At the height of the Youtube beauty tutorials (say, 10 years ago or so), dermaplaning started to really take off. The beauty influencers of the early days would use this technique to help their makeup lay better on the skin and induce an instant glow.
This obsession with capturing a “perfect” image of the skin or a full-glam makeup look was a major flex during this time, and people would go to further lengths to get it—including shaving off their peach fuzz.
While peach fuzz is something everyone has, some people have demonized it to the point of creating societal pressure to remove it. As if we don’t have enough things we’ve been conditioned to be insecure about already.
It’s worth noting that times are certainly shifting in the beauty industry—and it’s (for the most part) for the best. Gen-Z is embracing imperfections by placing value on the artistic side of makeup, using it as vehicle for self-expression, and viewing skin care as self care—AKA, the opposite of a goal-based approach to nailing a “flawless” look.
Not to mention, shaving the face is a form of physical exfoliation, which is where that dewy glow comes from. It makes sense that dermaplaning was most popular during the hight of exfoliation obsessions—when stronger, more potent acids and extreme face scrubs were all the rage.
Now we’re seeing gentle chemical exfoliants replace once sought-after microplastic beads and we’re even scheduling in “recovery nights” to ensure our skin gets a break from all of the actives. Barrier repair creams, serums, and masks are selling out faster than ever—and this is a good thing.
Nevertheless, some people are still into dermaplaing, and plenty of people are asking whether it’s a must-do step—here’s what the experts have to say.