by Brandi Savitt – May 10, 2010

Wax On, Wax Off

By the time most American women have reached their twenties, we’ve been shaving our legs and under our arms for years.  We’ve been plucked, waxed and tortured by various hair removal treatments promising smooth, clear, pain free results, all in the name of beauty…  No matter how it’s done, removing unwanted hair from intimate places (or anywhere for that matter), is not only unpleasant chore, it can become shockingly expensive!

With summer fast approaching, we thought we shed some light on the Fab & Fru pros, cons & costs of some of the most popular methods of hair removal. Not all skin types or wallets are created equal, so choose the technique of torture that works best for you.  You know what they say- the more you do, the easier it gets!

*Note: Because we have millions of hair follicles, no method can guarantee ABSOLUTE permanent hair removal.

Shaving

Shaving is the easiest, quickest and the cheapest way to remove hair yourself.  Unless you cut yourself or have extremely sensitive skin, it is pain-free.  To avoid nicks, always use shaving cream or lotion and a sharp razor.

Effects: Because shaving cuts the hair right at the skins surface, stubble develops in one-three days.

Cost: Cheap- the cost of a razor & cream

Plucking or Tweezing

With a good pair of tweezers (one with slanted prongs work best), you can easily remove stray hairs on your brow, face or bikini area.  However, tweezers are more a tool for maintenance rather than a method of significant hair removal.

Effects: last 2-5 weeks

Cost: $3-$40

Cream Depilatories

 

Hair removal creams are typically sold over the counter and dissolve hair at the skin’s surface.  They are easy to use and work quickly.  However, be careful! The harsh ingredients can cause skin irritation or even chemical burns. -Use gloves & an old towel when applying the cream.

Effects: Lasts one to five days.

Costs: Anywhere between $3.00 to $15.00 a bottle/box.

Waxing

Waxing works on all body areas, from the legs to the face, and whether you go for a regular, a Brazilian, or you get rid of it all, it is one of the more popular hair removal techniques for the bikini area.

Of course it hurts because your hair is being pulled out at the root, but you DO get used to it over time and the more you do it, the hair does grow back thinner (we swear)!  It works as the resin binds hair to a strip of cloth, which is yanked off ( the opposite direction of hair growth).  -Some thick waxes are applied and then peeled off.

You can wax all areas yourself using hot or cold wax kits sold in stores, but we do recommend seeing a professional for the best results- especially for the bikini area!

Effects: Lasts 3-6 weeks.

Cost: Home kits range between $10-$25.  SPA prices depends TOTALLY on the body part and prices can range from $5-$100.

Sugaring

Sugaring is a more gentle wax alternative where a warm sticky paste has been made from a base of sugar, lemon and water.  The paste is applied and removed just like waxing- but often less irritating to the skin.  It does not always work as consistently as waxing does, but clean up is simple because the mixture washes off easily.  Home kits are commonly sold, but it is difficult to find a professional spa that uses the pure method.  -Be careful, many places that advertise that they do sugaring, really are using a wax that has some of the ingredients added.

Effects: Sugaring breaks the hairs off just below the surface of the skin (not at the root) so treatments last 1-3 weeks.

Cost: Home kits range from $10-$20.  SPA prices depends TOTALLY on the body part but prices range from $5-$100

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