“NC actually the heter for shaving for work during sefira is the same heter as shaving for work during ch”m.”
Absolutely not. Shaving during CH”M is much more machmir. Mainstream opinion is that work appearance is not actually enough to justify it for chol hamoed. People just seem to confuse it with sefira unfortunately. It has nothing to do with aveilus during chol hamoed. Those who keep second sefira also can’t shave then.
Also, sphardim aren’t the only ones who keep first sefira. Nearly every normal person in America does. And, yes, I know you can find Ashkenazi sources that say second is better, but it just hasn’t caught on in reality.