BellaSugar

Shape Up! Hairstyling Hair Waxes

BellaSugar — Fri, 04 May 2007 07:00:30 -0700

Hair waxes are the greatest invention for those of you with short hair that like to go for the chunky, piecey look. They are a cross between gel, mousse, and hairspray, allowing hair a medium hold with pliability. Genius, I say. Let me know what you think of these three styling hair waxes.

Bumble and Bumble Styling Wax ($23) is a styling product that helps separate and hold. Since it contains silicone, it also adds a fair amount of sheen to the hair. Because the wax stays moist, your hair will be more malleable than if you applied a hairspray or gel.

It also rinses out easily in just one washing and won't cause build up. Just click on Bumble's website to find a retailer nearest you that carries this product.

For two more styling waxes, read more

Pantene Pro-V Texturize! Spray Wax ($3.33) adds definition to your 'do, while still allowing movement and shine. You can use it on either dry or damp hair: Simply shake well, spritz, and mold hair any way you like!

Paul Mitchell Spray Wax ($18.35) is made from all-natural beeswax, which provides a satiny and soft finish while still creating a soft hold. Hair is left feeling pliable and texturized. It also smells really great!

Let's Tackle that Hairy Question: Are Brazilian Waxes Necessary?

BellaSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:00:27 -0800

Do you really need a Brazilian wax these days? That's the question a woman posed to the Times of London, after a new beau was "shocked" by her presence of pubic hair. In her letter, she says, "I don’t think that a permanent tan and Brazilian wax should be dealbreakers in a relationship. Or am I just hopelessly outdated?"

Long story short, advice columnist Suzi Godson tells the woman to let 'er rip. "Grooming down there is now considered to be normal, on a par with manicures, blow-drying, and eyebrow waxing," she says. "There is something hugely irritating about being forced to conform to an aesthetic ideal instigated and perpetuated by the porn industry, but, like keeping one’s armpits and legs smooth, it is now expected."

Oh brother. You already know that I hate, hate, hate the whole "wax, or else you are gross and undesirable!" standpoint, but I wanted to get a professional opinion on the matter. So I turned to sex educator Debby Herbenick, Ph.D., MPH, author of Because It Feels Good. Her advice is about 10 times better than Godson's, so read more.

Ten Tips for a Nearly Painless Bikini Wax

BellaSugar — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 14:00:50 -0700

I think only masochists look forward to a bikini wax, and small wonder: It hurts! The thing is, it doesn't have to hurt quite so badly. I've compiled a list of ten ways you can reduce the pain of waxing. If you're new to waxing, I highly recommend going to a professional to see how it's done. After a few times, you might want to try doing it at home to save a few bucks; I really love completely bare's wax kit because it's practically pain-free. (Let me know if you'd like a how-to on at-home waxing; I'd be happy to do one!) For now, to learn how to keep pain at bay, read more

Plan to wax after your period. Your pain threshold is higher in the week after your period than beforehand. Think of it like this: If sappy commercials make you cry when you're premenstrual, having wax applied to your dainty bits certainly will.
Lose your self-consciousness. Yes, a stranger is going to see you wearing, at most, a paper thong. Don't worry about offending her or feeling embarrassed. It's nothing she hasn't seen before. The less anxious you are, the less you'll worry about pain.
Start off slowly. Your first bikini wax is not the time to try a Brazilian. If you're new to waxing, go with a basic bikini wax. You can always decide to remove more the next time around.
Exfoliate. The day before you decide to wax, exfoliate in the shower. This will remove dead skin, allowing the wax to grip shorter hairs.
Speak up. A good esthetician will work with you to make sure you're as comfortable as you can be. I always ask my esthetician to tell me when she's about to pull the wax off. So don't be shy to say something if you have a low pain tolerance-it's better to speak up than to suffer in silence.
Use hard wax. Hard wax is more gentle than soft wax, so I recommend going to a spa that uses it.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. About an hour before your appointment, take an Advil, Tylenol or other pain reliever.
Breathe. It can be tempting to hold your breath, but breathing in and out helps reduce the pain. Take a deep breath in when the wax goes on, then breathe out when your esthetician gives it a yank.
Know which parts are most sensitive. You wouldn't expect it, but having hair pulled from the lower abdomen area is more painful than it is around the vaginal opening.
Turn your head and cough. An esthetician at Bliss taught me this trick: When the wax is about to be ripped off, cough. It distracts from the pain, and trust me, it works!

