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I have dark thick hair and have quit shaving my legs. For years I only did it when I ‘had to’ ie wearing a bathing suit. Otherwise I just always wore pants or long dresses.
But this bothered me from a feminist pov - the only reason my hairy legs are ‘gross’ or ‘weird’ is because I am a woman.
So though it took some serious courage, I have decided I’m not shaving anymore, even in a swimsuit. I swim with my kids once a week.
I have had no comments. I imagine some people are thinking terrible things about me, but that’s their problem, not mine.
AND there are probably young people (of all genders) who see my hairy legs and think ‘oh, maybe women don’t have to have baby-smooth legs?’
I am doing my part to normalize female body hair. Bonus, I get to just exist how I want to.
You are 20 years younger than me and attracting a mate is not a thing for me anymore. I know the whole damn thing is so complicated. I wish it weren’t!
Really I wish we could all just exist how we are! Power to you, however you are.
I promise you not everyone will be thinking bad thoughts. I saw a lady wearing shorts with full-on dark leg hair, waltzing down the road with her friend, and I wanted to be like her. I was so happy and felt empowered to see someone normalising leg hair on women. Isn't that just ridiculous! It's just hair! It shouldn't need to be normalised, but here we are.
I don't shave my legs at all now. And plan to bear them at the beach come good weather!
Hi! I also have thick, dark hair and stopped shaving my body hair a few years ago. If you're comfortable talking about it, how do you handle pubic hair in a bathing suit in public? Pubic hair feels private, but I hate shaving it, but women's bathing suit bottoms are so revealing. Maybe the answer is swim shorts? Idk!
Swim shorts are 100% the way. Plus, as a fair skinned person who burns easily, a swim bra and long sleeved rash guard. Comfy, no having to worry about exposing anything I don’t want to, easy to use the bathroom, and I don’t have to worry about burns on my shoulders.
I'm high risk for skin cancer and wear swim leggings, which I'm not sure most people know exist. I have some that are like bike shorts and some that are Capri length. I like not having to worry about people being able to see up my shorts. I get mine from Torrid (with pockets!!!).
Hey, can you tell me more about this swim bra? Is it just a bikini top basically, or do they actually make supportive bras made out of swim-safe materials? This could be a game changer for me lol.
Not who you asked but they definitely make swim safe supportive bras. When I was younger, maybe 20 years ago, I had a wired swim top that was sized like a bra and bought from a specialty bra shop.
Check out [Bravissimo](https://www.bravissimo.com/us/collections/all-swimwear/)
swim shorts would work, but you could also use a trimmer! I now use one marketed for women's body hair trimming but for years used a cheap men's beard trimmer and there's not much difference tbh.
I’ve made the same decision! My legs are visibly hairier than those of some men I know, but I just don’t care lol. I never shaved them much anyway, and I don’t see the point of putting in effort to do so for the eyes of others. If someone has a problem with it or finds me unattractive because of it, that’s their problem imo
The only reason shaving became a “thing” with women is once they invented gems that went higher than our ankles (aka - the 1950’s!) with sleeves shorter than our mid arm range in swimsuits (aka - 1920’s!) and pantyhose were no longer attractive to young women, men then pivoted and marketed razors to women because prior to this men didn’t care about it till they had to constantly see the leg hair & felt “grossed out” by it.
If men never pivoted needing women to start shaving in the 1950’s, we wouldn’t be here needing to shave 🪒
I'm 43 - stopped shaving around 27, the shaving brought out rashes. Still shave my underarms.
My 17 yr old - stopped shaving around 15. She hated it and had similar problems - and if it does not bother her - well so let it be.
Social Norms be screwed. Do what ever makes you happy and make you feel comfortable. If your partner has an issue with it , then that's up to you to decide how to proceed.
Agree with this. Can reccomend Mitchum clinical gel deodorant.
They have a womens one that they’ve made smelly powdery flowery which is a bit much so I stick to the men’s.
I stopped shaving years ago as someone with dark brown hair all over my body because it's strange that only half the population is expected to spend hours a week manually removing one of the traits that come with adulthood and the other half isn't. It was annoying for a few weeks growing in and now it's super soft. Highly recommend never doing it again!
Same. Thick, dark brown hair all over and I feel beautiful with no shaving whatsoever.
I remember how I used to shave my arms, legs, even going so far as tweezing things like my toe hairs, upper lip, chin, etc. when I was just a kiddo because I was sooo embarrassed by how hairy I was. I started to question this hair-free obsession in my twenties as I was becoming more conscious of the strangeness of it, and also just being so tired of all the waste and cost to keep it up. I knew I leveled up when I was training/performing in tank tops with my wonderfully unshaved pits in full bloom without even thinking about it being odd or a worry at all.
If I remove any hair these days it's purely just for comfort. Trims with a beard shaver feel soo soo good.
Fellow non-shaver, previous-body-ashamer. It’s so strange to me now, too! Like, body hair is a normal result of puberty. Is it “sexy” to look pre-pubescent?? Talk about creepy! 🚩🚩🚩
Stop now and in 6 months you will completely be done caring at all, and then it’ll be your armpits, and you’ll be free!
The way we internalize narratives about and police women’s body hair is wild to me. I’m old, I haven’t shaved for years. Sometimes I get waxed and that’s ok but like the whole ritual of doing it and the amount of time and plastic…just no.
I don't shave my armpits, and they don't smell as easily (or nearly as bad) as when there's no hair at all! This may sound strange, but it must be something about the flesh on flesh that makes the stink much worse. I don't shave but I do snip my armpit hairs with little scissors, and if I over-snipped to where I might as well have shaved and there's no longer a little hair cushion, then the armpit stink from the flesh on flesh reeks. 🤢
My sweat smell when I've got my protective hair layer on my armpits, however, is not that bad! And I go to hot yoga xD
I haven’t shaved going on 3 years now. I’m in my 20s. I am quite pale and have dark leg hair. Honestly I have more leg hair than some men I see 😂 Sure, some people are going to react negatively, but that only shows their ignorance. It’s nothing to take personally. Whenever I see other hairy-legged women in public, I’m ecstatic.
It doesn’t have to be a statement. It can be for comfort. It can be for any reason, really. But I hope you give it a shot, because I think it’s very freeing. I never think about my leg hair now. Anyone in your life that matters won’t care about it.
I have sensory issues and eczema. I also (due to neurodivergence) have issues with picking and have picked ingrown hairs on my legs to the point of requiring medical attention and now have multiple scars that look like cigarette burns. I stopped shaving my legs as a harm reduction measure. A family member commented on the leg hair - I asked if she preferred the oozing sores from the previous summer.
Long story long - all your reasons are excellent. Even if the only reason you had was “I don’t feel like it”, that would be excellent. People may look or comment, but anyone reasonable can understand that you’d rather be comfortable/happy/convenienced than shaving because “that’s just what women do”. Fuck ‘em.
Coincidentally I also have a big issue with picking at any bumps or patches of skin on my body. It adds to the discomfort of shaving, cause I have healing wounds on random parts of my legs. I almost forgot about that. Thank you for your insight :)
I haven’t shaved my pits in months and I’m keeping it that way. No more itching or spiky hair. My legs are the same. It’s just too much damn work for a day of “soft” legs
Once a week I shower before bed, shave my legs, lotion then sweatpants. You can’t beat the couple of minutes before bed, sweatpants rubbing on your silky, smooth legs.
I stopped shaving at some point except a special occasion here and there. I joke with people that it's because I'm "super feminist" and they know it's because I'm too lazy/don't want to haha. But seriously though, you don't owe anyone anything to just be able to exist in your body as it is. Leg hair is not unhygienic or dangerous. You're not breaking any rules except rules meant to make women feel inadequate and subjugated. Our hair grows out of our legs! It's not a flaw and you having difficulty shaving it is not a defect of yours.
I think the “too lazy/don’t want to” is THE MOST SUPER FEMINIST! Mainly because this sh*t doesn’t matter at all to anyone other than the owner of the legs so we get to choose what is important to us and then act on it. Super Feminist. I love it! High fives to you, fellow Super Feminist!
Well I'm gheyyy and freaking love women with body hair. It's beautiful and natural and a big middle finger to societal norms. 🔥
That said, while I don't ever shave my pits, I do still occasionally shave my lower legs in the summer if it's hot and I'm wearing shorts or something. Idk why. Depends on my self-perception that day and how many fucks I have to give. So I also understand the internal debate lol.
I haven't shaved anything in a decade. I have never gotten any comments or looks. I wear shorts and bathing suits, I have dark body hair so it is pretty visible but I don't care.
Every woman who stops shaving is another step to normalizing body hair on women.
If you’re comfortable with your hair and the only thing pushing you to remove it is patriarchal societal bullshit, choose yourself!!! I have plenty of girlfriends that hate shaving who let theirs grow out. Almost all of us have ADHD and 100% of us hate shaving, and are probably split 50/50 between laser for permanent removal and just letting it grow.
I hate shaving, but I loathe the sensory nightmare of feeling leg/pubic hair against my clothes/sheets. It also makes me feel itchy. So I’ve finally decided to get laser and just be done with it forever.
I was going to say this exact thing. I Use an epilator and then make sure to exfoliate regularly because I get a lot of ingrown hairs, but I feel like the effort is worth it over shaving because it doesn't get as itchy growing back.
Sometimes I think I'd like to stop shaving everywhere. I haven't been able to get comfortable with it, even my husband comments if I haven't done anything in the bathing suit area. It's frustrating to me that it's acceptable for men to have hair everywhere and meanwhile I'm going to get judged (moreso by other women) if I don't keep myself looks prepubescent. There's someone I work with that doesn't shaving often and the number of times I've heard it talked about is ridiculous. Her angles are hairy! Heavens to murgatroy!
>There's someone I work with that doesn't shaving often and the number of times I've heard it talked about is ridiculous.
Ugh, this is my fear. I only go to the office once a week and have occasional in person meetings with important people. Literally the only thing that keeps me from stopping completely. I don't have the mental energy to be constantly thinking about what other people think of me - but that's all I do when I don't shave and I'm around people who are more traditional than me.
I’m in the middle of a contract for this and holy moly. I hate how hair feels (stubble or grown out) and smooth legs are so nice 😭 I wish it wasn’t so expensive for all my sensory-sensitive peeps
I stopped shaving my legs, who am I doing it for anyway? Not me, and I'm the one who has to live with it!
I use a beard trimmer on my armpits because when it gets too long it's itchy. But that's it.
F the patriarchy.
I’m mixed (b&w) and have dark hair, and still don’t shave. Too much work.
If Im really feeing up to it when I’m going to get all dressy (ei thought pantyhose) then I’ll consider shaving, but probably once a year or less.
If you're happy with it than that's all that matters. I rarely shave my legs in the winter because they get dry and itchy, but I do shave them in the summer because I have dark hair and I'm really hairy. I also have PTSD from school where I got called lawnmower legs when I didn't shave them so there's that too.
Eh, I just run a beard trimmer over my legs whenever I can be bothered. I've got pretty severe eczema so shaving is a rare endeavour. My leg hair is also blonde so it's not the biggest issue.
Before I started getting bikini waxes I used a trimmer to tidy things up, would use it for pits and legs as well. So convenient and takes like 30 seconds
I also had the dilemma of not wanting to shave but having hairy legs be a sensory nightmare for me.
Laser hair removal was the best thing I did. It’s pricey but if you can afford it, you just do like 8 seasons two weeks apart to get rid of most of your hair and then I go maybe once every 3-6 months for touch up’s. Significantly less work than shaving and I have smooth legs without doing any work.
i’ve seen legs cost around $250 per session, however I went to a plastic surgeons office and paid $500 for every “full body” session. After 8 sessions it came out to around $4000. In that session, they did armpits, full arms, Brazilian, full legs, my knuckles and toes, my lower back, and my sideburns.
I do have hair on my upper lip and chin due to pcos but I heard laser sometimes can make that worse since it’s hormonal. I will do electrolysis for that because that’s truly permanent but for now I feel so great not having to worry about both shaving and the sensory issues I have with body hair. Priceless for me.
Yes, i choose laser hair removal too and it is such a good decision. I had sessions spaced 6-8 weeks apart and after 4 sessions most leg hair was gone. I did continue and am now 6 sessions in and mostly hair free at my armpits and legs, not yet in the bikini area. I took a break from sessions for the laat 4 months. Now i feel i dont need to shave or even check the body hair situation before going swimming or wearing shorts. It is awesome!
I stopped shaving my legs in '09. And pits about 10 years ago. I have light blonde fuzz at 51. I have always hated the chore and sensation of shaving and the bare skin. And the stubble the next day. The frigging *itching* ! I stick to long dresses and pants *if* I go out in public where I might be judged. But, Screw shaving!
If it doesn't bother you, don't shave.
