Natural hair removal has been around for thousands of years and the tried and true ways of removing hair are still the most used today. Depending on skin type and hair type certain ways will work better than others. We have hair on our bodies for very specific health and evolutionary purposes. Throughout history, we have collected many types of ways to temporarily remove hair when it is not cosmetically wanted.
Here are a few ways that have stood the test of time that can all be done at home:
1. Shaving
Shaving is a technique that is probably one of the most popular in the Western world. It requires the least amount of tools and can be done fairly fast if done on a regular basis. While using a single razor all the way up to six-blade razors the top layer of hair is cut away from the skin, revealing a smooth leg, arm, face or pretty much anywhere else. In a modern fast-paced world, the convenience of reaching for a razor to clean up any area is the most efficient. It works best for those with medium to fine hair and smaller pores. Because it only cuts the dermal layer of hair the remaining hair lays right below the surface of the skin. It is a daily or every couple of days task as the hair will begin to grow in again. It is absolutely the most pain-free way to remove body hair and has little to no side effects other than the occasional cut or razor burn. This is one technique that is solely done at home because it is so accessible to all people with all types of hair.
2. Waxing
Waxing is a technique that has been around for centuries as well and can be done at home as well in a salon. It is slightly more complex because of needing to heat up the wax and certain pain tolerances. Depending on what type of hair removal you were brought up on will determine which you think is the most home efficient. At-home use is applying a layer a wax to any portion of the body and ripping away the dried wax and hair with it. In more sensitive areas a smaller portion is done at a time. Larger areas such as the thigh or legs can be done in larger sections. Wax may have to be reapplied if the hair is growing in multiple directions in any given area. Once the wax is done you will not have to do it again for a week to three weeks. It removes the hair from the root.
3. Sugaring
A technique that has been used by Cleopatra and many cultures, this technique has some of the longest histories. It includes taking melted sugar, lemon juice, and water and creating a sticky substance that bonds to hair but not skin. It is similar to wax in that it pulls hair from the root and will not have to be done again until the hair fully grows back in. When pulling from the root hairs grow back in softer and smaller. This technique takes minimal prep time to make the concoction on the stove but is also one of the cheapest ways to remove hair.
