Immacing an 11-12 year old

[rockyracoon]

My daughter will be 12 in a couple of months and unfortunately takes after me with dark hairy legs. Over the holidays I noticed that she was reluctant to wear her skirts and dresses and found out that she hates her legs because of the hairs, my immediate response was to tell her to leave them alone and that no one notices, of course I know this is a blatant lie as I was her many years ago. She's let it be for now and as winter is looming I don't expect this to rear it's head again til next year but was wondering, does anyone have daughters that age with this problem and what do you do about it?

[friedgreentomato]

I started shaving at 12 looking back daft now as I had fair hair on my legs!

My 13 year old sister is shaving her legs my stepmother ensures she has new razors and is always careful

[albaqwerty]

I don't have daughters but used to be a 12 year old girl and used immac (as it was then) Showered off nicely too.
Much better result than shaving with any gadget.

[NoMercy]

At 12, she is bordering on being a teenager. I started grooming myself at that age.

She will naturally want to start using depilatories and hairdye products. Just make sure she doesn't ruin your carpets.

[rockyracoon]

Thanks for you replies ladies, I do forget that she is growing up (I struggle with it a bit to be honest). I epilate and it is a bit painful to start but it does eventually stop hair growth, I don't think she'll go for it even though she'll reap the rewards in about 10 years time. NoM, she's already ruined her bedroom carpet with nail varnish, I'll kill her if she dyes her hair in there.

[ojread2]

I think she is too young for hair dyeing but leg depilatory? Yes.

Take her to Boots, Superdrug etc, explain how things work (I would want hairs pulled out by the root myself!) and let her choose. Give her 3 options according to purse size

[albaqwerty]

Son's ex keeps a towel solely for dyeing.

[daffy654]

Get her a lady shave, no risk of cuts then from a razor, or smells from depilatory creams :)

[EvianBaby]

It's not just summer but school too. Girls that age can be nasty little bitches and I know when I was at school getting changed for p.e. was like a game of spot who has the hairy pits.

I think her age is fine to start learning about these things. And how to get rid of it all :)

[Eve]

I remember feeling awkward as I have dark hair (legs and underarms) and felt very self conscious, especially in the showers in PE where I couldn't cover up, and getting changed as I'm guessing the other girls had already started shaving. I finally broached it with mum and was given a razor.

Maybe make her a little girly present package up with a good quality razor, some shaving foam, little exfoliator body brush thing and nice bath stuff and moisturiser and maybe some little gentle intructions about which way to shave for best results (if you think she might be embarrased and it would be easier than sitting down and chatting her through it), making sure she legs are soaked in the bath and use foam and moisturise after. Maybe a set of razors if she has a lot of dark hair there in case it gets clogged up quickly first.

She can get used to it then while she is covering up more rather than issues like if she has sensitive skin or irritates her skin (mine has problems and I have to be really careful and hair removal cream just burns and wrecks my skin or or takes chunks out of me) and it's not so much pressure to shave them so often at first which covering up more for winter.

[Eve]

Actually, maybe a general chat would be good if she is feeling self conscious in case she starts any DIY attempts on her eye brows or other areas with hair (especially if she is dark and has a lot of it), girls seem to be grooming far younger these days (I don't think I went near my eyebrows until I had finished uni and was out working!). I do remember getting concerned about having hair on my arms though...hmmm...enough said...oh the things you do when you are young and self conscious.

I do agree with Erin about how girls can be bitchy and I'd hope to God they don't even think about anywhere "down there" as regards grooming at this age and I have no children so have no idea how it would be broached but maybe be alert in case the issue is out there in case she is tempted to go shaving with a razor down there (been there, done that, was in agony for quite a while after!).

[rockyracoon]

Wow, some great advice ladies, OJ I'll do that, then she can make a choice for herself, I'll still try to push the epilating though. Jenna, that's a nice idea, she'd love it as she's a real fluffy girly. Her eyebrows will be a problem shortly, as were mine, so I may have to bite the bullet on that one and take her to a salon for a professional job. Grooming really is getting younger and younger.

[rockyracoon]

Hopefully she'll take after me in the underarm department, I get about 3 hairs under each arm as do all the family on my dads side.

[puzzled54]

I would ( and indeed have) take her to a salon for a professional eyebrow shaping with wax. She can then keep the shape herself. Also, if she is ok with the wax, she could have her legs waxed, then she could keep them hair free with an epilator.
I spent a long time messing around with shaving and creams at that age, but the finish is not that good, and of course the regrowth is so quick.

[rockyracoon]

That's the trouble puzzled, it's the regrowth, when I shaved or creamed, I had to do it practically everyday, now I epilate every few weeks, if I'm honest though, you don't get the smoothness of shaving, plus you get ingrowing hairs. Plus side, hairs get thinner and eventually stop growing.

[joannie10]

at the age of 11 my sister took the decision to let my niece have her underarms waxed - was brave as really not been following all the beauty trends that youngsters seem to follow these days. Was best decision - I took her once then again about 3 months later. Now 2 years down the line my sister just uses little wax strips on the bits of fluff that come through. Is 13 now and had decision to make about the legs as felt it was a bigger area and potentially sorer area to deal with. Beautician suggested even just bleaching for a while but they in the end went down the rout of immac. I use epilator now (and occassionally wax at a salon but too expensive for all the time) wished I had done this sooner as hair is so much finer and in some areas not coming in at all - feel I could be happily hair free if had waxed from the beginning but not good at doing things like that myself need it professionally done.

[joko]

i would start her off with simple shaving to be honest, until she gets used to it all - an electric one is best, but if a razor teach her how - because when i first did it, i cut my knees as the skin is more wrinkled and harder and i didnt know and just shaved up them - instead of later when i figured to shave acrossways.
i also then put cream on - which stung like mad!

i too now use an epilator, which hurt at first because you have a full 'set' of hairs, but after a few goes its not so bad as each time there are less hair because of the cycle of growth, until after a while when there are only a few so its easy.

waxing is only really the same as epilating - pulling hairs out at the root - but just does it all in one go... but id save that for a while as it can be hard to do.

the little kit is a nice idea - you can buy elecrtic ones now with all sorts of attachments for bikini line etc too.