“Whether you shave your armpits or not, just do what feels right and
natural for you,” writes Joy D’Souza in the
Huffington Post
.
This view is reflective of changing social attitudes towards women and body
hair, particularly amongst younger people. According to
Mintel
, between 2013 and 2016, 18% of women aged 16-24 stopped removing their
armpit hair.
There are various reasons why less women are shaving their armpits. Roshida
Khanom, Mintel’s associate director in beauty and personal care,
says
in some cases young women are “worried about causing irritation from their
skin” as a result of the products they use.
The decrease in the number of women shaving their armpits may also be a
positive response to campaigns encouraging women not to shave if they don’t
want to. Many celebrities have shown public support, including Julia
Roberts, Miley Cyrus and Cara Delevingne.
Of course, this trend is about more than the armpit hair itself; many women
are seeking to challenge attitudes towards beauty that put unfair pressure
on women and young girls.
There is still a long way to go, sadly, we don’t yet live in a society
where women are able to feel in full control of their body choices.
Mintel
found 83% of women aged 16-24 still feel under too much pressure to remove
or groom their body hair.
But scientifically, are there benefits to shaving your armpits or is it
best to leave them be?
Pros and cons
There are benefits to either choice. Having armpit hair reduces friction
between the upper and lower arm during exercise, and
facilitates the release of pheromones
, allowing your natural scent to spread to prospective mates – excellent
news!
By not shaving, you will also forgo any risk of skin irritation and razor
bumps. And think of all that time you will save by allowing your body to
exist in its natural state.
On the flipside, shaving armpit hair can help reduce body odour, as armpit
hair traps sweat and allows bacteria to breed. Having less body hair will
also make it easier to cool down, particularly in the hot summer months.
On top of this, your deodorant will be more effective which seems obvious
when you think about it, as it can be applied directly to the skin.
Embracing the power of choice
Speaking to ABC News,
Alex Andrews
, Founder of the ‘Get Hairy February’ campaign, said: “We
hope women feel empowered to let themselves grow, embrace their natural
bodies and be proud to be involved in a community that demands equality and
safety for all women.”
At Dorco, we’re all about choice and being able to do what makes you feel
at your best.
If you do decide to shave your armpit hair, it’s important to do so in way
that doesn’t cause irritation your skin. That’s why Dorco products
are a great place to start.
Crafted for curves, the
Dorco EVE 6
provides a smooth shave, boosted by patented technology, helping to reduce
shaving irritation. The six blades are split into a unique ‘double 3’ blade
format which, alongside a bendable cartridge, encourages smooth shaving.
Meanwhile, the open design means your razor and refill cartridges are easy
to clean and rinse.