How to Teach Your Daughter to Shave Her Legs

It is important that you show your daughter how to safely and properly shave her legs before you let her do it on her own without supervision.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Razor
• Shaving gel/body wash/soap (according to preference)
• Lotion
• Water
• Shower/bathtub
• Tissue
• Band-Aids
• Antibacterial ointment

1. Take a trip to the drugstore with your daughter and pick out her shaving supplies together. This is a big moment in your daughter's life and she should be allowed to weigh in on the products that she is buying. This also gives the two of you a chance to bond and for you to give her advice on what she should and shouldn't try.
2. Purchase a razor that is specifically designed for a woman. It should have at least three blades and be wrapped with a protective metal lace. You'll also want to get a lubricant for her legs. Many people prefer to use a liquid body wash or shaving gel, but you can also use bar soap. If she has sensitive skin, make sure that you're buying appropriate products that contain little to no dyes and perfumes.
3. Once you have your shaving supplies you'll want to prepare the bathroom. Once she's learned how to shave, she'll probably do it in the shower, but for the teaching process you should fill the bath with about six inches of water.
4. If she's comfortable being naked in front of you, that's fine, but if she's not don't make her. Let her wear a bathing suit or her underwear while you teach her.
5. Soak her legs with warm water. You can do this with a cup or wash cloth, but if you have a removable shower head that's even better. Have her soap her legs with the soap or shaving gel and then, using the razor, show her how to hold it against her skin, what amount of pressure to use and which direction to shave. In most cases, you'll want to shave against the grain (in the opposite direction of the hair growth). You should do the first couple of strokes for her and then let her finish up by herself.
6. Make sure to play close attention to the knees, the wrinkled skin at the back of the ankle and behind the knees. These are the most common places that people cut, especially when they're just starting out.
7. Depending on your daughter's age and amounts of hair, it may only be necessary to shave to just above the knee of her legs, but you can decide this together.
8. Many women get rashes and ingrown hairs in sensitive areas like behind their knees and on the backs of their thighs. If you're prone to bumps your daughter might be as well. In this case, you'll want to show her to shave with the grain of the hair. She won't get as close a shave, but she'll avoid irritation that leads to in-grown hairs and bumps.
9. Rinse her legs thoroughly and pat them dry with a towel. If she has any nicks, which will be common the first few times, place a tiny piece of tissue over the wound and let it sit for about a minute. Remove the tissue and place a small amount of ointment over the cut.
10. Lastly, apply a perfume and dye free lotion all over legs.

Tips & Warnings

• Use your hand to follow where you've shaved to make sure that you didn't miss a spot and got a clean shave.
• Nicks and cuts caused by razors will bleed a lot, so make sure you stop the bleeding before applying ointment or lotion.