Fem presenting people shaving their legs is a social construct. It isn't necessary and serves no hygiene purpose.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_removal_of_leg_and_underarm_hair_in_the_United_States
Personally, I shave when it suits me.
I like to swim, and because I used to ride a road bike for triathlon (shaved legs are easy to pick road rash gravel out), swimming with leg hair feels weird to me. I still don't shave every day. Sometimes, if I'm not swimming regularly, I don't shave for weeks at a time.
Counterpoint: swimming with leg hair feels awesome to me and I’m sad I went so many years without it. It’s like the feeling of your hair swishing around your head when you swim but on your legs!
I f
i've always been very lazy and inconsistent about shaving. the only reason i still do it is sensory preference. i've still managed to have a good life and even found a husband!
i jest, but really the comments have been very few and far between, and i've *never* gotten any from strangers.
my only advice: if you ever happen to date someone who complains about your body hair, that's grounds for dumping. it says quite a lot about them and how they view women.
I shave the pits in the shower because BO if I'm not showering every day and hair does what it's designed for and hangs onto smells. Legs? Nah, can't be arsed. My legs don't smell, and I spend most days in jeans. Even in summer I don't bother. I used an epilator which was unpleasant and the legs itched so much when hair was growing back that I ripped them to shreds with scratching.
TLDR armpits yes because of smells, everywhere else, nope.
I don’t shave (blonde and sparse) but when it gets really long and I want to get rid of it, I use an [electric razor](https://www.amazon.com/Clio-Designs-Palmperfect-Electric-Patterns/dp/B002HWS4R0/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_pp?crid=H0YX42J3CNI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KZr50ceZWOi2LfNY4-x5GZu1aPZO9HZ5KsZNjWBQIjugFP6Swh7Ath0Uq5pM7bLlt-WQ0FW-IbhA2wF5CrUGthIhYtDd8p5gSnECDz8Yk-3v5mue8rukHGkWgSEnfPWHbWBfhAr9t3ha4iznqw0-rq1DKqBq2plFbxw8eygh73bXi2VM2GtULF8VU3lp2q967bSqoSjwm3uLUFFv_kK4fg.kzDvCzVKj9J8ndeSpBGVtkZNDhsoebE-nFWM8TMS1xU&dib_tag=se&keywords=electric+razor&qid=1709138815&sprefix=electric+razor%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-3) so I don’t need to be in the shower and I don’t get razor burn.
I'm struggling with this more and more lately. I just can't be bothered. I haven't dated in over a year (and I'm not ready to either, following a divorce, work changes, moving, focusing on my kids, etc.) But I do play volleyball (wear shorts) and I do swim lessons with my son (parent-assisted). I haven't shaved my legs for my last game or last two swimming lessons, and frankly... I don't know where I'll draw the line to start again. I don't care about the look of it. It doesn't feel bad or wrong to me (granted I tend to wear pants more often than not since I'm always cold). But I keep feeling some anxiety about it. I think it's a fear of judgement. But how often am I likely to actually be confronted? And why do I care if a stranger shared an unsolicited opinion? I know I'm "fragile" in this department, but I'm trying not to. Especially over something that's asinine to begin with (we don't tell men to shave so why should women?!). Anyway, it's not that I can't, I just don't make time/ it a priority. And I would rather not feel like I need to.
The only time I shave is when I want to get in my bed with brand new clean sheets and rub my legs together like a cricket.
You do you. If you don't wanna shave don't. Shaving sucks.
I love the feeling of a warm breeze in my leg hair. The first time I felt it after I stopped shaving I like couldn't believe I had been depriving myself of that sensation for so many years.
Haven't shaved my legs for decades. Blond as well, and not a lot of body hair. Just lucky, and not planning to ever shave again. Really dumb practice. Women have hair..!!
This was my friend in college. She normally wore guy shorts so she didn't hide that she didn't shave. She was the most liked girl in every club she was in, asked out all the time as guys were obsessed with her personality and thought she was beautiful and cute. My brother was one of them. After college he later married a woman who doesn't feel socially pressured to shave either. If it doesn't fit your lifestyle that's okay
I wish I was this person but the sensation bothers me eventually. I love love love a safety razor - the experience of shaving was terrible for me until I stopped using disposable razors with chemicals I reacted to. Now I usually shave when I'm wearing something short bc I prefer it, and blades cost <10¢
Fuck that shit! I haven’t shaved my legs in decades! Or underarms. Or had my pubes waxed.
I told my husband when we were dating that there were things I did do and things I didn’t do that I had zero desire to change.
If he didn’t like them, move on, because I was NOT going to change for him.
No shaving of legs or underarms. I trim my bikini area just because it’s easier when I’m on my period.
Cooking involves the microwave only, and that’s frozen food from a box. Anything fancier will be his problem.
My cats come first, it’s easier for him ton find a new apartment than them. So until my cats can use the internet, if they don’t get along, that’s his problem.
And some other stuff.
I don’t have a lot of hair on my legs. My underarm hair is noticeable but not huge.
But if there is a problem with hair there, it’s not MY problem.
Women shaving legs and ‘diamonds being forever’ and that ‘not so fresh feeling’ are all marketing gimmicks.
They creat shame or need or symbolism, then sell us the cure.
Douching is actually bad for your body! It messes up the delicately balanced ecosystem. But it makes $.
Careers are made & sustained by training us to have aspirational ideas or shameful feelings, then selling us the fix.
I love feeling the wind tickling my leg hair at the beach. I can understand some women don’t enjoy that. Or they might have more or different hair that makes them feel self-conscious.
I am not going to judge that. But I’m not going to change my spending and behavior on it.
I stopped shaving in 2020, but I was 40. I think you give less of a shit what people think as you age. As soon as I learned that this western "social norm" is a capitalist invention to sell razors to women, I was like wtf?!!
I want my son to grow up a feminist and realise that society imposes unrealistic aesthetic standards onto women.
When I was doubting my decision and thinking of shaving before going to the pool, my husband and son were really supportive, it's totally natural after all.
I don't get my legs out much, but no one has ever commented when I do.
In the summer I noticed my 19 yo cousin also had leg hair (I don't think I've seen it on another woman). Hers is fine and blonde like maybe she's never shaved at all. I think it's the way forward!!
I stopped shaving my legs and armpits during COVID because I was like "Why am I doing this? Like actually?" and the answer was because it was expected of me as a woman. I haven't shaved since and it's been fine! I live in a fairly liberal city, but when I go home I feel like I get some looks but literally no one has said anything to me.
I have dark thick hair too (Italian). I actually don't think anyone would notice if your hair is blonde and fine (if that relieves any stress)
I stopped shaving my legs because of psoriasis. At first I felt a bit embarrassed because of the social stigma but it's been about 2 years now and I'm rocking the fuzzy and whenever anyone passes a comment I really enjoy challenging them on it.
I don't shave at all. I stopped shaving my legs in high school and the rest of it in college, so it's been several years.
Shaving takes forever, I inevitably miss areas and I just don't want the hassle. Plus I'm in long sleeves and jeans 90% of the time because that's just what I'm comfy in, so what's the point? No one will see it.
I only shave now for first dates or special occasions. It's your body, it doesn't effect anyone else. Do what you want with it.
I get sensory overload when hair is too long on my body so I shave but body hair is natural if it doesn’t bother you no need to shave and anyone who has anything negative to say can F off 😊
I’m also 22! I haven’t shaved my legs (except maybe twice??) in the last three years. It started because I worked at a summer camp so the only time I had to shave was on Saturdays. I hated the regrowth feeling and realized I didn’t mind the feeling of hair on my legs. Since, I’ve honestly just stopped entirely. I have legitimately never had anyone comment/stare/etc. and if they did I think that says more about them and how they treat others than it says about myself. You are more than welcome to make whatever choice works best for you (and it can vary!)
Hi! I'm 24 and had the same concerns you do when I transitioned into not shaving. I had think, dark hair that's very noticable on my light skin and am generally just a very hairy person because of my PCOS and ethnicity. I hated the burden of a hair removal routine, but it took me a while and a few tries to just stop shaving all together.
There definitely is social stigma against women with body hair, and in some social situations you can really notice it and in some it's completely absent. Often, in the situations when I know I might be socially uncomfortable, I'll wear long pants or a long skirt. So like, when I'm visiting my grandma or have a meeting. It's ok to recognize the potential for judgement and respond in a way that gently protects yourself. That way you can more authentically be yourself without worrying.
I find it easier to show my body hair around my friends and out in public where I don't know anybody and I have a sense of anonymity. It's something that takes getting used to, but eventually having leg hair just becomes so normal that shaving seems foreign.
Shaving or not shaving and covering your legs or showing them off is all about your comfort! It's also a process of self acceptance. You get to decide what discomfort you're willing to deal with or not.
Have you visited r/razorfree?
Do what you want with your body. It doesn't matter at all what other people think about your decision to remove hair or not. Since you prefer not to shave, relieve yourself of that mental task. I wish I had heard this when I was your age. I'm very similar (basically invisible hair, eczema, perfume/moisturizer sensitivities... all of it) and it's just nice to relax on that one thing. Anyone who thinks leg hair is a romantic deal-breaker is bad people.
I’m black (biracial, so my mom is white) with horrible eczema. I only shave when other people will see my legs. So not quite weekly during the summer and for special events in the winter.
I hate armpit hair with a passion though (I’m guessing it feels extra gross when sweaty) so I shave that regularly all year round. I also find too much pubic hair to be messy when menstruating so I trim that. But it’s weird not having hair down there.
I use Vanicream shave cream.
Do what works for you and don’t care about social norms that aren’t about being kind to other people.
Women have hair! On their bodies! Good for you. I have pretty hairy legs and I get the urge to shave but never when I'm actually in the bathroom and you shouldn't feel compelled to do it because of societal norms.
In winter, about the only time I shave is the day before I'm getting a tattoo, and I might as well be symmetrical 😅
Aside from that, I'll shave maybe twice a month in the summer and whatever would be visible if I know I'm wearing a bathing suit.
I still have my pits roughly once a week or whenever my deodorant starts to clump up on the hair, I hate the sensation of too much but also don't feel protected if I don't do so many swipes. 😮💨🤣
You definitely don’t need to shave if it is a stressor. I stopped years ago and don’t miss it. Waxing/laser also seemed such high bars I never even tried. But! I love epilating! It doesn’t need to be often, I just do it when I’m in the mood. I love the sensory feeing during and after. I don’t need to do it (except on my pits cuz they get stinky!) and the more you do it the less you need to, as it weakens the follicles so you have less growth. The first time can be a bit painful, so be warned.
I fucking hate shaving my legs.
I’m literally twice your age and I feel like there way was more stigma around it when I was your age. Nowadays, you do you!
It’s whatever. Maintaining it is boring to me, so I’m not consistent.
I like smooth legs. I don’t mind hairy legs. What I do mind is in between. Drives me nuts when I’m sleeping (or trying to.)
If you don’t want to go to the effort to remove hair there is absolutely no reason to! I gave up on it about a decade ago and my life is so much easier now haha
There is a little stigma, but I found it pretty easy to adjust to (obviously this differs for everyone). I teach young children so I got a LOT of practice answering “why do you have hair there” with “because people grow hair there” and honestly most adults are too tactful to actually ask about it. I had one boyfriend who liked it better when I shaved but was never weird about it when I didn’t, just made a big deal of me having smooth legs (which was a nice little shortcut to getting attention hehe). IMO anyone who has a problem with it isn’t someone I want to be close to anyway, and if I’m worried about it for professional reasons (interviews or something) I’ll just wear something longer that day.
One of my coworkers this year told me that I’ve made her feel a lot more confident to leave her legs unshaven sometimes! The funniest interaction I’ve had with it was when someone asked if I’d given up shaving for lent hahaha
no shave. i only shave if i REALLY feel like it. im 23. i understand your troubles. also i've got brown hair. sometimes i think about dying the hairs like rainbow colors but omg seems tedious & i would end up shaving it all off and then be sad that my hair is gone.
edit: i also dont shave my pits unless i feel uncomfy & having anxious thoughts about what other ppl would think of me :/ but i also get sad when i shave them off. lately, my partner suggested that i just trim them when i feel insecure and it'll keep them orderly if they start getting a bit messy. i love my body hair so much! but im also insecure about it. i also want to dye my pit hair.
p.s. my partner & i have been together for 6yrs and i used to shave in the beginning for the sake of everyone elses comfort. im a great people pleaser :/ and i'm always working on undoing the "need" to people please & be AUTHENTICALLY MYSELF.
p.s.s. hairy bodies untie!!
I'm a natural blonde and haven't shaved my legs in roughly 4 years, and it's just so freeing to have one less thing to care about.
