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Beauty Box: Hair Removal

The sun is finally shining, so this week we try to find the most effective - and least painful ways - to de-fuzz.

Charlotte's Pick: I have a three-pronged method of attack against hair removal, created through lots of trial and error and lots of pain! My weapons of choice are a Venus Divine razor, a Phillips Epilator, and Nads. Despite a lack of evidence to the contrary I still can’t help but believe the myth that if I shave my legs too much I will grow a sea of untameable dark spiky hairs. Due to my irrational fears, I try to epilate and use Nads when I have the time (and can bear the pain).

Epliator

In my experience epilating doesn’t remove the smallest hairs, but the hairs it does remove (by yanking them out in a constant tweezering manoeuvre) don’t grow back quickly. And when they do, they are finer and less noticeable. Try one with a pain-reducing feature, such as ice packs, but to be honest they don’t help that much. It gets less painful though, I promise.

Nads

Nads – a green Aussie hair removing goo often seen on QVC. It’s made of all natural ingredients meaning you can even eat it if you so wish (as they do on QVC). It works like a wax, but instead of heating it, you use it straight out of the pot. Spread it on using the enclosed spatula, rub a waxing strip on top, leave for a few moments, then whip off. It hurts. Although not as much as epilating. It is however, much more messy and time consuming. Why do I bother? Because I'm convinced it works the best.

Gemma's Pick: Poor old Gem. I may have inherited my dad's mousy blonde locks and pale skin, but my brunette mother passed on everything else to me. Like Charlotte (and every flatmate I've ever had) I stash away a Gilette Venus razor for quick de-fuzzing. The problem with most women's razors on the market is that they're so concerned with being safe and looking pretty that they don't actually do anything. The Venus actually removes hair. Genius.

Hairr
I really shouldn't admit this to you, but I have been known, on occasion, to wax my own bikini line using Veet's mini wax strips. I'm not going to lie to you about this. It hurts, it's easy to make mistakes and you need to be a complete idiot to attempt this yourself if you've not done it before on another part of the body (do your legs and see how you cope). All that aside, if you've no time to book a salon trip, a bikini crying out to be worn and a plane to get on the next day, they work pretty well if you know what you're doing. Just make sure to apply them in the direction of hair growth and to pull back  quickly, staying close to the skin, rather than ripping it away like they do in sitcoms.

For those with a lower threshold for pain, the other thing I keep in my cupboard for emergencies is the Veet Rasera kit, which is essentially a can of foamy looking hair removal cream and a plastic remover that looks like a razor. It can be used for most areas, but works best on legs. I love this because it's impossible to cut yourself (good news for the girl who's been known to take a chunk out of her ankle when she 'slipped' while shaving). If you need to get rid of the hair on your legs and you don't trust yourself with a blade, this is great fun. Whack it on, leave it for a few minutes, then 'shave' it off, leaving foul-smelling gunk in the bath. Mmm, lovely.

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Posted by on April 19, 2006 1:00 PM in
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Comments

I have not tried the Philips epilator, but I have tried everything else you mentioned!

However, I prefer the pre-waxed strips by Veet over the Nads. I used to use Nads and it was such a pain to heat up the wax and wash the cloth strips afterwards. It made waxing a huge production that I never had time for. Now I use Veet's pre-waxed strips with the pre-waxing comfort spray that numbs your legs and I am hooked.

As for hair removal cream, I have yet to find one that actually works. My skin is very sensitive and hair removal creams just make my legs red and sore and don't actually remove any of the hair! Very frusterating.

I too use the Venus razor for touch ups in between waxing and also for underarms. Works great and I love it.

Now I am going to have to go get a Phillips Epilator... sounds like something I could use.

Posted by: Sarah-Jean | April 19, 2006 5:42 PM

i had bought Veet Rasera recently, but only after applying it i remembered i had bought something like this a few years ago - only to find it burnt the top layer of my skin off ( or so it felt like ). so i whipped this cream off to find once again " red legs " ......Lovely !!!!!

I dont ( as a rule ) have sensitive skin, so it was quite a surprise no realise i had a small allergic reaction to this. So BEWARE ladies DONT use it all at once and over a large skin surface !!!! its a worse feeling than Nads and home waxing kits...Really

Jenna x

Posted by: Jenna | April 20, 2006 12:25 PM

That's a really good point Jenna, I should have mentioned that you should always patch test any hair removal product, even if it's from a brand you've used before. When you think what these things are made to do, it's no surprise some people react to them even though they've been tested before going on the shelves.

Posted by: Gemma | April 20, 2006 1:02 PM

I used to use a product from Boots called "Silky Mit" - it was a bit like sandpapering your legs! it worked well for me though not so much for my friend who had much darker hair. You had to rub in a circular motion and the regrowth was less thick than shaved hair. Boots stopped stocking this a couple of years back - do you know of any similar alternative?

