Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Fashion and Beauty
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 01-17-2008, 03:15 PM
 
28 posts, read 28,884 times
Reputation: 15

Advertisements

Hi,

I would like to start waxing my under arms and possibly my legs. Mainly because the results last longer...I'm so tired of having to shave every other day .

The only thing is; I'm scared that I'll chicken out AFTER applying the wax . That means I'll be stuck with wax under my arm if I chicken out of pulling the strip. So maybe you can help me...does it really hurt when you pull the strip off? Is it (the pain) something that I could get use to? Need to hear from professional "self waxers" on this one .

Thanks so much!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 01-18-2008, 09:07 PM
 
Location: Fort Mill, SC
1,105 posts, read 4,557,657 times
Reputation: 632
I just posted a question asking about pain relief for waxing. My only advice is to have it professionally done. I've tried both and while either way it hurts like hell, it was much more bearable at the salon. I couldn't finish when I have tried to do it myself.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-18-2008, 11:11 PM
 
Location: Chi-Town soon to be NYC and eventually Ireland
291 posts, read 1,072,881 times
Reputation: 371
You guys should consider getting an epilator! I got everything (and I mean everything!) waxed twice so my skin could get used to having hair pulled out at the root, and then bought the Braun Epil-Silk 5270 to maintain the regrowth.

Did waxing and epilating both hurt like a mofo at first? Oh god yes. But seriously, the epilator changed my life. I paid about $55 for mine on Amazon. And if you consider the fact that waxing everything costs about $175/month- the thing MORE than pays for itself. I still get my Brazilian, but all else is taken care of with my epilator. LOVE IT!

If you want, I can share tips on how to use it, and how to maintain. Well worth looking into IMO
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-18-2008, 11:54 PM
 
Location: The Big D
14,862 posts, read 42,671,273 times
Reputation: 5787
Default OH, I just HAVE to share this

**Warning before reading this, prepare to laugh so hard it hurts. Have some Kleenex handy, you’ll need it.


My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come home, fix
dinner, and play with the kids. I then had the thought that would ring painfully in my mind for the next few hours: "Maybe I should pull the waxing kit out of the medicine cabinet." So I headed to the site of my demise: the bathroom.

It was one of those "cold wax" kits. No melting a clump of hot wax, you
just rub the strips together in your hand, they get warm and you peel them
apart and press them to your leg (or wherever else) and you pull the hair
right off. No muss, no fuss. How hard can it be? I mean, I'm not a genius, but I am mechanically inclined enough to figure this out. (YA THINK!?!)

So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips facing each other stuck
together. Instead of rubbing them together, my genius kicks in so I get
out the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. ("Cold wax," yeah...right!)
I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around it tight and pull.
It works! OK, so it wasn't the best feeling, but it wasn't too bad. I can
do this!

Hair removal no longer eludes me! I am She-rah, fighter of all wayward
body hair and maker of smooth skin extraordinaire!

With my next wax strip I move north. After checking on the kids, I sneak
back into the bathroom, for the ultimate hair fighting championship.

I drop my panties and place one foot on the toilet. Using the same procedure, I apply the one strip across the right side of my bikini line, covering the right half of my *hoo-hoo* and stretching down to the inside of my butt cheek (Yes, it was a long strip) I inhale deeply and brace myself....RRRRIIIPPP!!!!

I'm blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!!....OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! Vision returning, I notice that I've only managed to pull off half the strip. CRAP!!! Another deep breath and RRIIPP!! Everything is swirly and spotted. I think may pass out...must stay conscious... Do I hear crashing drums??? Breathe, breathe... OK, back to normal.

I want to see my trophy - a wax covered strip, the one that has caused
me so much pain, with my hairy pelt sticking to it. I want to revel in the
glory that is my triumph over body hair. I hold up the strip! There's no hair
on it. Where is the hair??? WHERE IS THE WAX???

Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on the toilet. I see the
hair. The hair that should be on the strip! I touch. I am touching wax.
CRAP!

I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my body, which is now
covered in cold wax and matted hair. Then I make the next BIG
mistake...remember my foot is still propped up on the toilet?
I know I need to do something. So I put my foot down. DANG!!!!!!!!
I hear the slamming of a cell door. "hoo-hoo*? Sealed shut! Butt??
Sealed shut! I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure
out what to do and think to myself "Please don't let me get the urge to
P**P. My head may pop off!"

What can I do to melt the wax? Hot water!! Hot water melts wax!!! I'll
run the hottest water I can stand into the bathtub, get in, immerse the
wax-covered bits and the wax should melt and I can gently wipe it off,
right??? WRONG!!!!!!!

