Hello, peach fuzz!

[blackcat]

I am trying to draw zero attention to the fact I have started T at work, and my upper lip is starting to look fuzzy. I suspect I'll have to shave it soon.

I have crazy sensitive skin and have historically waxed my body because a razor anywhere is bad news. Also, while my skin is oilier, I don't think it's much thicker yet. I was hoping it would get thicker before I had to shave.

How did you start shaving your peach fuzz? Do you have recommendations for sensitive skin? Does the number of blades on the razor make a difference?

I don't want anyone to know I'm secretly turning into a dude. Not until the new year. I can't come out until that last December paycheck is in the bank.

More realistically, I'm concerned people will think I'm giving up on personal hygiene, which is also a bad professional place to be in. I quit makeup, quit painting my toes, and having peach fuzz will make it look like I "quit" waxing my face (though I never did). I work in a salon, so every single one of my colleagues has a professional eye for spotting these sorts of details.

[Laurie]

 Congrats on the peach fuzz Blackcat and I'm sorry you need to start shaving. Sorry because I am a MTF and know about having to shave. I cannot wait until I don't. But to answer your question you best bet will probably be to buy an electric razor and use a pre shave lotion. I use a tripple header by Norelco and it does a pretty good job. If you are going to use a bladed razor the I would suggest at least a triple blade razor and use a good shave cream or gel.
Good Luck with the shaving and try not to nick yourself.

Hugs,
  Laurie

[Dena]

My beard tended to be on the light side and I always shaved with an electric razor. They don't get quite as close as a blade but if your beard isn't coarse you can get a day or two out of a single shave. That might be plenty to get you to the end of the year. I would normally shave before I washed my face so the skin oil would lubricate my face and allow the razor to slide smoothly over my face.

[Ryuichi13]

I also found depilatory creams via google.  they seem to last for a while, but I don't really know, never having used them.  I want my facial hair to show! 

https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/best-hair-removal-creams-for-face-and-body/#gref

Hope this helps!

Ryuichi

[Dena]

Depilatory creams can be very harsh on your skin as they dissolve the hair as well as your skin. If you decide to try one, make sure you test a small patch and you don't use it more often than the label recommends.

[KathyLauren]

I had a beard most of my adult life, but when I shaved as a guy, I used an electric.  An electric has almost zero chance of nicking the skin.  It doesn't get as close as a bladed razor, but with peach fuzz, no one will notice.

Once your beard thickens up, you may find that an electric doesn't get close enough to hide a shadow, and you might have to switch to a bladed razor if you are still closeted at work.  The more blades in a razor, the closer the shave for the same amount of pressure and effort.  So I would recommend a three, four or five bladed razor to get a close shave in one or two passes.

My skin is quite thin and fragile now (a year and a half on MTF HRT), and I use a three-bladed razor.

[Kylo]

I have extremely sensitive skin on the face and any sort of hair cream would be like smearing caustic soda on it for me.

No, I have to shave with a razor. I recommend not using blunted ones and keeping them clean, warming your face up first with warm water, leaving shaving gel on for 2-3 mins before you shave, and stuff like that. 4 or 5 new blades generally mean less passes which is better.

I also have to shave every day or every 2 days if I want to not look like a budding hobo, so comfort is a consideration in your razors. I'm also a cheapass, so I don't buy the most expensive ones (would if I could) but found some 4-bladed ones in bulk packs that are a good deal for the money.

[Faith]

sharp blade, the # of blades means nothing if you overuse it and it gets dull
lubricate your face. there's not substitute for that. I use hair conditioner. I've found that for me shaving creams, for the most part, suck.
I've had no luck with electric, even in my youthful fuzzy days.
light touch, if you bear down you will cut yourself. slow smooth .. let the blade do the work

[blackcat]

Ugh, I've smelled other people use depilatories and they smell like rotten eggs! But if I were to use one, does it damage the follicle so the hair grows in weaker over time?

I'd love to just take it all off with hard wax and forget about it for the next month, but I have damaged the follicles in other places of my body from waxing (getting hair not to grow back is the end game of waxing). I've been trying to grow my leg hair back for three months and still have bald patches everywhere. It is quite sad.

I haven't even considered that if I screw up, I will have to go to work with a nicked up face. 

Good to know about the # of blades. I'll have to start experimenting with gentle products.

Dermalogica has worked miracles for my skin (I trained extensively with them and drank the kool aid), but their shaving cream is currently out of production and selling for $100/tube on eBay.  Completely foiled my plan.

[invisiblemonsters]

honestly, you can probably get away with an electric razor as everyone else has said. when you do go the route of an actual blade, don't be cheap with it imo. when i had to shave every day for school (firefighting, it was a safety hazard to have facial hair), i opted to buy one of the nicer razors with 5 blades (gillette fusion 5 pro glide). it will also depend on your shaving cream i think depending on how your skin might react to that. my brother has peach fuzz now and just uses an electric razor.

[Jak]

I've had to start shaving as well. Similar boat re what I'll call stealth transitioning.

I've used both a 'manual' razor (Harry's) and electric (Bosch). I love the manual razor because the feeling of putting the cream on and shaving is so, well, masculine. The electric, however, is great for speed and not having to worry about nicks. Now when I shave I can feel the difference. My skin is like very, very fine sandpaper in terms of the hairs. Love it. Good luck!