Hair removal isn't "natural", but still...

[tnmom66]

I am not comfortable being "hairy". My hair isn't dark, and I usually wear long skirts and I"m not sleeping with a man who will kick me out of bed if I have stubble, so I am not extremely diligent about it.

Back in the fall, I discovered "sugaring" and did the kind without cloth or paper strips. I watched some videos and it took some practice and I wish I could afford to have someone else do it to me, but I LOVE my armpits now! Shaving used to always irritate so badly and I always had inflamed follicles. The first time I used the sugar "wax" on my armpits, I was amazed at how long and wide the "bulbs" (I don't know what you call them) at the base of the plucked hairs were, and I had little craters that actually bled, but it was very satisfying in a way (yes, it hurt, and I'm not a masochist, but I felt a sense of accomplishment) I had smooth skin under my arms and the regrowth was sparser. And no more inflamed follicles!

My ex-husband insisted that I shave daily. Now, nobody cares but me, I guess. But I prefer to be hairless beside the hair on my head and the fine, light hair on my arms and thighs.

Do most people here go the natural route (leave the hair alone), and what do your husbands prefer?

I wish I'd discovered sugaring as a young woman--maybe I'd have totally killed off all my unwanted hair follicles by now.

I have noticed that as I'm aging, I'm losing hair I want to keep (on my scalp) and getting new ones I don't want (face).

[Alyantavid]

Ok you must explain sugaring!

I shave my arm pits and bikini area daily. Unless I'm wearing shorts or capris, I shave my legs once a week. I'm just too lazy to do it more although I prefer the smooth, not the stubble. Dh doesn't care one way or the other.

[KempsMama]

I shave my armpits almost daily, my legs every three days or so in the warmer months, and hardly at all in the winter. My bikini area is natural-DH wouldn't have me any other way.

In the winter my legs get pretty darn hairy. But I have horrid dry skin issues, and it isn't worth the cracking and bleeding to keep them hair free. It doesn't bother DH, if it did I think I might make more of an effort, but since it doesn't bother him and no one sees my legs except him in the winter, I leave it be.

[tnmom66]

Originally Posted by Alyantavid

Ok you must explain sugaring!

I found a post with the same recipe I used. I think I searched for "Persian Wax" and it came up. And there are videos on youtube.

It is basically waxing, but it is totally water soluble and supposedly gentler.

[CanBoo]

I would not mind going natural if I had light/fine hair, but I have dark & coarse hair. So it is hard not to do anything about it. It hinders me. I am hairy enough, that I think twice before taking my kids to the pool if I have not had the time/energy to wax

Too hairy to shave my legs, it grows back with a vengeance... I have been waxing/sugaring them for about 10 years now, and I now have patches where it doesn't grow.

Although he does like it super clean smooth skin, my DH has nothing to say about the hair on MY body. He's got hair too and I live with it If I remove it, it is for myself.

Just did the plunge to laser for legs/bikini line/face. (Absolutely NOT natural, but I don't want to deal with my legs/bikini anymore, and well, the facial hair I now have is definitely not feminine and beyond tweezing).

Shaving my pits about once a week in the winter, daily in tank top season.

[tnmom66]

Originally Posted by KempsMama

I shave my armpits almost daily, my legs every three days or so in the warmer months, and hardly at all in the winter. My bikini area is natural-DH wouldn't have me any other way.

In the winter my legs get pretty darn hairy. But I have horrid dry skin issues, and it isn't worth the cracking and bleeding to keep them hair free. It doesn't bother DH, if it did I think I might make more of an effort, but since it doesn't bother him and no one sees my legs except him in the winter, I leave it be.

I have very dry skin too , especially in winter. I wondered if the shaving didn't exfoliate and if shaving and following with a nice moisturizer (I like olive or grapeseed oil!) might HELP the dry skin. I'm too lazy in the summer to try it, though.

[KempsMama]

Originally Posted by tnmom66

I have very dry skin too , especially in winter. I wondered if the shaving didn't exfoliate and if shaving and following with a nice moisturizer (I like olive or grapeseed oil!) might HELP the dry skin. I'm too lazy in the summer to try it, though.

Interesting theory, but I've found I get to a certain point that it just hurts too much to bother. I still moisturize, but can never get it to the point where I can comfortably shave before the AC gets turned on.

[Drummer's Wife]

I shave when I feel like it - moreso now that it's warm out and I'm wearing shorts/skirts/dresses. My DH doesn't really care. He won't turn me down, cactus legs and all.

I do tend to shave my armpits daily or every other day in the spring/summer b/c I wear a lot of tank tops. My preference is to use an electric razor for my legs.

[sleepypeanutsmom]

CanBoo, can you explain what was involved with the laser? Would you mind sharing the cost and time involved?
Thanks!

[somegirl99]

Another body sugar user here, although I use a kit with strips. I also got horribly irritated skin from shaving.