I get in the tub - the water is slightly hotter than that used to
torture prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment - I sit. Now, the only
thing worse than having your nether regions glued together is having
them glued together and then glued to the bottom of the
tub...in scalding hot water. Which, by the way, does not melt cold wax.

So, now I'm stuck to the bottom of the tub as though I had cement-epoxied

myself to the porcelain!! God bless the man who had convinced me a few months ago to have a phone put in the bathroom!!!!! I call my friend, thinking
surely she has waxed before and has some secret of how to get me undone. It's a very good conversation starter - "So, my butt and who-ha are glued
together to the bottom of the tub!"


There is a slight pause. She doesn't know any secret tricks for removal
but she does try to hide her laughter from me. She wants to know exactly
where the wax is located, "Are we talking cheeks or who-ha?"


She's laughing out loud by now...I can hear her. I give her the rundown
and she suggests I call the number on the side of the box. YEAH!!!!! Right!!
I should be the joke of someone else's night.

While we go through various solutions. I resort to scraping the wax off
with a razor. Nothing feels better then to have your girlie goodies covered
in hot wax, glued shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then
dry-shaving the sticky wax off!!

By now the brain is not working, dignity has taken a major hike and I'm
pretty sure I'm going to need Post-Traumatic Stress counseling for this
event.

My friend is still talking with me when I finally see my saving grace....the
lotion they give you to remove the excess wax.



What do I really have to lose at this point? I rub some on and OH MY GOD!!!!!!! The scream probably woke the kids and scared the dickens out of my friend.

It's sooo painful, but I really don't care. "IT WORKS!! It works!!"
I get a hearty congratulation from my friend and she hangs up. I
successfully remove the remainder of the wax and then notice to my grief
and despair....THE HAIR IS STILL THERE.......ALL OF IT!!!!!!!!!!

So I recklessly shave it off. Heck, I'm numb by now. Nothing hurts. I
could have amputated my own leg at this point.

Next week I'm going to try hair color...... Now that is funny- Notttt!!!!!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-19-2008, 12:34 AM
 
Location: Palm Beach Gardens, Fla
1,887 posts, read 7,916,524 times
Reputation: 1560
You should get it done professionally (especially if you're doing it for the first time). One thing that you'll notice about hot waxing (or cold waxing for that matter) is that there are two important factors to consider: timing and the amount of pressure you use to apply the wax and strips. If you're not careful, you can have an 'uneven pull', patchiness or worse.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-19-2008, 12:37 AM
 
Location: The Big D
14,862 posts, read 42,671,273 times
Reputation: 5787
Quote:
Originally Posted by Prettygyrl777 View Post
You should get it done professionally (especially if you're doing it for the first time). One thing that you'll notice about hot waxing (or cold waxing for that matter) is that there are two important factors to consider: timing and the amount of pressure you use to apply the wax and strips. If you're not careful, you can have an 'uneven pull', patchiness or worse.
When you use wax for the bikini area or "neither regions" make sure ALL hair is no more than 1/4" long. If it is too long it REALLY will hurt and be harder to come out. You can't get a good wax job unless it is cut short to start with.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-19-2008, 01:54 AM
 
1,005 posts, read 1,877,667 times
Reputation: 656
Hi Tam -

When I was a hairdresser, I did hotwaxes in the salon & also have my own hotwaxer at home. If anyone is going to try a hot wax at home, here's a few instructions that may be helpful:

1. The area to be waxed must be washed & thoroughly dried with soap/water to remove perfume/lotion/perspiration/oil. Blot dry thoroughly (don't rub to sensitize skin) with towel or paper towel that will not leave lint.

2. Lightly powder area with talc. Brush off excess with clean blush brush.

3. Spray entire area to be waxed with antiseptic spray & wait the full time for it to take effect (normally 1-4 min). Sally's sells this for $7/small can. It's priceless. Without this, the pain is mind-numbing. With the spray, it's hardly painful at all, akin to tweezing eyebrows.

4. Wax according to instructions. ** Please read directions first. ** Some waxers say to pull hair in direction of growth, others say in opposite direction. Regardless of what you've done before or what a salon has done, follow the directions with the waxer in regard to direction to remove strip.

5. Skin must be held taught directly below or above strip while pulling it off, otherwise top 2 layers of skin may pull off. Pull quickly, holding strip as close to the skin as possible... meaning don't pull it straight out but up/down.

6. Apply after-waxing mositurizer on entire waxed area according to directions. Do not use "regular" lotion as it will burn. Use products designed for use with waxers, which do not contain alcohols/fragrances... of course much more expensive but so worth it.

Tips:

1. Do not take shower or go into sun for 2-4 hours before/after waxing. Shower opens pores too much so hair may not pull out. Sun can cause reaction & a nasty burn.

