Introduction
We’ve all shaved and waxed our legs, bikini area, and underarms for years. But today, body waxing goes way beyond. It’s not only women who shave now, men do too.
It is said that over 50% of men shave their pubic area, with 90% of them taking away hair that’s in the front and from the center. More than half remove hair from the shaft and scrotum as well.
Even though the modern hair razor and over-the-counter hair removal products have greatly improved over the years, many still cause side effects. These can be extra dry skin, bleeding, cutting, nicking, and rashes. Then what about the infamous ingrown hairs. They’ve even got a medical name – folliculitis.
What Is Waxing?
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Many waxing salons provide natural antioxidant types of wax that protect the skin. There are several advantages of waxing.
If you want the waxing to be successful, your hair should be a minimum of about a quarter-inch long to ensure proper removal of the hair.
Waxing originates from Egypt from ancient times when the bodies of women in Ramesses III harem sported extremely smooth hairless bodies. In those days, it would have been their legs and their underarms.
Brazilian body waxing is wildly popular. It includes the removal of leg hair and hair in the underarms, face, and back.
The Benefits Of Waxing With Different Types Of Wax
- Warm Soft Wax – Soft warm wax is used for strip waxing. It works well on the arms and legs and gets applied in thin layers over the skin. For the other benefits of waxing, people with sensitive skin should consider other wax treatments.
- Warm Hard Wax – Hard wax is effective for thick and fine hair. The wax is applied warm and gets hard as it cools. The professionals are always super careful with how they pull off the wax. If done in the wrong direction, the hair can break and become ingrown.
- Cold Soft Wax – Cold soft wax is used on your skin usually straight from the container – it might come prepared on a strip. It’s as effective as warm wax. Some even warm the wax before spreading it. It’s a good option for women’s leg hair.
- Pre-Made Wax Strips – The strips come with the right amount of cold soft wax, all ready for use. It’s the most user-friendly method and good for beginners to try. Use the strips over smaller areas because you can’t spread the wax like you can with the warm wax.
- Fruit Waxing – For fruit waxing, you don’t use strips. Some benefits of waxing are the divine smells from the fruit extracts such as strawberry, papaya, pomegranate, plum, and cranberry. Fruit waxing is good for those with sensitive skin because it doesn’t cause rashes or marks.
- Chocolate Wax – Among the types of wax, this one is chocolate wax. It is tender on the skin and not painful to use. It’s got lots of nourishing ingredients like soybean oil, almond oil, sunflower oil, glycerin, vitamin E, and other minerals.
Read More: 3 Ways That Rose Water Can Help Your Sensitive Skin
The differences Between Shaving And waxing
| Waxing | Shaving | |
|---|---|---|
| Process | The hair is removed from the root using wax strips. | A hair razor will remove the top layer of hair, but the root remains |
| Tools required | Hard/soft types of wax, cloth, paper strips | Hair razor |
| Where to use | Anywhere | For larger areas |
| After effects | Can be ingrown hairs, irritation, pain, rashes, redness, bumps, allergic reaction, sun-sensitivity, scarring, infection | Cutting yourself, itching, razor burn, ingrown hair, folliculitis |
| Pain level | Medium | Minimal |
| How long it lasts | Approx. 3–4 weeks | Approx. 3–7 days |
| Skin type | Most skin types | Most skin types – even sensitive skin |
| Hair type | All | All |
| Length of hair | Should be from 1/4″– 1/2″ | Any length |
- There Is Less Regrowth – This is because waxing removes the hair from the root, so the results last longer, up to 3 to 4 weeks. Also, the more you wax, so to speak, you might find the growth gets less over time.
- The New Growth Becomes Finer – Using a hair razor, new hair growth in a few days will feel prickly. But with waxing, the hairs are removed right at the follicle. The hair ends are finer, not prickly.
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Waxing Acts Like Exfoliation – As dead skin cells build up, dirt, dryness, blemishes, and outbreaks can occur on the skin. It is important to exfoliate to brighten the skin. With waxing the same process happens. Waxed skin also looks healthier, glossier, and fresh. Just remember that waxing isn’t pure exfoliation, so it is recommended to exfoliate a few days before you have a wax.
- Waxing Gets Rid Of Shaving Rash – Razor burn[1] is irritated skin. At least when you do waxing with warm wax, you avoid ever having shaving rash again. Shaving exposes the skin area to friction, and when you shave again, the rash might not even have disappeared yet. With longer periods in-between waxing, you give your skin more chance to calm down.
- Fewer Ingrown Hairs – Shaving can result in ingrown hairs, and they can be pretty painful, let alone an ugly look. And sometimes, you can end up with an infection that can lead to scarring. A professional waxer makes sure they remove wax strips correctly.
- Goodbye Itching: One Of The Benefits Of Waxing – Immediately after shaving, people find themselves scratching the shaved area because it becomes itchy. When the regrowth starts, they can experience itching again. But with waxing, you stay itch-free for longer, and you won’t be needing to wax again for some time compared to shaving, which is every few days!
- No More Shaving Nicks And Cuts – Even though women might have heaps of experience shaving women’s leg hair, sometimes, it’s so easy to lose concentration, causing abrasions or small cuts. With shaving, you need a good lather too, and this can make you lose your grip, and the razor can slip from your hands too.
- Waxing Can Feel Like You Are Pampering Yourself – Women’s leg hair shaving is a beauty chore. But having a professional waxer at your home who brings different types of wax for you to try might make you feel beautiful and pampered, almost like being at a spa. It just makes you feel good to give attention to yourself, and the soothing hands of a therapist make it feel even more luxurious!
Read More: 13 Natural Beauty Tips for Healthy Skin By Jessica Rose
Trending Questions
You need to consider a few risks. With body waxing, you can experience redness, pain, irritation, rashes, bumps, allergic reactions, sensitivity in the sun, ingrown hairs, infection, and burning.
With women's leg hair and other parts, shaving is similar, but usually, folliculitis is more common. Waxing and shaving depend a lot on how sensitive your skin is. Dermatologists give tips on how to wax at home.
Shaving[2]: Every 2-3 days to longer, depending on hair growth. Waxing[3]: Every 3 to 8 weeks.
Conclusion
Fortunately, the benefits of waxing help your hair become lighter, softer, and finer[4]. Why don’t you consider booking your place for waxing in places on your body where can’t bear your hair to be showing – or to do it yourself? You will see how smooth you will feel and how clothes feel different as they drop over a smooth, hair-free body.
When it comes to women’s leg hair, many women ask whether they should shave or wax. There are several ways to get rid of hair, but shaving and waxing are the most popular today.
As you can see from the above, each has its pros and cons. Shaving is cheaper and can be done wherever you are, lasting up to 2 weeks. Waxing can last anything from approximately 4 to 8 weeks.
Sure, shaving can save you for the party that comes up out of the blue. After you realize the benefits of waxing, shaving does seem to be the fastest and easiest method, but not necessarily the best! You choose.
