lessons in waxing: part 1

I've mentioned my battles with body hair before, and I think every woman goes through a failed self-waxing attempt at some point in their mid-20s. Consider it a rite of passage. You come away with either a load of wax left behind, or bleeding and bruised skin...vowing to never touch the drugstore wax again. I've been there. But, I'm here to tell you that it CAN be done, successfully, and with little pain!

I hate shaving my legs often...the hair grows back fast and thick, and my sensitive skin is prone to razor burn. I did some research, and bought some semi-professional supplies to use at home. I've been doing my lower legs with absolutely fabulous results, and plan on tackling the upper legs, underarms, and bikini line next (will report back for part 2). I hear you all shuddering, but it's really not that bad! Here is everything I picked up from my local Ricky's (you can probably find it all at Sally Beauty Supply too, or Amazon for cheap).

* Gigi Wax Warmer

You'll find this warmer in two versions - one with a simple on/off switch, and one with an adjustable temperature setting. I'd recommend spending a bit more for the adjustable setting. You can warm up the wax quickly, and then set the temperature lower so it's not too hot (but just hot enough to stay melted and usable). It's fairly compact too...mine is stored in its box underneath the bathroom sink. The Gigi warmers can also be used with other brands of wax...I think the containers must be around 14 oz. to properly fit.

* Wax Clean Collars

You MUST use these when using any type of wax warmer. Waxing is a messy business, regardless of how careful you are with the application. These collars ensure that no wax will drip on your warmer, and also provide a little ledge to rest the applicator on. One package will last forever too.

* Wax

I read a ton of reviews before choosing a wax. First things first, most of the negative reviews are from people complaining about how 'messy' the wax was. ANY wax will be messy, so you should just ignore these. Yes, they are messy, and yes, they can be difficult to remove from the skin. But, if you do it properly and carefully, you can minimize the mess and make cleanup fairly easy. Anyway, the most helpful reviews talked about how well the wax actually worked to remove hair on various body parts. Having had bad experiences with the 'honey-type' of soft waxes (these are often referred to as 'honey,' 'all-natural,' 'sugar-based,' etc.), I went with a creme wax, because I've read it's best for sensitive skin. These will appear opaque (rather than translucent). The Gigi Tea Tree Creme Wax is wonderful for most of my body hair. It removes hair easily, doesn't stick to the skin much, and any leftover wax comes up easily with extra muslin or cloth strips.

* Applicators

These are basically tongue depressors, packaged nicely and marked up slightly. Flat, wood, rounded edges...they'll all do the job. I swiped some of my mom's tongue depressors from their medicine cabinet and they work just fine.

* Strips

I've used muslin and the paper-cloth ones (more rigid than muslin). I think both are fine, although I slightly prefer the latter. They are slightly easier to remove quickly. Also, when using muslin, the fibers come off the ends and get all over the place. I think some waxes work better with certain cloths, so double check the wax container to know for sure. Both types of strips are fairly cheap, and are more economical when you cut them for size.

EXTRAS!

*No Scream Cream
I haven't used this cream, but I have friends that swear by it for brazilians. I've used numbing creams for laser hair treatments, and it really works. One small tube is pretty expensive, so you may want to save this for the bikini area and underarms.

* Pre-epilation Oil
Reviewers who used hard wax for the bikini area claim this oil really helps lower the pain. It's supposed to work in the same way that powder does - helping the wax stick only to hair and not skin. Will report back once I try it out...

* Wax Remover
You'll most definitely need to use something post-wax to remove the stickies. After early waxing sessions, I would just rub olive oil over my legs. There are a few wax remover lotions available (here, here, here, here), but they seem to work similarly to oil - you still need to scrape around to really loosen the wax from skin. I've recently bought a big bottle of baby oil to use, rather than dumping perfectly good olive oil over my legs.

You're probably wondering if all these products are worth it. Why not just go with the microwaveable type? First of all, having to microwave the container every few minutes is a pain. It was a pain for me living in a one bedroom apartment, with the bathroom about 15 feet away from the kitchen, so imagine how it would be if you lived in a house. It's also messy. It's nearly impossible not to get wax all over those small little containers! Finally, I think the quality of product is better than the microwaveable versions. It removes the hair better, with less pain, and the product stays smooth and even until you hit the end of the container. I will say, though, that drugstore brands can be great option when you're trying to find the best wax for your skin and hair type. The kits have everything you need for a few waxes. If you do want to try a drugstore kit before committing to the whole set above, I'd recommend the Sally Hansen All-Over Body Wax Hair Removal Kit. The wax is a creme wax, and it removes even the most stubborn hair with little leftover wax on the skin. It's also fairly easy to get rid of with a wax remover. Whatever you do, do not even think about Nads or any of those pre-waxed strips (they don't work and tear skin). Look out for my step-by-step and tips in Part 2!