What is Vellus Hair?

We all know peach fuzz (AKA vellus hair) is totally normal, but it doesn’t mean we like it. 

Vellus hair can be a massive pain in the ass for all skin types. It can screw with your makeup and even accentuate acne scars and blemishes, so why deal with it at all?

When you shave your vellus hair, you can make your skin look smoother, more youthful, and totally flawless. Plus, all your products will apply way easier. 

However, there are tons of myths out there about shaving your vellus hair. But, NEWSFLASH: It’s acceptable for women to shave any part of their body they want... not just armpit and leg hair. 

So, today we’re gonna talk all things peach fuzz. Let’s define what vellus hair is, debunk some skincare myths, and discuss how to get rid of it:

What is Vellus Hair?

We often think of hair growing on specific parts of our body. However, vellus hair actually grows all over our body. 

Vellus hair (or peach fuzz) is the short, fine hair that grows on all of our skin. Usually, it’s thinner and lighter than the rest of our hair. (But for some of us, it’s pretty dark and noticeable depending on your skin tone and hair color.). 

Whoever you are, this type of hair can be super annoying—fucking up your makeup application and giving your skin a textured look. 

No matter what, remember vellus hair is completely normal! Never be embarrassed by your extra fuzz, but also know you can definitely shave it if you want. This is about you, girly!

Does Shaving Peach Fuzz Make it Grow Back Thicker?

Let’s see a show of hands for everyone who was ever told that if you shave peach fuzz, it’ll grow back thicker. Yeah, we’ve seriously all been told that!

Guys, it’s a MYTH. We’ve been massive peach-fuzz destroyers since college and we promise all is good. This includes hair on your face! 

But, don’t just take our word for it! Even the industry pros agree, shaving peach fuzz will NEVER change the actual thickness of the hair. 

This myth started because low quality razors blunt the peach fuzz and cause ingrown hairs, making the hairs feel thicker when they come back. So, just get a good razor, guys. 

Another reason people assume peach fuzz grows back thicker is because they believe all vellus hair turns to terminal hair. But, that’s not true. It only happens on certain parts of the body like your armpits and scalp. 

So, yeah. There is no reason to keep vellus hair if you don’t want it. Time to shave it off!!!

Does Peach Fuzz Grow Back Darker?

Let’s dive headfirst into another HUGE myth about shaving: will my hair grow back darker if I shave it?

Thankfully not. Peach fuzz does NOT grow back darker, no matter how many times you do it! 

Melanie Grossman, a fabulous dermatologist from NYC, says the proof is in the pudding. If hair grew back darker, we’d all be walking around like prehistoric cave people.

It’s literally an optical illusion—when you cut hair, it might APPEAR darker and thicker. But in reality, it’s the exact same hair you always had. 

So, now we can enjoy our razors in blissful peace.

Does Shaving Peach Fuzz Cause Stubble?

When choosing to remove facial hair and body hair, there’s always the question of whether you’ll be dealing with some stubble. 

We totally get it—no one likes stubble, especially after feeling how smooth and buttery your skin is after shaving. But, no. When you remove peach fuzz by shaving, it  rarely causes stubble since the vellus hair follicles don’t root deep like terminal hair. 

Whether you shave, wax, or use hair removal cream, it won’t affect your body’s natural keratin cells (the stuff responsible for hair color, thickness, and growth rate). 

Plus, when you use a high-quality razor and the best shave cream, you’re not only shaving but EXFOLIATING, too. So, all-in-all, shaving makes your skin way smoother, not rougher. 

Does Peach Fuzz Grow Back?

Vellus hair does come back after a while, but you probably won’t need to shave every day! 

Even people who use laser hair removal might notice some regrowth in between sessions. It all depends on your hair growth rate, but definitely expect it to grow back. 

We recommend shaving once a week for hair removal and great skincare! But, do whatever works best based on your personal growth rate and goals. 

How To Shave Vellus Hair

Step One: Prep your skin. 

First thing’s first, we have to get our skin ready with a high-quality, non-irritating cleanser. 

We don’t recommend you spend a ton on cleanser, since it’s on your skin for like 2 seconds. 

Our faves are CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser or Elemis Cleansing Balm. Both are gentle enough for sensitive skin, great quality, and pretty affordable!  

Step Two: Apply HOT SHAVE CREAM. 

Next up: shaving cream! Get your skin damp and then coat your skin with moisturizing shaving cream. 

Our HOT SHAVE CREAM is designed for women—and specifically designed for women’s face shaving! (Here’s how to shave your face.)

The HOT SHAVE CREAM is the first of its kind and contains tons of ingredients your skin craves. Aloe, Vitamin E, shea butter, and olive oil? Yes, PLEASE.

It’ll help prevent all skin types from getting razor burns and other irritation from the shaving process. The HOT SHAVE CREAM is a must. 

When applying, use a massaging motion. You just need a thin, light coat to make a big difference. Your skin is gonna feel amaaazzzziiinnngg. 

Step Three: Shave with the HOT SHAVE RAZOR. 

Once you’ve got the shave cream on, pull your skin taught, hold your razor at a 45-degree angle, and shave with short, gentle strokes. Always go with the grain too!

To do this, you need the best razors out there. Remember what we said about shitty razors causing in-grown hairs and other irritation? Yeah, no thanks. 

The HOT SHAVE RAZOR is ergonomic, affordable, refillable, and beautiful! We spent FOUR YEARS making this razor to ensure it was perfect for women’s bodies. 

It really does give the closest and smoothest shave. Use it everywhere, and just remember to rinse off the razor after finishing each section of your body. 

When you’re done, rinse off any leftover HOT SHAVE CREAM. 

Step Four: Use the HOT MESS ICE ROLLER to cool the skin. 

Okay, now your skin feels amazing, right? Though your skin feels smooth, it might be a little irritated or inflamed at this point, depending on the sensitivity of your skin.

Cool it down with the HOT MESS ICE ROLLER. Just pop it in the freezer before you start shaving, and by the time you’re done, it’s ice cold and ready to go. 

As a bonus, use the ICE QUEEN FACE OIL with the ice roller for a smoother roll and to give your skin even more nourishment! 

Roll it over any part of your body you want for a refreshing and moisturizing massage. (Here’s more on the benefits of ice rolling.)

Step Five: Apply moisturizer. 

To finish up, seal in all those hydrating ingredients with a moisturizer. 

We recommend + Lux Unfiltered N°14 Conditioning Body Cream (splurge option) or Curel Daily Healing Body Lotion (save option).

Whatever you use, coat it all over the shaved areas and enjoy your baby smooth skin. ♡

Time to get your shave on!

So, yeah, vellus hair is nothing to fear. Everyone’s got it and it’s 100% okay to get rid of peach fuzz by shaving. No more believing that lie! 

We hope these tips help you create your new peach fuzz shaving routine. Personally, we like to shave our face once a week for optimal skincare gains. 

For the rest of your body? That’s totally up to you! To help you keep track of your daily, weekly, and monthly skincare tasks, get the HOT MINUTE PLANNER. It’s literally a planner for your beauty routine, and it’s SO helpful. 

You can order all these products at The Skinny Confidential Shop, but they’re also available at Nordstrom and Revolve!

For more need-to-know skincare tips and tricks, head over to our blog. It’s time to reach all those #skincaregoals.