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asking for a friend: it's ok for a woman to shave her upper lip

when it comes to deciding whether to shave or wax, an expert who shaves her facial hair says that it all comes down to how sensitive your skin is.

by karen hawthorne

published sep 01, 2022

last updated sep 23, 2022

4 minute read

join the conversation

4 minute read

join the conversation

waxing vs. shaving: which is better for your skin?

shaving only removes hair from the surface of your skin, leaving the root intact. getty

dear asking for a friend, when it comes to getting rid of excess hair on my body, is is better for my skin to shave, or should i stick to waxing?

signed,

hairy

dear hairy,

the ritual of creams and razors or hot wax and strips may be a matter of personal preference, time and money. it also depends on how your skin reacts to different hair removal methods.

in fact, when it comes to getting rid of body and facial hair, shaving and waxing are very different, although the result is similar: those undesired hairs disappear.

and to be clear about a common misperception, removing unwanted hair doesn’t cause it to grow back faster or coarser, thicker or darker than before, according to scientific american. body hair grows at different times and different rates for everybody.

shaving is more of a trim for your hair. it only removes hair from the surface of your skin — the tip of the hair shaft — and leaves the root intact. you need to shave every two to three days to keep yourself stubble-free.

men who want a perfectly clean-shaven face may need to shave daily, based on the speed of their hair regrowth, which can be influenced by genetics, hormones and hair colour. typically, dark-haired guys need to shave more often than light-haired guys.

waxing, however, lasts much longer because it pulls hair from the root, damaging the hair follicle. the hair has to completely regrow, giving you several weeks of that smooth skin sensation.

“i shave my upper lip”

kim bubenko, an education expert at shiseido canada, uses a razor to shave her body and facial hair — and wants to break down any social stigma for women who choose to shave “mustache hair.”

“i do shave my upper lip, which shocked my sister when i told her because she’s very fair. she doesn’t have that issue,” she explains, adding that her preference for shaving is more out of necessity because of her sensitive skin.

“i’d get into waxing but my skin just does not tolerate it,” she says. “i’ve done it myself. i’ve gone to estheticians. i’ve tried my upper lip, my bikini and my legs. and i get the same reaction every time — i have very, very inflamed red skin for a week.”

waxing can cause skin sensitivity

skin sensitivity is definitely something to be aware of for waxing. so if you’re using any kind of treatment for acne, chemical exfoliators or a retinol cream, for example, your skin can become thinner and more prone to irritation during a wax.

bubenko says there are several benefits to waxing and recommends a salon visit for a professional treatment before starting with diy kits to avoid tearing or burning the skin because of technique or wax that’s been heated to too high a temperature. a small patch test is always a good first step.

“the hair becomes thinner through repeated waxing over time,” she says. “and this is just really great overall for our confidence because we’re trying to remove the hair to begin with. and your skin is that much more smooth.”

waxing also acts as an exfoliator, removing dead skin cells and leaving you with less risk of pesky, ingrown hairs.

how to prep for waxing and shaving

bubenko’s best advice to prep for waxing? “no friction, no hot steam, no showers, no pool. the day of your wax you really don’t want to touch it. and wear loose clothing when you’re waxing, just to let the skin heal because it is going through a little trauma, but good trauma.”

it’s the opposite for shaving, where gentle exfoliating, massaging and a hot shower can help prepare the skin for more effective hair removal. “this will just really help to loosen the dead skin that’s around the hair follicle itself,” she says.

and there are also advantages to the razor routine as it is more economical and convenient. the important thing to remember if you are seeking a smooth shave is that people don’t always use a razor that is as sharp as it should be, and a dull razor can lead to nicks and cuts, bleeding and possible infection. you can also develop post-shaving hypersensitivity where certain skin cells are aggravated and darken around a nick or ingrown hair, for example.

bubenko herself uses a men’s razor on her upper lip because they tend to be sharper and gentler. she also recommends using separate razors for the face and body, so you’re not shaving your upper lip with the same razor you’re using for your bikini line to avoid the spread of any bacteria.

bonus tip: whether you’re waxing or shaving, she says it’s a good practice to apply a chemical or enzyme exfoliant serum a couple days post-treatment to promote that sought-after “soft smoothness and stop the ingrown hairs or any kind of bumps or pimples from surfacing.”

karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.

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karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.

asking for a friend: it's ok for a woman to shave her upper lip

when it comes to deciding whether to shave or wax, an expert who shaves her facial hair says that it all comes down to how sensitive your skin is.

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