BellaSugar

How to Prevent Ingrown Hairs

Annie Tomlin — Mon, 09 May 2011 03:10:44 PDT

Spring means it's time to break out warm-weather wear like dresses and sleeveless tops. This also means that you may be shaving more frequently, which increases the chances of developing the dreaded ingrown hair. These little bumps can form wherever you shave, and they can be either harmlessly annoying or surprisingly painful. They develop when the blunt edge of an individual hair grows into the skin, curling up and causing inflammation. Keep reading to find out how to prevent ingrown hairs.

From Scruffy Beard to Bikini Line: We Test a Unisex Aftershave Gel

BellaSugar — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:00:33 PDT

Whether you're a man or woman, at one point or another you've undoubtedly experienced some sort of shave-related discomfort. Shaveworks's unisex product, The Cool Fix ($11-$25), is an all-in-one gel lotion that hopes to free you from your shaving troubles. But can an aftershave product treat both razor burn and prevent ingrown hairs on two very different subjects of the opposite gender?

I called in Mr. Bella to find out. A hairy man he is, Mr. B's five o'clock shadow usually rolls in more around 10 o'clock . . . in the morning. As for me, I'm a light-skinned lady with dark brown hair, which can turn out to be a bikini-line nightmare. So to find out how we fared with The Cool Fix, just keep reading.

5 Easy Tips For Preventing Ingrown Hairs

BellaSugar — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:00:00 PDT

Ah, ingrowns. They're painful, they look unpleasant, and they have a nasty tendency to show up in your most sensitive spots. Especially since bikinis and short-shorts are only a few weeks away, there's no better time to find out how to prevent them from happening. Yani Cifuentes, a waxing professional from LA's Stark Waxing Studio, talked to me about what we can do to keep ingrowns from rearing their ugly heads. To get her advice, just keep reading.

Product Review: Whish Flawless Bump Fighter

BellaSugar — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:00:02 PDT

I suffer from red, puffy ingrown hairs, so I am always on the lookout for a magical cream that can nip them in the bud before they grow into large, unsightly bumps. So far, I've found two great products - Tend Skin and Arezoo Ingrown Hair Cream - and recently I've discovered Flawless Bump Fighter from Whish ($22.50).

It has a mild scent and comes in an easy-to-travel, slim tube with a fairly aggressive pump. It needs to be said since I consider you guys my friends, is that it's got a clear, whitish (think saliva) type of texture and color. So, let's just say that when it comes shooting out of the container, it reminds me of something downright dirty.

But, none of that really matters, does it? (I just thought I'd warn you.) I appreciate that it won't stain your underpants (it dries clear) and I've been using it every other day for two weeks since my bikini wax. So far I've only noticed one ingrown hair and minimal redness. I'd say that's a great result.

It claims to weaken your hair follicles, help prevent hair growth, and skin inflammation. Also, it's alcohol free, so it won't dry out your skin. Use it on your legs, lips, bikini area, and eyebrows after a wax, depilatory, or a shave. It leaves your skin feeling smooth, not sticky, and it dries quickly so you can get dressed right away. Pretty flawless after all.

Product Review: Arezoo Ingrown Hair Cream

BellaSugar — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 10:54:45 PDT

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.

Must-Have of the Moment: Tend Skin

BellaSugar — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 09:00:18 PDT

Readers have been steadily writing in asking about how to resolve your ingrown hair problem. Pesty post-waxing and shaving bumps look red, irritated and they can even itch a little bit. It's time you learn about Tend Skin Liquid.

This oldie but goodie has been a part of my life for years. I use it on my bikini line, and guys often use it on their face and on the back of the neck-essentially, wherever ingrown hairs usually form.

To use, dampen a cotton ball with Tend Skin and pat it onto the bumps you'd like to banish. You'll feel a little bit of a tingling sensation. That's okay; just wait about twenty to thirty seconds for it to dry and you're good to go for the day.