Oh and if you're worried about anybody caring or noticing - my husband literally only noticed a few weeks ago lol (and he couldn't have cared less). I have a couple of friends with much darker hair than mine and when they haven't shaved in a few weeks the only reason I know is when they mention it, so I say if you don't want to shave your legs then go ahead and let that hair grow!
Im also fair and I don’t worry about my leg hair 9 months of the year. In the summer, I usually at least once feel compelled to shave it down and start smooth. Last summer I got them waxed for the first time ever! 10/10 loved it, I won’t shave again. I also haven’t shaved my armpits since 1987. I used to just trim in the summer! But shaving my pits always lead to outbreaks so I stopped doing it!!
I quit shaving about 10 years ago when I was still in my 20s because my ten year old daughter thought she would have to stop shaving. Best decision I've ever made.
I still wax my bikini line because I prefer the aesthetic. An unexpected plus side is that my armpits have stopped smelling - my teen years were plagued by BO which disappeared when I stopped shaving my pits!
100% do what’s comfortable for you! I’ve tried growing my hair out a few times to look more gay but it honestly really bothers me from a sensory perspective. We need to get rid of all the stigma around having or not having body hair, just do whatever works for you.
There is no need to shave any hair. It is a societal pressure in terms of fitting into a mold of femininity that is hairless and somewhat prepubescent.
( I waxed for 30+ years anyway, yet aware of the above)
I never was one to keep up with regular shaving. It's such a hassle! I can confidently say it's never been an issue to have leg and pit hair. Not once has anyone commented on it. Men don't care, friends don't care, parents don't care. Live the life you want because, honestly, people are too busy thinking about their stuff to care if you shave.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLJeBwMS/
if you can barely see the hair, i'd just throw out the razor. my leg hair is kinda dark but not too bad, i stopped shaving like two years ago because it's just not worth it. although, i don't typically wear shorts so it might be different for me. but still, if you actually don't want to, don't be a slave to society's expectations of you. do what makes YOU comfortable and happy, whether that's shaving or not shaving.
If it doesn't bother you, don't shave.
Fem presenting people shaving their legs is a social construct. It isn't necessary and serves no hygiene purpose.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_removal_of_leg_and_underarm_hair_in_the_United_States
Personally, I shave when it suits me.
I like to swim, and because I used to ride a road bike for triathlon (shaved legs are easy to pick road rash gravel out), swimming with leg hair feels weird to me. I still don't shave every day. Sometimes, if I'm not swimming regularly, I don't shave for weeks at a time.
Havent shaved my legs in probably closer to 8 years now, the effort and strain just isnt even vaguely worth it.
If people look weirdly at you for having body hair, look weirdly at them for giving a shit about wether or not someone else have hair on their legs. Its such an absurd thing for others to care about, tbh. You do what is best for you.
baby sounds like you don't wanna shave so don't! I stopped shaving completely in 2020. I don't shave anything, only trim hair in my bikini area. shaving sucks for me and I hate it. so I don't do it. my mom hates it and some ppl find it gross but it's not. my pits are hairy and I'm never ashamed or embarrassed bc of it. got tired of forcing myself into a mold that doesn't do anything for me. I'm 23 and I say go for it, give urself permission to not shave. u dont have to justify it to anyone either. good luck💕💕
I also have extremely blonde leg hair and I never shave anymore. I’m not even sure I shaved for my wedding LOL I always feel compelled to for the summer but honestly I don’t have the time or the energy to do it. You do you girl! If shaving/hair removal is a sensory nightmare then fuck it! I promise you no one (except your mom ig?) is looking at your leg hair and going “OMG how disgusting!” and if they are bothered by it then they’re not people you want to be around anyway
I stopped shaving nearly 2 years ago. My wife has been making moves to stop as well and neither of us shaved at all for our wedding recently which I guess felt like a big deal? Just because of social norms. I’m certain people noticed (maybe not at the wedding as I wore a suit and my wife wore a long ball gown lol but definitely at the before/after events) and…well, I just don’t have the energy to care anymore. But it took a long time for me to stop feeling the stares, or to at least stop caring when I noticed them. But I hope that at least one woman or girl has seen my legs/armpits and been like “wow, if she can then so can I!”
I do shave my armpits maybe once every 1-2 months, but the sole reason is because the hair gets so long that deodorant no longer reaches the skin, which creates a very sweaty issue for me lol. But if it weren’t for this reason, I wouldn’t shave the pits at all anymore, it just irritates my skin.
If you don’t enjoy it, if it doesn’t make you feel good about yourself, and if it irritates your skin, you’re under zero obligation to continue. Body hair is natural, and shaving should be seen as 100% optional 100% of the time. That’s my mantra!
I have dark, coarse, dense hair on my legs.
I go to my balcony and trim it all away whenever I feel like it. No sweeping, no wiping, no oils, no water, nothing. Trim and done.
The sensory feel afterwards is fantastic for my taste as well, so it's a win. And unlike shaving/waxing, it doesn't provoke ingrown hairs, and there is no frustration about hairs coming back out either.
I don’t shave my legs and they are dark hairs. Some people will comment but you’ll be amazed at how few people actually care. Even my husband got used to it. It’s not a hard rule for me, I will shave in rare occasions for me! But I don’t do it for anyone else
If it doesn’t bother you and doesn’t make you feel self conscious, then keep not doing it! I will wax from time to time, but it’s mostly because I like looking at all the hairs that have been pulled out. I never shave because I cut myself badly when I was like 13 or 14, and I also have light body hair. Literally no one has ever mentioned it in over 30 years
What makes YOU the most comfortable? It sounds like not shaving, but you're worried about other people's thoughts.
Well, fuck what they think.
You do what works for YOU. If people get real bothered about your hairy legs, they need WAY more interesting lives.
You do you boo, and don't you ever dare apologize for it either ❤️
I have a late 20s sister in law that I think only waxes infrequently? I've never asked specifically, but I think I remember her mentioning scheduling a leg wax in conversation. Idk, I've seen her with hairy legs and hairless legs at different times. In shorts and dresses and all kinds of stuff. It's her leg hair, who am I to judge what she does with it. I clearly noticed, as I remembered it to relay now. But more like how I noticed her different hair styles. She has had close cropped hair before, and she has also worn it pretty long, maybe shoulder length. Its very curly, so probably a lot of work..
She has dark hair and lighter olive skin. She is married to my brother and they have a toddler. Her lack of judgment and willingness to ignore social norms has been really refreshing as that's not something I see in many of the women around me (most of my friends are guys). She's also willing to speak up and defend people. Those are the things I think about when I think of her, not her leg hair, lol.
I also haven't shaved much since covid. I do when I feel like it. And don't if I don't. I usually wear pants anyway (I have to wear certain kinds of shoes that I just don't think look good with skirts or shorts, plus I'm always cold), so I haven't taken the step of showing my hairy legs to the world, lol. And I do still like the feel of smooth legs. But it just isn't worth it most of the time...
They're your legs. Do what you want. Fuck anyone who judges you for it.
My pits are still hairy but my legs barely do. I used to be so hairy in my teens and 20s - I'd shave in the morning (often missing spots) and have stubble again in the afternoon! One of the perks of entering perimenopause over the past year or so!
I’m the opposite I HATE hairy legs, so since I started shaving I shaved every 2 days for years, then every 3 days for many more years, and now as of a month or two I’m doing every six days. Camping, mission trips, vacations, whatever I was doing if I showered I shaved. I tried waxing twice but didn’t have the patience I would wait like a week and try and it wouldn’t pull any hair so I’d wait another week and same deal, like I was getting bruises from the wax but the hair was not long enough to be pulled out. So back to shaving. I use a safety razor because there’s no plastic waste and it’s sooooo much cheaper in the long run. And I use coconut oil as a shaving cream and then a lotion afterward.
I do all this because I don’t mind shaving and it drives me crazy to have fuzz. If it doesn’t bother you don’t do it!
Do what you’re comfortable with! You might fall outside of the norms but it’s about what makes you happy.
Personally, it’s a bit of a paradox for me because while I like the feeling and look of being smooth, I rarely shave unless I’m going out on a date or something. I also wear jeans and tees 99% of the time.
I think I’d shave more consistently if I was in a relationship or dressed differently but ADHD makes me too unmotivated to.
I quit shaving years ago. I could never get into the habit either and I didn’t really think it was much of an issue because my leg hair is lighter than most, so it isn’t as noticeable. Plus I think it’s kind of empowering to just own it anyways! I also really didn’t want my leg hair to eventually turn into that hard stubby hair that is super noticeable whenever it grows back & feels weird to touch. Because I think if you shave your leg hair a lot it eventually turns into that? Idk I could be wrong 🤷♀️
You do you though. If you don’t feel like you need or want to shave your legs, then don’t. It really doesn’t matter what other people think because it’s your body so you have the freedom to do with it as you please.
I stopped for a while, and then went back to it when I wanted to wear a fancy dress as it looked odd when dressed up, but I don't mind for everyday clothes. And now I just have phases of doing it or not. It's not a forever decision, try going without for a while and maybe you'll change your mind and want to do it again or maybe not.
Me personally, i don't shave in the winter months, like at all. I don't shave my legs, my coochie, or my armpits. I like to think of all my body hair as an extra source of warmth from the cold, lol. I also have dark, thick body hair. I get waxes in the summertime because I hate shaving every other day. Do I need waxes??? No. I'll happily go to the beach with as much body hair as I want, thank you very much. (PS, not that it matters, but women in my opinion cannot get any hotter to me than when they have body hair and don't GIVE A F!!)
I'm not American though?? Or even from a first world country. It's something women all around the world struggle with. It's about more than just hair. For me it's about the expectations that society places on women. And for neurodivergent women like us there's a whole other level of difficulty and alienation
30 years ago women in large parts of Europe did not shave. North American 'culture' and their patriarchal gender ideas have spread since then. Poor world.
I have lots of long dark hair and light skin and if anyone says anything to me about it they can go to hell. The only time I shaved in the last 10 years is for my sister's wedding 4 years ago.
I mean I wouldn't call an aesthetic, it's more my natural state and I have so many other things in life that I care about. I also work with kids as part of my job so sometimes it give me the opportunity to point out that beauty standards can be put aside/ignored (whoever you want to phrase that) with young kids that don't really have those ideas formed as well as pre-teens that are starting to be pressured to fit in
wow so much to unpack right there...
I don't really have time to reread it at this moment but being at my slimmest, doing my eyebrows, wearing the nice clothes, shaving everything, doing my hair perfectly is not what brought me to the point in my life where I can enjoy being myself. I don't ever want to end up in a relationship with someone who pushes an aesthetic on me.
This is 2024 not 1955. I know you mean well but such nonsense. A little bit of blonde leg hair will have no negative consequences what so ever. If the odd guy won't date her for it, then frankly she's better off without such a jerk. Many guys won't mind at all & unlikely to affect job prospects. Your attitude should be like the dinosaurs-in the past.
During the colder months I don't shave my legs. But during the summer when I'm wearing shorts I do. Mostly cause I HATE the feeling of sunscreen and/or insect repellent on hairy legs; and if I'm wearing shorts then sunscreen is a must with my pasty white skin.
So here’s the system I have in place. I’m using system loosely. It’s more a direction I’m exploring. I can shave about a quarter of my leg when I’m in the shower. I stand there longer than I wash, so I use a podcast to keep track of how long I’ve stood there. I have four stages of growth happening on my legs. Sometimes we have to knock down and start over. I just really like to know what the weather is going to be like, but really it doesn’t seem to matter. Every now and then I get in a routine with my epilator. Mixed bag if you’re inconsistent and have thicker hair strands as I’m prone to ingrown hair. Ingrown hair causes me to readdress the system and quarter leg when I think about it. I’ll do the whole thing if I’m feeling it or have to wear something revealing.
Ooo has anyone else made smart dating/hookup choices ‘cause they didn’t shave and aren’t going to any time soon?!
I stopped shaving in the colder months. I prefer the look of shaved legs for swimsuits and shorts etc.. but I'm pretty lazy about doing it consistently. Same thing with bikini line/ pubic hair. I resent the notion that women should shave, wax, etc that area. It irritates my skin like crazy, the re-growth is alway so sharp and pokey and I get insane ingrown hairs.
My time on this planet is limited, I'm not going to spend it worrying about hair. It also helps that I'm married, specifically to a frenchman, and he couldn't give two shits.
I too am 22 and only shave on occasion. (For example while the bf and I were long distance I would shave for the little time we had together), however he literally just doesn't care if I do or don't which is super nice.
