Legs, Underarms, Eyebrows, Oh My!

[Miu]

Ladies, I'm curious--do you feel constrained to keep shaving/plucking while on a long hike?

[-SEEKER-]

No. I practiced last year at home doing without. It seems to be about like guys describe growing their beards. Itchy at first . Then as the hair gets longer it isn't a problem.

[AlwaysHiking]

I do take a disposable bic razor with me. I leave about an inch of the handle and break the rest off. I just personally don't like having hairy legs. Since I take it anyhow, I also keep up with my underarms. I don't do anything with the brows though. I do shave less often on the trail than I do at home.

The disposable razor has multiple uses for me though, I hike with my dog so need that in case he has an injury I would have to shave fur away from. Luckily I've never had to put it to that use, but if I didn't already have it for that reason I'm not really sure if I'd still carry it or not.

[ATbound]

I'll definitly pluck my eyebrows (I still want to look good in my pictures ) but the underarms and legs- let it fly! I'll be carrying tweezers for ticks anyway, so might as well keep the brows looking good too! Happy hiking- only 5 weeks to go!!!!

[gumball]

I pluck when I can. Drives me nuts. Shaving, not so much--but I do take a razor, just in case I get the urge.

[Gaiter]

in the summer i like wearing a sleeveless shirt, so i definitely shave, cooler/colder times only worry about shaving when in town
one of the first things i've done after both my long sections was get my eyebrows waxed

[Marta]

It's a seasonal thing--more shaving in summer; less in winter. I carry tweezers anyway in my mini SAK, and a camping mirror (doubles as signal device and dirt-from-eye-removal aid), and a disposable razor.

[Blissful]

Ladies, I'm curious--do you feel constrained to keep shaving/plucking while on a long hike?

Nope. I put a razor in my bounce box but never used it.

In July when we got off the trail for my ankle and went to the beach for a few days, I broke down and shaved (my hubby really wanted me to. I wouldn't have cared). But grew it back when I got back on the trail. Trademarks of the AT.

Now of course I'm back to civilization.

[Hitch]

Pluck and shave on my days off in town. I carry tweezers for ticks and buy a cheap disposable while in town.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Here is an old (and somewhat funny) thread about this topic

[Cuffs]

I can forget the shaving of both arms and legs, but I have to tweeze the brows!

[Marta]

If you do decide to shave, be careful about shaving in areas that might chafe. Any sort of stubble in armpits or groin can be very painful.

I started with a sleeveless shirt and ended up switching for a short-sleeved shirt in Monson because of the chafing of skin on skin under my arms.

[Cindy from Indy]

You mean there won't be a spa for me to go to for my eyebrows?? OMG!

I gotta shave my pits--cuts down on odor and I just feel cleaner. As for legs...............I haven't decided yet. But, since I've got the razor for the pits, I might as well do the legs too. LOL

I've heard about ladies having a waxing job done on legs and pits and then it's quite awhile before the need to shave comes up again.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Alcohol gel applied to the pits daily takes care of much of the odor problem for both me and He-Dino (who does not shave his pits )

On longer hikes, I've carried a bit of 'Magic Powder' - a product sold for men in the shaving section. It is a powdered depilatory (mix with water, use like Nair) and works well enough to keep me from getting nabbed as an escaped gorilla... I have lots of body hair and it is very dark.... It also works on the 'lady place' for those who prefer to keep that area hair-free as well (some feel it makes staying clean easier)

[Roots]

Alcohol gel applied to the pits daily takes care of much of the odor problem for both me and He-Dino (who does not shave his pits )

On longer hikes, I've carried a bit of 'Magic Powder' - a product sold for men in the shaving section. It is a powdered depilatory (mix with water, use like Nair) and works well enough to keep me from getting nabbed as an escaped gorilla... I have lots of body hair and it is very dark.... It also works on the 'lady place' for those who prefer to keep that area hair-free as well (some feel it makes staying clean easier)

Hey FD, I wanted to tell you thank you for the alcohol under the arms idea. I am definitely trying that one. I will use an alcohol wipe on my face when backpacking to keep the oils down. I break out easy. It works very well. The idea of doing it under the arms never occured to me until you threaded about it on the deoderant thread a little while back. Thanks!!

[Marta]

Hey FD, I wanted to tell you thank you for the alcohol under the arms idea. I am definitely trying that one.

But not right after you shave...

[Roots]

But not right after you shave...

OOOO...OUCH! GOOD ONE!!! I'll definitely keep that in mind.

[Tilly]

I have to say that I don't shave at all. Ever.

[Mrs Baggins]

I had no problem letting the legs and pits go, but the brows......... I would naturally have very heavy eyebrows (and I'm blonde) that would form up into a unibrow if I let them go, and probably hang down into my eyes! Another issue for me is my bangs (or "fringe" for our UK friends). My hair grows very fast and my bangs are in my face in no time. Unfortunately I have a very high forehead and hate having my hair pulled off of it. I used a teeny pair of scissors to try to keep them trimmed up.

[Lilred]

I have to say that I don't shave at all. Ever.

Being a redhead, I'm blessed with blonde hair on my legs and underarms. I rarely shave unless those areas are seen. I should have been born in Europe where these things are a non-issue.