Now your bikini line will look beautiful for the duration of your beach days! Tend Skin is available in a four-ounce bottle ($20), an eight-ounce bottle ($35) and a 16-ounce bottle ($50). But if you're allergic to aspirin, take a pass: One of Tend Skin's main ingredients is acetylsalicylic acid, which is-you guessed it-aspirin.

Three Solutions for Ingrown Hairs

BellaSugar — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 06:00:28 PDT

Ah, Summer! Time to break out the bare legs and bikini bottoms - and to start worrying about battling ingrown hairs. Waxing and shaving frequently can easily lead to razor burn and painful bumps that get infected if left untreated. Fortunately, there are some great solutions to the problem, whether you're looking to pamper yourself or you're shopping on a budget. Here are three ingrown-hair treatments to try.

From one of our favorite spa brands, these Ingrown Hair Eliminating Peeling Pads by Bliss ($35) are easy-to-use wipes presoaked in a hydroxy-acid solution, which helps battle bumps and soothe redness.

Two more, including a great budget option, so

read more If you think shaving your legs every other day is tough on your skin, imagine taking a razor to your face every morning. That's why I trust products for guys, like this Ingrown Hair Treatment by Anthony Logistics ($25). This moisturizing gel cleans away dead skin cells to fend off the bacteria that can lead to infection.
Looking for a more budget buy? Pick up a tube of good old hydrocortisone cream, like Cortaid Maximum Strength 1.0% Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream ($6.79). This first-aid staple is great for treating razor burn and calming irritated hair follicles.

5 Simple Ways to Look Even Better in 2012

Annie Tomlin — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 03:05:47 PST

Making New Year's resolutions is one thing, but making changes that take little effort but have a huge beauty payoff? Now that's something to celebrate. Whether you're looking to banish bikini-line bumps for good, to have stronger nails, or to get that glowing complexion, these straight-from-the-experts tips will give you guidance. Read more to get started.

What It's Like to Get a Brazilian "Facial"

Real Beauty — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 03:00:00 PST

We're happy to present this article from one of our favorite sites, Real Beauty.

This weekend I got my very first facial. On an area other than my face. Captivated by a treatment that fights irritating ingrown hairs and, frankly, something that dares to deem itself a facial for your sensitive spots, I volunteered to try.

Read More: Fall-Inspired Beauty Splurges

Named the Brazilian Facial (!!), it's New York's Strip Ministry of Waxing's effort to assuage lady problems that come along with regular waxing (dryness, ingrowns, acne). You can go to your appointment already bare or combine services with the "Wax & Polish." To find out about the experience, just keep reading.

Would You Ever Use a Shaving Brush?

Allure — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:00:04 PDT

We're excited to present this story from our friends at Allure:

I recently discovered eShave, a luxury brand dedicated to scraping the whiskers off men's faces in style. And while their shaving creams are impressively thick and the razors artfully sculpted, the product that really got my heart racing was—of all things—a classic shaving brush.

I have always been fascinated by these sophisticated throwbacks, also known as badger brushes, probably because they're about as far as you can get from the unglamorous, clunky can of shaving cream and pink disposable razor. But when I told the brand’s founder I had never tried one before, she sent me this sexy little black number immediately, swearing that plenty of women are ordering them for themselves.

Following her instructions, I dipped the brush into a jar of the almond-scented shaving cream and lathered up my legs. I was relieved to find the brush felt soft against my skin, nothing like I expected from the porcupine-looking bristles. The brush produced a rich, dense lather that left me smooth, without my usual bumpy patches. I have no idea if it really does exfoliates your skin to prevent irritation and ingrown hairs, as the company promises, but it definitely gave me a closer shave. Although it takes a few extra minutes the shower (I normally use a razor with a built-in block of shaving cream), I'm now hooked on this most traditional male of all beauty products. What do you think—would you ever try a badger brush or any other “boys only” beauty products?