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Hair Removal
Dhav Naidu 17/03/08

Several dozens of products are dedicated to the removal of unwanted hair. Finding the right method let alone product is not only confusing but often a chore. This segment will explain the different methods of hair removal; give you tips on how to limit pain and show you products that are effective, quick and easy to use.  Before removing hair, let me explain a few things - it helps to know about the different types of hair on our bodies.

Hair is made of keratin, a hard protein that is also found in our nails. We have two different types of hair – Vellus is short, fine, "peach fuzz" body hair. It is soft and grows in most places on the human body in both sexes (till puberty for boys), like the face, back and even the chest.Terminal hair is not only thicker but also darker and longer. This type of hair grows on our heads, armpits and nether regions, men tend to also have Terminal hair on their chest, face, arms and legs. It is easier to remove ‘Vellus’ than ‘Terminal’ hair

General tip
• Women should never remove hair during or just before or after their periods. This is because women’s skin tends to be highly sensitive and their threshold for pain is low during that time.
There are several methods of removing hair; it all boils down to choice, results and convenience. Shaving by far is the most common method of hair removal. It is fast, effective and produces
satisfactory results. It generally lasts for at least 1 to 3 days. The general problem with shaving is that you can suffer from razor burn, bumps, nicks, cuts, and ingrown hairs. Ingrown hairs can happen with close, frequent shaving. It occurs when the hair curls back and grows sideways into the skin.

Tips
• Your legs swell slightly during sleep leaving less hair exposed. Wait until the evening for best results
• Allow warm water to soften hair for at least 3 minutes
• Shaving against the grain leaves skin the smoothest
• To prevent ingrown hairs, exfoliate 2-3 times a week
• For the closet shave under your arms pull the razor upward, then downward and then from side to side. Make sure you rinse shaver and reapply shaving cream each time you change direction.
• Although most people shave in the opposite direction from the hair growth, if you want to avoid ingrown hairs it can help to shave in the direction the hair grows
• Keep skin taut while shaving

Best products
• Gillette Venus Breeze – like the smooth moisturising strips that give a ‘close’ shave. Easy to use with great results.
• Remington Smooth and Silky – truly the ultimate in women’s shaving, has a wet/dry shaver as well as a wet/dry bikini shaver (two shavers for the price of one). What more can a girl ask?
Glides easily and gives a perfect shave every time. Depilatories are a cosmetic preparation used to remove hair from the body. They work by breaking down the protein structure of the hair, so that it dissolves and can be washed or wiped away. This method of hair removal is effective for about 3 -5 days depending on hair thickness.

• Pros: They are inexpensive, fast and there are various strengths available to dissolve even the strongest hair. They're best on the leg, underarm, and bikini areas; special formulations
may be used on the face.
• Cons: Applying depilatories can be messy and the smell puts many people off. If you have sensitive skin, you may have an allergic reaction to the chemicals in the depilatory, which may
cause a rash or inflammation. Dark-haired users may find that there is a visible "shadow" of dark hair under skin after hair removal.
• Tips: Read product directions carefully and be sure to apply the product only for the recommended amount of time. Only use specially formulated depilatory on face or genital area.

Best products:
• For Bikini Area: Sally Hansen Extra Strength Crème Hair Remover for Bikini Line. – Quite an effective cream and only takes 4 minutes for good results.
• For Face – they all have conditioners that can be applied after hair removal and do not smell half as bad as the creams for body
o Andrea Gentle Hair Remover for Face
o Satin Smooth Hair Removal Face Cream
o Sally Hansen Crème Hair Remover for Face

• For body
o Veet In Shower Hair Removal Cream – great, for best results wait 5 minutes instead of the recommended 3 minutes.
o Sally Hansen Extra Strength Hair Remover Lotion – it only takes 3 minutes for good results but for better results wait 7 minutes max!
o Satin Smooth Hair Removal Body Cream – comes with aloe vera gel to help soothe the skin after treatment. Good results, maximum wait time do not exceed 8 minutes.

• For Men
o Andre for Men Extra Strength Hair Remover and Nad’s Hands Free Hair Remover Cream for Body – both tackle coarse hair very well. Andre comes with a body crème to
be used after treatment and Nad’s hands free applicator tube is god sent! Waxing is a method of semi-permanent hair removal which removes the hair from the root. Sticky wax is spread on the area of skin where the unwanted hair is growing; a cloth strip is then applied over the wax and quickly pulled off against the direction of hair growth, taking the hair root and dead
skin cells with it. Waxing can be done using either warm or cold wax

• Pros: Waxing is an effective method to remove large amounts of hair at one time. It is a long-lasting method and leaves the area smooth. Hair regrowth looks lighter and less
noticeable.
• Cons: Many people say the biggest drawback to waxing is the pain. Because the treatment works by pulling hair out at the roots, it can sting a bit as the hair comes off. People may notice temporary redness, inflammation, and bumps after waxing. One of the most annoying drawbacks of waxing is that many people experience ingrown hairs, red bumps, and minor bleeding. This is more likely to occur with men who are waxing areas with thick hair.

