I will never look the same as I did at age 28. (I’m 37, for the record.) But while I miss my 28-year-old metabolism, there is one thing I don’t miss: my mustache.
Thanks to my Sicilian genes, I am a fuzzy lady, and while I appreciate that the mane on my head is dark and thick, it’s a constant battle with my body hair. I don’t mind shaving my legs, grooming my eyebrows, or even getting bikini waxes. But having a hairy face feels decidedly unfeminine.
A few years ago, I decided to take it all off. I’d heard mixed reviews about electrolysis, so I talked to my dermatologist about laser hair removal, and she told me I was a perfect candidate due to my relatively light, olive-toned skin and dark, thick hair. As she explained, the greater the contrast between the color of your skin and the color of your hair, the more effective laser hair removal is.
My doctor’s office didn’t offer laser hair removal, so they referred me to a dermaspa while advising that any reputable spot would probably be fine. When I found an online offer for discounted treatments at LaserAway – the California chain endorsed by Kim Kardashian – I jumped. If it’s good enough for Kim, I thought, it’s good enough for me.
For years, I’d been bleaching my upper-lip hair; due to my use of Retin A and sensitive skin in general, I wasn’t able to wax. But as I got older, my hair got thicker and thicker, and I had to bleach it more and more frequently, and I wasn’t fooling anyone. A thick yellow mustache is still a mustache. I’m sure no one else noticed it as much as me, but it drove me crazy.
After my first surprisingly quick and easy lasering session, I left thinking, why didn’t I do this sooner? Basically the only barrier to lasering my whole face was the high price tag, but having laser hair removal on my upper lip was some of the best money I’ve ever spent.
Below, you can see my before shot. I’ve circled part of my furry blonde mustache for your convenience.