Celebrities Who Went Years Without Shaving Their Legs

Hollywood has always been filled with celebrities who aren't afraid to question the status quo. Today, many famous faces have followed that philosophy by swearing off the cultural norm of shaving their legs. In fact, a few stars have gone years without removing the body hair on their thighs, knees, and calves.

What's particularly fascinating is that although these women might seem unconventional, they're actually following a custom that was accepted for centuries. The act of regular leg shaving didn't become popular until the rise in skirt hemlines of the 1910s and 1920s, according to The Henry Ford. Before then, women didn't need to think too hard about their leg hair because it wasn't as much of a matter of concern. However, as smooth legs began to be portrayed in the media and in advertising as the height of beauty, women began buying razors and depilatory products to remain fashionable.

That was then, though. Today, plenty of women (and men) are questioning the practice of shaving. A PureWow poll from 2023 showed that more than half of women regularly remove at least some of their body fuzz. In other words, the majority of women may be familiar with what happens when you shave your legs every day, including heightened skin sensitivity. Therefore, it's kind of refreshing to see the list of celebrities who just don't think it's worth the razor burn, nicks and cuts, and time to remove hair that's just going to grow back.

It's hardly a surprise that actor Lena Dunham, well-known for her feminist attitudes, would scoff at shaving. However, she did post at least one piece of evidence that she had shaved her legs: In 2012, she uploaded a snap on Instagram (no longer available) of her bleeding ankle, courtesy of an unpictured razor (via Refinery29).

That said, Glamour noted in 2015 that Dunham had said she had so little leg hair that she didn't bother to shave it. Plus, the publication reported that in Dunham's 2014 book, she posited that women's shaving was influenced by societal expectations. Consequently, she may have abandoned the practice after her 2012 debacle.

Is Dunham still taking a laid-back approach to leg hair? Her Instagram feed definitely showcases some leggy shots as of 2026, but it's hard to tell if she has hair. (Remember: She did say she wasn't hairy, according to Glamour's research.) Regardless, she at least went a few years without shaving her legs.

When it comes to a star going for a long time without shaving, actor Mayim Bialik may win a prize. As Bialik discussed in an article she wrote for Kveller, her anti-shaving stance began when she was a teenager. "Seemed like a waste of time, a conformity that disgusted me (I was a feisty feminist even at 14), and an opportunity for blood where it was just not at all necessary." She definitely wins for never having to worry about leg-shaving mistakes, like using a dull razor.

It's hard to argue with Bialik's rationale for not even starting a relationship with razors, shaving cream, and bandages. Plus, her piece included a heartwarming description of how she wanted to show her son that body hair was just a natural — and kind of fascinating — aspect of human anatomy. What more could you expect from a woman who's embraced her gray with grace and accepted the wrinkles that just come with age?

When your mom is pop icon Madonna, you probably aren't going to be a rule-follower. Is it any wonder that singer, dancer, and model Lourdes Leon sported lots of body hair from head to toe at a gala in 2018 and a runway show in 2019 (via HuffPost)? Quite frankly, her attitude might be a reflection of Madonna's, who once told Harper's Bazaar that she stopped shaving (or at least shaving her armpits) in high school.

Leon seems to have remained a fan of the unshaven leg in the years since, given that she had both unshaven armpits and legs in a 2021 exclusive spread for Interview. As she explained during the interview, her mother encouraged her to be independent as a performer and model — and Leon embraced the freedom to be exactly who she is.

"My mom is very insistent on making me think about what I want to be known for beyond my looks," she said. "That's not what I want people to remember me by. It's not real." And perhaps her message has helped others recognize that body hair on women is quite real and quite normal.

When actor Marsai Martin decided to show off her stylish, short outfit in a now-gone 2020 Instagram post, she didn't feel the need to shave beforehand (via Popsugar). On the contrary, she called out the fact that her legs were au naturale. "Normalize girls having hairy legs," she commented. Unsurprisingly, plenty of her followers seemed thrilled to see that a successful A-lister didn't feel the need to go with the pack.

In 2021, Martin gave an interview to Popsugar in which she described herself as being "bold." Though she was only 16 at the time, she seemed determined to make waves, which may mean she still thumbed her nose at shaving. However, the piece did suggest she used depilatory cream on occasion, but only on the hair above her upper lip.

Three years later, Martin continued to fight for body positivity by collaborating with the Dove brand. According to Ebony, Martin stated, "Real beauty is coming into the world as your unapologetic, authentic self," adding that "any brand that shows realism is always a plus."

"The Bachelor" star Bekah Martinez didn't hold back in 2019 when she told her Instagram followers, "I went to a red carpet event without shaving my legs!" Martinez explained in the long post (which was accompanied by a picture of her showing off in a short green dress) that the experience was a deliberate move aimed at helping her conquer her long-held insecurities. "I stopped shaving my legs and armpits about a year ago as a practice of self-love." And as a result, she never has to be concerned with what causes razor burn. (Spoiler alert: It's mostly a combo of speed and lack of lubricants.)

Martinez ended her post by adding, "I AM BEAUTIFUL, ATTRACTIVE AND 'FEMININE' NO MATTER WHERE I HAVE HAIR ON MY BODY." Did she receive some negative comments? Absolutely, but her post also garnered quite a few words of encouragement and solidarity.

Obviously, the comments didn't affect Martinez. In 2025, she posted yet another image of her as a mom with her unshaven legs on Instagram. The caption read: "I stopped shaving my legs 7 years ago and I still get messages like this all the time." The message? An irate "fan" surmised that her husband must be "grossed out" by her leg hair. Martinez was quick to reply that he'd attended a college where lots of women didn't shave, so he wasn't affected by it.