Shaving Legs/Pubic

whodunit

Ok, so i've always had a problem when i shave my legs, after a few hours it goes red and really itichy same when i wax or use veet. Also stubble is there the next day after i have shaved & even when i use Veet. I don't know what's causing this?

Also i want to try to do a 'landing strip' down below. How should i go about it? Obviously ive have had so many problems with my legs i dont want to go wrong down there, some advice please

jaja321

whodunit wrote: »

Ok, so i've always had a problem when i shave my legs, after a few hours it goes red and really itichy same when i wax or use veet. Also stubble is there the next day after i have shaved & even when i use Veet. I don't know what's causing this?

Also i want to try to do a 'landing strip' down below. How should i go about it? Obviously ive have had so many problems with my legs i dont want to go wrong down there, some advice please

Better to wax your lady garden than let a razor near it.

shalalala

whodunit wrote: »

Ok, so i've always had a problem when i shave my legs, after a few hours it goes red and really itichy same when i wax or use veet. Also stubble is there the next day after i have shaved & even when i use Veet. I don't know what's causing this?

Also i want to try to do a 'landing strip' down below. How should i go about it? Obviously ive have had so many problems with my legs i dont want to go wrong down there, some advice please

get a fresh razor. I get that if the blade is a bit dull. Also give them a fair regrowth before shaving again. See if that helps.

if you want a landing strip. Get it done professionally! I have a beutition in donnycarney i can recommend

fits

Anyway to avoid insanely itchy armpits after shaving? I am letting them go at the moment to see if its more comfortable but am probably still going to shave them periodically.

Dial Hard

whodunit wrote: »

Ok, so i've always had a problem when i shave my legs, after a few hours it goes red and really itichy same when i wax or use veet. Also stubble is there the next day after i have shaved & even when i use Veet. I don't know what's causing this?

You're getting next-day stubble because shaving or using Veet only removes the hair above the skin. Your hair grows a tiny bit overnight; you get stubble the next day. Seemples.

Regarding the irritation, what kind of product are you shaving with? Personally, I find hair conditioner to be the best lubricant. Make sure the blade you're using isn't dull (realistically, you'll only get about two leg-shaves out of each blade) and rinse your legs really, really well afterwards. Dry thoroughly (but pat, don't rub) and after a few hours, or even the next day, moisturise with a gentle body lotion.

whodunit wrote: »

Also i want to try to do a 'landing strip' down below. How should i go about it? Obviously ive have had so many problems with my legs i dont want to go wrong down there, some advice please

Go to a reputable therapist who specialises in waxing and ask for a Brazilian wax. Ask them what type of wax they use - if it's strip rather than hot, run a mile. If they don't make you do a patch test, run a mile.

AulBiddy

Are you shaving with the hair? If you shave against the hair sometimes it can cause awful itching and stubble (even though shaving against the hair gives a cleaner shave its very painful after).

Das Kitty

fits wrote: »

Anyway to avoid insanely itchy armpits after shaving? I am letting them go at the moment to see if its more comfortable but am probably still going to shave them periodically.

I used to get that sometimes too. Have you tried exfoliating them?

I've started epilating mine again. I get a good week or so between needing to run the thingy over them and don't have any issues with itching. I know epilating isn't for everyone, but it suits me.

fits

Haven't tried exfoliating. Tbh I am much more comfortable now the hair has grown a bit. My skin is really sensitive and I have no tolerance for waxing.

sunshine and showers

Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise!

Or maybe try getting an electric razor. They're about 30-40 euro, but worth the investment when you think of the price of razors! You can use them to tidy up downstairs too (but not to make a landing strip, as far as I know).

For the armpits: try putting sudocrem on them at night. Clears up any little rashes really quickly. Also check your deodorant, it could be irritating your skin after shaving.

DM addict

I'd agree with making sure you're using a decent lubricant/cream and moisturising plenty.

I have an electric razor, and I find it causes much less irritation than a blade. Also have used it to tidy up the lady garden no problems.

fits

Moisturise the armpits... Really?

That goes for exfoliating too btw....

sunshine and showers

fits wrote: »

Moisturise the armpits... Really?

That goes for exfoliating too btw....

That was more about the legs. Sudocrem at night is the business for sore armpits. And yes, exfoliate the armpits!

fits

Must remember that next time I need an "im washing my hair" excuse.

sullivlo

I find that if I shower and THEN shave I get a longer lasting shave. Opens the pores I guess.

Keeping the blade fresh helps with the redness.