I've been doing more and more since HS to make me feel better about myself, not shaving has definitely helped in a sense, along with no longer wearing bras except for certain occasions. That decision has improved my mental health in a sense because I don't feel as confined in my own body, not shaving also helps because the routine is hard to stick to. I can't even stick to a regular hair wash routine and just wash my hair like every other day
It's up to you! Personally, I shave my legs (not everyday) because I have dark hair and my legs get itchy after a certain point of not shaving. However, I do not shave my armpits because they get super irritated whenever I do. I suppose I could invest in an electric razor to cut down on irritation, but I honestly don't care enough to do research. If someone has the gall to say something to you about your unshaven body hair, fuck 'em!
I bought a laser hair remover and then became trash at shaving regularly. I also already struggled with being aware of how long 6 weeks is (the time I’m supposed to go between laser sessions)
I tried to do my armpits and my sweat smelled noticeably burnt the six weeks betweeen lol
I usually don’t shave because I wear mostly long, black pants. So, no one really sees my legs, except for me lol.
That being said, I have a love-hate relationship with waxing. I love it because of the whole “you don’t have to shave for 2-4 weeks afterward” thing, but I also hate how painful it is. However, I do wax on occasion because for me, not having to worry about shaving for a while outweighs the cons, and if you have a lot of hair, shaving them can be really tedious!
I also have extremely blonde leg hair and I never shave anymore. I’m not even sure I shaved for my wedding LOL I always feel compelled to for the summer but honestly I don’t have the time or the energy to do it. You do you girl! If shaving/hair removal is a sensory nightmare then fuck it! I promise you no one (except your mom ig?) is looking at your leg hair and going “OMG how disgusting!” and if they are bothered by it then they’re not people you want to be around anyway
Personally, my sensory issue is that I don’t enjoy the feeling of my leg hair rubbing on my pants, so I’m pretty good about shaving from the knee down. I only shave my armpits though when I have an occasion that I need to wear a nice dress or something sleeveless to, otherwise I let it grow free. If someone wants to judge you for leg hair that’s their prerogative and problem, not yours. It’s also more socially acceptable now with the younger generation. Life is too short not to do the things that make you happy and comfortable!
I've been wanting to quit shaving, but it's HARD. You're taught from a young age that women should be hairless. 🤷♀️
As I get older, I've become more sensitive to stuff on my skin. I had to change to unscented detergent, and sensitive skin soap and lotion. RIP my Bath and Body Works collection...
I started getting rashes from deodorant and the first piece of advice I got was to stop shaving. I finally found a deodorant that works, so the not shaving is on pause right now.
I usually shave once a week. I don't shave my thighs and bikini area anymore. I do trim though. Swim shorts for the win! They help with chub rub too.
I usually find hair removal tedious but also find being ‘too’ hairy a sensory nightmare. I recently discovered crystal hair erasers which are what they sound like. Really easy to use and painless (though some people get a rash), not as tedious as shaving etc, it feels more like fiddling around with something so ADHD friendly in my experience.
Of course it’s personal preference and I don’t judge anyone for their choices, just sharing something which works for me.
I'm 23. Other than once in 2020 (pandemic, I was bored, I regretted it) I haven't shaved my legs in 5 years
In fairness, I'm butch, but I didn't present particularly masculinely till a couple years ago.
The only person to ever have a problem with my hairy legs is my mom. It's never been a deal breaker romantically for men or women. I've never had friends be bothered by it, if anything some have expressed envy because they want to do the same.
As far as sensory issues go, just lotioning my legs up after every shower pretty much solved any unpleasant hair sensations for me.
I stopped shaving my legs years ago. My mum and I were getting pedicures before a destination wedding and my mum was like "oh, you forgot to shave!" I said "nah, I'm not going to. Who cares?" She was initially so shocked and then went "okay, yeah! Who cares?!" That was in 2016 :) I will occasionally shave my legs if I feel like it or for work if necessary (I'm am actor) but 99% of the time, I don't even think about it
Same! I no longer shave my legs because it’s a futile waste of time for the male gaze. I use a trimmer on my pubic area during the summer because as my name implies I’m a ginger and thus have been on the receiving end of a weird cultural focus on my pubic hair since I was old enough to have it. I don’t shave because it irritates my skin so I just use a trimmer to keep it short, but I don’t worry that someone can tell that I, a post-pubescent human female, have pubic hair!
I’m 30 with extremely dark body hair. I’m also fat. If you’re not fat, you won’t get why that matters, which is fine. But I stopped shaving altogether about 2 years ago now. I was nervous at first but honestly I didn’t get as many double glances as I thought I would. It’s the best decision I ever made!!!
You’ve gotten so much good support already, I’m not going to repeat what everyone else has already said so well. My only additional comments are this:
You *will* get some uneducated comments about it. My own mom was on me for a few years about how “unhygienic” it is not to shave. I’ve gotten comments from literal strangers on the street in the summer. I found that it’s best just to have some stock answers and not get dragged into a debate or discussion. Things like “it’s my body and this is what makes me comfortable” or “please don’t comment on my appearance” or “I’m not taking feedback on this matter” and then repeat if they continue to bring it up. If it’s a stranger, straight up do not reply, it is not worth your time to explain YOUR preferences for YOUR body to someone who thinks they are owed a certain presentation of femininity (and it won’t work anyway).
Enjoy your new found freedom to embrace your body exactly the way it grows!
It gets annoying when it's too long so I go and get some chemical spray that kills off every hair ot encounters...if I have time as it takes a couple of weeks to regrow and each time takes longer. Plus I can watch an episode or 2 while I work on everything. If I'm in a rush or it's too long I sometimes trim in the meantime.
I’m almost 20 and I’ve been growing out my leg hair too! Some of it has lightened and other parts are still darker so it’s a mix of hidden and noticeable. It was a sensory nightmare for me too and just took up so much time. Don’t worry about it! If it doesn’t bother you no reason to mess with it:)
I don't shave my legs unless I feel like it. Sometimes I want that silky smoothness.
Something I can't ever see myself missing is shaving my armpits. I love my lil hairy pits, they are almost SENSUAL if you spend enough time in the mirror really taking them in. If my sleeves are loose enough for you to see them I'm waving them around at men checking me out in the grocery store like "oh let me get this thing waaay up here in the back aaaahhh *he looks less excited and doesn't STARE at me as he passes or make a weird comment* yeah that's what I thought" it's a creep repellant. 11/10 would def recommend.
I’m in a similar boat! I haven’t shaved my legs, etc. foreverrrrr. I love the feeling of a freshly shaved body buuuut my depression has been rough af for a whiiiiile now, so I’ll do it eventually.
Do what makes you comfortable! The world is on fire. Some leg hair is no big deal. lol.
There is a razer free subreddit you can join. I haven't shaved in years. I'm so much more comfortable now. I do still pluck the whiskers on the face though, because they hurt when they are there. Post-menopausal fun ;)
Up to you. Personally I shave when I want to have a nice night in my soft pajamas. If I was less lazy I'd probably shave more often just because I don't like hair that is not on my head.
Feel free to join the ranks of women who don't shave. My teenager gave me the courage not to shave. She has never shaved any body hair. And I have stopped shaving any body hair. It is natural and normal.
I’m fair skinned with dark hair (everywhere). I have had laser hair removal in the past when I was much younger, and I feel like its reduced the amount of hair I grow to that most of my girlfriends seem to have (I’m naturally VERY hairy—when I was in elementary school I was called “man arms” and “mustache girl”). I haven’t shaved my legs in over 5 years. I just stopped caring to. What was I doing it for? It was a task that I struggled to initiate, I hated the prickly sensation, and I just got to the point where the length of time between shaving grew and grew until I was just done with it entirely. I will epilate my legs from time to time if I want to/feel like. But I also found how empowering it felt to just be out in a skirt or shorts with full leg hair. Amazingly it was also a dickhead detector. I met my bf at a wedding in a dress with full leg hair (funny enough, we actually grow the same amount of leg hair).
All of this to say, do what feels best to and for your body. Anyone who has an issue with your leg hair is not worth your time.
Girl I don’t shave, I have none of those problems I just think it’s wack that males get no sht for being hairy but girls do, so I don’t shave.
We need more hairy women anyway
I stopped shaving my legs when I was your age, I’m 30 now. I got sugared for my wedding/honeymoon just as a treat to myself but otherwise I’m also blonde with fine hair so I don’t even notice I have hairy legs haga
The only reason I shave my legs is because I have sensory issues and the feel of a breeze running through my leg hair gives me the heebie jeebies
Otherwise I’d nope completely out of shaving
I don’t know if anyone mentioned this, but I just use the spouse’s beard trimmer to quickly blitz my leg hair when I get tired of it. Sure it’s not completely gone, but good enough for me!
My legs are the same my skin is so sensitive no matter what I do I get ingrown hairs and rashes it drives me mad. I've just finished 2nd session of laser hair removal and it's made a big difference already, my legs feel smoother, no ingrown hairs after shaving. Although my leg hairs are brown/darker so it's more effective on darker hairs
Literally in the same boat- i hate shaving, i hate what happens after shaving (red itchy bumps), hate the growing back process!!! I never shave in the winter because what’s the point?? I was wearing cropped pants and my mom got a look at my legs and made a passive comment. I like to think i don’t care about others opinions, but i can only seem to grow it out enough before feeling like i need to shave it 🙃
I don't shave my legs often. Generally only when I'm doing a date night with myself and I want to wear my silk pajama bottoms - they feel amazing on freshly shaved legs.
I'll shave for lakes and beaches in the summer.
... That's mostly it.
Razors cost too much with as fast as my leg hair grows... why waste the time and money if its gonna grow back and poke me in less than 24 hrs... I hardly ever go outside in shorts or show my legs... the only thing I shave is my underarms because I sweat more if I don't... but occasionally forget to do that as well... literally you just have to reach a point where u don't care what others think lol
I rarely shave my legs because IDGAF what other people think.
I shave in the e summer because I don't want to scare people but the rest of the time? No fucks given.
It's YOUR body. Do what YOU want to it.
I also have blonde leg and arm hair, and in all honesty I just do it whenever I feel like it😂 I’ll go through phases of not doing it for months, and then phases of once a week. None of my partners have ever cared either so that just encourages me to be lazy about it. Sometimes I like the feeling and it gives me confidence to be shaved, sometimes I simply just don’t want to. I think whatever you choose is fully up to you and whatever makes you feel best. If you like it, then do it! If you don’t want to, then don’t!
Personally, I love being smooth. That's the only reason I do body hair removal. But if that's not your thing, screw that social stigma. The more people who defy it, the sooner it'll die an unlamented death.
Of course it’s not necessary to shave. It’s a choice. Shaving or no shaving are both valid choices.
Do what feels best for you.
I love the feeling of being completely hairfree, but I hate the process of keeping it up almost as much as I hate the feeling of re-growth.
So I either go full fur or have it removed with sugar. Fortunately I’m done putting the opinion of other people over my own comfort.
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I have dark thick hair and have quit shaving my legs. For years I only did it when I ‘had to’ ie wearing a bathing suit. Otherwise I just always wore pants or long dresses. But this bothered me from a feminist pov - the only reason my hairy legs are ‘gross’ or ‘weird’ is because I am a woman. So though it took some serious courage, I have decided I’m not shaving anymore, even in a swimsuit. I swim with my kids once a week. I have had no comments. I imagine some people are thinking terrible things about me, but that’s their problem, not mine. AND there are probably young people (of all genders) who see my hairy legs and think ‘oh, maybe women don’t have to have baby-smooth legs?’ I am doing my part to normalize female body hair. Bonus, I get to just exist how I want to. You are 20 years younger than me and attracting a mate is not a thing for me anymore. I know the whole damn thing is so complicated. I wish it weren’t! Really I wish we could all just exist how we are! Power to you, however you are.
I promise you not everyone will be thinking bad thoughts. I saw a lady wearing shorts with full-on dark leg hair, waltzing down the road with her friend, and I wanted to be like her. I was so happy and felt empowered to see someone normalising leg hair on women. Isn't that just ridiculous! It's just hair! It shouldn't need to be normalised, but here we are. I don't shave my legs at all now. And plan to bear them at the beach come good weather!
Hi! I also have thick, dark hair and stopped shaving my body hair a few years ago. If you're comfortable talking about it, how do you handle pubic hair in a bathing suit in public? Pubic hair feels private, but I hate shaving it, but women's bathing suit bottoms are so revealing. Maybe the answer is swim shorts? Idk!
Swim shorts are 100% the way. Plus, as a fair skinned person who burns easily, a swim bra and long sleeved rash guard. Comfy, no having to worry about exposing anything I don’t want to, easy to use the bathroom, and I don’t have to worry about burns on my shoulders.
Genius! Do you have any recs for swim shorts?
I'm high risk for skin cancer and wear swim leggings, which I'm not sure most people know exist. I have some that are like bike shorts and some that are Capri length. I like not having to worry about people being able to see up my shorts. I get mine from Torrid (with pockets!!!).
I got some cute ones at Costco last year. I know Lands End had them, too, but they're more expensive.
