12 year old shaving her legs

amother

Amethyst

Tue, May 29 2018, 10:04 am

My 12 year old is asking me to buy her a razor so she can shave her legs. She wears sheer beige pantyhose on shabbos and is going to camp. It’s pretty dark and thick. Is this too young? Should I take her for waxing or shave?Which razor is best and safest for her? I don’t shave I wax

amother

Jetblack

Tue, May 29 2018, 10:17 am

no she is not too young. However - if she can handle the pain, and you can handle the cost - waxing is really the way to go.

amother

Periwinkle

Tue, May 29 2018, 10:23 am

amother wrote:

no she is not too young. However - if she can handle the pain, and you can handle the cost - waxing is really the way to go.

Why is she too young?

She's 12, so she's likely at the very least beginning puberty, and cares about her looks.

She has dark, thick hair on her legs.

She wears sheer hose, which, in all honesty, make leg hair look even worse than going bare.

It bothers her.

Let her shave.

I don't wax. Its a PITA to have to go somewhere to get your legs done, when you can do it youself in 3 minutes. My DDs would wax if I would pay, but I won't. But that's up to OP and her DD.

Ruchel

Tue, May 29 2018, 10:44 am

Get her an epilady if you muuuuust. Kids cut themselves with razors. This is like a razor but electrical (not recommending electrical epilator which hurts). Much too young of course...

ra_mom

Tue, May 29 2018, 10:47 am

Teach her how to shave, do it with her the first two times. If you see she's careful and knows what she's going, then allow her to proceed on her own. Do they still make those round Schick razors that are anti nick? If it's too much for her, take her for a waxing before camp.

amother

Cerulean

Tue, May 29 2018, 11:01 am

My daughter started last year at 12 too. She was self conscious of it when she wore her stockings on shabbos.

nicole81

Tue, May 29 2018, 11:26 am

My oldest was shaving at 12. I wouldn't have even mentioned it to her, but it was bothering her and she had been asking for a while. I showed her how to do it, and then watched her do it and gave her feedback, and she's been good ever since. She uses Schick Quattro razors, skintimate shave gel, and I gave her a moisturizer for use afterwards.

I wouldn't have her wax, I don't like the idea of it or the cost, but it's whatever you feel comfortable with.

amother

Blush

Tue, May 29 2018, 11:27 am

No, it's not too young. Seems like a good age, actually. Teach her how to do it safely.

If you don't, she'll probably learn in camp. Better it should come from you.

Nobody taught me. I figured it out myself. And I nicked myself a bunch of times. Wasn't a big deal. (Only years later I realized that nobody taught me because everyone else in my family has fine, thin, light leg hair. I don't)

amother

Blush

Tue, May 29 2018, 11:29 am

By the way, I use dove body wash as a shaving gel. It's moisturizing in and of itself. I find the regular shaving products very drying.

amother

Hotpink

Tue, May 29 2018, 11:32 am

When I was 12 I did not shave. Redheads...I had blonde short hair over there.
But my bunk in sleepaway camp would have shaving parties often.

They would dress in shorts, and all pile in the middle of the bunk house with razors and shaving cream.

I actually felt left out.
Mind you I DID know how to shave, mom taught me a few months before for my underarm hair.

little_mage

Tue, May 29 2018, 12:25 pm

I started shaving around that age. My mother insisted on getting me an electric razor. It didn't work well. Camp, where I could buy razors from the canteen, was where I started using real ones. Now, to be fair, I think my mother handled a lot of those sorts of issues badly in general, but I wish she had been more supportive and helpful.

amother

Jetblack

Tue, May 29 2018, 12:28 pm

amother wrote:

I said "no, she is not too young". I guess I didn't word that clearly - I meant, I disagree with the position that she is too young to shave.

I'm too cheap to wax. I shave. Waxing has the benefit of not needing to maintain every few days.

amother

Honeydew

Tue, May 29 2018, 12:38 pm

Shaving at that age is fine, if she wants to. Make sure she knows about using fresh, sharp blades and gel, shaving cream or some other kind of lubricant. Young girls figuring it out for themselves tend to "shave dry" which can cause irritation. Give her a chance to experiment with different brands/types of razors, which can make a big difference. Also make sure she knows not to share razors no matter what.

Learning

Tue, May 29 2018, 12:48 pm

I got dd 12 this cute small shaving machine from amazon. You can charge it and it’s water proof. It take a second to shave your legs. Only the knee down of course.

flapsmom

Tue, May 29 2018, 8:56 pm

I use the schick Intuition razor. You can check it out, basically one step shaving and I've never gotten nicked with it. Simple and safe to use.

naturalmom5

Tue, May 29 2018, 9:05 pm

I realize I am in the minority. But what is the rush to grow up so fast..

Sheer pantyhose and shaving on a 12 year old.. shock

That is like a 9 year old boy in an Armani suit and cufflinks

thunderstorm

Tue, May 29 2018, 9:10 pm

naturalmom5 wrote:

I realize I am in the minority. But what is the rush to grow up so fast..

Sheer pantyhose and shaving on a 12 year old.. shock

That is like a 9 year old boy in an Armani suit and cufflinks

I don't think so. 25 yrs ago I shaved at age 12 and wore sheer stockings and I wasn't from the "with it" kids. I only started my eyebrows in highschool. Now people wax their 9 yr old daughters eyebrows. Shaving legs at age 12 is considered age appropriate .