelashes only grew in to half the length they were. My poor grandma, she also says to be proud of what you were born with. She misses her old eyelashes.
ReplyDeleteI'm half Sasquatch (thanks so much, Dad!) so even your fabulous razor is no match for my legs. When someone comes up with the slogan, "Tame the Savage Sasquatch in you!"... then we can talk. And if they do come up with that slogan - I better get at least a little credit! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't yet have a daughter to pass on my wisdom, but I believe that spf protection on our face is essential
ReplyDeletesometimes less make up is more
ReplyDeleteseanm1999 at hotmail dot com
When we were younger my sister stole my liptsick and smeared it all over her face, and she thought she looked pretty. It was too funny.
ReplyDeleteArtisticbaker at gmail dot com
I agree that sunblock is important
ReplyDeleteI had my hair lazered off legs and armpits and bikini. Paid for it in installments. Best money ever spent.
ReplyDeleteI had to shave my balls for my vasectomy. You girls can just shuttup about kneecaps being tricky, k? Geeeesh!! Shavin was bad, growin BACK was hellonearth!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was five I decided that both my arms and my stomach had way too much fuzzy hair on them. So I dry shaved them. I thought I'd done pretty well at the time but then I bragged about it to my mother. She told me that she would prove to me once and for all that I didn't really know what I was doing and that I had taken off a layer of skin. I didn't believe her because I hadn't nicked myself and my skin seemed nice and smooth. She then brought out a bottle of rubbing alcohol and some cotton balls. She told me that what she was about to do was going to hurt a lot but that it was important for me to learn that I was to leave razors alone until I was much older and could better handle the responsibility. She also pointed out that even though it would hurt, it was important that she wipe down the shaved areas with alcohol to kill any germs on my skin and to speed the healing process. The pain was intense as she thoroughly and liberally applied alcohol to my shaved skin. I screamed and cried but I know now that she did the right thing. I never touched another razor blade until I was thirteen and I was careful to involve my mother in the process so that I would learn the right way to use them. I was careful to inform my daughters what had happened to me so that they did not make the same mistake that I had because I was prepared to teach them that same lesson if necessary.
ReplyDeleteleannsmarie at gmail dot com
all girls(women)should shave except redheads i love red teeth.
DeleteI have no idea how I got here. But, nice article. LOL
ReplyDeleteCute story, but why shave? Depilitory Cream is cheap and amazing. I use it on my legs, toes to 1/2 way up my thighs. It takes longer for the hair to come back, and when it does its like new hair and not stubbly, so I don't have to remove it for a while. I also use a depilitory cream on my mustache and eyebrows, works like a charm.
ReplyDeleteFor those of us who have dark hair on the arms, try using a bleaching cream, you can get one from a beauty supply store like Sallys.
The beauty tip. It doesn't matter if you wear makeup or are natural, if you are fat or thin, young or old. What makes a person notice you and realize you are beautiful is your self esteem. Be confident and comfortable with who YOU are and others will see that you are indeed beautiful.
My only tips to my daughters are to wear what makes them feel good.
ReplyDeletenuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net
tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/237353905644785664
ReplyDeletenuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net
Always use moisturizer.
ReplyDeleteMCantu1019 at aol dot com
Long way to go to get to the advertisement for a particular brand of razor.
ReplyDeleteUse moisturizer with sunscreen. Protection is the best treatment for good skin.
ReplyDeletewillitara [at] gmail [dot] com
Tweet - https://twitter.com/willitara/status/238152149777911810
ReplyDeletewillitara [at] gmail [dot] com
I will never forget the year I used a sunscreen stick instead of lotion. I was striped like a tiger with sunburn! Note to self: if you use a stick or bar sunscreen, rub it in! LOL
ReplyDeleteAngie
14earth at gmail dot com
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/238369134105206785
ReplyDeleteAngie
14earth at gmail dot com
Wear a hat as well as the sunscreen & sunglasses when you're out & about drinking the water you always have by your side.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the contest.
My worst beauty mishap was using the wrong haircolor shade and dyeing my hair blonde!
ReplyDeleterunningmatey at hotmail dot com
https://twitter.com/LuckyDuckyToo/status/238675633696280577
ReplyDeleterunningmatey at hotmail dot com
my fave beauty tip Acne? Get thee to a dermatologist, stat
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/238756291223363584
ReplyDeleteTo apply lotion on feet for added moisturizing at night before bed
ReplyDeletetbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweet
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/238782127624318976
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
my best beauty tip was apply moisturizer directly after a shower even before you dry off for silky smooth soft skin! Thanks for a super giveaway!