Source

How to Have (Nearly) Pain-Free Bikini Waxing

BellaSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 07:00:40 -0800

At the risk of taking the bullet train to TMI City, I loathe bikini waxing. It is the Sisyphean task of my beauty regimen: I wax, the hair returns, I wax again. On and on it goes.

For a while, I got a $35 wax from a really sweet lady... until I noticed that she was double-dipping the waxing stick. Since I'm a clean freak, I've decided to wax less often but go to a better place. Ergo, I de-fuzz with the bikini wax at Bliss spas, where double-dipping is strictly verboten. Plus, it's shockingly not painful to be waxed here. Bliss has its own special wax that is the closest thing to pain-free ladyparts grooming that I've experienced. It doesn't stick to the skin, but it grabs even the smallest hairs. So one quick rip, and that's all you need. During my weekend bikini wax, at one point I literally didn't feel the wax pulling my hairs out. Score!

If you don't live near a Bliss spa, or you'd like to save a few bucks, check out the waxing kit ($45). It contains the same wax and tools that the pros use, and I've had success using it at home. (Not for Brazilians, though; there are some things that are too tricky for me.) Along with the Completely Bare kit, it's the best at-home option for a minimally painful wax.

Reader Review of the Day: Bliss Poetic Waxing Kit

BellaSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:05:35 -0700

Hair removal is the bane of many of our existences, but it doesn't have to be. A few months ago I dished on my experience with Bliss Poetic Cosmetic Waxing Kit ($45), and now it's Bluegirl81's turn. Here's what she had to say about this DIY home waxing product below:

This wax is amazing. I used to break out on my face when waxing at home or the spa, but this wax does not make me break out. It is virtually pain free compared to other waxes. I have been removing hair on my face for over 10 years and this is by far the best. I will never use another at home wax. Highly recommended.

Share your thoughts with us now on anything from hairbrushes to toothpaste on our Product Reviews website. Thanks!

Expectant Mamas Can Get Waxed, Too

BellaSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:00:59 -0700

If I were carrying a baby Bella inside me, I'd like to think that I'd have some pressing issues on my mind: Lamaze classes, proper nutrition, getting the nursery ready, that sort of thing. Pubic grooming doesn't make the list. (It's not like I'd be able to see anything below my bump, anyway.) But if you want to test your pain threshold before the birth, you could always go in for a bikini wax. Completely Bare spas have introduced a prenatal wax for pregnant women.

Developed with the help of a physician and esthetician, the service aims to make hair removal more comfortable for the bun-in-the-oven set. Since pregnant women frequently have sensitive skin and reduced maneuverability, the treatment incorporates special pillows, different positions, and a nipple cream to soothe freshly waxed skin. For women who love to be bare, it's a smart idea. But I have a feeling that if I were incubating Bella Jr., I'd probably rather splurge on a nice foot massage than deforestation.

Source: Flickr User daquellamanera

Product Review: Arezoo Ingrown Hair Cream

BellaSugar — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 10:54:45 -0700

Arezoo Kaviani worked at posh Mayfair salon in London for years, where she had a constant client waiting list. After much success she decided to venture out on her own. She now owns a private salon kitty-corner to the world-famous Harrods department store. Her specialties are extremely gentle waxing and facials, but she is so talented that her one-stop shop also offers a gamut of alluring body treatments.

