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Dealing with unwanted body hair is serious business for us women. That’s why there have been body hair removal salons all over the country and some of us even have routine appointments pencil booked to schedule our unwanted hair removal ritual. But all have changed in the past year due to healthcare protocols as we deal with the pandemic. Thus we opt for DIY hair removal techniques at home.
There are different at-home methods for hair removal such as shaving, waxing, sugaring, and other natural ways to remove body hair. Whichever method you choose, it is better to always be cautious as there is still some risk when you do hair removal at home, especially without professional supervision.
So here are some safety tips and tricks that you can follow while we are still waiting for our next hair removal salon visit.
Practice These 4 Steps to Hair-Free Skin
On our journey to a fuzz-free body, it is important to follow these 4 steps to ensure smooth hair-free skin.
1. Cleanse
Just like any artist does, start with a clean canvass. We want to make sure to remove all the dirt and bacteria on our skin that could go to a deeper layer once we do the actual removal of hair. This can cause irritation and bumps or inflammation called folliculitis.
2. Exfoliate
Have you ever tried hair removal before but you still have a lot of unwanted hair on your skin? Then try exfoliating your skin first the next time you try hair removal at home. Exfoliating removes dead skin cells that have gathered around the follicles, allowing you to achieve the finest hair removal results possible and also prevent ingrown hair.
But if you will be shaving, waxing, or sugaring, please note that you cannot use a chemical exfoliant. It can make your skin sensitive and cause extreme skin irritation. It is better to lightly exfoliate with gentle scrubs or soft towels to gently remove dead skin.
If you will be doing a DIY natural method of body hair removal, be sure to check if the ingredients that you will use will not counter-react with the chemical exfoliant.
3. Hair Removal
There are a lot of options that you can choose for at-home body removal. Here are just some of the options that you can consider to try at home:
Shaving: This may be one of the most well-known methods for body hair removal. The pros are that it is easy to do and you need a good razor. The cons are that it can lead to dark skin and chicken skin and your body hair will grow back quickly. Tip: Use shaving cream and choose a razor with at least 3 blades for a smoother hair-free result.
Waxing: This is one of the most effective methods of body hair removal and the result can last up to 3-4 weeks. Though, it can be painful especially if it is the first time that you will try it. Waxing is also more prone to ingrown hair. Also, if you will be using the traditional hot wax rather than the cold wax strips, be sure to check the temperature of the hot wax to prevent burning yourself. If you do burn yourself in the process, then do the following steps:
- Put the affected area in running cold water.
- Don’t put ice directly on the burnt area as it will worsen the condition, rather, use a cold compress.
- If you have aloe vera at home, you can apply it in the burnt skin.
- If you noticed that it is still not healing, then it is best to have it checked by a medical professional.
Depilatory Cream: A depilatory cream uses chemicals to break down hair follicles in just 5 to 10 minutes. The results are a clean, fresh, and hairless face in a short amount of time. The only thing you need to be cautious about when using this product is that it may be harsh for some. Though most of these creams have been formulated with moisturizing ingredients to lessen the irritation, it is better to do a patch test before using this product all over your body.
Sugaring: Similar to waxing, sugaring results can last for a longer period of time. But this all-natural method is less painful and it can be created right at the comfort of your own home. If you have honey, lemon, and sugar, then you are good to go. It does have a caveat though. The ingredients may be easy to find, but doing a DIY version at home may take quite a lot of trial before you can get a perfect consistency. So you will need a lot of patience if you want to do this at home.
4. Moisturize
In our pursuit of removing the unwanted hair from our body, we have also stripped our skin of its natural oils. So right after whichever method you choose for body hair removal, it is important to moisturize your skin to prevent infection, itch, and other skin irritation.
Try products with Aloe Vera, Chamomile, and Vitamine E as this can help soothe your skin. You can also look for products that have AHAs as this is not only moisturizing but can also keep dead skin cells at bay to prevent ingrown hairs. If you have dry skin, then shea butter or natural body oil will be your best friend!
Final Note
At-home body hair removal can be quite scary and can be a daunting task. For some, they consider just not dealing with it. Since we are mostly at home in the meantime, they would just rather let it grow.
Whether you are a person who wants to have hair-free smooth skin 24/7 and will try to do it at home for now or you’re someone who is just more comfortable having your own body hair removal at home, it is always better to take the necessary preparations and aftercare to ensure that your skin will not be irritated or inflamed. Be sure to follow the 4 easy steps for hair-free smooth skin all year round.
Joey Baldonado
Joey is an AB Psychology graduate of the University of St. La Salle – Bacolod. Her life’s passions include writing, film, and spending hours on end binge-watching fashion vloggers on Youtube.
Tags: Beauty, Body Hair Removal
