Body hair removal for a very hairy novice- HELP!

[dizietsma]

I rarely remove my body hair (DH truly isn't that fussed and I'm a bit feminist about it), and previously have only really shaved to remove body hair.

Shaving is a bugger though, I always end up feeling scratchy and hurting the skin on my pits, I'm looking for a better way of doing it. I tried waxing my legs with the blue Veet strips a while back and it hurt a LOT. So much so that I did one strip and shaved the rest!

I think waxing is probably the best route though. Lasts longer, less scratchy. Do I just need to tough it out? Are there better products? Any top tips? I'm looking to wax my lower legs, pits, 'tache, stray hairs on my chin and bikini area.

Please help me, O wise ones

I'd say get someone professional to do the waxing. It's quicker, you get better results (what's the point of going through the pain if it looks rubbish?) and IMO it hurts less. You do have to grit your teeth a bit, but it's over in seconds. I have half leg and underarm done throughout the summer and it takes about 20 mins to do the lot (though I'm not terribly hairy). The advantage of waxing is, if you are very hairy, it will grow back finer. Just remember to exfoliate afterwards, get one of those scrubber mits for the shower and give your legs and underarm a once over a couple of times a week to prevent ingrowing hairs.

I just had my pits waxed 3 weeks ago and am amazed at the difference it made - hardly hurt and after 2 weeks when I went back to have it done again, there was hardly any re-growth .. am a convert..

I'd get someone to wax your legs/pits, then after having it done a few times try an epilator, which does the same thing but you can do it yourself.

For lip and chin, I heartily recommend threading - I've had my eyebrows done that way for a bit, and now my lip, and it really gets out all the fine hairs and doesn't irritate your skin

Thanks guys, I was thinking I would go professional. We're really not that rich though, so I'd feel a bit vain and selfish for wasting money on myself.

Threading? What is it, I've never heard of it?

I would also reccomend a professional wax they use hot wax which is less painful than cold ready to use wax strips. As someone already said if you do it a few times you could always keep it up with an epilator.
I get my legs pits and bikini line waxed 1 a month and I am really hairy and even I have noticed that the hair seems finer than before.
I also think threading is great for the face. I don't think many places do it yet it is basically a piece of twisted thread (its hard to explain) which is used to pluck the hairs from the face. eyebrows, tache, chin etc and is quite quick but I don't have anyone near me who knows how to do this.

I agree - hot waxing is the way to go, the more you go the finer the hair gets and the less it hurts.

If you're really worried about the pain you can do what I do and take paracetamol 30 mins before hand so I feel it less

Another vote for threading - I've plucked and waxed my eyebrows for years, but threading gets you the most perfect shape! Had my upper lip threaded and it did make my eyes water, but much less trauma to the skin than waxing. (Not a fan of waxing - and I am a qualified beauty therapist!)

Anything that lessens the trauma to my skin is worth it, threading sounds ace. Thanks for the tip, I'll be looking that up. I think my city is large enough to have at least one salon that does threading. starts trawling google

If you are in Bristol, then Model Eyebrows at Cabot Circus is great for threading - and very reasonable, especially compared to the prices at the eyebrow bars in House of Fraser/Harvey Nicks in the same complex

Waxing isnt' that expensive dizie.. half leg and underarms costs me about £25, I'm sure I could get it cheaper but I'm a bit lazy. Considering how much razor blades cost and how quickly you go through them, it works out a bit more cost effective to wax.

I would also heartily reccommend (how do you spell that word?) waxing for legs and bikini, but I find underarms VERY painful and would rather shave.
Threading is great for anywhere on the face, (I was told by a beautician that facial waxing can mark paler skins) but when I've had my top lip done in the past, it's gone quite numb for weeks afterwards...anyone else had this experience?
I am a right hairy so-and-so by the way, and I hate it!

Maybe go for a wax once, to get it over with. Another vote for painkillers before hand.

I got an epilator which is VERY cost effective (even compared to shaving). I bought mine for £30 six years ago, and it's still going strong. I'm sure I would have spent much more on razors in the past 6 years.

You get used to the pain.