2. Hair should not be longer than 1/4" (face) to 1/2" (body) before waxing. This needs to be tested to see how your own hair texture/density reacts, as hair can be too short to pull out. Long hair will probably cause blood droplets... ouch. Remember this if you wax your face. You must let it grow out to 1/4" in order for it to be long enough to remove. Are you going to want to wait that long? You may be too self-conscious & want to find another method. Same with bikini line... can you wait for it to grow out 1/2" before removing? If you live in a warm climate & are often beach bound... maybe not the best option. You decide.

3. Before the first time, do ONE small test patch/strip (3-4" area on leg, for example... or 1 small section of 1 eyebrow only) to see how your skin will react. Some waxes cause allergic reactions. Better to have one small, red, rashy, itchy patch... than an entire calf. For the same reason, don't double dip wooden applicators, as the bacteria will eventually contaminate wax & cause an allergic reaction. (I've seen folks with nice, large, itchy, red bumps that last for weeks because they weren't careful. You know what you can do for it? Wait for it to go away.) This is not a time to skimp on a few $$'s. If it's dipped in wax once, it's not to be dipped back a 2nd time, ever.

4. Underarms may be impossible to do alone, as it's difficult to hold the skin taught while tearing off strip. You may have to have a friend help, have this area professionally waxed or just shave. If you're buying a waxer just for underarms, you may not be able to do it. If you figure out how to do it... please let the rest of us know. I've never figured it out.

5. You'll never get every single hair. Also, if an area gets a clump of wax, it may not pull off & have to be shaved/electric clippered off later. Wait a few hours before doing so, if you can, so skin won't be so sensitive.

6. If wax doesn't pull off some hair (which occasionally happens, particularly if not applying firm pressure to press removal sheets onto hot wax), it's very painful & normally unsuccessful to go over it with hot wax again & make a second attempt. You get better at is as you do it successive times, so don't think of it as failure & just chalk it up to learning experience.

7. Before purchasing an expensive waxer, I'd recommend trying cold strips. Why? They're much cheaper & less messy... so if they work, why bother with heated, dripping wax.

8. If you've never had any waxing done, try it once (like calves only) professionally, just to see how you can tolerate it (pain, rashing, cost). I'd especially strongly recommend this if anyone waxes their face. I have waxed other's faces (lip/brow/chin), but fortunately don't need it on my face. My skin is so sensitive & body hair so fine textured, I personally would never wax my face, even if I ever did have something to remove. I also don't recommend waxing eyebrows. It's too easy to take off too many, unless you have very course, dark hair. Tweeze instead.

9. There are other less messy methods of hair removal, too. People have success with depilatory. I personally don't want chemicals on my skin for that length of time... so wouldn't use it, but I do know 1 person who uses it & likes it. I also know 1 personal who bleaches a small patch on her face & likes it. In other words, you may choose not to wax all hair, but use a variety of methods.

10. Be careful not to accidentally get perfume or hairspray on waxed areas afterwards or use deoderant under arms. This will burn awfully. It's best not to do this before running out of the house, but when home with a movie for the evening.

Good luck... VV
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-19-2008, 08:44 AM
 
Location: Tampa
3,982 posts, read 10,425,293 times
Reputation: 1200
Quote:
Originally Posted by momof2dfw View Post
**Warning before reading this, prepare to laugh so hard it hurts. Have some Kleenex handy, you’ll need it.


My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come home, fix
dinner, and play with the kids. I then had the thought that would ring painfully in my mind for the next few hours: "Maybe I should pull the waxing kit out of the medicine cabinet." So I headed to the site of my demise: the bathroom.

It was one of those "cold wax" kits. No melting a clump of hot wax, you
just rub the strips together in your hand, they get warm and you peel them
apart and press them to your leg (or wherever else) and you pull the hair
right off. No muss, no fuss. How hard can it be? I mean, I'm not a genius, but I am mechanically inclined enough to figure this out. (YA THINK!?!)

So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips facing each other stuck
together. Instead of rubbing them together, my genius kicks in so I get
out the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. ("Cold wax," yeah...right!)
I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around it tight and pull.
It works! OK, so it wasn't the best feeling, but it wasn't too bad. I can
do this!

Hair removal no longer eludes me! I am She-rah, fighter of all wayward
body hair and maker of smooth skin extraordinaire!

With my next wax strip I move north. After checking on the kids, I sneak
back into the bathroom, for the ultimate hair fighting championship.

I drop my panties and place one foot on the toilet. Using the same procedure, I apply the one strip across the right side of my bikini line, covering the right half of my *hoo-hoo* and stretching down to the inside of my butt cheek (Yes, it was a long strip) I inhale deeply and brace myself....RRRRIIIPPP!!!!