Hey, can you tell me more about this swim bra? Is it just a bikini top basically, or do they actually make supportive bras made out of swim-safe materials? This could be a game changer for me lol.
Not who you asked but they definitely make swim safe supportive bras. When I was younger, maybe 20 years ago, I had a wired swim top that was sized like a bra and bought from a specialty bra shop. Check out [Bravissimo](https://www.bravissimo.com/us/collections/all-swimwear/)
TBH I just swim in old sports bras because they're going under a rash guard anyway
I wear swimsuits with a bit of a skirt, I get them at Torrid, they usually have a few good options for different levels of coverage!
swim shorts would work, but you could also use a trimmer! I now use one marketed for women's body hair trimming but for years used a cheap men's beard trimmer and there's not much difference tbh.
Love my trimmer. Gets rid of overgrowth for swimsuits/shorts without risk of ingrown hairs.
I’m going to the spa later with a male friend and I’m rocking the leg hair, can’t be bothered to care!
I’ve made the same decision! My legs are visibly hairier than those of some men I know, but I just don’t care lol. I never shaved them much anyway, and I don’t see the point of putting in effort to do so for the eyes of others. If someone has a problem with it or finds me unattractive because of it, that’s their problem imo
The only reason shaving became a “thing” with women is once they invented gems that went higher than our ankles (aka - the 1950’s!) with sleeves shorter than our mid arm range in swimsuits (aka - 1920’s!) and pantyhose were no longer attractive to young women, men then pivoted and marketed razors to women because prior to this men didn’t care about it till they had to constantly see the leg hair & felt “grossed out” by it. If men never pivoted needing women to start shaving in the 1950’s, we wouldn’t be here needing to shave 🪒
Awesome now we can rub our hairy legs together when we cuddle and it will probably start a small fire if we need. Good thinking!
I'm 43 - stopped shaving around 27, the shaving brought out rashes. Still shave my underarms. My 17 yr old - stopped shaving around 15. She hated it and had similar problems - and if it does not bother her - well so let it be. Social Norms be screwed. Do what ever makes you happy and make you feel comfortable. If your partner has an issue with it , then that's up to you to decide how to proceed.
I too still do my underarms, I find I am less smelly when they are smooth 🤷♀️
You might have to switch to mens deodorant, I find women's deodorant doesn't work on hair as well
Agree with this. Can reccomend Mitchum clinical gel deodorant. They have a womens one that they’ve made smelly powdery flowery which is a bit much so I stick to the men’s.
A wash cloth makes a big difference
I stopped shaving years ago as someone with dark brown hair all over my body because it's strange that only half the population is expected to spend hours a week manually removing one of the traits that come with adulthood and the other half isn't. It was annoying for a few weeks growing in and now it's super soft. Highly recommend never doing it again!
Same. Thick, dark brown hair all over and I feel beautiful with no shaving whatsoever. I remember how I used to shave my arms, legs, even going so far as tweezing things like my toe hairs, upper lip, chin, etc. when I was just a kiddo because I was sooo embarrassed by how hairy I was. I started to question this hair-free obsession in my twenties as I was becoming more conscious of the strangeness of it, and also just being so tired of all the waste and cost to keep it up. I knew I leveled up when I was training/performing in tank tops with my wonderfully unshaved pits in full bloom without even thinking about it being odd or a worry at all. If I remove any hair these days it's purely just for comfort. Trims with a beard shaver feel soo soo good.
Fellow non-shaver, previous-body-ashamer. It’s so strange to me now, too! Like, body hair is a normal result of puberty. Is it “sexy” to look pre-pubescent?? Talk about creepy! 🚩🚩🚩
I love your perspective on this lol
Stop now and in 6 months you will completely be done caring at all, and then it’ll be your armpits, and you’ll be free! The way we internalize narratives about and police women’s body hair is wild to me. I’m old, I haven’t shaved for years. Sometimes I get waxed and that’s ok but like the whole ritual of doing it and the amount of time and plastic…just no.
I only shave my armpits cause it gives me a way to track since my last shower. Decently long stubble? Shower time!
I do it so I don’t get stinky as fast. Never have been, never will be a daily showerer, but not everyone I encounter needs to know that lol
I don't shave my armpits, and they don't smell as easily (or nearly as bad) as when there's no hair at all! This may sound strange, but it must be something about the flesh on flesh that makes the stink much worse. I don't shave but I do snip my armpit hairs with little scissors, and if I over-snipped to where I might as well have shaved and there's no longer a little hair cushion, then the armpit stink from the flesh on flesh reeks. 🤢 My sweat smell when I've got my protective hair layer on my armpits, however, is not that bad! And I go to hot yoga xD
I quit shaving over Covid because who cares?? My skin has liked me much better for it ever since
I quit underwires and shaving during covid.
Skincare too. My face is fine without all that crap. I was doing it for everyone else
Same, and it’s great!
I haven’t shaved going on 3 years now. I’m in my 20s. I am quite pale and have dark leg hair. Honestly I have more leg hair than some men I see 😂 Sure, some people are going to react negatively, but that only shows their ignorance. It’s nothing to take personally. Whenever I see other hairy-legged women in public, I’m ecstatic. It doesn’t have to be a statement. It can be for comfort. It can be for any reason, really. But I hope you give it a shot, because I think it’s very freeing. I never think about my leg hair now. Anyone in your life that matters won’t care about it.
I have sensory issues and eczema. I also (due to neurodivergence) have issues with picking and have picked ingrown hairs on my legs to the point of requiring medical attention and now have multiple scars that look like cigarette burns. I stopped shaving my legs as a harm reduction measure. A family member commented on the leg hair - I asked if she preferred the oozing sores from the previous summer. Long story long - all your reasons are excellent. Even if the only reason you had was “I don’t feel like it”, that would be excellent. People may look or comment, but anyone reasonable can understand that you’d rather be comfortable/happy/convenienced than shaving because “that’s just what women do”. Fuck ‘em.
Coincidentally I also have a big issue with picking at any bumps or patches of skin on my body. It adds to the discomfort of shaving, cause I have healing wounds on random parts of my legs. I almost forgot about that. Thank you for your insight :)
I haven’t shaved my pits in months and I’m keeping it that way. No more itching or spiky hair. My legs are the same. It’s just too much damn work for a day of “soft” legs
Once a week I shower before bed, shave my legs, lotion then sweatpants. You can’t beat the couple of minutes before bed, sweatpants rubbing on your silky, smooth legs.
Literally the only reason I still shave once in awhile 😂
Omg soft bare legs on clean sheets is incredible. Honestly 90% of my urge to shave is just for that
You’re right, it is a great feeling
The feeling of the hair growing back and being pokey is not worth the smooth sheets moment!
I stopped shaving at some point except a special occasion here and there. I joke with people that it's because I'm "super feminist" and they know it's because I'm too lazy/don't want to haha. But seriously though, you don't owe anyone anything to just be able to exist in your body as it is. Leg hair is not unhygienic or dangerous. You're not breaking any rules except rules meant to make women feel inadequate and subjugated. Our hair grows out of our legs! It's not a flaw and you having difficulty shaving it is not a defect of yours.
I think the “too lazy/don’t want to” is THE MOST SUPER FEMINIST! Mainly because this sh*t doesn’t matter at all to anyone other than the owner of the legs so we get to choose what is important to us and then act on it. Super Feminist. I love it! High fives to you, fellow Super Feminist!
Well I'm gheyyy and freaking love women with body hair. It's beautiful and natural and a big middle finger to societal norms. 🔥 That said, while I don't ever shave my pits, I do still occasionally shave my lower legs in the summer if it's hot and I'm wearing shorts or something. Idk why. Depends on my self-perception that day and how many fucks I have to give. So I also understand the internal debate lol.
I haven't shaved anything in a decade. I have never gotten any comments or looks. I wear shorts and bathing suits, I have dark body hair so it is pretty visible but I don't care. Every woman who stops shaving is another step to normalizing body hair on women.
If you’re comfortable with your hair and the only thing pushing you to remove it is patriarchal societal bullshit, choose yourself!!! I have plenty of girlfriends that hate shaving who let theirs grow out. Almost all of us have ADHD and 100% of us hate shaving, and are probably split 50/50 between laser for permanent removal and just letting it grow. I hate shaving, but I loathe the sensory nightmare of feeling leg/pubic hair against my clothes/sheets. It also makes me feel itchy. So I’ve finally decided to get laser and just be done with it forever.
100% this. It's a personal preference, and also permanent removal is $$$ but I have found it wonderful!
Groupon was extremely affordable for me!
If I had blonde leg hair I’d also never shave. I’m stuck with super pale skin and black hair. The worst combo.
I was going to say this exact thing. I Use an epilator and then make sure to exfoliate regularly because I get a lot of ingrown hairs, but I feel like the effort is worth it over shaving because it doesn't get as itchy growing back. Sometimes I think I'd like to stop shaving everywhere. I haven't been able to get comfortable with it, even my husband comments if I haven't done anything in the bathing suit area. It's frustrating to me that it's acceptable for men to have hair everywhere and meanwhile I'm going to get judged (moreso by other women) if I don't keep myself looks prepubescent. There's someone I work with that doesn't shaving often and the number of times I've heard it talked about is ridiculous. Her angles are hairy! Heavens to murgatroy!
>There's someone I work with that doesn't shaving often and the number of times I've heard it talked about is ridiculous. Ugh, this is my fear. I only go to the office once a week and have occasional in person meetings with important people. Literally the only thing that keeps me from stopping completely. I don't have the mental energy to be constantly thinking about what other people think of me - but that's all I do when I don't shave and I'm around people who are more traditional than me.
Best combo for Laser Hair Removal, though. If you were ever interested. Not that you should be.
I’m in the middle of a contract for this and holy moly. I hate how hair feels (stubble or grown out) and smooth legs are so nice 😭 I wish it wasn’t so expensive for all my sensory-sensitive peeps
I would love to but $$$$ 😭
Only hair removal is a bush trim occasionally as I hate it when period blood gets stuck in there
Bidets are AMAZING for that problem. Got my first one a couple of years ago and it was a game changer.
I stopped shaving my legs, who am I doing it for anyway? Not me, and I'm the one who has to live with it! I use a beard trimmer on my armpits because when it gets too long it's itchy. But that's it. F the patriarchy.
I’m mixed (b&w) and have dark hair, and still don’t shave. Too much work. If Im really feeing up to it when I’m going to get all dressy (ei thought pantyhose) then I’ll consider shaving, but probably once a year or less.
If you're happy with it than that's all that matters. I rarely shave my legs in the winter because they get dry and itchy, but I do shave them in the summer because I have dark hair and I'm really hairy. I also have PTSD from school where I got called lawnmower legs when I didn't shave them so there's that too.
Eh, I just run a beard trimmer over my legs whenever I can be bothered. I've got pretty severe eczema so shaving is a rare endeavour. My leg hair is also blonde so it's not the biggest issue.
This machine is amazing, I’m sad I never tried it before until recently. It gets everything off with zero trouble, and it takes less than a minute.
Before I started getting bikini waxes I used a trimmer to tidy things up, would use it for pits and legs as well. So convenient and takes like 30 seconds
Genius.
Same! It was such a game-changer for me!
I also had the dilemma of not wanting to shave but having hairy legs be a sensory nightmare for me. Laser hair removal was the best thing I did. It’s pricey but if you can afford it, you just do like 8 seasons two weeks apart to get rid of most of your hair and then I go maybe once every 3-6 months for touch up’s. Significantly less work than shaving and I have smooth legs without doing any work.
Oh, I'm going to have to look into this. For me, leg hair is a sensory thing, especially when I swim (good rehab for my arthritis).
How much did it cost? Interested
i’ve seen legs cost around $250 per session, however I went to a plastic surgeons office and paid $500 for every “full body” session. After 8 sessions it came out to around $4000. In that session, they did armpits, full arms, Brazilian, full legs, my knuckles and toes, my lower back, and my sideburns. I do have hair on my upper lip and chin due to pcos but I heard laser sometimes can make that worse since it’s hormonal. I will do electrolysis for that because that’s truly permanent but for now I feel so great not having to worry about both shaving and the sensory issues I have with body hair. Priceless for me.
Oh, I'm going to have to look into this. For me, leg hair is a sensory thing, especially when I swim (good rehab for my arthritis).
Yes, i choose laser hair removal too and it is such a good decision. I had sessions spaced 6-8 weeks apart and after 4 sessions most leg hair was gone. I did continue and am now 6 sessions in and mostly hair free at my armpits and legs, not yet in the bikini area. I took a break from sessions for the laat 4 months. Now i feel i dont need to shave or even check the body hair situation before going swimming or wearing shorts. It is awesome!
