There’s shaving, there’s laser hair removal. There are those hair removal devices they sell on television and good old tweezing. But, many people prefer hair waxing as their primary method of eliminating excess body hair. It’s quick, it’s effective, and some say, it prevents the hair from coming back as thick.
It’s also a great excuse to hit the spa. Here’s a little more about waxing:
So, How Does Hair Waxing Work?
Hair waxing has been used for centuries and has largely remained unchanged. Hot and cold waxes are generally made from either a paraffin resin or beeswax. The process goes as follows: the wax is heated until it melts and is then applied to an area like the legs or arms with a plastic spatula.
The waxer covers the area with a cloth for easy removal. The solution stays on the skin for several minutes until it cools and hardens. As the wax cools down, it begins to cling to each hair follicle, tightening its grip.
You’ll know the wax is completely cool, as it begins to take on this sort of tacky texture, pulling the skin taut, and pointing toward the opposite direction of how the cloth should be removed. To remove, the waxer pulls the cloth off quickly, in an upward fashion. And voila, you’re left with smooth skin. Smooth skin that may feel just a tad sore.
There’s also the option of making your own wax with a combination of sugar, lemon juice, and water. You can make this by boiling these ingredients until they reach this sort of syrupy consistency. It works much like using actual wax, though there’s some debate as to whether the sugar method is the best hair waxing move for those with sensitive skin.
Does Hair Waxing Actually Reduce Hair Growth?
When you wax, what you’re doing is ripping the hair from its root, damaging the hair bulb. For those who don’t know this, the hair bulb is where living cells divide to form the hair shaft. It’s also how the hair receives the hormones needed for healthy hair development. So, when you wax your legs, damaging these bulbs over time, you’re likely going to end up with finer hair than what was once there.
This is generally a good thing, for your legs, arms, etc., but areas that you may want to regrow your hair, these might not be the best candidates for hair waxing.
Different Types of Hair Waxing
Different Kinds Of Waxing
We kind of alluded to this above, but there are some different options available for those looking for a good wax.
Soft Wax For Bikini Waxing?
You’ll start by spreading a thin layer of heated wax over the skin using a stick or roller. You’ll typically use soft wax on large surfaces of the body such as your arms or legs. As we mentioned above, the waxer sticks a cloth over the spread wax and then lets it dry.
Soft waxing is great for areas with variation in hair. Meaning, it will pick up the kind of thin hair, like what you’ll find on your thighs, that you typically can’t see. It also leaves you with some seriously smooth skin.
But, soft hair waxing isn’t ideal for sensitive skin. Despite the gentle-sounding name, this type of waxing can pull and damage skin cells, which may lead to bleeding and irritation.
While the benefits of using this type of hair waxing over others are minimal, some people prefer this method. Soft wax may feel comfortable going on, and it doesn’t pull too hard on the skin.
Hard Wax
Hard waxhard wax
Other Waxing Options
Beyond the hard and the soft methods, some alternative hair waxing approaches are rising in popularity. Fruit waxing is a lot like hard waxing. It’s a nutrient-rich, sensitive skin-friendly approach to waxing. Chocolate waxing is another good one for sensitive skin due to the addition of elements like soybean and almond oil.
Why Is Hair Waxing Worth It?
The main benefits of bikini waxing are, that hair waxing gives you a longer-lasting smoothness than you’ll get with shaving. It also eliminates ingrown hairs, as well as some of the pitfalls associated with shavings like cuts and razor burn.
The best part? The hair regrowth process is not immediately noticeable. No stubble the very next day. A little pain, a lot of gain with hair waxing.
Check out Skin Apeel’s full-service waxing center, and we’ll get you set up for a smoother lease on life.