[CanBoo]

Originally Posted by sleepypeanutsmom

CanBoo, can you explain what was involved with the laser? Would you mind sharing the cost and time involved? Thanks!

There was a thread dedicated to it a little while ago
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ighlight=laser

I have visited a few places. Settled on one that has medical staff.
Some spas do it for cheaper, but not something I feel comfortable with. (But I think it is a Canadian thing. As far as I know, there is more regulations in the US on who can offer laser hair removal).

Done 2 treatments so far. Results are starting to show.

But you do have to shave to remove the hair that still bothers you during the time of the treatment. (need 4-6 sessions, 6 weeks apart) No plucking, no waxing, etc. No sun either. Gotta keep the skin covered or use high SPF sunscreen.

It is pricey. About $500-600 per session. (Canadian cost...)
A session for legs/bikini line and face takes about 3 hours.

It hurts too. For me it seems to hurt more where there is little fat/muscle, so the spots that hurt with laser are different than the painful ones with waxing/sugaring. Lower leg along the bone was the worse, which I did not expect since it is area that is a breeze to wax.

I still think it is worth it though.

[LDSmomma]

How long does the hair have to be to do this? I'm desperately trying to find something to do for my bikini line for summer, because shaving gives me awful ingrown hairs. Since i just shaved, can I do the sugaring now, or do I have to wait for the hair to be super long, like with waxing?

[tnmom66]

I think it needs to be a little long--maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch? Similar to waxing.

[quietserena]

My skin doesn't tolerate shaving or waxing (though I never stuck with it very long to find out, really) so I went the perpetual stubble route with a hair trimmer. Yknow, those marketed to men with beards? Though last time I looked, they made one for body hair specifically though targetted at men. I don't know about you gals, but I don't care if it isn't pink...

I don't do anything with my legs though, that's so not worth my time right now. Maybe once I quit being pregnant and having young babies and have more time to devote to the beauty routine... Nowadays I feel like I'm lucky to have time to shower! I do insist on trimming hair other places, but that is more of a hygiene thing by now.

[terrordactyl]

what is sugaring without strips the only kind i can find is the kind with strips?

[tnmom66]

Originally Posted by Shaina

what is sugaring without strips the only kind i can find is the kind with strips?

The kind I found without strips, commercially is calle "MIM" hair remover and I got it at a Kurdish grocery store and have also seen it at other middle eastern stores in town. I think it is online, too.

[jenP]

I'm one of the hairy mamas, I just happen to like body hair in all its forms on different people. BUT I hope you don't feel guilty or bad for not going "natural"! There is nothing wrong with wanting to look a certain way!! The awesome thing is that you've found a natural way to do it. One that works great for you and doesn't involve tossing hundreds of plastic razors and empty shave-cream bottles in the trash, so YAY!
Despite being hairy, I am not "natural" either - I go to great lengths to change my natural hair color. But happily, I do that with natural products, peroxide and henna.
I just wanted to reply because your title sounded almost apologetic for not being natural. Hey, nothing wrong with altering your appearance to suit yourself!

Jen

[jkn]

I'd like to try sugaring as well. I don't shave my legs very often, mostly because i'm too lazy, but if i do it too often my skin gets very sensitive and dry. As time goes on I start to care less and less, and dp sure doesn't either. I'm going to try a recipe soon and see how it goes.

[tnmom66]

Originally Posted by jenP

I'm one of the hairy mamas, I just happen to like body hair in all its forms on different people. BUT I hope you don't feel guilty or bad for not going "natural"! There is nothing wrong with wanting to look a certain way!! The awesome thing is that you've found a natural way to do it. One that works great for you and doesn't involve tossing hundreds of plastic razors and empty shave-cream bottles in the trash, so YAY!
Despite being hairy, I am not "natural" either - I go to great lengths to change my natural hair color. But happily, I do that with natural products, peroxide and henna.
I just wanted to reply because your title sounded almost apologetic for not being natural. Hey, nothing wrong with altering your appearance to suit yourself!

Jen

Thanks for sharing!

I often wonder why God "blessed" us with our body hair
and why it is so different on different people? On myself, I don't mind my leg hair, but I do feel embarassed by it if I think it shows. I don't like having such a "furry butt", but that area is the most difficult to deal with. Lately, I'm wondering if I should take the time to wax my facial hair. I'm getting some dark,coarse hairs on my upper lip area and chin. I tweeze them, but in strong light, I wonder about the "peach fuzz" on the rest of my face, but I usually leave it alone.

I wish I had the money to get a professional whole body wax every month or so.

I think maybe less body hair makes me feel more feminine?

[alaskaberry]

I shave my legs, arms, back, armpits...did I miss anything? I have also done my bikini area but my SO prefers me "natural". Usually I use VEET because it works pretty well...it just smells so icky though. Want to try sugaring, thanks for the tips.