If you’re embracing your inner Julia Roberts circa ‘99 and rocking au naturale underarm hair, we salute you.
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For everyone else, if thick, persistent armpit hairs are your top beauty bane come summer, it’s time to say sayonara to long-sleeve tops on a hot day and hello hairless underarms – without even leaving your house.
Image credit: Getty
Here are our top solutions for keeping your underarms silky smooth and hair-free:
IPL laser machines
What was once a luxury salon-only treatment, has now become available in the comfort of your own home thanks to the release of IPL portable devices.
Laser hair removal is a quick process that targets each individual hair follicle, making it the most effective and permanent solution for hair removal. And if you can bear to stay out of the sun for a few weeks following, then it’s our most highly-recommended method.
IPL works most effectively on brown and black hairs, but is significantly less effective on very blonde, red and grey shades. When it comes to skin types, darker tones hold a high risk of burning with an IPL tool, so we suggest avoiding this option altogether if you fall into this category.
bh recommends: LUX Skin IPL Laser Hair Removal $79.99, available at luxskin.co
Epilator
If you’re not a strong laser candidate, although it’s only a temporary result, an epilator machine might be your next best option for at-home underarm hair removal.
And while the machine itself sounds daunting (a contraption constructed of miniature rotating tweezers) the result is a smooth and silky underarm with hairs that have been pulled from the root.
Most effective on underarm hairs that are at least 2mm long, the device needs to be able to “grab” onto something. So be prepared for a little growing time between uses.
Shaving
Ah the old and faithful. Shaving is without a doubt the cheapest and most common method to get rid of underarm hair. And, unless you cut yourself, it’s also the most painless.
Plus, if you’re committed to frequent upkeep and ensuring your razor is of good quality (AKA replacing it often), then shaving is a fairly fail-safe option for most.
To prevent potential irritation and ingrown hairs, we recommend shaving mid-shower to ensure skin has properly softened from the steam and warm water. The result is silky smooth, but bear in mind that stubble will begin to reappear within 2-3 days.
Hair removal cream
If pain-free is your priority then it’s time to try these revolutionary creams that will make all visible underarm hair disappear as you wipe it off.
An affordable option to hair removal, make sure to seek out a formula infused with hydrating ingredients so you can simultaneously nourish and soothe the delicate underarm area.
bh recommends: Nair Sensitive Shower Power Hair Removal Cream
Waxing
Laser aside, waxing will require the least frequent maintenance as the hair is pulled right from the root. You can typically expect 6-8 weeks of little to no hair regrowth between sessions.
And on top of that, the more you do it, the thinner your hair will grow back each time, meaning a slightly less painful experience the more you progress.
bh recommends: Nad’s Bikini & Underarm Wax Strips, Nair Bikini and Underarm Roll-On Wax
Main image credit: Getty
What do you do with your underarm hair? Which is your favourite method?