I'm blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!!....OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! Vision returning, I notice that I've only managed to pull off half the strip. CRAP!!! Another deep breath and RRIIPP!! Everything is swirly and spotted. I think may pass out...must stay conscious... Do I hear crashing drums??? Breathe, breathe... OK, back to normal.

I want to see my trophy - a wax covered strip, the one that has caused
me so much pain, with my hairy pelt sticking to it. I want to revel in the
glory that is my triumph over body hair. I hold up the strip! There's no hair
on it. Where is the hair??? WHERE IS THE WAX???

Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on the toilet. I see the
hair. The hair that should be on the strip! I touch. I am touching wax.
CRAP!

I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my body, which is now
covered in cold wax and matted hair. Then I make the next BIG
mistake...remember my foot is still propped up on the toilet?
I know I need to do something. So I put my foot down. DANG!!!!!!!!
I hear the slamming of a cell door. "hoo-hoo*? Sealed shut! Butt??
Sealed shut! I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure
out what to do and think to myself "Please don't let me get the urge to
P**P. My head may pop off!"

What can I do to melt the wax? Hot water!! Hot water melts wax!!! I'll
run the hottest water I can stand into the bathtub, get in, immerse the
wax-covered bits and the wax should melt and I can gently wipe it off,
right??? WRONG!!!!!!!

I get in the tub - the water is slightly hotter than that used to
torture prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment - I sit. Now, the only
thing worse than having your nether regions glued together is having
them glued together and then glued to the bottom of the
tub...in scalding hot water. Which, by the way, does not melt cold wax.

So, now I'm stuck to the bottom of the tub as though I had cement-epoxied

myself to the porcelain!! God bless the man who had convinced me a few months ago to have a phone put in the bathroom!!!!! I call my friend, thinking
surely she has waxed before and has some secret of how to get me undone. It's a very good conversation starter - "So, my butt and who-ha are glued
together to the bottom of the tub!"


There is a slight pause. She doesn't know any secret tricks for removal
but she does try to hide her laughter from me. She wants to know exactly
where the wax is located, "Are we talking cheeks or who-ha?"


She's laughing out loud by now...I can hear her. I give her the rundown
and she suggests I call the number on the side of the box. YEAH!!!!! Right!!
I should be the joke of someone else's night.

While we go through various solutions. I resort to scraping the wax off
with a razor. Nothing feels better then to have your girlie goodies covered
in hot wax, glued shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then
dry-shaving the sticky wax off!!

By now the brain is not working, dignity has taken a major hike and I'm
pretty sure I'm going to need Post-Traumatic Stress counseling for this
event.

My friend is still talking with me when I finally see my saving grace....the
lotion they give you to remove the excess wax.



What do I really have to lose at this point? I rub some on and OH MY GOD!!!!!!! The scream probably woke the kids and scared the dickens out of my friend.

It's sooo painful, but I really don't care. "IT WORKS!! It works!!"
I get a hearty congratulation from my friend and she hangs up. I
successfully remove the remainder of the wax and then notice to my grief
and despair....THE HAIR IS STILL THERE.......ALL OF IT!!!!!!!!!!

So I recklessly shave it off. Heck, I'm numb by now. Nothing hurts. I
could have amputated my own leg at this point.

Next week I'm going to try hair color...... Now that is funny- Notttt!!!!!
what a great (for us) story! but you know what they say, practice makes perfect...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-19-2008, 09:37 AM
MB2
 
Location: Sebastian/ FL
3,496 posts, read 9,406,648 times
Reputation: 2763
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam27 View Post
Hi,

I would like to start waxing my under arms and possibly my legs. Mainly because the results last longer...I'm so tired of having to shave every other day .

The only thing is; I'm scared that I'll chicken out AFTER applying the wax . That means I'll be stuck with wax under my arm if I chicken out of pulling the strip. So maybe you can help me...does it really hurt when you pull the strip off? Is it (the pain) something that I could get use to? Need to hear from professional "self waxers" on this one .

Thanks so much!
I have tried home waxing, and the only region, I've got successfully done were my legs.
In all other regions, I failed miserably, and continue to just shave them.
I would suggest to have it done, professionally, which, is not an option for me, since I don't have the patience, time or money to invest in going to the salon for it.
But, THAT'S just me.....
Bottom line....home waxing IMO is good for the legs, arms, and face and the pain threshold is somewhat bearable.
For the "whoo-hoo" region, I would get it done at a professional place, where I can pass out without a problem laying there!
I just can't stand hurting myself, when someone else can do it for me....LOL.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-19-2008, 12:41 PM
 
29 posts, read 177,896 times
Reputation: 44
I don't know if they sell it over there. But, 'Nads' is great stuff. If you put it on and then chicken out .... you can wash it off!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Fashion and Beauty
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top