Sunny days demand satiny skin
Time was when hair conscious gals had no choice but to sneakily borrow their dad’s or brother’s trusty razor. Mercifully, times have changed and today there are options aplenty to fuzz-free your pins before slipping into a fave pair of shorts or skirt. After all, who wants to miss out on fun days at the beach or picnicking with friends? Now that sunny days are back, it’s a great time to think of some options to swimsuit-ready your body and enjoy smooth, stubble-free arms and legs.
Shaving still works
The oldest, quickest way to get rid of unwanted hair. Ideal for legs and underarms if you have a light growth. Now you have a host of lady shavers such as Braun LadyShaver LS5160 and Gillette Venus Razor to choose from. On the plus side, it’s an inexpensive, painless way to get fuzz-free. But hair can grow back quickly and since hair is cut superficially, the re-growth is blunt, not tapered so it appear thicker. Scrapes, nicks and cuts are common as are ingrowths.
Shave like a pro
Having a shower first softens hair. For silk soft results, first use a loofah and a gentle exfoliating scrub like Terrake Smooth Brown Sugar Scrubto slough off dead skin. Then lube up with moisturizing body wash like Bath & Body Works Coconut Lime Breeze Shower Gel and use a fresh, sharp, three- or four-blade razor to whisk away hair. Reduce skin irritation by shaving in the direction of hair growth. Finally apply a moisturizing lotion to soothe irritated skin. We like Garnier Body Cocoon Intense Moisture Lotion. If you still get bumps, try an antibiotic ointment to prevent them from getting infected.
The tricky bikini line
The latest trend in shaving is to combine it with trimming hair ‘down there’. Today there’s no dearth of products like Braun Female Groomer FG1100 that offer precise removal and trimming of unwanted eyebrow and bikini line fuzz. Look for a simple trimmer and comb apparatus that works with a single blade to trim hair with a smooth shaving motion and a comb to ensure an even trim length. A helpful hint: use a transparent gel to work up a lather, so that you can navigate safely.
The ouch-but-long lasting way to get hair-free
Almost everyone who’s ever waxed swears by its long lasting results. Applying warmed wax or pre-prepared strips to the area and yanking it off in the opposite direction of hair growth, pulls hair out at the roots. This works well for legs, underarms and the bikini area especially on coarse, darker hair. The reward for all that pain: you stay hair-free for at least two-three weeks. For follow up sessions, the regrowth has to be at least a quarter inch long. The more squeamish take heart, sessions get less painful over time.
Comfortable waxing tips
Experts warn that drinking coffee or colas before a session can increase pain sensitivity. If you plan on going to a salon, make sure proper hygiene is maintained and only disposable strips are used. Or you could wax from the comfort of your home with wax kits such as Veet Easy Grip Ready-To-Use Wax Strips. There are several variants for different skin types. The EasyGrip Tab makes the process intuitive and simpler. All you need to do is ‘pull up’ with the easy grip tab for instantly smoother skin.
Cream away the hair
If razors leave you bruised and battered, and waxing sounds too painful, opt for depilatory lotions that simply cream away unwanted hair. Just smooth on legs and other hairy areas, kill a minute filing your nails before stepping into the shower and rinse off. Hair removal creams contain chemicals that weaken hair at the roots so you can simply wipe them away.
Amazingly easy and painless and works well for facial hair, bikini line and underarms though the smell can be a bit off putting. Check out Veet Suprem Essence Hair Remover Cream, Veet Hibiscus Dry Skin and Veet Hibiscus Sensitive Skin to find a variant that suits you best.
Epilators for state-of-the-art hair removal
For beauties with a reasonable pain threshold who hate the yucky stickiness of wax, epilators are the way to go. These are motorized devices that remove unwanted hairs by trapping them in either a rotating head of small tweezers or a coiled spring or wire. Epilators produce faster hair removal than tweezing and it’s a far safer and less messy option to hot wax or waxing strips. The best part, you stay silky-smooth for at least two to three weeks and none of the irritated skin common after a wax. Nykaa likes Braun Epilator Series-3 3270 and Braun Epilator Series-7 7681. The rotation speeds and strengths can vary depending on the model, and some also include an electric razor attachment for sensitive areas.
Use epilators safely
Like other hair removal options, it’s always best to first shower. Dry skin completely before using the device. Run the epilator in an upward motion, against the direction of hair growth. In stubborn areas, you might want to change the epilation direction for a smoother finish. There might be some redness and irritation the first few times you use an epilator so don’t have a session just before a big night out. Use a soothing lotion after epilating. In between sessions, rub down with a loofah like Basicare Loofah Body Scrubber With Rope or Faces Luxe Sponge Round-Pebbleto prevent ingrowths.
