raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Feb 13, 2012 14:23:30 GMT -5
Hi ladies--I failed femininity in hs, but as I'm getting older I'm trying to look more professional and keep up on some of this girly stuff--without breaking the bank.
Which brings me to my question--does anyone here do at home leg waxing, and if so, how's that working out for you? I've never met a woman with hairier legs than me, and with swimming I'm going in ever 4 weeks. The last couple times (at different salons) I haven't been overly happy with the results. I'm starting to wonder if I could handle doing it on my own. I have an epilator, but was thinking waxing would get it over with faster.
So if you do this, what products do you recommend and any tips?
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Green Eyed Lady
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Post by Green Eyed Lady on Feb 13, 2012 14:24:58 GMT -5
I just use a razor, rae. Every morning....in the shower. So I can't help you. I wouldn't put myself through uncessary expense and pain.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Feb 13, 2012 14:30:16 GMT -5
If I shave in the morning I'm stubbly before I'm home from work (with dark coarse hair) which is why I gave up on shaving shortly after hs. I've spent most years 'au natural' and just wax on the rare occaision I need to wear a dress, or if we're going swimming. I'm just too lazy to shave as much as would be necessary.
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Green Eyed Lady
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Post by Green Eyed Lady on Feb 13, 2012 14:34:46 GMT -5
I understand. Good luck then. Like I said, I don't wax so I don't know what works. Have you tried something cheaper and less painful, such as Nair? Does that work for you?
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Feb 13, 2012 14:35:27 GMT -5
I wouldn't, if I was going to wax I'd have a professional do it. It's too easy to rip off your skin and end up with an infection.
I'ved used Nair with pretty decent success, VEET was so so. I have to leave it on the maximum 10 minutes and it reeks but it WORKS and it usually lasts close to a week.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Feb 13, 2012 14:56:24 GMT -5
I've tried both veet and nair. Veet didn't do anything (I got one for 'sensitive skin' so that could have been part of the issue). Nair works, and the first time using it will last for several days, but each time I use it, it lasts for a shorter amount of time, until I might as well be shaving and not exposing myself to whatever horrific chemicals are in that stuff. I tried that 'nads' stuff they have on the infomercial and that did absolutely nothing. It was ridiculous! Maybe I'll have to look for classes. Save money for myself and have a back up career. eta--I'm just an oddly hairy woman, and we have no idea why. My grandmother has never even had hair on her legs. My sister has similar issues to me, but that only started because of a hormone imbalance that has put her through menopause a few times.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Feb 13, 2012 14:58:01 GMT -5
I'm pale skinned with coarse dark hair. I finally had my hair lasered off. Expensive and it hurt like an SOB, but worth it.
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Sam_2.0
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Post by Sam_2.0 on Feb 13, 2012 14:58:12 GMT -5
Every time I see the home waxing kits, I think of this story:
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regina24601
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Post by regina24601 on Feb 13, 2012 15:00:52 GMT -5
rae - I'm also a shaver, so no waxing experience, but I have a very hairy friend (lovely lady, she just requires a lot of maintenance), and she treated herself to laser hair removal. She started with her armpits before her wedding, and she's going to do her legs this year (I think they have to do it in sections - like half a leg at a time or something. Don't quote me on that though.) She LOVES it. I've heard really good things about it. It's expensive, but maybe you can justify it by adding up the amount of $$$ that you spend monthly/annually on waxing and seeing how long it would take to even out. ETA - Hi swamp!! You have a new squattor in your head!
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moneymaven
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Post by moneymaven on Feb 13, 2012 15:01:19 GMT -5
rae - I can refer you to some good waxing places in Denver. Waxing or laser is what will be the best. When I wax my legs, I am never happy with the results, so I end up using the Epilator after the wax to pick up the strays. If I keep it up, it's not so bad. Daily, I just resort to shaving.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Feb 13, 2012 15:02:04 GMT -5
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Feb 13, 2012 15:03:22 GMT -5
I'm pale skinned with coarse dark hair. I finally had my hair lasered off. Expensive and it hurt like an SOB, but worth it. I will do this someday! I just haven't been able to pull the trigger and spend the money. Sam-- and
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Feb 13, 2012 15:05:03 GMT -5
Hi regina, welcome to my head! I went all rambo and had the whole body done at once. They dont recommend it, but I just wanted it done. The armpits had to be done twice to really make a difference, but after one session, my legs rarely needed to be shaved. I've had it done on them 3 times, and I only get a few random stray hairs.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Feb 13, 2012 15:05:29 GMT -5
rae - I can refer you to some good waxing places in Denver. Waxing or laser is what will be the best. When I wax my legs, I am never happy with the results, so I end up using the Epilator after the wax to pick up the strays. If I keep it up, it's not so bad. Daily, I just resort to shaving. Maven--that would be awesome! I always tell myself that I'll keep up weekly with the epilator, and before I know it, 4 weeks have passed and I conveniently forgot.
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Feb 13, 2012 16:02:58 GMT -5
OMG SAM. That is awesomely hysterically funny. I'm desperately trying not to snort too loudly at my desk because I REALLY don't want to have to explain why to my male boss, with whom I share an office.
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mizbear
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Post by mizbear on Feb 13, 2012 16:15:38 GMT -5
sam- LOL
I seem to grow a lot more hair than the other women in my family too. I generally shave or use Nair, but the wax I use is from Avon usually. I get my ex-SIL to apply it for me and in payment, I buy hers- she is talented enough to apply her own.