While in London, I had the pleasure of meeting Azeroo for a bikini wax - not an easy feat, considering her schedule is jam-packed with clients that include Gwyneth Paltrow, Claudia Schiffer, Daniel Craig, Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon. I was dying to ask her if Jake comes in for a manly parts waxing or just an eyebrow shaping, but I resisted - I didn't want to put her in a compromising position or anything.

The one product she used that smelled great and cut the pain of a wax by at least half was her tea tree oil wax. She also handed me an ice cube before she began to help numb the area -it's kinda fun, actually! When we were finished, she recommended a terrific anti-ingrown hair product that I want to share with you.

Arezoo Ingrown Hair Cream contains no alcohol, but it does have tons of tea tree oil. That acts as an antiseptic and drying agent, so those nasty, itchy bumps don't form on your nether regions. It smells better than most products in its genre, and it won't thin your skin like other alcohol-based ingrown hair products do.

The cream works wonders for anywhere on the body suffering from cuts, scrapes, burns, or blemishes. Plus, men can use it as an aftershave. It costs £15, but since Arezoo has so many international clients, she's willing to ship any orders for a minimum charge of $5.

Australians Pushing Brazilians on Preteens

BellaSugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:00:52 -0800

Things are getting kinda hairy Down Under. Parents are extremely ticked off because a website is promoting Brazilian waxes-for preteen girls. Girl.com.au, whose slogan is "Girl Power - Empowering Girls Worldwide," is a girl-centric website that usually covers things like Nancy Drew online games and PG movies. But along with this kid-friendly fare, there's a primer on Brazilian waxing that includes this gem:

Nobody really likes hair in their private regions and it has a childlike appeal. Men love it, and are eternally curious about it.

The article also tells girls what to expect during a wax, claiming that the procedure is "surprisingly not as painful as you might think." Now, even if this copy were showing up on a women's website, I'd have issues with its bizarre worldview. (Really, "nobody" likes hair down there? All men love the "childlike appeal"? Ugh.) But it's even worse to see this directed at children. Between this and Nair Pretty, it seems like our culture is sexualizing girls at younger and younger ages. I can't see how that's a good thing.

Source

The Spray That Makes Waxing 10 Times Easier

BellaSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:00:25 -0700

I've been searching for a new waxing esthetician, someone who can make it easy for me to hit the beach without showing the world my lady garden. This is more difficult than it might seem, especially because bikini waxes are no, uh, trip to the beach. Every time I try a new place, I worry that I'll have inadvertently stumbled upon the Cruella DeVille Haus of Hair-Ripping, and that I will be tarred and de-feathered by someone with a serious sadistic streak.

Earlier this week, I braved a new waxing salon. (Found it on Yelp, which is a great resource for that sort of thing.) And what do you know, it was an almost relaxing waxing. I credit both the esthetician's skill and her recommendation of GiGi numbing spray ($10.49). It's a lidocaine spray that you spritz on your skin about five minutes before the waxing begins. I am overprotective of my dainty bits when it comes to chemicals, so I used it just on the parts not covered by a bikini. Worked like a charm, made the process much more bearable, and so this stuff comes highly recommended.

Another Way to Stop Body Hair

BellaSugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:00:01 -0700

As close readers know, my waxer keeps raising prices, and I've been looking for a new place for deforestation. A new waxing salon called Stript recently opened, and although its prices are too high for me, I'm intrigued by a service it provides. Along with regular waxing services, Stript offers Epilar, an add-on service that promises to permanently reduce hair regrowth.

Here's how it works: After your hair is waxed/tweezed/threaded away, an esthetician applies the Epilar gel on skin. (Unlike, say, laser hair removal methods, it works on all skin colors.) The enzymes in the soy-based gel break down hair follicles painlessly. This process needs to be repeated in five- to six-week intervals, but there should be less hair growth by the fourth treatment. The entire cycle takes one or two years, and depending on the body part, it can cost $25 to $175 a pop. I haven't tried Epilar, and it obviously doesn't fit in with my "spend less on waxing" plan, but it's intriguing to say the least.

Photo by wwworks