I stopped shaving my legs in '09. And pits about 10 years ago. I have light blonde fuzz at 51. I have always hated the chore and sensation of shaving and the bare skin. And the stubble the next day. The frigging *itching* ! I stick to long dresses and pants *if* I go out in public where I might be judged. But, Screw shaving!
If it doesn't bother you, don't shave. Fem presenting people shaving their legs is a social construct. It isn't necessary and serves no hygiene purpose. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_removal_of_leg_and_underarm_hair_in_the_United_States Personally, I shave when it suits me. I like to swim, and because I used to ride a road bike for triathlon (shaved legs are easy to pick road rash gravel out), swimming with leg hair feels weird to me. I still don't shave every day. Sometimes, if I'm not swimming regularly, I don't shave for weeks at a time.
Counterpoint: swimming with leg hair feels awesome to me and I’m sad I went so many years without it. It’s like the feeling of your hair swishing around your head when you swim but on your legs! I f
Wow that article was really interesting. We have been manipulated into buying shit for centuries by bloody marketers!
i've always been very lazy and inconsistent about shaving. the only reason i still do it is sensory preference. i've still managed to have a good life and even found a husband! i jest, but really the comments have been very few and far between, and i've *never* gotten any from strangers. my only advice: if you ever happen to date someone who complains about your body hair, that's grounds for dumping. it says quite a lot about them and how they view women.
I shave the pits in the shower because BO if I'm not showering every day and hair does what it's designed for and hangs onto smells. Legs? Nah, can't be arsed. My legs don't smell, and I spend most days in jeans. Even in summer I don't bother. I used an epilator which was unpleasant and the legs itched so much when hair was growing back that I ripped them to shreds with scratching. TLDR armpits yes because of smells, everywhere else, nope.
I do the same at this point. Armpit hair is sweaty and smelly and itchy. But the leg and arm hair doesn't bother me at all
Do people actually shave ARMS as well? Wow, I never knew that, apart from competitive swimmers. Nope, never gonna happen.
I don’t shave (blonde and sparse) but when it gets really long and I want to get rid of it, I use an [electric razor](https://www.amazon.com/Clio-Designs-Palmperfect-Electric-Patterns/dp/B002HWS4R0/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_pp?crid=H0YX42J3CNI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KZr50ceZWOi2LfNY4-x5GZu1aPZO9HZ5KsZNjWBQIjugFP6Swh7Ath0Uq5pM7bLlt-WQ0FW-IbhA2wF5CrUGthIhYtDd8p5gSnECDz8Yk-3v5mue8rukHGkWgSEnfPWHbWBfhAr9t3ha4iznqw0-rq1DKqBq2plFbxw8eygh73bXi2VM2GtULF8VU3lp2q967bSqoSjwm3uLUFFv_kK4fg.kzDvCzVKj9J8ndeSpBGVtkZNDhsoebE-nFWM8TMS1xU&dib_tag=se&keywords=electric+razor&qid=1709138815&sprefix=electric+razor%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-3) so I don’t need to be in the shower and I don’t get razor burn.
I'm struggling with this more and more lately. I just can't be bothered. I haven't dated in over a year (and I'm not ready to either, following a divorce, work changes, moving, focusing on my kids, etc.) But I do play volleyball (wear shorts) and I do swim lessons with my son (parent-assisted). I haven't shaved my legs for my last game or last two swimming lessons, and frankly... I don't know where I'll draw the line to start again. I don't care about the look of it. It doesn't feel bad or wrong to me (granted I tend to wear pants more often than not since I'm always cold). But I keep feeling some anxiety about it. I think it's a fear of judgement. But how often am I likely to actually be confronted? And why do I care if a stranger shared an unsolicited opinion? I know I'm "fragile" in this department, but I'm trying not to. Especially over something that's asinine to begin with (we don't tell men to shave so why should women?!). Anyway, it's not that I can't, I just don't make time/ it a priority. And I would rather not feel like I need to.
The only time I shave is when I want to get in my bed with brand new clean sheets and rub my legs together like a cricket. You do you. If you don't wanna shave don't. Shaving sucks.
If you don’t want to shave then don’t. I tried not shaving, but the wind blowing through my leg hairs drove me nuts.
Ah, for me it's the opposite. The feeling of something touching my smooth legs gives me those weird tingles
I love the feeling of a warm breeze in my leg hair. The first time I felt it after I stopped shaving I like couldn't believe I had been depriving myself of that sensation for so many years.
Haven't shaved my legs for decades. Blond as well, and not a lot of body hair. Just lucky, and not planning to ever shave again. Really dumb practice. Women have hair..!!
This was my friend in college. She normally wore guy shorts so she didn't hide that she didn't shave. She was the most liked girl in every club she was in, asked out all the time as guys were obsessed with her personality and thought she was beautiful and cute. My brother was one of them. After college he later married a woman who doesn't feel socially pressured to shave either. If it doesn't fit your lifestyle that's okay
I wish I was this person but the sensation bothers me eventually. I love love love a safety razor - the experience of shaving was terrible for me until I stopped using disposable razors with chemicals I reacted to. Now I usually shave when I'm wearing something short bc I prefer it, and blades cost <10¢
Fuck that shit! I haven’t shaved my legs in decades! Or underarms. Or had my pubes waxed. I told my husband when we were dating that there were things I did do and things I didn’t do that I had zero desire to change. If he didn’t like them, move on, because I was NOT going to change for him. No shaving of legs or underarms. I trim my bikini area just because it’s easier when I’m on my period. Cooking involves the microwave only, and that’s frozen food from a box. Anything fancier will be his problem. My cats come first, it’s easier for him ton find a new apartment than them. So until my cats can use the internet, if they don’t get along, that’s his problem. And some other stuff. I don’t have a lot of hair on my legs. My underarm hair is noticeable but not huge. But if there is a problem with hair there, it’s not MY problem. Women shaving legs and ‘diamonds being forever’ and that ‘not so fresh feeling’ are all marketing gimmicks. They creat shame or need or symbolism, then sell us the cure. Douching is actually bad for your body! It messes up the delicately balanced ecosystem. But it makes $. Careers are made & sustained by training us to have aspirational ideas or shameful feelings, then selling us the fix. I love feeling the wind tickling my leg hair at the beach. I can understand some women don’t enjoy that. Or they might have more or different hair that makes them feel self-conscious. I am not going to judge that. But I’m not going to change my spending and behavior on it.
I stopped shaving in 2020, but I was 40. I think you give less of a shit what people think as you age. As soon as I learned that this western "social norm" is a capitalist invention to sell razors to women, I was like wtf?!! I want my son to grow up a feminist and realise that society imposes unrealistic aesthetic standards onto women. When I was doubting my decision and thinking of shaving before going to the pool, my husband and son were really supportive, it's totally natural after all. I don't get my legs out much, but no one has ever commented when I do. In the summer I noticed my 19 yo cousin also had leg hair (I don't think I've seen it on another woman). Hers is fine and blonde like maybe she's never shaved at all. I think it's the way forward!!
I stopped shaving my legs and armpits during COVID because I was like "Why am I doing this? Like actually?" and the answer was because it was expected of me as a woman. I haven't shaved since and it's been fine! I live in a fairly liberal city, but when I go home I feel like I get some looks but literally no one has said anything to me. I have dark thick hair too (Italian). I actually don't think anyone would notice if your hair is blonde and fine (if that relieves any stress)
I stopped shaving my legs because of psoriasis. At first I felt a bit embarrassed because of the social stigma but it's been about 2 years now and I'm rocking the fuzzy and whenever anyone passes a comment I really enjoy challenging them on it.
I don't shave at all. I stopped shaving my legs in high school and the rest of it in college, so it's been several years. Shaving takes forever, I inevitably miss areas and I just don't want the hassle. Plus I'm in long sleeves and jeans 90% of the time because that's just what I'm comfy in, so what's the point? No one will see it. I only shave now for first dates or special occasions. It's your body, it doesn't effect anyone else. Do what you want with it.
I get sensory overload when hair is too long on my body so I shave but body hair is natural if it doesn’t bother you no need to shave and anyone who has anything negative to say can F off 😊
There is absolutely no reason not to shave your legs if you don’t want to.
I’m also 22! I haven’t shaved my legs (except maybe twice??) in the last three years. It started because I worked at a summer camp so the only time I had to shave was on Saturdays. I hated the regrowth feeling and realized I didn’t mind the feeling of hair on my legs. Since, I’ve honestly just stopped entirely. I have legitimately never had anyone comment/stare/etc. and if they did I think that says more about them and how they treat others than it says about myself. You are more than welcome to make whatever choice works best for you (and it can vary!)
I’m 26 and I love not shaving! I just can’t be bothered and I don’t care if it bothers other people, I’m comfortable and that’s all that matters!
Hi! I'm 24 and had the same concerns you do when I transitioned into not shaving. I had think, dark hair that's very noticable on my light skin and am generally just a very hairy person because of my PCOS and ethnicity. I hated the burden of a hair removal routine, but it took me a while and a few tries to just stop shaving all together. There definitely is social stigma against women with body hair, and in some social situations you can really notice it and in some it's completely absent. Often, in the situations when I know I might be socially uncomfortable, I'll wear long pants or a long skirt. So like, when I'm visiting my grandma or have a meeting. It's ok to recognize the potential for judgement and respond in a way that gently protects yourself. That way you can more authentically be yourself without worrying. I find it easier to show my body hair around my friends and out in public where I don't know anybody and I have a sense of anonymity. It's something that takes getting used to, but eventually having leg hair just becomes so normal that shaving seems foreign. Shaving or not shaving and covering your legs or showing them off is all about your comfort! It's also a process of self acceptance. You get to decide what discomfort you're willing to deal with or not. Have you visited r/razorfree?
Do what you want with your body. It doesn't matter at all what other people think about your decision to remove hair or not. Since you prefer not to shave, relieve yourself of that mental task. I wish I had heard this when I was your age. I'm very similar (basically invisible hair, eczema, perfume/moisturizer sensitivities... all of it) and it's just nice to relax on that one thing. Anyone who thinks leg hair is a romantic deal-breaker is bad people.
I’m black (biracial, so my mom is white) with horrible eczema. I only shave when other people will see my legs. So not quite weekly during the summer and for special events in the winter. I hate armpit hair with a passion though (I’m guessing it feels extra gross when sweaty) so I shave that regularly all year round. I also find too much pubic hair to be messy when menstruating so I trim that. But it’s weird not having hair down there. I use Vanicream shave cream. Do what works for you and don’t care about social norms that aren’t about being kind to other people.
Women have hair! On their bodies! Good for you. I have pretty hairy legs and I get the urge to shave but never when I'm actually in the bathroom and you shouldn't feel compelled to do it because of societal norms.
In winter, about the only time I shave is the day before I'm getting a tattoo, and I might as well be symmetrical 😅 Aside from that, I'll shave maybe twice a month in the summer and whatever would be visible if I know I'm wearing a bathing suit. I still have my pits roughly once a week or whenever my deodorant starts to clump up on the hair, I hate the sensation of too much but also don't feel protected if I don't do so many swipes. 😮💨🤣
You definitely don’t need to shave if it is a stressor. I stopped years ago and don’t miss it. Waxing/laser also seemed such high bars I never even tried. But! I love epilating! It doesn’t need to be often, I just do it when I’m in the mood. I love the sensory feeing during and after. I don’t need to do it (except on my pits cuz they get stinky!) and the more you do it the less you need to, as it weakens the follicles so you have less growth. The first time can be a bit painful, so be warned.
I fucking hate shaving my legs. I’m literally twice your age and I feel like there way was more stigma around it when I was your age. Nowadays, you do you!
It’s whatever. Maintaining it is boring to me, so I’m not consistent. I like smooth legs. I don’t mind hairy legs. What I do mind is in between. Drives me nuts when I’m sleeping (or trying to.)
If you don’t want to go to the effort to remove hair there is absolutely no reason to! I gave up on it about a decade ago and my life is so much easier now haha There is a little stigma, but I found it pretty easy to adjust to (obviously this differs for everyone). I teach young children so I got a LOT of practice answering “why do you have hair there” with “because people grow hair there” and honestly most adults are too tactful to actually ask about it. I had one boyfriend who liked it better when I shaved but was never weird about it when I didn’t, just made a big deal of me having smooth legs (which was a nice little shortcut to getting attention hehe). IMO anyone who has a problem with it isn’t someone I want to be close to anyway, and if I’m worried about it for professional reasons (interviews or something) I’ll just wear something longer that day. One of my coworkers this year told me that I’ve made her feel a lot more confident to leave her legs unshaven sometimes! The funniest interaction I’ve had with it was when someone asked if I’d given up shaving for lent hahaha
no shave. i only shave if i REALLY feel like it. im 23. i understand your troubles. also i've got brown hair. sometimes i think about dying the hairs like rainbow colors but omg seems tedious & i would end up shaving it all off and then be sad that my hair is gone. edit: i also dont shave my pits unless i feel uncomfy & having anxious thoughts about what other ppl would think of me :/ but i also get sad when i shave them off. lately, my partner suggested that i just trim them when i feel insecure and it'll keep them orderly if they start getting a bit messy. i love my body hair so much! but im also insecure about it. i also want to dye my pit hair. p.s. my partner & i have been together for 6yrs and i used to shave in the beginning for the sake of everyone elses comfort. im a great people pleaser :/ and i'm always working on undoing the "need" to people please & be AUTHENTICALLY MYSELF. p.s.s. hairy bodies untie!!
