Bare It All: Simple guide to hair removal

Get ready for your next vacation with these expert hair–removal tactics.

Sleeveless tops, diminishing hemlines and skimpy swimsuits expose not just your fantastic figure and gorgeous glow, but also your underarm stubble, missed kneecaps or (yikes) ungroomed bikini line. Avoid these beach blunders by following our simple guide to hair removal.

WAXING

Best for: Eyebrows, Bikini, Underarms

Worst for: Face

Look for: Many spas and salons offer creamy rose wax or the popular blue wax (most commonly used for Brazilians). These are often less harsh on sensitive skin than waxes that require the removal of muslin or cloth.

Pay for:  While the local nail salon may offer a convenient and inexpensive waxing service, don’t go budget when it comes to waxing. 

LASER HAIR REMOVAL

Best for: Face, Bikini, Underarms

Worst for: Eyebrows

Look for:  The second-most-common plastic surgery procedure in the United States last year (following Botox injections), laser hair removal has become less painful and more effective over the years. Visit a medical or day spa and ask about the age of their equipment. Avoid any equipment that’s more than three years old.

Pay for:  The procedure requires six to eight treatments spaced four to six weeks apart to remove 85 to 90 percent of the hair in the treated area. 

SHAVING

Best for: Legs, Bikini, Underarms

Worst for: Eyebrows, Face

Look for: Optimize your shaving experience with scrubs and shaving creams in luscious lathers and scents. Pretreat skin by exfoliating to minimize ingrown hairs. Avoid salt-based scrubs because they tend to sting. We like It’s a Slice Body Buffer by Cake. Smell heavenly with Whish Pomegranate Shave Crave, a dreamy cream that makes shaving a delight. Making shaving your last shower activity, allowing the steam to open up the hair follicles, which will give you a closer shave.

Pay for: Offering the best value in hair removal, your local drugstore stocks everything you need for a clean shave. We recommend Carefree After Hair Removal moisturizer, which minimizes the appearance of hair to help keep legs smoother, longer.

HAIR-REMOVAL CREAMS

Best for: Face, Bikini

Worst for:Eyebrows, Underarms

Look for: Most women have had at least one bad experience (probably around age 16) with an odoriferous hair-removal cream. Thankfully, hair-removal creams have made amazing progress over the years. The permlike odor has been replaced with fruity scents. Check out Nair’s hair-removal spray in Soft Kiwi. Popular bladeless shaving kits ensure full coverage by employing a thick hair-removal cream that you spread on with your hands, allowing you to reach spots your razor might miss. You can remove the cream with the bladeless “razor” or simply wipe it off, giving you an additional day or two of smoothness when compared with shaving.

Pay for: Nair products start at $7 and are available at any local chemist.