The Beauty Diary: Priceline sales of women’s facial shavers soar in lockdown

While men are growing their beards in lockdown, new sales from Priceline reveal women have taken the complete opposite route.

A new beauty trend has emerged during isolation – women shaving their faces.

While dermaplaning – the term used to describe the removal of fine facial hairs known as peach fuzz – isn’t new, the treatment has experienced a huge spike since lockdown began.

Priceline have released sales data from the past few weeks, revealing Revlon’s best-selling item in the past few weeks has been its $9.95 Face Defuzzer. Usually the global make-up brand's most popular item is the ColorStay Pressed Powder in Light Medium. 

“We’ve been selling thousands of units, which could be attributed to the recent government restrictions to salons, people are looking for alternatives and dermaplaning are at home,” a Revlon spokesperson told news.com.au.

“The face defuzzers have always been incredibly popular, ranking in the top 50 Revlon products, but recently they have seen an increase of 60%, taking out number 1 spot for Revlon – Priceline keep having to reorder stock to keep up with the demand.”

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Sales of Revlon’s ‘Facial Defuzzer’ have gone ‘gang busters’ since lockdown began. Picture: Instagram / Revlon

It’s not just the pharmacy superstore recording an increase in demand for the unusual item, with Google insights revealing search interest is up 104 per cent from the previous month.

Dermaplaning has a number of different benefits that attract people, including exfoliating the top layer of dead skin cells and helping to improve skincare and make-up application.

Experts report the shave – which is often performed with a razor or scalpel – creates smoother skin that helps skincare products absorb better as well as giving a flawless finish when used with beauty products such as foundation and bronzer.

Dani recently tried the DIY treatment in lockdown and reported having soft skin after. Picture: Instagram / Luxeandlemonade

Australian brand MCoBeauty are also known for its budget Facial and Brow Razor that sell for $7 in Woolworths.

However its not for the faint-hearted, with some first-time users describing the process as “scary” and “a little bit gross” on Instagram.

Sydney-based blogger Dani – who runs popular page Luxeandlemonade – told news.com.au it took her an entire day to build up the courage to do it after buying the supermarket item recently.

“My face is smoother than a baby’s bottom. I was worried I may end up looking like my brother when the hair grows back but no one that’s done it has said it grows back coarser or differently, so I’m sold (for now),” she said.

Beauty blogger Chels Randall recorded the first time she tried the DIY-treatment for her YouTube followers, revealing later on Facebook it had left her with “baby smooth” skin.

“My skin is so baby smooth and I can confirm that I have had absolutely no hair grow back darker or thicker,” she said at the time.

Beauty guru Zoe Foster-Blake has also raved about the treatment in the past, saying she has it done professionally before a big event like the Logies as it exfoliates and brightens her skin.

“Dermaplaning is skin-tone-evening, non-inflammatory (so: great for pigmentation sufferers) helps skin care penetrate better, and makes your skin freakishly smooth (because, um, it’s hairless), meaning your makeup will sit PERFECTLY,” she wrote on Instagram back in 2017.

Australian beauty guru Zoe Foster-Blake has previously raved about it to her followers. Picture: Instagram / Zoe Foster-Blake

Some professionals have warned against performing the treatment at home though, with a British cosmetic clinic in the UK recently calling the at home kits “dangerous”.

“It’s so dangerous and when not carried out properly and by a trained technician can leave you with permanent damage to your face... look after your skin, after all you wear it everyday,” Claudia Beer urged on Facebook.

HOW TO USE A FACIAL SHAVER

If you are keen to try using the $10 at-home treatment yourself, Revlon recommend doing it on clean, dry skin.

“Carefully run the defuzzer over your face in small, downward motions, avoiding the delicate eye area,” the spokesperson said, urging users to be careful around the brow area.

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