Are you a leg-waxing enthusiast? Or do you prefer to take matters into your own hands and shave your limbs smooth? Whether you're a fan of waxing, shaving, tweezing, or depilatory creams, the quest to banish fuzz can sometimes be overwhelming. Not exactly sure which hair removal method is best for you? We break down and decode each process for you, along with the pros and cons, when you keep reading.
The sexy actors in Magic Mike have to show off a good amount of skin to play male strippers in the movie, out later this month. And one of the sexy men in question, Matt Bomer, dished that the stripped-down scenes required a lot of manscaping. He said, "We all had to go there. I'm not going to say it was fun, and personally I will never do it again, but for that project it was necessary. We were all in the boat together." We must admit, the painful waxing paid off, the Magic Mike fellas look mighty fine showing off their hairless bods.
We've seen a lot of manscaping trends over the years, but one of the most surprising would have to be the male-version of the Brazilian. Women are no longer the only ones going through the pain of waxing their undercarriage. According to the New York Times, men are now getting bikini waxes and "boyzilians." One waxing salon mentioned even says 70 percent of its weekly business comes from guys. Besides the obvious question of how a man's bits and pieces are waxed (it seems like a dubious task), you may wonder why men would go through the torture of waxing the area around their member — but, of course, it has to do with the "enlarging effect" a bare down-there has. Apparently it's a sort of optical illusion, with one salon director saying, "It accentuates it, because there's nothing to obscure the, you know, implement down there."
Would you want your man to get in on this boyzilian trend? What about other types of female pampering like facials and pedicures? Click through to weigh in on if you'd like your significant other to join in on your grooming practices.
We're mammals, and by nature, that means we all have hair all over our bodies — even on our faces. It can range from soft, barely noticeable downy-textured hair, to thick and dark. Depending on factors like hormones, age, and heredity, facial hair can become more prominent, and while totally normal, there are times when it's just plain unwanted. For those moments when you feel like your facial hair needs a little more control, check out these tips for either making it less noticeable, or removing it altogether. Just keep reading.
Women go through all kinds of hoops when it comes to beauty, especially in the quest for smooth hairless skin. From waxing to sugaring, threading, and beyond, check out the health risks involved when it comes to common hair removal techniques.
Shaving — Probably the most common way to remove hair since it's fast, cheap, and easy to do yourself. With shaving, there is a risk for nicks, ingrown hairs, and the dreaded razor burn. If you forget to change out the blades, dull or rusty metal may cause irritation or infection. Shaving can also cause folliculitis, an infection in the hair follicle usually caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus (staph) or a fungus.
Waxing — A layer of wax is applied to your skin, and a strip of fabric is placed on top. Once the wax is dry, it adheres to the hairs; pulling the strips off of the skin pulls the hairs from the root. Depending on the location of your body, waxing can be extremely painful; it hurts to have your hair pulled from the root, and the wax also adheres to your skin, taking skin cells with it as it's removed. Waxing can cause irritation and inflammation, especially if you have a reaction to the chemicals in the wax, and, if the wax used is too hot, there's also a risk of burning the skin. If your skin is not held taut when pulling the wax strips off, bruising may occur. Some people also suffer from postwax breakouts or scarring if they have sensitive skin. Once the hairs begin to grow back, you may find painful raised bumps (ingrown hairs), especially under your arms or your bikini area since the hairs tend to be coarse and curly. Waxing should be avoided if you are using Retin-A, Accutane, or antibiotics. These medications make the skin thin, which means more than hair will come off during a waxing service. If you are using Renova or alphy hydroxy, check with your aesthetician before scheduling an appointment.
Read on to hear about sugaring, depilatories, threading, and more.
We are proud to present this story from Allure:
Perhaps the worst thing about coming out of winter hibernation is the realization that a '70s-era embrace of body hair is not, in fact, sweeping the nation. That's not to say, though, that there is no way to make the delicate reacquaintance with your waxer more bearable. Here, tricks that actually help take the sting out of waxing. See the pain-relieving tips when you keep reading.
Doing your taxes can definitely make you want to rip your hair out, so Bliss Spa is offering some "wax" relief to those of us looking to de-fuzz come tax time. During the week of April 15-22, Bliss spas nationwide are offering 15 percent off all waxing services, as well as select hair removal products, like their Ingrown Eliminating Pads ($38) and Poetic Waxing Kit ($45). We think Bliss's waxing is as close to painless as possible and will leave you feeling smooth, sexy, and ready to spend — ahem, save — that tax return.
We're excited to present this article from Allure!
I can't say I was surprised to see Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino get his eyebrows waxed last week on Jersey Shore. There he was at the barber shop, getting a wax that wasn't just about removing the strays between his brows; he was getting a full-on, arch-defining brow wax.
Personally, I couldn't deal with dating a man who waxed his eyebrows—too high-maintenance. And, at least according to the results of a new Allure poll, I'm not alone. Though we don't have specific stats on eyebrow waxing, 38 percent of women in the poll said they either don't care or don't like it when a man grooms his pubic hair. And on the subject of back hair? An overwhelming 66 percent of women said to leave it be.
What do you think? Are you fine with a guy's fur? Or do you demand some male grooming?
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Oscars beauty secrets: 5 hot red carpet looks
Um, should you get that mole checked?
Toddlers & Tiaras, what hath ye wrought, seriously? In this week's episode, a mother took her tiny daughter to the salon to get her eyebrows waxed. Why this even occurred to anyone as a feasible thing is unclear, but it's especially bad because, as the mother herself explains, "She had a bad [waxing] experience . . . the wax was way too hot and it ripped off her skin, so she's been kind of terrified ever since." We're pretty terrified, too. Here's the footage:
We're happy to present this article from one of our favorite sites, Allure!
For a number of reasons, okay, namely three—bumps, ingrown hairs, and near-immediate stubble—we tend to prefer waxing the bikini area to shaving it. But sometimes, you're between waxings and you need to turn to a razor for a quick fix. A friend of ours recently did so and is having some unfortunate side effects, namely three—bumps, ingrown hairs, and near-immediate stubble—that look far worse than a few stray hairs. She should have tried these tips; to see them, just keep reading.
If you have a valid student ID, and the new school year has you in need of a little beauty bliss, you're in luck. Now through the end of October, Bliss spas are giving students 20 percent off any service they offer, from facials to the well-beloved Poetic Waxing.You just have to sign up at the Bliss site, and then you can conveniently book your appointment online. If you're not currently enrolled, it almost makes you want to register for some college classes, doesn't it?