• Tips
o For waxing to work, hair should be about 5-6 millimetres (at least ¼ inch long.) So skip shaving for a few weeks before waxing.
o Before pulling the wax, test that it has dried sufficiently by gently patting with your fingers. It should be pliable not sticky.
o Brush with a thin layer of powder to absorb moisture and prevent the hot wax from sticking to the skin.
o Melt the wax to honey like consistency
o Soothe the skin with baby oil on any spots where wax gets stuck. Then soak a cotton ball in warm chamomile tea and hold it on the skin to calm the area and remove wax.
o Hold your breadth as that way you are concentrating on your breathing rather than the yank
o Freshly waxed skin is vulnerable to sun damage, hyperpigmentation, heavily scented body washes and lotions.
o Waxing should not be done on areas of skin affected by warts, pimples, moles or rashes and also avoid waxing on skin that is irritated, chapped or suffering from sunburn.

Best Products
• Professional Wax Heaters (should be used by the experienced home waxer) – 2 of the best on the market are Waxaway and Satin Smooth (this brand has a 10 temperature setting)
• Microwavable waxes
o Waxaway Warm Wax – washes off with water
o Veet Salon Formula Warm Wax – No cloth strips required, the wax dries quickly and you can peel off the wax as it is.
o Sally Hansen Express Wax Hair Removal Kit – quick and easy to use with a nice chocolately aroma.
• For those who want to use wax but do not like the mess or fiddly bits try Waxaway’s Wax Kit – an excellent all in one gizmo that provides easy no fuss application.
• For the best ready made cold wax strips you can’t go past Nad’s removal strips -they are easy to use and very convenient. Just warm between hands and apply on area where you want hair
to be removed and yank
• Bikini waxing kits – both are easy to handle with fun results
o Andrea Brazilian Waxing Kit comes complete with hard wax pre-epilation oil and 6 stencils. The wax is microwavable and made from pine resin and beeswax.
o Nad’s Brazilian & Bikini Kit is also microwavable with 4 stencils, made from pine resin but with sweet almond oil and calendula flower oil.
• Hard waxes and strip waxes - the best are from Satin Smooth (has a range of waxes to suit every hair and skin concern) and Waxaway

Epilators are an electrical device used to remove hair by mechanically grasping multiple hairs simultaneously and pulling them out. The way in which epilators pull out hair is very similar to waxing. Regular epilation of regrowth is less painful than the initial epilation and the number of broken off hairs diminishes with regular epilation.
• Pros: Great results, long lasting and eventually a reduction in hair growth. Results can last up to 6-8 weeks for some people.
• Cons: Can be painful for some people because, as with waxing, it involves pulling hair out of the roots. Because of the pain involved, particularly, on the first epilation some people prefer
to have an area professionally waxed first, then use epilation to remove regrowth.

• Tips
o Exfoliate either with a loofah or cream the night before
o Have a warm shower before treatment
o Do not use any body lotions etc
o Hair length should be about 5mm, if it is longer trim

Best Product
• There are several brands and versions of epilators on the market but the most effective I found has to be the EMJOI, especially the latest release Body Bare Ultimate with its slim
design, dual head epilation, cordless function and 24 carat gold tweezers! Hair removal has never felt better!

Best Ingrown Hair products
• Waxaway Ingrown Serum
• Skin Doctors Ingrow Go
• Veet Anti Ingrown Hair Cream
• PFB Vanish – one of the best on the market
• Nad’s In Grow solution – there are different formulations for men and women, which is great

Other essential products
• Waxaway Hair Minimiser – retards hair growth, prevents ingrown hairs and eases, to a certain extend, the pain of waxing.
• Satin Smooth Satin Release Wax Residue Remover
• Optimal Skincare System After Shave Milk – this multi-tasking unisex product is a dream to use; it moisturises really well and is designed to reverse the effects of shaving, waxing or depilatories.

Stockist
Andrea, Andre and Sally Hansen - 1800 251 010
Emjoi – 1800 025 059
Gillette – leading supermarkets and pharmacies
Nad’s – 1800 352 626
Optimal Skincare System - 02 8437 7400
PFB Vanish – 02 9899 7922
Remington – 1800 623 118
Satin Smooth - 1800 251 215
Skin Doctors - 1800 227 722
Veet - 1800 022 046
Waxaway is available from Target and Priceline or call 1800 245 412

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