Written by Karen J. Gerrard Founder of SEAMS Beauty.
Here’s to smooth soft summer skin
Beauty regimes change- and not only with the season! With new beauty products continually arriving on the internet to entice us, the items in our bathrooms and beauty methods are forever being updated, however there’s one classic routine that is always there - that’s ‘hair removal’ by waxing.
So the big question I’m often asked is hot or strip?
Some people have their favorite methods, but there is a rhyme and reason to the best one to use.
Our skin is different on each part of our bodies and thicker hair grows where there are more sebaceous glands. Hair can grow everywhere except the palms of the hands, lips and soles of your feet.
Here are my tips on what to use and where -
Hot Wax
Is left on the skin to dry a little and is then peeled off.
Benefits
Ideal for smaller more sensitive areas, and good for coarse stubborn hair.
Takes out deeper hair so there’s longer re-growth.
Promotes skin hydration and good for sensitive areas.
Best suited for
Bikini, underarm and coarser hairs on the face such as eyebrows.
Strip Wax
Is spread on the skin then removed using a paper strip.
Benefits
Can get more of a precise line, better for finer hair.
Best suited for
Legs, arms and finer hairs on face such as upper lip and chin.
Both methods can be painful depending on the sensitivity of your skin, time of menstrual cycle, or the skills your beautician has, but the smooth soft skin afterwards is worth it, ‘there’s no gain without pain’! You can use both types of wax on all areas. Some beauticians offer one or the other and some do both.
If using a beautician, check out that they have a diploma qualifying as a beauty therapist, most will have their certificates out on display.
If you want to do it at home My Best Product ever recommends Veet warm stripless wax.
Waxing means waiting for the hair to grow to at least quarter of an inch to grasp and this can take from between 3 – 6 weeks. If you don’t want to wait that long, using a shaver on dry skin, or a razor with shaving foam will be inexpensive and less painful but the hair will grow back quicker, blunt and thicker.
Follow up with a moisturizer afterwards to soothe skin, my favorite is Bio oil, or aloe vera from a health food shop or chemist.
Underarms can be more sensitive and it’s good to use something with an antiseptic ingredient, tea tree is both a natural anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. It’s best not to use deodorant or lie in the sun for about 24 hours as this can cause stinging and irritation as the pores are open.
Waxing can cause ingrowing hairs- I recommend the use of an exfoliator cream in the shower twice a week, or use Bliss ingrown eliminating pads.
Here’s to smooth soft summer skin