Hello!
Over the weekend, someone asked me about the dermaplaning tools that I carry here in my shop, and I thought it'd be much more efficient to make a quick blog post for everyone to read instead of spending my time answering just one individual email. (You all know I don't actually do that anymore, right?)
So here's what I'd tell anyone who emailed me to ask about how I like the dermaplaner tools that I carry here in my shop. Wink wink.
(Video below!)
But first, what is dermaplaning? Think of at-home dermaplaning as basically just shaving your face.
You can see a professional esthetician for a dermaplaning treatment, where they will use a much more sharp tool and treat it as more of a deeply-exfoliating medical event but the tools that I carry for home use are much less intense - more for shaving your face than anything else.
Why shave your face?
Well, you totally don't have to! We're all meant to have hair on our faces!
But, if you are feeling self conscious about your facial hair and would like to remove it, this is a much, much better option than burning depilatory creams, it's completely pain free, unlike waxing, sugaring, or threading, and it's less likely to give you nicks than using the razor you use for the rest of your body. I like offering a safe option for facial hair removal in my shop, because I've personally felt self conscious about my peach fuzz from time to time.
However, it's something that I don't do regularly, and I don't recommend doing it all the time.
Here's why -
If you've read anything on my website about skincare you've probably heard me talk about the skin's barrier layer and microbiome, and how it can be damaged with over-exfoliation.
Well, dermaplaning is basically a super intense exfoliation which removes your protective barrier layer of oils and good bacteria (along with the peach fuzz) in one fell swoop.
This can leave your skin vulnerable to breakouts and dryness.
There is a temporary skin-softening effect immediately after dermaplaning where your skin feels like it is drinking up your moisturizer, but is it worth destroying the barrier layer that your skin has worked so hard to build and maintain?
I don't know.
It depends on how much you want your hair gone I guess...
So say you've weighed the pros and cons and really want to remove your facial hair and experience this deeply exfoliating treatment.
Cool! That's totally your choice!
Here are my best tips for dermaplaning at home:
First, follow the directions, which I will post again here:
To use: hold the dermaplaner blade at a 45-degree angle and gently brush down the skin in the same direction of hair growth on clean skin. Do not dermaplane directly over acne or irritated skin. Follow with toning mist and moisturizer.
Pay special attention to the part where you're doing this on clean skin.
Here's what I do when I dermaplane:
At nighttime: I like to oil cleanse and tone to remove all of my makeup and ensure my face is completely clean before dermaplaning.
Then, after dermaplaning, I continue the rest of my routine - calming cleansing grains, toning mist, (yes again!) hydrosol, facial oil, and beauty butter.
Toning is soooooo important after dermaplaning.
So is moisturizing afterwards.
I really can't stress this enough.
You've just obliterated your skin's protective barrier layer.
Toning lowers the pH of your skin to get things back to a more balanced state where good bacteria can thrive. (Remember, your skin likes to be more acidic, which is why the barrier layer is also called the acid mantle...)
You can use toning mist, hydrosol, or even my after shave mist. Any one will work. Just use it, immediately after dermaplaning, and, of course, regularly until your skin is back on track. And also always, because it will keep your skin balanced.
Moisturizing - again, because you've just removed all of the good, protective oils from your face. Your skin will shrivel up and flake off if you don't immediately replenish it with oil. Use a richer moisturizer over your facial oil (like beauty butter, facial balm, or sensitive butter,) and repeat again in the morning and the next night, and forever and ever, amen.
Additional notes:
The directions are to brush in the direction of hair growth, but you can actually go against the grain, as long as you're careful. The blade isn't terribly sharp, but you can still cut yourself, so watch it!
Hold your skin taut with one hand while you dermaplane with the other to prevent catching your skin the wrong way and ending up with a cut.
You can use the dermaplaner to clean up around your brows and all around your hairline, jawline, and neck, but again, just do this as carefully as possible.
If you get a cut, tone and moisturize per my instructions and it should heal quickly on its own.
There's a pretty good chance you will wind up with a few small breakouts a day or two after dermaplaning, especially if you're acne prone. This is why we tone and moisturize to get your skin back into balance. Apply acne spot treatment at the first sign of a blemish and it should go away on its own. Do not pick at your breakouts and make them worse.
These are for single use only. (I know, single use plastic, another con!) I do not recommend reusing them because a) germs, and b) a dull blade is more likely to cause cuts as you have to apply more pressure to get it to remove your hair.
Do not dermaplane while using retinol products. Do not dermaplane while using any kind of acidic/chemical peel products.
It will BURN. YOUR. FACE. OFF.
It is totally fine and safe to dermaplane while using any of my skincare products, although I never recommend over-exfoliating.
And, yeah... I think that's all I have to share here!
Good luck, and be careful!
- Stefanie -
