Our culture has long ingrained that having smooth hairless skin on women’s bodies is more socially acceptable than being completely natural. Even razor adverts show women with hairless legs shaving their legs. Many women shave their legs and elsewhere because they do not want to be ridiculed. Many feel that they will not be seen as sexual prospects if they are too hairy.
I believe that no woman or man should be pressured by society to look a certain way - especially if it strays from what is entirely natural. Despite this, I still feel so much more attractive and comfortable with smooth and hairless legs. Fundamentally you should do whatever you can to make yourself feel good about yourself so you can spend your day feeling beautiful and confident.
To achieve smooth and silky skin that makes you feel good all day, you need a razor that will not damage your skin. There are a variety of razors on the market made with different purposes in mind. To find the best product for you, read our recommendations of what to look for below.
Why shave instead of waxing?
There are many benefits to shaving over waxing. These include:
Less pain
As waxing pulls hairs out by the roots, it can feel quite painful, especially in sensitive areas such as the bikini line and around the ankles. However, shaving is not painful if done with enough lubricant as it slides over the skin and simply trims the hair.
No unnecessary hair growth
To wax your hair, it needs to be a certain length. This means you might need to let your hair longer than you would like. Waxing offers up to 4 weeks of hairlessness with waxing, but then you need to wait a couple of weeks before it reaches the right length to wax again. Shaving can be done every day, ensuring your legs are smooth every day.
Cheaper
Buying disposable razors is cheaper than getting waxed if you use each razor a few times before you dispose of it.
Things to consider when buying a razor
It is wise to research the different types of razors to save yourself from spending a lot of money on razors that simply don’t work for you. Continue reading to see our rundown of the razors available below.
Razor blades for sensitive skin
Razor burn, skin irritation, and rashes are more likely if you have sensitive skin. If you have sensitive skin, the tools and products you use to shave are even more important. Using the right blade will protect your skin and optimize your shaving results.
Dermatologically tested
Look for razors that are dermatologically tested. Dermatologically tested means that the finished product had been tested on human skin with satisfactory results, including little or no skin irritations.
Five bladed
Five-bladed razor blades are kinder to the skin because they will cut the hair with a single stroke. Even if a single-bladed razor misses the hair, it is still dragging across the skin. Therefore, it is better for your skin if you limit the likelihood of irritation by reducing the number of strokes.
Razor blades for better control
Look for razors with reasonable control and precision if you are planning to shave curvier or hard-to-reach areas. For example, shaving under your arms or behind your knees can be awkward. An easy-to-grip handle will make your razor blade easier to control. Look for designs that are specially made to glide over the angles of your body. The blade will be able to adjust to different curves of your body if the handle is flexible. The handle should feel as comfortable at various angles as it does when being held straight on.
However, even though it is difficult to assess how comfortable it is to hold a razor before buying it, you can get an idea by reading customer reviews.
Razor blades for the bikini area
There are many razors on the market designed specifically to target bikini areas. A bikini area razor is usually smaller, which makes it easier to reach curved and smaller spaces. If using a manual razor for your bikini line, ensure it has extra lubrication around its blades. You do not want to cut yourself “down there.” Many people use an electric razor to get rid of most of their hair and use a razor blade for a close shave.
Razor blades with extra moisture
Many razor blades come with extra lubrication and moisture in the form of built-in moisture bars. This can save you time and money because you don’t need to use as much shaving gel. Some women forgo the shaving gel altogether when using a razor with a built-in moisture bar. However, we recommend always using shaving gel and treating the extra moisture from your blade as a bonus. These razors help prevent rashes, irritation, and razor bumps by spreading body butter over the skin as you shave with water.
Razor blades for traveling
Travel razors are mini razors that generally come in a small carry case - perfect for traveling. If you are going on a flight, make sure to take travel-size shaving gel and moisturizer for soft, smooth skin throughout your vacation or business trip.
Multipack razors
You can buy various packs of disposable razors; some may have a lot in the pack yet be less expensive than packs with fewer razors inside them. Ideally, when choosing a pack of razors, you want to select those with the most blades and a moisturizing bar, as well as an easy-to-grip handle. Once you have narrowed it down to that criteria, choose a pack with the most razors.
Razors for women price range
You can get a pack of disposable razors for as little as $2 and up to $40. For a non-disposable razor, expect to pay between $20 and $60.
FAQs
Are men’s and women’s razors the same?
Apart from the obvious “feminine” and “masculine” packaging, men’s and women’s razors do have other differences. For example, the shape of the blade is more curved on a woman's razor to allow for the more curved areas she will shave. Conversely, a man’s razor is flatter because it is better suited to the contours of the face.
The blades of a man’s razor are placed at a wider angle to cut denser hair. This is why men tend to cut their faces more when shaving than women do when shaving their legs. As a woman, you may find that using a man’s razor on your legs causes more nicks and cuts than using a women’s razor.
What is the correct way to dispose of disposable razors?
To dispose of disposable razors correctly, wrap the blade in a newspaper before putting it in a regular bin. Unfortunately, most disposable razors cannot be recycled because they possess a plastic handle.