Monday, November 9, 2015

Why I Don't Shave My Legs



When I was a little girl I didn’t pay much attention to hair and it was never an issue for me.

I mean, I knew my dad had hair on his chest. Mom obviously did not. (They both had hair growing on their pits.) Dad had hairy legs and Mom did not. Over all I would have to say if growing hair was an Olympic sport, Dad would win the gold.

Now I have to tell you, Dad was not an overly hairy man. Hair did not grow on his back or out his ears or nose. He did have hair on his arms and legs which made him appear a bit fuzzy. But compared to the other men in my family he was still the gold prize winner.

My uncles and male cousins were bald? No. Hairless? No not that either. Let’s just say they had hair on their heads but as far as chest, arms, legs and facial hair goes – it was practically non-existent. To me, this was normal. It was Dad that was a bit - different.

When I was around thirteen or fourteen I noticed the other girls in my grade started shaving their legs. 


I wasn’t staring in the change room. They were just … well it wasn’t a secret. They laughed and joked about hairy beasty girls that needed to make friends with a razor.

I guess I was a weirdo. It had never occurred to me to shave.

My mom didn’t shave her legs because there was virtually no hair there. She had never ever shaved her legs. And her arm pits? She had hair but it wasn’t a huge bird nest. She trimmed it with scissors. And she warned me. DO NOT SHAVE.

I was faced with a dilemma. To shave or not to shave.

First I had to know. Why were all these girls shaving? Do you know?

My curiosity made me feel like a perv cause I was constantly checking out legs.

One day while visiting a cousin who was four years older than me I looked at her legs. I was in shock. Freaked out. She had these thick black hairs sprouting out of her legs that made her look like a porcupine!  And feel like a porcupine!

Thank goodness I didn’t have that problem. I wondered if the girls at school did. I didn’t dare ask. I wouldn’t want to embarrass them.

Then there was my younger sister. I don’t know when or how or why but she was shaving her legs and her pits. So did her best friend. How bizarre.

Even now I just don’t get the leg thing. I took my Mom’s advice and never shaved my legs. Okay sorry, I lied. I think I shaved my legs a few times in my life.

I remember one summer sitting at the beach. There was a bit of a breeze. I could feel the hair on my legs swaying like long grass on a windy day. I thought, what the heck and shaved off the grass.

Now I bet you’re thinking I wax or use some other means of hair removal. Am I right? Not true.

Sorry. Once again I lie. I have from time to time noticed a mutant long dark hair on my leg. I pluck it out.

And I tried waxing but I was inexperienced and was attempting it all on my own. It hurt. A lot. I almost cried because I was too afraid to pull all the wax off. Don’t ask me what I did wrong cause I have no clue. I never tried again.

I had an epilator for a while. I used it on my legs and pits. Ouch. Nope didn’t like that either. It’s gathering dust somewhere.

As for my pits? I have shaved them in the past but I don’t anymore.

I pluck them. When they get long and noticeable I take the tweezers and pluck those suckers out. I find it unsightly. Plus it seems to somehow exacerbate the perspiration and the odor that goes with it.

I also firmly believe men should get rid of their pit hair. I mean it isn’t exactly an attractive feature. I don’t think it makes them look more manly. Do you? Let’s just say I appreciate a little manscaping. 

Sorry I veered off topic.

Back to my legs. Why don’t I shave my legs? Did I answer that question?

Oh ya, here’s the answer. I have no need to shave. The hair is not noticeable. Plus my legs feel smooth not fuzzy.

Just so we are clear, there is hair on my legs but it’s practically invisible. They are short, fine, blonde little hairs that stick straight up when I get cold. Ha.

No I’m not going to show you my legs. Well maybe some other day. Not today. You’re just going to have to wait.

What about you? When did you start shaving? But more importantly why?


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I love to read your opinions and comments. It makes my day. 

Bye for now. Wishing you the best, Darlene

My apologies, all anonymous comments are deleted due to an excessive amount of spam.

11 comments:

  1. Darlene, you've brightened my day and got me thinking. I've shaved my legs since I was 12 or 13 I grew up in Hawai'i and I'm not blessed with your leg hair. :) Have you seen the photos of girls dyeing their armpit hair bright neon colors? That one has got me confused.

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    1. No I haven't seen the neon arm pit hair. Make me laugh. How funny is that. I'll have to google that one.

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  2. Hi Darlene,
    You are one of the lucky ones that don't have to shave!
    Thanks for sharing this with us at Cooking and Crafting with J & J.

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    1. Hi Julie. I guess I am one of the lucky ones. Thanks for stopping by.

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  3. You are soooo funny - shaving my legs is my least favorite hygiene activity! When I'm retired (or maybe my husband will gift it to me!) I swear I will get laser hair removal for my underarms and my legs - my life would be so much easier! Thanks for sharing such an honest and funny post, you go woman!

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    1. I can't imagine shaving my legs every day or even every few days. And I am grateful for that. Wish you luck on the laser hair removal.

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  4. Hate shaving! Seriously considering letting it go, my bikini days are long gone anyway (thank goodness!). Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Hi Beth. Thanks for stopping by and paying me a visit. So your talking about shaving more than your legs or pits? Oh my gosh you have a lot of shaving to do.

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  5. You're pretty lucky. LOL My dad's side are definitely "hairy" people. LOL Bummer for me. :(

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

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    1. "Hairy" people. LOL Are you trying to tell me you're a hairy person?

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  6. I shave my armpits because for me it's the easiest method for dealing with armpit hair. I don't shave my legs, sometimes I'll wax them in summer, I love the smooth feeling. I let them grow long all winter. As I've gotten older all of my hair seems to have darkened, legs, armpits, head - everywhere. But I too am lucky enough that I can just not do it if I don't want to and it's doubtful anyone would notice unless they are really up close and personal.
    As for why it hurt so much when you waxed? You must pull the skin very taught before you pull the wax off. It's got to be fast too. The longer the hair the more it hurts so it's always good to shave 2 weeks before hand if you're hairs are getting a bit lengthy. I'll probably stop bothering the older I get ;p

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