Waxing is your answer to long lasting smoothness
Oct 24, 2008
Lean Tatya, 26, wears long sleeved blouses and trousers to hide the noticeable hairs on her legs and arms. “Lights off, you may mistake me for a monkey,†she often jokes. To get rid of them, she shaves every three days
By Rehema Aanyu
Lean Tatya, 26, wears long sleeved blouses and trousers to hide the noticeable hairs on her legs and arms. “Lights off, you may mistake me for a monkey,†she often jokes. To get rid of them, she shaves every three days
To a number of people, getting rid of unwanted bodily hairs is a very labourious task. It is especially time consuming and agonising when one is using a razor blade or even hair removing creams. Compared to the above, hair removal by waxing is less tedious and the hair grows back much later and finer because it is pulled up from the roots.
Waxing is a cosmetic method in which hair is removed from the body by the application and removal of wax. It is usually done by professionals in beauty parlours or salons but can also be done at home if one has the essentials such as pre-wax, wax, oils, and muslin strips. One must also know how to effectively use them.
Daxa Patel a beautician at J& V, a Chinese beauty parlour on KPC building, Bombo Road, says that unlike other hair removal methods, waxing does not cause cuts on the skin and keeps it smooth and clean. Waxing also removes dead skin thus rejuvenating the skin.
Patel says that although most of the body can be waxed, waxing is not recommended for removing a beard or hair in sensitive areas like the nipples and genitals with exception of the bikini line. Areas of the body that can be waxed include eyebrows, armpits, face, chest, legs, arms, abdomen, back, bikini line etc.
She warns that before waxing, one should undergo skin analysis to determine the products and techniques to use because dry skins are normally very sensitive during hair removal.
“Checking for hair texture and growth direction is also essential because hair should be pulled against its growth direction,†Patel says. “It takes about three to eight weeks for hair to grow back depending on an individual’s hair growth rate,†she adds.
Reshma Reshma, a beautician at Khoobsurat Beauty Parlour at Hotel Equatoria, says waxing usually lasts 15 to 30 minutes depending on the area of the body being waxed and the amount of hair being removed.
One can choose to go either for a hot or cold wax. Reshma says that in both options, the same ingredients are used. The difference is that in hot waxing, wax is melted, once warm, it is applied onto the skin, a small piece of cloth or a strip of muslin is pressed over the wax and then quickly pulled off in the opposite direction of hair growth.
“In the cold wax method, the wax is applied to the strip of muslin; it is then pressed hard on the skin where hair is to be removed and then pulled off in the opposite direction of hair growth. Either way, hair is removed from its roots,†Reshma says.
Reshma advises against using deodorants or lotions immediately after waxing to avoid infection. “They can be applied after 48 hours,†she advices.
Children below 15 years are advised against waxing. Likewise, people with bleached skins and diabetics should not wax because their skins are susceptible to infection.
Reshma says waxing should never be done on areas of skin affected by warts, pimples, moles or broken/ peeling skin. Those suffering from sun burn should also not wax.
At J & V Chinese Beauty Parlor, facial waxing costs sh8,000, bikini line sh10,000, armpits sh12,000 and whole body sh44,000. At Khoobsurat Beauty Parlor, full body waxing costs sh35,000, bikini line sh10,000 and for just the legs and arms sh20,000. Prices however are negotiable. At both salons, African and Indian herbal products are used.
Lean Tatya, 26, wears long sleeved blouses and trousers to hide the noticeable hairs on her legs and arms. “Lights off, you may mistake me for a monkey,†she often jokes. To get rid of them, she shaves every three days
To a number of people, getting rid of unwanted bodily hairs is a very labourious task. It is especially time consuming and agonising when one is using a razor blade or even hair removing creams. Compared to the above, hair removal by waxing is less tedious and the hair grows back much later and finer because it is pulled up from the roots.
Waxing is a cosmetic method in which hair is removed from the body by the application and removal of wax. It is usually done by professionals in beauty parlours or salons but can also be done at home if one has the essentials such as pre-wax, wax, oils, and muslin strips. One must also know how to effectively use them.
Daxa Patel a beautician at J& V, a Chinese beauty parlour on KPC building, Bombo Road, says that unlike other hair removal methods, waxing does not cause cuts on the skin and keeps it smooth and clean. Waxing also removes dead skin thus rejuvenating the skin.
Patel says that although most of the body can be waxed, waxing is not recommended for removing a beard or hair in sensitive areas like the nipples and genitals with exception of the bikini line. Areas of the body that can be waxed include eyebrows, armpits, face, chest, legs, arms, abdomen, back, bikini line etc.
She warns that before waxing, one should undergo skin analysis to determine the products and techniques to use because dry skins are normally very sensitive during hair removal.
“Checking for hair texture and growth direction is also essential because hair should be pulled against its growth direction,†Patel says. “It takes about three to eight weeks for hair to grow back depending on an individual’s hair growth rate,†she adds.
Reshma Reshma, a beautician at Khoobsurat Beauty Parlour at Hotel Equatoria, says waxing usually lasts 15 to 30 minutes depending on the area of the body being waxed and the amount of hair being removed.
One can choose to go either for a hot or cold wax. Reshma says that in both options, the same ingredients are used. The difference is that in hot waxing, wax is melted, once warm, it is applied onto the skin, a small piece of cloth or a strip of muslin is pressed over the wax and then quickly pulled off in the opposite direction of hair growth.
“In the cold wax method, the wax is applied to the strip of muslin; it is then pressed hard on the skin where hair is to be removed and then pulled off in the opposite direction of hair growth. Either way, hair is removed from its roots,†Reshma says.
Reshma advises against using deodorants or lotions immediately after waxing to avoid infection. “They can be applied after 48 hours,†she advices.
Children below 15 years are advised against waxing. Likewise, people with bleached skins and diabetics should not wax because their skins are susceptible to infection.
Reshma says waxing should never be done on areas of skin affected by warts, pimples, moles or broken/ peeling skin. Those suffering from sun burn should also not wax.
At J & V Chinese Beauty Parlor, facial waxing costs sh8,000, bikini line sh10,000, armpits sh12,000 and whole body sh44,000. At Khoobsurat Beauty Parlor, full body waxing costs sh35,000, bikini line sh10,000 and for just the legs and arms sh20,000. Prices however are negotiable. At both salons, African and Indian herbal products are used.