Posted by: bee | April 21, 2006 8:58 AM

Bee I remember those! I have vivid memories of the pain after using them, my skin was red raw. I would imagine they've been taken off the market because they essentially thin the skin down by rubbing it off, but I'll put my detective hat on and see what I can find!

Posted by: Gemma | April 21, 2006 9:58 AM

i no were you can still get them sandpaper hair removing pads...superdrug stock them under the name of 'SILKIMIZ'from silkymit. visit their website at www.alida.co.uk.
hope that helps and i use all of the above i hate hair removal!!argh...but try usin min solution 2 afterwards! works a treat for razor burn etc
x

Posted by: aaliyah | April 21, 2006 11:29 PM

i have an emjoi...an epilator not unlike the phillips. though people say that applying it to your armpits hurts like crazy, i think it's kinda fun. the roots of the hairs are surprisingly long under the skin; it's basically like treasure hunting.

Posted by: jackie | April 22, 2006 6:27 PM

I also use Veet's mini cold wax strips for my bikini line and they are just perfect! Maybe I have become a pro at this, but I seriously wish the big ones worked as well for the legs. For some reason, they don't.

Posted by: Silvia | April 22, 2006 6:58 PM

is it possible to use the Veet rasera kit for the bikini line?

Posted by: jessica | April 25, 2006 11:19 PM

Yep, but do a skin sensitivity test...even if you've already done one on your legs. Better to be safe than sorry, especially in that area!

Posted by: Gemma | April 26, 2006 10:02 AM

Excellent information and product explanations. Thank you!

I've tried epilators and thought I was going to die...

Veet pre-wax strips sound like an option, but frankly, I like sticking to my trusty electric shaver.

Again, thanks for the info!

Jenny

Posted by: Hair Removal Products | May 10, 2006 11:22 PM

I've tried shaving, waxing, and epilators. They all work to varying degrees, but I just can't take pain. Thanks for the info.

Amber

Posted by: Body Hair Removal | May 20, 2006 10:38 PM

Interesting blog. I set up a Information site so people can learn more on back hair removal at www.learnbackhairremoval.com
Mary

Posted by: Mary Peterson | June 1, 2006 12:07 PM

Wow very well (and lots of pictures!) presented information here.

Many people need information on leg hair removal and hair removal in general.

So research is the key really ( like at my website www.leghairremovalfacts.com) and researching different shaving and hair removal options helps you save money too!

Cheers and thanks for the good info overall here.

Posted by: Joy Moore | June 2, 2006 6:46 AM

hey, it was really informative to know abt the diff experiences of u all..... i m 18 yrs old, and i need a little help..... i need to know abt removal of hair ummm down under there i mean the genitals, wat options are available, i tried shaving, but it doesn t last for more than 2 days and regrowth is really scratchy down there... i was thinking of using some hair removal cream..... do u think its safe? wat wud be a better option? how do i go abt "IT"????? plz help.....

Posted by: Anu | March 21, 2007 9:52 AM

I've tried waxing with Nair Microwavable Wax...OUCH. Hurt like hell and left a million red bumps, I couldn't even finish so now I look retarded. Hah. Veet wax strips didn't work for me either, didn't grip on well enough. I have also tried Veet hair removal foam, which works somewhat...but still irritates my skin. I have yet to find anything that works besides shaving. I think I am going to try the bladeless Veet kit next on my bikini line.

Posted by: Clare | June 13, 2007 6:00 PM

I recently bought a kit by GiGi of All Purpose Honee hot wax system, and it was HORRIBLE-- It was very messy, PAINFUL to a degree that it even left a bruise on my lower leg, and I looked like a plucked chicken afterwards. I could only handle doing the front of one leg. To boot, and unlike "sugaring" products like Nads, the stuff would not wash off for anything, although the "wax off" in the kit did help some.

I went to the drug store and bought, for under $8, a box of ZIP (about the size of a soap bar, with white letters and the box is maroon), the traditional HARD wax my grandma used to use. I went to goodwill and bought a cheap double boiler for exclusive use with my wax. Not a tenth of the mess, pain, and half the cost!

I put aloe vera on both legs, and even the next day, the leg I did with GiGi is still red and sore and not as hairless, and the leg I did with ZIP is soft, beautiful, and with NO red marks. I did miss a few hairs so I'll go buy the Venus razor you recommend for touch-ups.

Posted by: Alex | June 25, 2007 4:58 PM

UPDATE from previous posting:
I re=read the top posting of Charlotte's three top picks, and decided to try the epilator idea. I checked out epinions.com and found the best reviews were for the BRAUN Silk-epil. It has multiple head options (from wimp with massaging pain dampers to Amazon for more direct and fast work. I think I found the dream combo- I dot he bulk of the hair removal with the hard wax (ZIP)and do the touch ups with the Braun Silk-epil.

Posted by: Alex | June 28, 2007 2:49 PM

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