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Have you found yourself in a, ahem, hairy situation while your salon is closed because of the coronavirus pandemic? If your eyebrows are giving off Groucho Marx vibes or your Brazilian’s looking more like the Amazon rainforest, you’re probably missing your routine trips to the salon right about now.
You’re not alone. In fact, folks are increasingly searching for at-home hair removal tips, tricks and product hacks, and interest is only ticking up as the weather warms and people search for smooth solutions.
If you’re starting to get worried by how long its been since your last waxing appointment or brow-threading session, then keep reading for some at-home hair removal tips we sourced from the experts.
Here’s what they had to say.
Think First About Slowing And Maintaining The Growth
Treatments like sugaring and waxing supposedly slow and thin hair growth over time, while shaving has been thought to thicken hair and make it grow faster. But there are actually very few studies on it, despite the consensus from your friend group that waxing is the way to go for baby-smooth skin.
So before you set back your hard-fought waxing or threading results by shaving or plucking, you should consider using products that will slow and maintain your hair growth until your next appointment, said Gina Petak, an education manager with European Wax Center.
“One ingredient we use in particular is Narcissus tazetta bulb extract, which aids in attacking the regrowth of hair at the root,” Petak told HuffPost Finds.
There are plenty of beauty discussions and even patents around the idea that the extract of the N. tazetta bulb — aka the daffodil bulb — inhibits hair growth, but more scientific studies are likely needed to confirm its efficacy.
Still, if you can deal with the extra body hair, but can’t stand your bushy brows, the brow experts at Benefit say this a good time to let those hairs grow to their fullest potential so you can get the best brow shape when salons reopen.
Another trick you can try? “Hide and enhance” your brows, said Jared Bailey, Benefit’s global brow expert.
Bailey suggested patting a full-coverage concealer over the brow hairs that are growing in. You can then enhance your brow shape with a microlining brow pencil, using tiny, spaced-out strokes. It’s a temporary solution that might tide you over during the awkward brow-growing phase.
Shave Only What You Must
If you simply can’t bare the thought of having unwanted hair on your body for one more second, there are a few tips on how to proceed with hair removal at home. But before you get started, it’s important you have the right products on hand.
Most waxers warn against shaving in between waxes, because it undoes the slowing and thinning of hair growth that waxing promotes. But they understand your pain (literally) and that unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures.
If you are going to shave, Petak suggested that you do it sparingly and change your razor blade out every two to four weeks for the closest shave possible.
“Only [shave] the sides of your bikini line,” Petak said. “This way you still feel groomed, but you’re not starting your waxing results from scratch.”
If you’re trying to prevent ingrown hairs, exfoliation is key for generating cell turnover and keeping hairs from getting trapped under dead skin.
“A blend of glycolic and salicylic acids are great to help prevent and treat ingrown hairs, bumps and breakouts,” Petak says.
Tweeze Your Brows, But Take It Easy
If your brows are becoming overbearing, it is OK to shape your eyebrows at home, so long as you’re just doing a little cleanup.
Try to use tweezers with a slanted tip and a tight closure to grip the slickest of brow hairs, Bailey said. Every eyebrow and face shape is unique, so you might consider using brow mapping techniques to determine exactly where your brows should start, arch and end.
To tweeze properly, always use two hands: One to hold the skin tight and one to tweeze and remove one hair at a time. (And remember to tweeze in the direction of the hair growth, Bailey said). Comb your brows upward: The hairs that don’t fall back into place need a trim. You can also use a clear brow gel to keep those strays in place and make them easier to cut once dry.
Still, if you can’t bear all of the extra hair and need a solution, we’ve rounded up the products mentioned above — as well as some of the most popular hair-removal products on the internet — in a handy guide.
Take a look below.