ReplyDeleteMy email: anashct1 [at] yahoo [dot] com
Tweeted:
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/anashct3/status/238805358028677120
Thanks for the chance to win!
email: anashct1 [at] yahoo [dot] com
My beauty tip is to always wear sunscreen! Simple yet effective!
ReplyDeletez853www at hotmail dot com
Tweeted:
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/babybraddy/status/238833881464320001
If only I had a daughter to give beauty tips to. Not for a couple more years!!! If I did have a daughter, I would tell her that she doesn't need makeup to be pretty. "Just look at mommy, she doesn't use makeup!" And I truly don't! I might wear some eyeliner on special occasions to bring out the color of my eyes.
ReplyDeleteI shave, not because I was told it would grow back ticker, but because it annoys me to have hair on my legs. I hate the feeling of the hair, I love smooth!! But my ONLY shave horror story was when I was 10.
I was called a 'hairy ape' in Jr. High and I got hurt by that statement (I'm also Italian so I have very thick, dark brown hair all over on my body...). So after school, I was taking a bath before I went over to a friends house for the night. As I was washing up, I saw my mother's razor on the side of the tub. I took it and shaved not just my legs... but my arms as well. I heard my mom coming from down the hall, so I rinsed out the razor as best as I could and put it back, and tried to push all of my hair that was floating in the water behind the shower curtain, to hide the evidence. My mother walks in, grabs her makeup and does a double take. The hair had found it's way from behind the shower curtain and was floating in plain view. I was grounded for 2 weeks and wasn't able to go to my friends' house that night or any night during those 2 weeks. Never touched a razor again until I was 14.
OMG! Laughed out loud at a couple of these stories, including yours! I have 3 stories!
ReplyDelete1st...In junior high (middle school to some of you) Nair for removing hair had first come out! My friends and I were using it on our eyebrows...and when we wiped away my left one, half of my eyebrow went with it! It has never grown correctly since!
2nd story...My youngest daughter, now 18, laughed at your story too! When she was 11 she came downstairs with a snow hat over her forehead all the way to her eyes. I couldn't figure out why...turns out she found one of those tiny razor things for eyebrows...but it didn't have the comb on it. She shaved off half of her eyebrow right before picture day! Luckily they let her wear her bangs down over her eye!
3rd story...My oldest son watched his dad shaving, when he was 4...and my husband took the razor off and let our son pretend shave. Well for his Kindergarten pictures, he thought he should shave, without removing the razor, and proceeded to
shave a notch out of his top lip! He's 22 and still has a white scar on his lip!
I just can't help myself here - I've reached that certain age where a woman gets more than a little honked off at all the "you must do's" imposed upon us by society. And boy howdy, hair removal is one of the head honkers - to the point that I blogged rather attitudinally (is that a word?) about it. May it make you laugh as you pluck/wax/shave/whatever: http://dirtyoldbroadblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/agony-of-de-fuzzing-do-i-have-hair.html
ReplyDeleteas a man who raced bikes for years shaving my legs is much harder than shaving my face. The hard part is deciding just where to stop
ReplyDeleteas a man who raced bikes for years shaving legs is harder than shaving my face the real tough part is deciding just where to stop
ReplyDeleteSo funny!!! I am a "Sophie". I am the youngest of 3 girls born 1961, 1972, 1982. So we also have a large span from first to last. And YES my parents were MARSHMALLOWS when I came along. I didn't do a lot of extracurricular stuff, I didn't play soccer, and When I turned my nose up at eating vegetables (like when I learned the word NO) my parents kind of gave in. We were all pretty much "only children". I remember when I was 10 asking my mom if I would also have a little sister soon, since that seemed the normal spacing of our family. I didn't understand. LOL
ReplyDeleteSophie - Milk it for all it's worth!!! But just remember to take it easy on the old folks. They're tired. :)
This is a blatant advertisement for a specific brand of razors. Slaves to advertising, all of ya! so cute
ReplyDeleteThis is an obvious advertisement for a specific brand of razors in a linkbait section at the bottom of a USA Today article. Slaves to advertising, so cute.
ReplyDeleteof course, censhorship, for pointing out the obvious nature of the advertising.
ReplyDelete