Decent shaving gel also - I use the men's Gilette fusion pro glide foam. Suits me

And moisturise. Vital.

Lia_lia

You can get lotion for for ingrown hair/razor bumps. Boots do one. A company called Skin Doctors do the best one I have used..it's called Ingrow go. You can get it online!

strobe

Are you using a good quality razor? Tried shaving my face with a (unused) girlfriends razor before, atrocious quality. One of the very popular brands (for some inexplicable reason).

meeeeh

I was complaining about Venus once and I was told by another woman to just use razors for men. That was ten years ago and I am not going back to female razors. I found Wilkinson and Gillette for women equally bad and Wilkinson or Gillette for men equally good.

IvyTheTerrible

meeeeh wrote: »

I was complaining about Venus once and I was told by another woman to just use razors for men. That was ten years ago and I am not going back to female razors. I found Wilkinson and Gillette for women equally bad and Wilkinson or Gillette for men equally good.

Men's razors are cheaper too (even if it's the exact same model just "pinkified", it's dearer).

Dial Hard

meeeeh wrote: »

I was complaining about Venus once and I was told by another woman to just use razors for men. That was ten years ago and I am not going back to female razors. I found Wilkinson and Gillette for women equally bad and Wilkinson or Gillette for men equally good.

I've been using a Mach 3 since they came out.

Women's razors look like sex toys or something.

meeeeh

Dial Hard wrote: »

I've been using a Mach 3 since they came out.

Me too up to couple of weeks ago when I ran out of razors and just switched to bf's fusion. He has gazillions of them lying around and I discovered that vibrating holder works well for very quick shaving. I have strong dark hair and I always found waxing a pain, especially since I look like siberian bear when waiting for hair to grow enough for wax or epilation. I just do it in shower daily with a decent razor and I don't have any particular problems since I switched to razors for men.

Das Kitty

Dial Hard wrote: »

Women's razors look like sex toys or something.

I just flinched so hard.

:eek:

Holysock

Used to get that red itchy thing very badly and would scratch my legs to bits! Moisturizing before shaving and after really helps!

daisybelle2008

I got Laser Hair removal on my legs a few years ago, and have started on bikini line and under arms too as am so happy with the results. It also leaves the skin in really good condition, no irritation or regrowth. It has become more affordable recently..I'd recommend it if shaving is a hassle.

YumCha

daisybelle2008 wrote: »

I got Laser Hair removal on my legs a few years ago, and have started on bikini line and under arms too as am so happy with the results. It also leaves the skin in really good condition, no irritation or regrowth. It has become more affordable recently..I'd recommend it if shaving is a hassle.

This! Per session it's only marginally more than waxing (well for the bikini area) although my problem is never remembering to go back after 4-6 weeks!

Paddy Cow

jaja321 wrote: »

Better to wax your lady garden than let a razor near it.

I made the mistake once of shaving down below. The regrowth was a nightmare. It was all itchy and scratchy and I've never done it again. Waxing can be painful but the regrowth was fine. Just keep an eye out for ingrown hairs and sort them out before they become a very painful problem

hoodwinked

i tried shaving down there and it was awful, so i started use veet sensitive for bikini instead, and it gets it all off not a bother,

i epilate every where else, and occasionally on my bikini line as i found the constant expense and hassle of using veet/shaving too crazy, i get longer from the epilating, my legs are smoother, but i am not going to lie, it hurt like hell until i got used to it.


but it was the best investment i ever made,

Paddy Cow

hoodwinked wrote: »

i tried shaving down there and it was awful, so i started use veet sensitive for bikini instead, and it gets it all off not a bother,

i epilate every where else, and occasionally on my bikini line as i found the constant expense and hassle of using veet/shaving too crazy, i get longer from the epilating, my legs are smoother, but i am not going to lie, it hurt like hell until i got used to it.


but it was the best investment i ever made,

What epilator do you use? When I was a teenager, myself and a friend invested in what we thought would be the end to shaving but it was rubbish (and very painful). I would try using an epilator again but I'm wary because of past experiences. I know the first few times can be painful and I'd be willing to put up with that if I got long term results.

Now that I'm older and wiser, I tend to go more on word of mouth, rather than advertising campaigns. It seems like you are very happy with yours so could you let me know what brand of epilator you use?

Thanks

hoodwinked

Paddy Cow wrote: »

What epilator do you use? When I was a teenager, myself and a friend invested in what we thought would be the end to shaving but it was rubbish (and very painful). I would try using an epilator again but I'm wary because of past experiences. I know the first few times can be painful and I'd be willing to put up with that if I got long term results.

