Nominate Your Favorites: About.com Readers’ Choice Awards
The Readers' Choice Awards showcases the best products, features and services in dozens of categories across all of About.com.
I'll be accepting nominations for the following Hair Removal categories:
How The Readers' Choice Awards work:
Nominations: Wednesday, January 13 - Feb. 4
Voting (top nominated products in each category): Feb. 11 - March 8
Winners: Announced March 15
What to do now? Go to the Hair Removal Nomination Page to make sure your favorites make the cut for voting. Please do not try to leave a nomination as a comment, they've been turned off this particular blog post. To learn more about the overall awards program visit awards.about.com.
Kalo Hair Inhibitor Review
Not all hair inhibitors work the same. With this system from Kalo a lotion and spray is applied after getting the hair removed from the root. It's not a one-hit wonder, but does take multiple treatments and is supposed to reduce hair about 10% with each use.
My assistant Nicole who has her own mobile skincare business used Kalo on one of her female clients, Karen, that gets her back de-fuzzed. See how much hair is reduced and why it was good for Karen, but bad for Nicole all in her Kalo Hair Inhibitor Review.
And if you have any questions, feel free to Ask Aesthetician Nicole in the hair removal forum.
More Reviews from Nicole:
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Hair Removal While Pregnant
My very pregnant friend, carrying her second child told me about her recent experience trying to shave her legs which turned into scaring her toddler as she came out of the shower with blood dripping off her legs. It's hard to shave when you can't really see what you're doing. She was so appreciative in her last pregnancy, when her friend not only came to her home and shaved her legs, but gave her a pedicure too.
Not all those approaching their due date are as fortunate to have help shaving. And even those expecting that can successfully shave (see tips) should know there are other options out there for cleaning up their legs and bikini zone that last alot longer.
- Waxing. You may be sensitive to waxing, so it's best to have a patch test first before getting a complete service to see how your skin will react. But if it's a go, then you won't have to worry about the hair (or if you'll be able to see your legs) for about a month or so.
Waxing is virtually impossible to do on your own legs or bikini line while pregnant, so it's best to stick with the pros. But after a patch test you could wax other parts of your face or body.
- Sugaring. Unlike waxing where you need about ¼" inch of hair, the traditional method using paste can remove hair as short as 1/16". Because it removes hair in the direction of growth, is made of natural ingredients and doesn't stick to the skin, it's known to be less painful and create less irritation and redness than waxing. Spending an hour or so in the salon or spa can save you time and energy from shaving for a month or longer.
Using the paste is tricky. So sugaring your own legs or bikini line while pregnant is out and you'll need to make an appointment. But you can make your own at home (get recipe) and try it on your facial hair.
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Hiding Hairy Legs Under Nylons and Tights
I hate wearing nylons. But I wear skirts and dresses at least a couple times of week. In the summer, I don't even look at a pair. But come Fall when my legs can't take the cold, I have to start covering my legs.
I'm fortunate enough not have to have too much lower leg hair because I'm using Silk'n SensEpil. But because I do have dark hair, I remember how hosiery does have its plus points. The bright side is that if you forgot or didn't have time to shave, wax or epilate your legs, hair can easily be camouflaged- if you pick the right texture or color. Light hose won't help too much, but only act as a slight eye buffer. And even dark hair can be seen through transparent black ones. So if you really need some covering power, choose any color, as long as it has a design or it's opaque.
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Veet Salon Line Ready to Use Wax Strips for Face & Bikini
Instead of heating up the wax and spreading it on each section, you can also use strips where the wax is already there waiting for you. In my opinion, they usually don't work as well removing all of the hair because they're room temperature, at best. On the bright side, they're easier to use because you don't have to worry if you applied the wax too thick, and it's faster (see more quick hair removal methods) with less mess over pulling out the wax pot.
Veet, normally known for their hair removal creams, also makes wax strips. Nicole tests their Salon Ready Line out on a bikini and brows. See if she thinks they're a good buy in her Veet Wax Strips Review.