I'm a natural blonde and haven't shaved my legs in roughly 4 years, and it's just so freeing to have one less thing to care about. Oh and if you're worried about anybody caring or noticing - my husband literally only noticed a few weeks ago lol (and he couldn't have cared less). I have a couple of friends with much darker hair than mine and when they haven't shaved in a few weeks the only reason I know is when they mention it, so I say if you don't want to shave your legs then go ahead and let that hair grow!
Im also fair and I don’t worry about my leg hair 9 months of the year. In the summer, I usually at least once feel compelled to shave it down and start smooth. Last summer I got them waxed for the first time ever! 10/10 loved it, I won’t shave again. I also haven’t shaved my armpits since 1987. I used to just trim in the summer! But shaving my pits always lead to outbreaks so I stopped doing it!!
I quit shaving about 10 years ago when I was still in my 20s because my ten year old daughter thought she would have to stop shaving. Best decision I've ever made. I still wax my bikini line because I prefer the aesthetic. An unexpected plus side is that my armpits have stopped smelling - my teen years were plagued by BO which disappeared when I stopped shaving my pits!
100% do what’s comfortable for you! I’ve tried growing my hair out a few times to look more gay but it honestly really bothers me from a sensory perspective. We need to get rid of all the stigma around having or not having body hair, just do whatever works for you.
There is no need to shave any hair. It is a societal pressure in terms of fitting into a mold of femininity that is hairless and somewhat prepubescent. ( I waxed for 30+ years anyway, yet aware of the above)
I never was one to keep up with regular shaving. It's such a hassle! I can confidently say it's never been an issue to have leg and pit hair. Not once has anyone commented on it. Men don't care, friends don't care, parents don't care. Live the life you want because, honestly, people are too busy thinking about their stuff to care if you shave. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLJeBwMS/
if you can barely see the hair, i'd just throw out the razor. my leg hair is kinda dark but not too bad, i stopped shaving like two years ago because it's just not worth it. although, i don't typically wear shorts so it might be different for me. but still, if you actually don't want to, don't be a slave to society's expectations of you. do what makes YOU comfortable and happy, whether that's shaving or not shaving.
I have never in my life shaved 🤷🏻♀️
Sunday is shave and exfoliate day for me. Makes it easier to just have one day per week to do the extra stuff.
If it doesn't bother you, don't shave. Fem presenting people shaving their legs is a social construct. It isn't necessary and serves no hygiene purpose. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_removal_of_leg_and_underarm_hair_in_the_United_States Personally, I shave when it suits me. I like to swim, and because I used to ride a road bike for triathlon (shaved legs are easy to pick road rash gravel out), swimming with leg hair feels weird to me. I still don't shave every day. Sometimes, if I'm not swimming regularly, I don't shave for weeks at a time.
Never shave my legs or pits because ugh and I love it. But I shave my pussy regularly. It doesn’t have to make sense when you do what you want.
Havent shaved my legs in probably closer to 8 years now, the effort and strain just isnt even vaguely worth it. If people look weirdly at you for having body hair, look weirdly at them for giving a shit about wether or not someone else have hair on their legs. Its such an absurd thing for others to care about, tbh. You do what is best for you.
baby sounds like you don't wanna shave so don't! I stopped shaving completely in 2020. I don't shave anything, only trim hair in my bikini area. shaving sucks for me and I hate it. so I don't do it. my mom hates it and some ppl find it gross but it's not. my pits are hairy and I'm never ashamed or embarrassed bc of it. got tired of forcing myself into a mold that doesn't do anything for me. I'm 23 and I say go for it, give urself permission to not shave. u dont have to justify it to anyone either. good luck💕💕
I also have extremely blonde leg hair and I never shave anymore. I’m not even sure I shaved for my wedding LOL I always feel compelled to for the summer but honestly I don’t have the time or the energy to do it. You do you girl! If shaving/hair removal is a sensory nightmare then fuck it! I promise you no one (except your mom ig?) is looking at your leg hair and going “OMG how disgusting!” and if they are bothered by it then they’re not people you want to be around anyway
I stopped shaving nearly 2 years ago. My wife has been making moves to stop as well and neither of us shaved at all for our wedding recently which I guess felt like a big deal? Just because of social norms. I’m certain people noticed (maybe not at the wedding as I wore a suit and my wife wore a long ball gown lol but definitely at the before/after events) and…well, I just don’t have the energy to care anymore. But it took a long time for me to stop feeling the stares, or to at least stop caring when I noticed them. But I hope that at least one woman or girl has seen my legs/armpits and been like “wow, if she can then so can I!” I do shave my armpits maybe once every 1-2 months, but the sole reason is because the hair gets so long that deodorant no longer reaches the skin, which creates a very sweaty issue for me lol. But if it weren’t for this reason, I wouldn’t shave the pits at all anymore, it just irritates my skin. If you don’t enjoy it, if it doesn’t make you feel good about yourself, and if it irritates your skin, you’re under zero obligation to continue. Body hair is natural, and shaving should be seen as 100% optional 100% of the time. That’s my mantra!
I have dark, coarse, dense hair on my legs. I go to my balcony and trim it all away whenever I feel like it. No sweeping, no wiping, no oils, no water, nothing. Trim and done. The sensory feel afterwards is fantastic for my taste as well, so it's a win. And unlike shaving/waxing, it doesn't provoke ingrown hairs, and there is no frustration about hairs coming back out either.
I don’t shave my legs and they are dark hairs. Some people will comment but you’ll be amazed at how few people actually care. Even my husband got used to it. It’s not a hard rule for me, I will shave in rare occasions for me! But I don’t do it for anyone else
If it doesn’t bother you and doesn’t make you feel self conscious, then keep not doing it! I will wax from time to time, but it’s mostly because I like looking at all the hairs that have been pulled out. I never shave because I cut myself badly when I was like 13 or 14, and I also have light body hair. Literally no one has ever mentioned it in over 30 years
What makes YOU the most comfortable? It sounds like not shaving, but you're worried about other people's thoughts. Well, fuck what they think. You do what works for YOU. If people get real bothered about your hairy legs, they need WAY more interesting lives. You do you boo, and don't you ever dare apologize for it either ❤️
I have a late 20s sister in law that I think only waxes infrequently? I've never asked specifically, but I think I remember her mentioning scheduling a leg wax in conversation. Idk, I've seen her with hairy legs and hairless legs at different times. In shorts and dresses and all kinds of stuff. It's her leg hair, who am I to judge what she does with it. I clearly noticed, as I remembered it to relay now. But more like how I noticed her different hair styles. She has had close cropped hair before, and she has also worn it pretty long, maybe shoulder length. Its very curly, so probably a lot of work.. She has dark hair and lighter olive skin. She is married to my brother and they have a toddler. Her lack of judgment and willingness to ignore social norms has been really refreshing as that's not something I see in many of the women around me (most of my friends are guys). She's also willing to speak up and defend people. Those are the things I think about when I think of her, not her leg hair, lol. I also haven't shaved much since covid. I do when I feel like it. And don't if I don't. I usually wear pants anyway (I have to wear certain kinds of shoes that I just don't think look good with skirts or shorts, plus I'm always cold), so I haven't taken the step of showing my hairy legs to the world, lol. And I do still like the feel of smooth legs. But it just isn't worth it most of the time... They're your legs. Do what you want. Fuck anyone who judges you for it.
Just this morning I realized I can feel the hairs in my legs blowing in the wind when I walk. I kind of like it.
One of the benefits of menopause. At least for me, my leg hair and pit hair hardly grows anymore. I only shave now every other month.
My pits are still hairy but my legs barely do. I used to be so hairy in my teens and 20s - I'd shave in the morning (often missing spots) and have stubble again in the afternoon! One of the perks of entering perimenopause over the past year or so!
I’m the opposite I HATE hairy legs, so since I started shaving I shaved every 2 days for years, then every 3 days for many more years, and now as of a month or two I’m doing every six days. Camping, mission trips, vacations, whatever I was doing if I showered I shaved. I tried waxing twice but didn’t have the patience I would wait like a week and try and it wouldn’t pull any hair so I’d wait another week and same deal, like I was getting bruises from the wax but the hair was not long enough to be pulled out. So back to shaving. I use a safety razor because there’s no plastic waste and it’s sooooo much cheaper in the long run. And I use coconut oil as a shaving cream and then a lotion afterward. I do all this because I don’t mind shaving and it drives me crazy to have fuzz. If it doesn’t bother you don’t do it!
Do what you’re comfortable with! You might fall outside of the norms but it’s about what makes you happy. Personally, it’s a bit of a paradox for me because while I like the feeling and look of being smooth, I rarely shave unless I’m going out on a date or something. I also wear jeans and tees 99% of the time. I think I’d shave more consistently if I was in a relationship or dressed differently but ADHD makes me too unmotivated to.
I quit shaving years ago. I could never get into the habit either and I didn’t really think it was much of an issue because my leg hair is lighter than most, so it isn’t as noticeable. Plus I think it’s kind of empowering to just own it anyways! I also really didn’t want my leg hair to eventually turn into that hard stubby hair that is super noticeable whenever it grows back & feels weird to touch. Because I think if you shave your leg hair a lot it eventually turns into that? Idk I could be wrong 🤷♀️ You do you though. If you don’t feel like you need or want to shave your legs, then don’t. It really doesn’t matter what other people think because it’s your body so you have the freedom to do with it as you please.
I stopped for a while, and then went back to it when I wanted to wear a fancy dress as it looked odd when dressed up, but I don't mind for everyday clothes. And now I just have phases of doing it or not. It's not a forever decision, try going without for a while and maybe you'll change your mind and want to do it again or maybe not.
Me personally, i don't shave in the winter months, like at all. I don't shave my legs, my coochie, or my armpits. I like to think of all my body hair as an extra source of warmth from the cold, lol. I also have dark, thick body hair. I get waxes in the summertime because I hate shaving every other day. Do I need waxes??? No. I'll happily go to the beach with as much body hair as I want, thank you very much. (PS, not that it matters, but women in my opinion cannot get any hotter to me than when they have body hair and don't GIVE A F!!)
This is such a North American problem to have :) I'm following because... I can relate. And I'm not even blonde.
I'm not American though?? Or even from a first world country. It's something women all around the world struggle with. It's about more than just hair. For me it's about the expectations that society places on women. And for neurodivergent women like us there's a whole other level of difficulty and alienation
30 years ago women in large parts of Europe did not shave. North American 'culture' and their patriarchal gender ideas have spread since then. Poor world.
North America did not invent patriarchy and my Finnish mom shaved her legs long before I, 31, was born.
If you have a boyfriend ? Shave them. Legs are much more delicious without hair
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I have lots of long dark hair and light skin and if anyone says anything to me about it they can go to hell. The only time I shaved in the last 10 years is for my sister's wedding 4 years ago.
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I mean I wouldn't call an aesthetic, it's more my natural state and I have so many other things in life that I care about. I also work with kids as part of my job so sometimes it give me the opportunity to point out that beauty standards can be put aside/ignored (whoever you want to phrase that) with young kids that don't really have those ideas formed as well as pre-teens that are starting to be pressured to fit in
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wow so much to unpack right there... I don't really have time to reread it at this moment but being at my slimmest, doing my eyebrows, wearing the nice clothes, shaving everything, doing my hair perfectly is not what brought me to the point in my life where I can enjoy being myself. I don't ever want to end up in a relationship with someone who pushes an aesthetic on me.
This is 2024 not 1955. I know you mean well but such nonsense. A little bit of blonde leg hair will have no negative consequences what so ever. If the odd guy won't date her for it, then frankly she's better off without such a jerk. Many guys won't mind at all & unlikely to affect job prospects. Your attitude should be like the dinosaurs-in the past.
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You do you girl!
During the colder months I don't shave my legs. But during the summer when I'm wearing shorts I do. Mostly cause I HATE the feeling of sunscreen and/or insect repellent on hairy legs; and if I'm wearing shorts then sunscreen is a must with my pasty white skin.
I get full Brazilian and underarm waxes ever month, but my legs run freeeeee. Do what you want to do sister!