Now that I'm older and wiser, I tend to go more on word of mouth, rather than advertising campaigns. It seems like you are very happy with yours so could you let me know what brand of epilator you use?

Thanks

i bought the Braun silk-épil 7, since then they have added some kind of facial brush to it but the rest of the kit is still the same this one is the one i got,


i found the extra heads so handy when i first started (and for different body parts) and i still use them if (like last winter i let it go for a few weeks) i need to do a body part after not using it awhile on it.

whodunit

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, i have been thinking of buying an epilator, i've never used one before there a bit expensive

Dial Hard

daisybelle2008 wrote: »

I got Laser Hair removal on my legs a few years ago, and have started on bikini line and under arms too as am so happy with the results. It also leaves the skin in really good condition, no irritation or regrowth. It has become more affordable recently..I'd recommend it if shaving is a hassle.

YumCha wrote: »

This! Per session it's only marginally more than waxing (well for the bikini area) although my problem is never remembering to go back after 4-6 weeks!

Not suitable for all hair/skin types, though. I'd have had my entire body lasered several times over for the money I've spent on Brazilian waxing over the years, but unfortunately I'm just not a suitable laser candidate.

Neyite

I much prefer waxing armpits to prevent the stubble which seriously chaffs me. It also removes the darker bulb root so stops a 5 o'clock shadow effect. I just get the OH to do them for me every month or so with Veet strips cut up.

LittleFox

Hey guys just letting you know if you have ever had excema or any kind of skin condition as a kid or older, waxing is a big no no. The one and only time I got waxed I ended up with an infection in my legs, have been left with scars and very painful boils which flair up now and again and has cost me over 1,000 euro to treat in the past year, so be careful

stop animal cruelty

Ladies can l have yer advice!

I shave down below and l hate, only do it cause l see my bf once a week so l like to keep it bare for him....l wanna start waxing because lm getting red spots and starting to look awful

so how long (as in weeks) should l let it grow to start waxing??

I think the red spots would happen from waxing too if you don't exfoliate

Mismatch

Umm... does almost everyone remove all of their pubic hair (or all but a landing strip?)

Neyite

Mismatch wrote: »

Umm... does almost everyone remove all of their pubic hair (or all but a landing strip?)

No. It really is up to the individual. Some do nothing, some trim, some go for varying degrees of baldiness.

stop animal cruelty

Mismatch wrote: »

Umm... does almost everyone remove all of their pubic hair (or all but a landing strip?)

wouldnt mind getting that done its just l doubt l could do it myself:o

damselnat

If you're a suitable candidate and have the money (keep an eye on groupon etc for deals!), laser is the way to go! As posters have mentioned above, it's not for everyone, but if you have dark hair and pale skin (like me) it can be very good. I've had two sessions so far and there's almost no regrowth at this stage (3 weeks to my next session). The downside of this is you cannot epilate/pluck or wax in between sessions; however, you can shave. As I'm getting the Hollywood, I like to keep it this way between sessions, so what I do is use the Venus-with-Olay blades. Keep them as fresh as possible (I use one blade maybe 4x), use hot water, keep the blade wet, and shave sideways, rather than upwards or downwards - I have found this trick works absolute wonders as regards redness and ingrown hairs! (you may still have to shave upwards in some small parts - I do - but shaving sideways where possible is the key, I find!).
Having discovered the blades with the moisturiser in them (and figured out the most effective way to use them!), I would never go back to gel.

Then again, with the laser, I'm hoping to eliminate shaving completely - I can't wait

stop animal cruelty

damselnat wrote: »

If you're a suitable candidate and have the money (keep an eye on groupon etc for deals!), laser is the way to go! As posters have mentioned above, it's not for everyone, but if you have dark hair and pale skin (like me) it can be very good. I've had two sessions so far and there's almost no regrowth at this stage (3 weeks to my next session). The downside of this is you cannot epilate/pluck or wax in between sessions; however, you can shave. As I'm getting the Hollywood, I like to keep it this way between sessions, so what I do is use the Venus-with-Olay blades. Keep them as fresh as possible (I use one blade maybe 4x), use hot water, keep the blade wet, and shave sideways, rather than upwards or downwards - I have found this trick works absolute wonders as regards redness and ingrown hairs! (you may still have to shave upwards in some small parts - I do - but shaving sideways where possible is the key, I find!).
Having discovered the blades with the moisturiser in them (and figured out the most effective way to use them!), I would never go back to gel.