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Shaving, Depilatories and Laser Hair Removal over Tattoos
To have clean skin to work on, hair is shaved before applying a tattoo. I never thought about that since I don't have any tattoos, but that makes sense. So what about when the hair grows back and it's an area that you normally remove hair? What can you do?
Who better to answer that than Karen L. Hudson, the Guide at About.com to Tattoos and Body Piercings? Here's some great advice, tips and posts from Karen and her readers.
Female Chin Hair Removal
Men tend to start sprouting hair on their ears as they age. Whereas women seem to see more hair (some strands as thick as a man's) on their chin each year. Because it's so easy, most women simply tweeze. But it's definitely not the only method that will keep the hair away for weeks.
Learn about all of your options whether it's thick dark hair or just light peach fuzz, and ways to get rid of it depending on how much it bothers you. Read: How To Remove Female Chin Hair.
More:
- Do You Recommend Laser Hair Removal on Chin Hair?
- How To Wax Chin Hair
- Chin Hair: Waxing Vs Tweezing
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Sugaring Hair Removal Paste on Etsy
Sugaring, an alternative to waxing, is known to be gentler and less painful because it doesn't stick as much to the skin like wax. Even better, the traditional technique using paste can remove hair as short as 1/16 of an inch because it's removed in the direction of hair growth.
But if you look to buy sugaring paste for home hair removal, you'll only find sugaring gel like Nad's and Parissa at the drugstores. (Don't get me wrong. The gel is nice, but it has some of the same drawbacks of waxing, like needing a 1/4 of an inch of hair growth and breaking hair above or below skin's surface because it's removed in the opposite direction of hair growth.) When looking on-line, I could never find pre-made sugaring paste for consumers, only professionals, so I put up a sugaring hair removal recipe that can be used as paste. Well, I couldn't find it...until now that is.
On Etsy.com I found a woman in Italy selling ZukyEpil Sugaring Hair Removal Paste. I ordered it and I really liked how it worked and even the packaging. It comes in a nice container with a clear plastic protector on the sugar to keep the moisture out. Just microwave it for five seconds at a time on high until it's soft and you're able to spread it without too much effort. Then follow these sugaring paste directions to remove your hair.
And while you're on Etsy, check out their other handmade goodies like shaving cream, shaving soap, sugaring gel and aftershave.
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Image Courtesy ZukyEpil
Emjoi Emagine Tweezer Head Epilator Review
If you're shopping for an epilator, know that you have your work cut out for you. We're no longer in the 80s where your options were coil hair removers from Epilady or... Epilady.
Epilators have evolved and with more manufacturers, they're definitely competing to make it into your hair removal routine. Except they're mostly now made with tweezers that grab each hair for you. (Epilady still has classic coil one in their line).
Nicole recently tried out Emjoi Emagine Tweezer Head Epilator, which has the most tweezers currently on the market, 72, on dual opposing heads operating in two speeds. It also has ion technology for antimicrobial protection and lifting fingers that are meant to lift flat or short hair to minimize ingrown hair.
Nicole has tried out some of the Epilady models, including their very fast Speed. So what does she think of this one by Emjoi, is this something different? Read her Emjoi Emagine Tweezer Head Review and see for yourself. And if you're a man in the market, check out the Emagine 4 Men (compare prices).
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Tips for Trimming Eyebrows
You might think trimming eyebrows is only for older men whose eyebrows peek above their glasses. But, honestly, having extra bulk in the brows is one of the reasons that women, especially, end up taking their brows too thin. So they go tweezer-happy removing hair, when it's really the length that needs to go.
Trimming brows does wonders for thick men's eyebrows helping them look more groomed. And for women, even if they're brows are not what you would call bushy, they can only get a very clean and defined eyebrow with a nice trim first. Here we have a video to help you: Tips for Trimming Eyebrows.
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