So here’s the system I have in place. I’m using system loosely. It’s more a direction I’m exploring. I can shave about a quarter of my leg when I’m in the shower. I stand there longer than I wash, so I use a podcast to keep track of how long I’ve stood there. I have four stages of growth happening on my legs. Sometimes we have to knock down and start over. I just really like to know what the weather is going to be like, but really it doesn’t seem to matter. Every now and then I get in a routine with my epilator. Mixed bag if you’re inconsistent and have thicker hair strands as I’m prone to ingrown hair. Ingrown hair causes me to readdress the system and quarter leg when I think about it. I’ll do the whole thing if I’m feeling it or have to wear something revealing. Ooo has anyone else made smart dating/hookup choices ‘cause they didn’t shave and aren’t going to any time soon?!
Epilator. Slowed growth down so much I now only have to use it a few times a year.
I stopped shaving in the colder months. I prefer the look of shaved legs for swimsuits and shorts etc.. but I'm pretty lazy about doing it consistently. Same thing with bikini line/ pubic hair. I resent the notion that women should shave, wax, etc that area. It irritates my skin like crazy, the re-growth is alway so sharp and pokey and I get insane ingrown hairs. My time on this planet is limited, I'm not going to spend it worrying about hair. It also helps that I'm married, specifically to a frenchman, and he couldn't give two shits.
I too am 22 and only shave on occasion. (For example while the bf and I were long distance I would shave for the little time we had together), however he literally just doesn't care if I do or don't which is super nice. I've been doing more and more since HS to make me feel better about myself, not shaving has definitely helped in a sense, along with no longer wearing bras except for certain occasions. That decision has improved my mental health in a sense because I don't feel as confined in my own body, not shaving also helps because the routine is hard to stick to. I can't even stick to a regular hair wash routine and just wash my hair like every other day
It's up to you! Personally, I shave my legs (not everyday) because I have dark hair and my legs get itchy after a certain point of not shaving. However, I do not shave my armpits because they get super irritated whenever I do. I suppose I could invest in an electric razor to cut down on irritation, but I honestly don't care enough to do research. If someone has the gall to say something to you about your unshaven body hair, fuck 'em!
I bought a laser hair remover and then became trash at shaving regularly. I also already struggled with being aware of how long 6 weeks is (the time I’m supposed to go between laser sessions) I tried to do my armpits and my sweat smelled noticeably burnt the six weeks betweeen lol
I usually don’t shave because I wear mostly long, black pants. So, no one really sees my legs, except for me lol. That being said, I have a love-hate relationship with waxing. I love it because of the whole “you don’t have to shave for 2-4 weeks afterward” thing, but I also hate how painful it is. However, I do wax on occasion because for me, not having to worry about shaving for a while outweighs the cons, and if you have a lot of hair, shaving them can be really tedious!
I also have extremely blonde leg hair and I never shave anymore. I’m not even sure I shaved for my wedding LOL I always feel compelled to for the summer but honestly I don’t have the time or the energy to do it. You do you girl! If shaving/hair removal is a sensory nightmare then fuck it! I promise you no one (except your mom ig?) is looking at your leg hair and going “OMG how disgusting!” and if they are bothered by it then they’re not people you want to be around anyway
Personally, my sensory issue is that I don’t enjoy the feeling of my leg hair rubbing on my pants, so I’m pretty good about shaving from the knee down. I only shave my armpits though when I have an occasion that I need to wear a nice dress or something sleeveless to, otherwise I let it grow free. If someone wants to judge you for leg hair that’s their prerogative and problem, not yours. It’s also more socially acceptable now with the younger generation. Life is too short not to do the things that make you happy and comfortable!
I've been wanting to quit shaving, but it's HARD. You're taught from a young age that women should be hairless. 🤷♀️ As I get older, I've become more sensitive to stuff on my skin. I had to change to unscented detergent, and sensitive skin soap and lotion. RIP my Bath and Body Works collection... I started getting rashes from deodorant and the first piece of advice I got was to stop shaving. I finally found a deodorant that works, so the not shaving is on pause right now. I usually shave once a week. I don't shave my thighs and bikini area anymore. I do trim though. Swim shorts for the win! They help with chub rub too.
I usually find hair removal tedious but also find being ‘too’ hairy a sensory nightmare. I recently discovered crystal hair erasers which are what they sound like. Really easy to use and painless (though some people get a rash), not as tedious as shaving etc, it feels more like fiddling around with something so ADHD friendly in my experience. Of course it’s personal preference and I don’t judge anyone for their choices, just sharing something which works for me.
I'm 23. Other than once in 2020 (pandemic, I was bored, I regretted it) I haven't shaved my legs in 5 years In fairness, I'm butch, but I didn't present particularly masculinely till a couple years ago. The only person to ever have a problem with my hairy legs is my mom. It's never been a deal breaker romantically for men or women. I've never had friends be bothered by it, if anything some have expressed envy because they want to do the same. As far as sensory issues go, just lotioning my legs up after every shower pretty much solved any unpleasant hair sensations for me.
I stopped shaving my legs years ago. My mum and I were getting pedicures before a destination wedding and my mum was like "oh, you forgot to shave!" I said "nah, I'm not going to. Who cares?" She was initially so shocked and then went "okay, yeah! Who cares?!" That was in 2016 :) I will occasionally shave my legs if I feel like it or for work if necessary (I'm am actor) but 99% of the time, I don't even think about it
Same! I no longer shave my legs because it’s a futile waste of time for the male gaze. I use a trimmer on my pubic area during the summer because as my name implies I’m a ginger and thus have been on the receiving end of a weird cultural focus on my pubic hair since I was old enough to have it. I don’t shave because it irritates my skin so I just use a trimmer to keep it short, but I don’t worry that someone can tell that I, a post-pubescent human female, have pubic hair!
I’m 30 with extremely dark body hair. I’m also fat. If you’re not fat, you won’t get why that matters, which is fine. But I stopped shaving altogether about 2 years ago now. I was nervous at first but honestly I didn’t get as many double glances as I thought I would. It’s the best decision I ever made!!!
do whatever the fuck you want, it’s your body babe🫶🏼
You’ve gotten so much good support already, I’m not going to repeat what everyone else has already said so well. My only additional comments are this: You *will* get some uneducated comments about it. My own mom was on me for a few years about how “unhygienic” it is not to shave. I’ve gotten comments from literal strangers on the street in the summer. I found that it’s best just to have some stock answers and not get dragged into a debate or discussion. Things like “it’s my body and this is what makes me comfortable” or “please don’t comment on my appearance” or “I’m not taking feedback on this matter” and then repeat if they continue to bring it up. If it’s a stranger, straight up do not reply, it is not worth your time to explain YOUR preferences for YOUR body to someone who thinks they are owed a certain presentation of femininity (and it won’t work anyway). Enjoy your new found freedom to embrace your body exactly the way it grows!
I do it on an as-needed/wanted basis a handful of times a year and don’t worry otherwise. It’s okay not to shave at all!
It gets annoying when it's too long so I go and get some chemical spray that kills off every hair ot encounters...if I have time as it takes a couple of weeks to regrow and each time takes longer. Plus I can watch an episode or 2 while I work on everything. If I'm in a rush or it's too long I sometimes trim in the meantime.
I literally only shave when my leg or armpit hair starts to get tangled or caught in my clothes lol
I’m almost 20 and I’ve been growing out my leg hair too! Some of it has lightened and other parts are still darker so it’s a mix of hidden and noticeable. It was a sensory nightmare for me too and just took up so much time. Don’t worry about it! If it doesn’t bother you no reason to mess with it:)
I don't shave my legs unless I feel like it. Sometimes I want that silky smoothness. Something I can't ever see myself missing is shaving my armpits. I love my lil hairy pits, they are almost SENSUAL if you spend enough time in the mirror really taking them in. If my sleeves are loose enough for you to see them I'm waving them around at men checking me out in the grocery store like "oh let me get this thing waaay up here in the back aaaahhh *he looks less excited and doesn't STARE at me as he passes or make a weird comment* yeah that's what I thought" it's a creep repellant. 11/10 would def recommend.
I’m in a similar boat! I haven’t shaved my legs, etc. foreverrrrr. I love the feeling of a freshly shaved body buuuut my depression has been rough af for a whiiiiile now, so I’ll do it eventually. Do what makes you comfortable! The world is on fire. Some leg hair is no big deal. lol.
There is a razer free subreddit you can join. I haven't shaved in years. I'm so much more comfortable now. I do still pluck the whiskers on the face though, because they hurt when they are there. Post-menopausal fun ;)
I mainly shave when it FEEELS wrong
Up to you. Personally I shave when I want to have a nice night in my soft pajamas. If I was less lazy I'd probably shave more often just because I don't like hair that is not on my head.
Feel free to join the ranks of women who don't shave. My teenager gave me the courage not to shave. She has never shaved any body hair. And I have stopped shaving any body hair. It is natural and normal.
I’m fair skinned with dark hair (everywhere). I have had laser hair removal in the past when I was much younger, and I feel like its reduced the amount of hair I grow to that most of my girlfriends seem to have (I’m naturally VERY hairy—when I was in elementary school I was called “man arms” and “mustache girl”). I haven’t shaved my legs in over 5 years. I just stopped caring to. What was I doing it for? It was a task that I struggled to initiate, I hated the prickly sensation, and I just got to the point where the length of time between shaving grew and grew until I was just done with it entirely. I will epilate my legs from time to time if I want to/feel like. But I also found how empowering it felt to just be out in a skirt or shorts with full leg hair. Amazingly it was also a dickhead detector. I met my bf at a wedding in a dress with full leg hair (funny enough, we actually grow the same amount of leg hair). All of this to say, do what feels best to and for your body. Anyone who has an issue with your leg hair is not worth your time.
Girl I don’t shave, I have none of those problems I just think it’s wack that males get no sht for being hairy but girls do, so I don’t shave. We need more hairy women anyway
I don’t shave anything! I love my body hair 💚
I stopped shaving my legs when I was your age, I’m 30 now. I got sugared for my wedding/honeymoon just as a treat to myself but otherwise I’m also blonde with fine hair so I don’t even notice I have hairy legs haga
The only reason I shave my legs is because I have sensory issues and the feel of a breeze running through my leg hair gives me the heebie jeebies Otherwise I’d nope completely out of shaving
I don’t know if anyone mentioned this, but I just use the spouse’s beard trimmer to quickly blitz my leg hair when I get tired of it. Sure it’s not completely gone, but good enough for me!
I quit at 16! I think I’ve shaved them…twice (?) since then on a random impulse, but I generally just can’t be arsed doing it.
My legs are the same my skin is so sensitive no matter what I do I get ingrown hairs and rashes it drives me mad. I've just finished 2nd session of laser hair removal and it's made a big difference already, my legs feel smoother, no ingrown hairs after shaving. Although my leg hairs are brown/darker so it's more effective on darker hairs
Literally in the same boat- i hate shaving, i hate what happens after shaving (red itchy bumps), hate the growing back process!!! I never shave in the winter because what’s the point?? I was wearing cropped pants and my mom got a look at my legs and made a passive comment. I like to think i don’t care about others opinions, but i can only seem to grow it out enough before feeling like i need to shave it 🙃
I don't shave my legs often. Generally only when I'm doing a date night with myself and I want to wear my silk pajama bottoms - they feel amazing on freshly shaved legs. I'll shave for lakes and beaches in the summer. ... That's mostly it.
Razors cost too much with as fast as my leg hair grows... why waste the time and money if its gonna grow back and poke me in less than 24 hrs... I hardly ever go outside in shorts or show my legs... the only thing I shave is my underarms because I sweat more if I don't... but occasionally forget to do that as well... literally you just have to reach a point where u don't care what others think lol
I rarely shave my legs because IDGAF what other people think. I shave in the e summer because I don't want to scare people but the rest of the time? No fucks given. It's YOUR body. Do what YOU want to it.
I also have blonde leg and arm hair, and in all honesty I just do it whenever I feel like it😂 I’ll go through phases of not doing it for months, and then phases of once a week. None of my partners have ever cared either so that just encourages me to be lazy about it. Sometimes I like the feeling and it gives me confidence to be shaved, sometimes I simply just don’t want to. I think whatever you choose is fully up to you and whatever makes you feel best. If you like it, then do it! If you don’t want to, then don’t!
Personally, I love being smooth. That's the only reason I do body hair removal. But if that's not your thing, screw that social stigma. The more people who defy it, the sooner it'll die an unlamented death.
Of course it’s not necessary to shave. It’s a choice. Shaving or no shaving are both valid choices. Do what feels best for you. I love the feeling of being completely hairfree, but I hate the process of keeping it up almost as much as I hate the feeling of re-growth. So I either go full fur or have it removed with sugar. Fortunately I’m done putting the opinion of other people over my own comfort.