There was a little-known musical called Flower Drum Song that first hit the stage in 1961, but a number that came out of it remains popular to this day; it's called “I Enjoy Being a Girl.” And for some girls and women, it really is enjoyable to enthusiastically embrace their femininity. But being a girl can also be a real chore. From makeup to hairdos to clothes, it can all get a little overwhelming and frustrating now and again.
And probably the most boring and time-consuming beauty maintenance tasks is hair removal.
If you're tired of shaving your legs (and other body parts) with a razor, on a regular basis, and occasionally cutting yourself on top of that, then you might want to consider introducing yourself to the world of waxing. But before you go to the store or your local salon, here are some things to keep in mind so that you can wax the right way and get rid of that pesky hair with as little hassle as possible.
If you've never tried waxing before or if you've done it wrong in the past, you probably have some questions. And hopefully by reading this article, the technique will be a lot clearer.
How is the hair removed?
Obviously waxing involves using wax! That's certainly no mystery.
But how exactly can wax remove your hair? Basically, you can wax any body part you like (your legs, eyebrows, feet, back, etc) by spreading a thin layer of wax over your skin. After you do this, you then press down a strip of paper or cloth down onto the wax. And just as you'd quickly rip off a band-aid, you then must quickly pull of that strip of wax – just make sure you pull off the strip in the same direction that your hair grows (because if you don't, your hair will then grow back in odd directions).
If you do this properly, your skin will suddenly be wax-free and hair-free. All dead skin cells and the root of all your hairs will be pulled up with the wax! Sometimes you can invest in hot wax that actually cools upon your skin and thus does not require any kind of cloth for removal. In fact, if you have especially tender skin, hot wax is a great way to go.
There are subtly different waxing techniques for different areas of your body that you might want to look on, depending on where you want to wax.
How long will it take before the hair grows back?
You will likely have hairless, smooth skin for at least three weeks after you waxed, probably more. In fact, you may not see hair regrowth until about two months later! And unlike with shaving, the hair that does ultimately grow back will be soft, as opposed to rough and thick. If you wax frequently, you may even get to a point where you never see hair regrowth again, especially if you commonly wax certain areas (like around your eyebrow).
Why is waxing less of a temporary fix than shaving?
When you wax, you remove hair from the root, not the surface, like with saving! This is why hair doesn't grow back as quickly and is also finer when it does grow back.
Is it painful?
Yes! However, you will only feel the pain of a waxing for a short second, as you (or a professional) pulls the strip of wax off. Depending on your pain tolerance, you may prefer painless shaving over painful waxing, despite the benefits.
Can I do it myself?
When people have negative consequences to waxing, like bleeding, irritation, or fast hair regrowth, it's usually because they waxed their own skin and didn't follow directions properly. Waxing isn't too complicated of an art, however, so as long as you read the instructions of the store-bought waxing kit carefully, you don't have to go to a professional for hair removal. In fact, if you are good at waxing, you can save a lot of money by doing it yourself! Still, there are unfortunately some parts of your body that are simply too hard to access by yourself, and in those cases, you'll either need a friend or a professional to give you a helping hand.
All in all, if you have persistent hair that you just can't stand, waxing really can be a dream come true. However, if you'd rather do without the pain and save some money on less expensive shaving creams and razors, it may not be the right strategy for hair removal for you.
Finally, it's important to note that waxing is more of a temporary form of hair removal than laser hair removal or electrolysis, but it doesn't carry the same risks. If you're looking for permanent hair removal, though, waxing won't do the trick.