Being a woman can be such high maintenance, manicures, pedicures, trips to the hairdressers for trims, cuts, dyes and treatments, facials and other spa treatments to keep our skin looking tip top and then there’s the most basic yet demanding one of them all… Hair removal! Unless you’re lucky enough to be blessed with silky …
Being a woman can be such high maintenance, manicures, pedicures, trips to the hairdressers for trims, cuts, dyes and treatments, facials and other spa treatments to keep our skin looking tip top and then there’s the most basic yet demanding one of them all… Hair removal! Unless you’re lucky enough to be blessed with silky fine hairs that barely show up you’re going to be a slave to keeping your pins soft, smooth and hair free. Luckily there’s a plethora of hair removing methods on the market that leave the humble razor redundant but when you factor in cost, pain and price deciding on the best technique for you can be a daunting task.
Even razors these days ave gone all high-tec with little bikini trimmers on one end and in-built moisturising strips to help soften and condition the skin as you go but could an electrical gadget be the answer in ending your woolly mammoth woes? Only available in salons administrated by a trained professional until recently, and loved my celebrities worldwide is IPL hair removal which uses Intense Pulse Light to treat hair at the root resulting in permanent hair removal. Too expensive? There’s also a great selection of electrical shavers which are less evasive than a bog standard razor plus more epilators on the market than you can shake a hairy leg at which pull the hairs out from the root so although it can be a tad painful, the results are long lasting (much like waxing) meaning you can have a full 2 week holiday without turning into a woolly mammoth. But what’s the best method of hair removal for you? We’ve given a rough guide to what’s out there at the moment for at-home hair removal to suit your budget, lifestyle and pain threshold!
Shaving – The most traditional hair removal method out there. Whilst a quick shave in the shower will keep your legs smooth and hair free for a day at the beach the results aren’t very long lasting and with cheaper razors you can be prone to nicks, cuts and irritating sensitive skin. Electrical razors are quicker, more gentle on the skin and more economical but you might find your shave might not be as close as using a wet razor but the benefits of an electrical razor far outweigh the negatives. A good electric razor can be used wet or dry, is cordless for ease of use around the home or whilst travelling and most hold a good charge time to get the job done without having to stop to charge for more power. A highly recommended electric razor for beginners is the Panasonic ES2207P as it’s best known for it’s ability to get to hard to reach areas easily with little irritation and the triple-blade system ensures a sleek and smooth shave every time. Hard to break away from wet shaving? For those that prefer the traditional (and less messy!) concept of shaving in the bath or shower there’s a wide range of electric shavers that work like a manual razor but without the cuts and fuss but with the benefits of a closer, comfortable shave. The Philips HP6378 is the perfect wet & dry shaver for those who prefer a wet shave but also may want to try the convenience of a dry shaver when pushed for time and to use when travelling. The devices comes complete with a variety of shaving heads including a precision trimmer, a precision comb and even a micro trimmer for those delicate areas such as eyebrows, top of lip and the sensitive bikini area which can be hard to reach with a wider head. If you’re feeling really brave it also comes with a epilator attachment for long lasting hair removal and with a fully charged battery life of 60 minutes this little shaver is a worth investment.
Epilating – Possibly the most painful at-home hair removal method is epilating, definitely not the faint hearted epilating is the art of pulling hair right from the root with a hand held device that looks/feels like an electric shaver. A good epilator will swiftly grasp multiple hairs simultaneously and pull them out with minimal pain/irritation to the treated area although this does depends on your pain threshold, skin type and skin sensitivity. Epilating has become more popular in recent years due to the wider range of devices on the market that claim to minimise pain with add-ons such as ice packs which numb the area resulting in a much more pleasant experience. A good epilator for first time users is the Panasonic ES-WD51-P as it can be used wet or dry, perfect for epilating in the bath where you can prepare skin in hot water with various lathering lotions to reduce pain, also the warmth of the water will open pores resulting in more hair being pulled out clean from the root in one go. The charge on this device is a full 40 minutes, long enough to epilate your legs, underarms AND bikini line in one session, it’s also fully portable and comes in a cute shade of pink and comes complete with bikini trimmer attachments if epilating down there is a bit much. In a rush? The Emjoi AP-18 Emagine Dual Opposed 72 Tweezer Head Epilator has an astounding 72 tweezers which work together to grip hair from the root quickly and easily reducing your pain and shortening the amount of time it takes as more hair is pulled out in one go. A sleek red design, extra long cord and a promise to pull out even the shortest of hairs quickly and efficiently makes this epilator a good choice for those who simply like to get the job done.
Waxing – Scheduling an appointment at the salon, waiting for your body hair to be a good length to wax and having to suffer that awful ‘in-between waxing’ period and then enduring the pain of the physical act of having hot wax ripped from your skin makes waxing quite an unpleasant experience. Then you have to factor in the cost, with most salons charging at last £30 for waxing both of your legs (and that’s just the one session, if any hair is missed you’ll have to tweeze/shave/epilate them out yourself!) At home waxing kits have a real advantage to salon waxes when it comes to price and effectiveness, if you consider yourself rather flexible then home waxing is a doddle but most women like to rope in a friend to help, even hosting at home pamper parties. It’s easier than ever to get a salon perfect wax treatment at home with the Rio Total Body Waxing kit which is ideal for all skin types and produces deluxe salon soft and hard wax for all areas of the body. Comprising of a wax heating unit and all the strips, wax and tools needed plus a how-to DVD you’ll never want to visit a salon again after you discover how easy, and inexpensive it is to tackle those annoying hairy leg moments in the comfort of your own home. If purchasing a full wax unit is too much of an expense there is the easy to use and self heating Veet EasyWax Electrical Roll-On Kit which looks like an epilator or personal shave but distributes hot wax quick and evenly on your skin, all you have to do is apply a woven strip and off the hair goes! The only downside to this device is the wax takes 20 minutes to heat up and only stays warm for 15 minutes so you’ll have to move quickly. There are also many boxed wax strips on the market that are quick and easy to use should hot wax not be your thing.
IPL – Removing hair using laser technology IPL, short for intense pulsed light is the most permanent, and therefore most expensive form of hair removal and until recently has only been available at salons administered by a trained therapist. IPL uses short, intense blasts of light applied directly to the hair follicle which absorbs the light and falls into a ‘resting’ phase, the hair then sheds naturally and regrowth is inhibited. Unfortunately IPL isn’t suitable for everyone, those with darker skin tones, very light or red body hair and those with grey hair are advised against using any form of IPL treatment as there’s a high risk of developing serious skin reactions such as discolourations, strong redness and irritation and in extreme cases IPL can cause burns so please speak to a trained advisor before purchasing your at-home IPL unit. The Philips Lumea Precision Plus SC2006/11 IPL Hair Removal System is a great step into the world of home laser hair removal as it claims to give you a 70% reduction is hair regrowth in just 8 weeks and has an endless lifespan of 140,000 flashes. Prep skin by shaving the area to be treated so the light can penetrate to the root with no obstacles, adjust the colour matrix to the correct setting for your skin tone and body hair colour and simply glide the device over the targeted area, simple! To prevent hair from growing back simply repeat the procedure every 2 weeks until you no longer feel the hair growing back but remember to keep an eye on the targeted areas for any change in skin tone or irritation and consult a medical professional if you feel something is wrong or doesn’t feel right. Treated body hair with IPL is simple and effective, a full leg takes just 15 minutes and pain is minimal, it’s been said the feeling is like tiny elastic bands flicking over the skin and although it can be slightly uncomfortable it’s only for a short amount of time so the feeling is bearable and the results are totally worth it.
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