Then again, with the laser, I'm hoping to eliminate shaving completely - I can't wait

Can l ask, after shaving how long do you have to wait to get a hollywood?? thats what lm hoping to get

damselnat

stop animal cruelty wrote: »

Can l ask, after shaving how long do you have to wait to get a hollywood?? thats what lm hoping to get

None at all! It's not like waxing, the hair doesn't have to be a certain length. In fact, they will ask you to shave the area 12-24hrs beforehand as the laser targets the root of the hair. In between treatments you're not allowed to remove hair by the root (so no plucking/epilating or waxing) but you can shave

daisybelle2008

stop animal cruelty wrote: »

Can l ask, after shaving how long do you have to wait to get a hollywood?? thats what lm hoping to get

As other posters have said not everyone is a suitable for laser, dark hair and the lighter the skin the better it works. Having said that I wouldn't be very pale but it worked brilliant on my legs. The under arms and bikini line are going well so far. It does hurt but they can adjust it down, probably preferable to keep it as high as you can tolerate though so its more effective. You can take a painkiller (aspirin not recommended as it causes bruising).
I am keeping a landing strip for now, but they can take the lot off if you want to go full Hollywood, but because it is permanent be sure that you can live with that, just in case hairy muffs come back in fashion

jadie

daisybelle2008 wrote: »

As other posters have said not everyone is a suitable for laser, dark hair and the lighter the skin the better it works. Having said that I wouldn't be very pale but it worked brilliant on my legs. The under arms and bikini line are going well so far. It does hurt but they can adjust it down, probably preferable to keep it as high as you can tolerate though so its more effective. You can take a painkiller (aspirin not recommended as it causes bruising).
I am keeping a landing strip for now, but they can take the lot off if you want to go full Hollywood, but because it is permanent be sure that you can live with that, just in case hairy muffs come back in fashion

Is it not weird having a laser machine on your vulva?! Don't think I could stand it.

daisybelle2008

jadie wrote: »

Is it not weird having a laser machine on your vulva?! Don't think I could stand it.

It's definitely weird (its not 'on' your vulva though :P ). It's a smallish hand held device, connected to the machine, with a small head directed on the area being treated. If you are someone who has had lasering on other areas and are comfortable with the technology, can tolerate the pain and are used to getting Hollywood waxes it will be a breeze. Otherwise there is a bit to get your head around and be comfortable with. I wouldn't advise anyone to dive into a full Hollywood laser without working up to it. It's definitely a personal thing though, if you are squeamish or uncomfortable with the idea think twice, it's a very impersonal getting your labia majora stretched and zapped with a laser gun!

ABajaninCork

Use Dove for the armpits. Works wonders and it has moisturiser in it.

ABajaninCork

I don't shave down below unless I'm going on holiday. I get ingrowing hair, so isn't worth the agg...

jadie

daisybelle2008 wrote: »

It's definitely weird (its not 'on' your vulva though :P ). It's a smallish hand held device, connected to the machine, with a small head directed on the area being treated. If you are someone who has had lasering on other areas and are comfortable with the technology, can tolerate the pain and are used to getting Hollywood waxes it will be a breeze. Otherwise there is a bit to get your head around and be comfortable with. I wouldn't advise anyone to dive into a full Hollywood laser without working up to it. It's definitely a personal thing though, if you are squeamish or uncomfortable with the idea think twice, it's a very impersonal getting your labia majora stretched and zapped with a laser gun!

Yikes crossing my legs just thinking of that! Cameron Diaz spoke in this subject lately on Graham Norton advising women to think twice bout the laser route

IvyTheTerrible

Is laser permanent or do you have to keep going back?

sullivlo

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

Is laser permanent or do you have to keep going back?

Needs 6-8 treatments per area but is permanent then afaik.

IvyTheTerrible

sullivlo wrote: »

Needs 6-8 treatments per area but is permanent then afaik.

Hmm. Think I might start saving up so. I have pale-ish skin and very dark, fast growing hair. Would love not to have to worry about it.

jadie

It's not really permanent, you have to get top-ups twice a year maybe. I had 12 sessions on my legs and still have hair.

damselnat

From what my beautician has told me, its permanence depends on how pale your skin is, and how dark and strong your hair is. I was advised that it could start to grow back (albeit thinner and lighter) after 5-6 years, but as I'm very pale, with very thick black hair the treatment "should be very successful." She wouldn't guarantee me it would be permanent, but as I'm a prime candidate for it it's a possibility. I got a discount, 6 sessions for £99, so at that rate I'll be happy with 5-6 years, though of course I'll be delighted if it's permanent!