I definitely wax instead of pluck eyebrows.
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Sam_2.0
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Post by Sam_2.0 on Feb 13, 2012 16:16:28 GMT -5
Every time I read that story, I start crying because I laugh so hard Oh the things we do for "beauty." What makes it even funnier is that my sister is a hair stylist - there are MANY stories like this about home hair color/perms. She gets calls frequently from friends late at night asking for emergency hair color repair. Some things really are best left to the pros!!
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mizbear
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Post by mizbear on Feb 13, 2012 16:25:36 GMT -5
I used to have well water and quickly discovered you don't dye your hair blonde with well water- it turns orange!!
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Sam_2.0
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Post by Sam_2.0 on Feb 13, 2012 16:29:07 GMT -5
mizbear - orange usually indicates you didn't process the bleach long enough (or have enough strength). But if its mixing with well water, its probably a chemical reaction with some minerals in there. Did you get orange hair?
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Post by naggie1972 on Feb 13, 2012 16:33:58 GMT -5
Though that may or may not be a true story, mine is. I DID make the mistake of trying to wax the girly bits, it was difficult and became even more difficult when not thinking I attempted to walk to where the wax remover was therefore glueing said girly bits and the top of my inside thigh together along with matted bits of girly hair that the wax did not remove. It was a DISASTER of epic proportions and took me hours to fix my own mess.
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misplacedbrit
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Post by misplacedbrit on Feb 13, 2012 16:38:19 GMT -5
Dont watch this at work!
I used to use the gooey stuff that you place strips on, I can handle my legs like that.. since surgical menopause.. no underarm hair .. and very little leg hair..(yay?)
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Feb 13, 2012 16:40:39 GMT -5
I used to have well water and quickly discovered you don't dye your hair blonde with well water- it turns orange!! Don't use Sun-In on black hair, either. The results aren't pretty.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2012 16:59:35 GMT -5
I'm pale skinned with coarse dark hair. I finally had my hair lasered off. Expensive and it hurt like an SOB, but worth it. that was going to be my suggestion. I'm currently in the process of having it done (4 out of 7 sessions completed), otherwise I have to shave my legs every day during shorts/bathing suit season. Also, I had my underarms and bikini done. Didn't really hurt - did you use the numbing cream?
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kgb18
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Post by kgb18 on Feb 13, 2012 17:24:10 GMT -5
I get bikini waxes at the salon. I used to do my own, but 1) The home stuff never works as well as the salon stuff. My salon uses honey instead of wax. It's good. 2) It's hard for me to hurt myself, but I can tolerate someone else ripping the hair out of my body better.
I have never had my legs waxed. I've always wanted to. The problem is letting my legs get hairy enough to do it. You have to skip shaving for awhile to get enough hair for the wax/honey to grab onto.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2012 17:37:48 GMT -5
kbg, grow it out for three weeks, it's well worth it. You only need to do it ONCE. It's worth it!
Rae, one question. Do you have a relatively recent epilator? If you use an epilator, you should have a relatively recent model, and you need to use it regularly (ie every three weeks). You don't need to replace it every year, but the technology DOES improve. You can't decide to use it once a year in the summer and expect great results.
IMO waxing at home is a royal PITA. My former SIL used to do it herself but it makes a mess, so she didn't do it very often. (blech)
Most of my friends have done the laser treatments. Several of them have even bought their own laser equipment! I'm too poor / cheap / squeamish. I replace my epilator every three or four years.
I get two bikini waxes in the spring / summer, and one in the winter. I use the epilator for the rest.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Feb 13, 2012 17:51:18 GMT -5
My epilator is probably 5-7 years old. Maybe I should try a newer one? I can tolerate that okay and always mean to keep up with it after waxing, it's just finding the time. I guess I haven't timed it, but it seems like after 10-15 minutes of epilating I'm only a small portion of the way through 1 leg. I keep thinking I could be fully waxed and cleaned up in 25 minutes like at the salon, but that probably isn't realistic.
Some place around me keeps advertising a monthly service fee to get laser hair removal. I may have to check it out too.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2012 17:55:25 GMT -5
Rae, if it's 5-7 years old, yes, you should probably replace it.
I'd replace it, and schedule the salon treatments every three months. The other two months, use the epilator. It should pay for itself quickly enough.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2012 17:57:17 GMT -5
I guess I haven't timed it, but it seems like after 10-15 minutes of epilating I'm only a small portion of the way through 1 leg. I keep thinking I could be fully waxed and cleaned up in 25 minutes like at the salon, but that probably isn't realistic.
Does that count the time to make the appt, and to get there and back and (in your case I think) arrange for childcare? I doubt it.
I think you really need to replace your epilator, and set yourself on a schedule. My kids are older now and finding time for that is no longer an issue, but when it was, one Sat or Sun a month, I'd take a bath instead of a shower and be unavailable for 30-45 min.
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kgb18
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Post by kgb18 on Feb 13, 2012 17:57:33 GMT -5
Waxing goes pretty quickly rae. ( DH gets his back waxed. It takes about 20 minutes. He's kind of a wimp about it though. )
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Feb 13, 2012 18:01:05 GMT -5
Does that count the time to make the appt, and to get there and back and (in your case I think) arrange for childcare? I doubt it. Definitely not. I schedule my appointments for the random times I have daycare that I'm not working. If I wax at home, I'd have to do it after ds goes to bed since the last thing I need is him getting into the wax! I'm sold on not home waxing now.
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