Festive Fabulous
Everyone wants super sexy smooth legs to show off in all those Christmas party dresses but with so many methods of hair removal out there it's hard to know which is best. Female First gives you a rundown of the top ways to get rid of that unwanted leg fuzz.
As you can imagine pulling out hairs from the root at turbo speed isn't exactly pleasant but no pain, no gain!
Shaving
The traditional and most popular way to hair free legs is old fashioned shaving.Pros: It's easy, quick and-unless you slip- relatively pain free. These days there are so many new razors out there designed especially for us women that we no longer need to risk slicing our gorgeous pins with our man's dodgy disposable.
Cons: Hair grows back fairly quickly as it only cuts off the hairs that are growing above the skin. So you need to shave every other day if you want to keep that silky smooth feeling. Tips: The best types of razors are the ones with multiple blades. They give a smoother finish without going over the same area more than once and risking irritation
It's important to remember to use soap or shaving foam for a smooth, injury-free shave and keep your razor wet.
Starting at the ankle, shave in the opposite direction of the hair growth, drawing the razor up the leg.
Also don't forget to slap on plenty of moituriser afterwards to stop your skin going rough and dry.
Waxing
Pros:If you're prepared to wait up to 6 weeks to allow your hair to grow between removals then waxing is definitely a good option. Waxing offers the longest-lasting results of all temporary hair removal methods. Some even say that if you have your legs waxed from the an early age- as soon as the hairs appear- then after a year or so you will have very fine or even un-noticeable regrowth.Cons: The obvious pain is the biggest downside to waxing. Having thousands of tiny hairs ripped from your legs is hardly pleasant but no pain no gain. There is also a higher risk of ingrown hairs and some people are prone to angry red spots and irritation for a few days following a waxing session.
Tips: Waxing can be done at home and there are plenty of waxing kits out there that make it easy. However nervous first timers are best off visiting a beauty salon for the most effective wax.
The pain of waxing is significantly reduces if you relax- easier said than done- but if you take some nice deep breaths and imagine your on an exotic beach somewhere you will hardly notice the ripping sensation.
Soothing after cream is a must after any waxing session. It helps your skin retain it's pH balance and takes away some of the nasty sting. Most at home wax kits come with it included. Exfoliation is also essential. Ingrown hairs can leave red lumps on the skin and can even get infected so a good scrub will leave you with lovely smooth skin.
Depilatory Creams
Pros: They are fairly fool proof and completely pain free. There are loads of different creams available including one syou can even leave on in the shower then rinse off when you're done. There is no cutting or ripping of hair involved so there's very little chance of an accident.Cons: They can b quite messy. Although there are new products out there that reduce the mess but there is still a certain amount of waiting around with cream covered legs involved. And there's also the smell. That unmistakable hair removal smell can linger on the skin for a few days. The chemicals in the cream that 'burn off' the hairs can also cause irritation in some people.
Tips: Sponge the legs with a damp warm cloth before application as this will soften the hairs and make them easier to remove.
Never exceed the recommended waiting time as this further increases the risk of irritation.
Remove the cream with a sponge or cloth as this makes sure as much hair as possible in removed.
Epilator
Pros: Epilators remove hair from the root by acting like a row of tweezers that pull at the hair. Once removed hair doesn't grow back for up to 3 weeks and when it does it can be smoother and finer than before.Cons: Once again it's all about the pain factor. As you can imagine pull out hairs from the root at turbo speed isn't exactly pleasant. Also they struggle to remove smaller hairs so repeated use for a few days may be necessary.
Tips: Try and buy an epilator with a detachable ice pack that can be put in the freezer the night before to help numb the pain during use.
Laser Treatment
Pros: Laser treatment aims to reduce the amount of hair you have and, perhaps, lead to some permanent hair removal. It can also lighten the colour of the hair and decrease its thickness.Cons: Laser treatment is relatively low risk. It can cause some dark marks or pale patches of skin but these usually disappear completely after a few months. Laser treatment can also be quite pricey. It starts at around £40 per session for a small area but for legs you could be looking at up to £400. You will need a few sessions to notice any significant reduction.
Tips: Laser removal works best on pale skin so make sure you let any sun tan fade before you consider getting any.
It also doesn't work very well on red or grey hair so best avoided by those people.
Some people think Laser treatment guarantees permanent hair removal but in fact it only offers a reduction in most cases. Permanent removal may only occur after quite a number of sessions over a few years.
Tilly Harris Female First