Who hates shaving?! [Insert girl-raising-hand emoji here]. (Arms, legs, downstairs…. you name it!) . A few years ago I quit shaving my pits – seriously. I quit shaving.
OK. I totally quit shaving because I started waxing. Props to any woman who chooses to go au natural, but that wasn’t for this girl. In 2011, prior to a beach vacation with my new beau (who I eventually married!) I got my first bikini wax. Uncomfortable, and expensive – to keep up with anyway.
Honestly, the transition from shaving to waxing has been amazing (and cheaper than a visit to the aesthetician every 2 weeks!) Keep reading to see why.
First of all, I have incredibly sensitive skin…. anyone else? And the reason I began looking for alternatives was because I would get these awful skin irritations. You may be thinking “Well, why didn’t you just change your razor?”… well, I did, and I suppose that could have fixed the problem, but frankly I just wasn’t interested in a new razor every other shave because I’m stubborn…. (AF). Also, shaving just perpetuated the problem that I needed to shave AGAIN the next day. And lastly, ingrown hairs are zero fun – ZERO. So, being the resourceful woman I am, I needed an alternative solution– which leads us here, to waxing.
Forget the days of paper strips. Hard was is great because it’s the only product you will need. Whatever hair you are attempting to remove should probably be at least 1/4 inch long, so that the wax adheres appropriately. You will want to apply baby powder to your skin prior to applying the wax. This helps the wax stick only to the hair and not the skin. Trust me this step is important. Also, it makes the clean up a lot easier.
It’s as simple as heating the wax in your microwave for 3-5 minutes – depending upon the power of your microwave. Tip: I find that the appropriate temperature to apply the wax is when it’s slightly thinner than the texture of honey. The kit also includes a few small wooden applicators, but I prefer something like this instead. After applying the warm wax, allow it to harden for a minute or so, and simply remove, pulling in the opposite direction of hair growth.
Tips on the removal: – Do it quickly! Try to pull the hardened wax strip off in as few attempts as possible, because your skin may bruise if you pull on the same area too many times –remember, this is sensitive skin we’re talking about.
Lastly, finish with some type of oil to re-moisturize the skin since you just traumatized it. When I started waxing, I used the supplies that came in the kit, but quickly realized I needed more than the amount that was included if I was going to keep this up! Something like a coconut oil or a jojoba oil would be safe to apply at home if you run out of the “Post Wax Calming Wipes” that come in the kit.
The best part of all this? No more hair maintenance for 2-3 weeks!
Give it a try– seriously, in the summer or on a beach vacation it’s a game changer!! Let me know your results!
Disclaimer: I DO still shave my legs. Waxing is reserved for the other areas where body hair is less desirable. *wink, wink*
