Friday, October 23, 2009

Hair Removal

I have been experimenting with hair removal to see what the best products are.  There are so many out there, it has taken some time.  Let's start at the top and work our way down.
Eyebrows
I have a friend who gets her eyebrows waxed and I just can't bring myself to pay someone to do that to me.  I have plucked with tweezers before and really I am not someone who has had to pay much attention to my eyebrows over the years.  However, I turned 38 this year and some very weird, long hairs have started growing out of my eyebrows that have never been there before.  I think I plucked one the other day that would give  Pavarotti some competition.  They have become too much for mere plucking so I have found "Hair Off  Instant Eyebrow Shapers".   Essentially it is the same as waxing, but they come in these really cool little preshaped strips to make it easy for amateurs like myself.  It doesn't feel good, but it is over quickly and the eyebrows stay shaped for a very long time.  I use them about once a month, and can go even longer sometimes.  You have to let your eyebrows grow out somewhat to ensure maximum removal but like I said, it last for a long time too.
Product Details
One box lasts for a very long time and you can find these just about anywhere.  I have found they work the best after I have washed my face and made it squeaky clean.  If you have any oil on your face, the strips don't adhere as well so you don't get maximum hair removal.  I do it at night because it does leave some redness and it goes away by morning.  You just stick them on and then rip them off.  Don't be shy, grab your face and pull quickly.  Going slow is not good for waxing.
Hairier Parts and Creams

I am not going to name other parts that may get hairs on them, suffice it to say, tweezers work great for those hairs you have left from pregnancy or new ones because some new hormone was released on a particular birthday.  By the way, what is the protocol for telling a woman she has a very long hair on her chin she may not be aware of?
For those of you blessed with a man in your life that is an overachiever in the hairy parts department, there isn't much that can be done without radical intervention.  I bought some hair remover cream a few months ago to see what it could do.  I enlisted the help of my husband so the test could be evaluated on many parts of the body and we tried it on legs, backs, bikini-mine not his, and underarms.  First, the stuff stinks bad.  Second, you have to walk around with this goop on and make sure you don't go over the recommended time or you will burn holes in your skin.  That is basically what the cream does, it burns the hair off.  Third, when removing the cream, and the hair with it, you need to use something like a razor other wise you come out looking patchy.  The cream left a slickery film after rinsing too.  Finally, we both found that the hair grew back very quickly.  I am not a fan of the hair removal creams.
Razors
I am a razor girl.  I am willing to wax the eyebrows, but large rel-estate is another matter entirely.  I don't want to have to take a pain killer just remove the hair from my body.  I like the Venus Razor.  My sister in law introduced me to it a few years ago and it works great.  The single blade razors do nothing.  They don't get all the hair and they don't cut very close.  The double blade razors cut me.  I can't get out of the shower without it looking like a horror movie.  There is a new razor out now (the Intuition) that has a huge solid shave cream ring around the razor.  This is a great idea for the first few times you use it.  Then the ring recedes around the razor and just becomes ineffective.  Finally, it breaks off into pieces.  These razors are very expensive and not worth the money in my opinion.
Venus Embrace Razor Shower System
The Venus Razor has 4 or 5 blades that do a great job getting close without cutting you.  I put some soap on a puff and scrub the area to be shaved to lift the hair up and exfoliate the dead skin.  This works better than shaving cream because it opens the pores and you get a better shave this way.  I make sure the water is hot to help open the pores too.  I get a smooth shave, without the cuts and it lasts for about a week.
Waxing
Waxing is not for the faint of heart.  It does hurt, regardless of what friend is telling you it doesn't.  It lasts longer than shaving or creams and gives your skin a very smooth feeling.  There are many home kits that you can use and of course salons do full service waxing as well.  They will remove hair from anywhere on your body so you have lots of choices if you go to a salon.  Aside from the pain another downside to waxing is you have to let your hair get long enough so there is something for the wax to grab.  That can be a pain if you are one who likes to remain smooth.
The only recommendations I have for going to a salon is:
1. Make sure you are CLEAN and don't put lotion on before you go.
2. Don't be shy, this is what the technicians do and they have seen it all.
3. Tip well, it can't be a fun job.
4. You will be removing your clothes because the hair is on your skin.  Don't be alarmed.
I don't get waxed, I just don't have a reason to.  If you are a swimsuit model or are often without many clothes on, waxing may be for you.  Otherwise, I recommend saving your money.
Laser Hair Reduction
What I have found out about laser hair removal it that it is the most expensive option of all the hair removal choices.  It requires several visits and is usually reserved for extreme hair removal problems.  They can range from women who have too much facial hair to men who don't need to wear a sweater to stay warm.  It is also a great option for someone who has some whisker type hairs that continue to come back pluck after pluck.
The pore itself is treated in a way that prevents the hair from growing again.   Laser hair removal doesn't have a 100% guarantee to remove hair permanently.  It will reduce the thickness and the texture however, but continued treatments are necessary to keep the hair away.  If you are considering laser hair removal, check with your dermatologist for suggestions.  This is a medical procedure and should not be entered into lightly. 
There are home kits that can be purchase for lots of money.  These are not for the face but I have read some reviews of people who really like them for the rest of their bodies.  They basically reduce the thickness of the growth and the coarseness of the hairs. 
Epilady
This product is a torture tool that was created by masochistic crazy people.  It does work.  You have to grow your hair out a bit so that it is long enough for the spinning coil on the end to grab the hair and rip it out.  It is extremely painful and I don't know anyone who uses them.

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