Some believe that women have no hair below the forehead. What a mistake. Instead, many armpits, legs or even more intimate areas are freed from hair by shaving. The right lubricant is required to ensure that things run smoothly.

While a clean-shaven face has gone somewhat out of fashion for men in recent years, depilating legs, armpits and the bikini line has long been standard for women. Some even remove the hairs on their arms. The reason why the natural appearance is so deceived is obvious. Namely, to correspond to the current ideal of beauty and thus to experience a sense of belonging and thus to increase one’s own attractiveness.

Because everyone wants to be desirable. This is for reproduction. Anyone who thinks that they only beautify their appearance for the sake of their reflection in the mirror is wrong, the genetic program of homo sapiens does not lie. It is important to be perceived as attractive by as many potential sexual partners as possible. Even with a shave – or in the case of men, none.

Let’s stay with the ladies. And the wet shave. This is the most popular form of hair removal: it is quick, thorough and cheap. And so that it can be done without major injuries, the right lubricant is required. In other words, shaving gel, foam or cream.

Öko-Test obtained 16 shaving products for women from supermarkets, discount stores and drugstores, including nine shaving gels, four shaving foams, two shaving creams and one shaving soap. At prices between 1 and 19.90 euros per 200 milliliters. The laboratories commissioned by the testers examined the goods for allergenic fragrances, musk compounds that accumulate in human fatty tissue, for questionable formaldehyde/formaldehyde splitters, for controversial organohalogen compounds and – in the case of products containing paraffin – for contamination with problematic mineral oil components (MOAH).

Result: Overall, there is little to complain about. Only two fail with “inadequate”, while three quarters can recommend the testers. Among the five shaving products with the top rating “very good” are not only those with a natural cosmetics seal, but also two conventional recipes from the discounter: the “Bevola shaving gel Peach” is available from Kaufland for 1.35 euros, the “Pure

Wilkinson Sword’s “Hi Audrey Intuition Shave Cream Coconut” and Procter’s “Satin Care Sensitive Aloe Vera Shaving Gel” are rated “Poor”.

In Procter’s shaving gel

Apart from that, frequent shaving often causes razor bumps and other inflammations in the armpits or bikini area, because the climate there is particularly favorable for bacteria. Before shaving, the affected skin areas should therefore be cleaned with a mild shower gel and only then should the shaving product be applied. Then it is important to take some time so that the water and shaving product can open the pores and soak the hair.

When you reach for the razor, it’s better to shave with the line, even if it doesn’t feel so thorough at first. This puts less stress on the skin and thus avoids irritation. Shaving too often promotes irritation – but also shaving too infrequently, because long hair requires more corrective strokes: an interval of three to four days is ideal. After shaving, rinse the skin with cold water to close the pores faster. For minor skin irritations and injuries, aloe vera gel has an anti-inflammatory effect. Clean the blades thoroughly after shaving and change them regularly.

(This article was first published on Sunday, May 22, 2022.)

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