Regarding the function, body hair covers sensitive areas from external harms. Hence, in fact, hair in various parts of the body is beneficial. However, many people find these hair to be aesthetically disturbing and choose to remove it permanently whenever possible. Facial and armpit hair are the most complained ones, especially by women, and there are various methods to be done at the salon for performing these hair removal permanently. However, hair removal, especially on underarm can be performed at home. Not only that this is more affordable, but can also be more natural and hence, less toxic.
Underarm hair removal techniques
For years, there are some treatments used for removing underarm hair, especially for women. Some treatments are painless, yet does not give permanent effects, while some others are more painful but with more long-lasting effects. Among the most frequently performed treatments for armpit hair removal are:
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Shaving
Shaving is the simplest, easiest, and most affordable technique for underarm hair removal. This method will not give long-lasting effect and might cause bumps and rashes as the response to irritated skin caused by the razor blade. However, recent store-bought product which can be combined with shaving are able to provide more long-lasting effects.
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Tweezing
Compared to shaving, tweezing gives a more permanent effect of hair removal. While shaving effects last only for 2 to 3 days, hair removal effects resulted from tweezing is going to last a little longer, which is 4 to 5 days. However, tweezing is also more painful than shaving and more effective for facial hair than underarm hair.
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Waxing
Waxing is done by applying hot wax to the desired areas and removing it in the opposite of hair growth direction. This technique gives a semi-permanent effect and is able to remove hair temporarily for up to three weeks. Hard Wax Kit: Face, Underarms & Bikini Hair Removeris an example of ready to use product for armpit waxing.
If you are avoiding shaving and waxing method you might want to read this article about How to get rid of armpit hair without shaving or waxing.
Home remedies to permanently remove armpit hair at home
Removing unwanted hair at home might be a very good decision, since you might decide what ingredients to use, which are best for your skin. Some home remedies are helpful for performing permanent armpit removal, which can be alternatives to shaving or other high cost salon treatments. Read on to disclose some effective remedies.
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Turmeric paste
Ancient women have used turmeric for loosening hair follicles, which will enable easy hair removal, which is painless yet quite permanent. To imitate this heritage, you will need:
- ½ cup turmeric powder
- Rosewater—can be replaced with plain milk
- Warm water
- A towel
Follow these instructions to do hair removal using turmeric paste:
- Add all the ingredients to make a thick turmeric paste.
- Apply the well-stirred paste onto the underarm hair—works best with thinner underarm hair, and leave it sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Wash off with the towel which has been soaked into warm water.
- Pat dry and repeat the treatment to loosen hair follicles and thus, remove the hair.
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Honey Lemon Hair Remover
Honey has been used for various facial treatment. This natural ingredient is useful for removing unwanted hair if applied regularly. to make the mixture, you will need:
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 3 drops lemon juice
- Warm water
- A towel
The instructions are as follow:
- Mix the honey and lemon juice and stir well.
- Apply the mixture onto the desired underarm areas.
- Leave it for 15 minutes.
- Rinse with warm water or wash it off using a damp towel.
- Pat dry and repeat the treatment 2-3 times a week for continuous 4 weeks to remove the hair permanently.
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Homemade sugar wax
This is a natural remedy for more-permanent hair removal. Waxing in the salon cost a lot of money, and this can be an alternative which is more pocket-friendly. Some ingredients in your kitchen below will make this low-cost yet effective sugar wax:
- 3 cups sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
To prepare the wax, here are the instructions:
- Put sugar in a pan and pour the water into it.
- Cook the mixture until the entire sugar dissolves, creating brown caramel color.
- Add the lemon juice and keep stirring the mixture until you get waxy solution. This will take approximately 20 minutes.
- Pour the wax into a heat-resistant and let it cool down.
To apply the wax, use these method:
- Wash the targeted area with warm water and pat dry with a towel.
- Spread the wax onto the targeted area in the direction of hair growth using a spatula.
- Put a cotton cloth or waxing strip on the applied wax and press it tenderly.
- Remove the strip in the opposite direction of hair growth. Do this real quick to minimize the pain and maximize the effect on treated areas.
- Apply gentle moisturizer onto the treated area to soothe it. A natural aloe vera will be better in calming the skin pores.
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Gelatin peel-off hair remover
This method has a similar principles with sugar waxing. However, gelatin peel-off mask cause less pain than sugar waxing. Some required ingredients include:
- 1 cup water
- ½ cucumber
- Plain-flavored gelatin
- 1 green tea bag
- ¼ aloe vera gel
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
Prepare the peel-off mask following these instructions:
- Ground the cucumber with a food processor and strain the juice.
- Brew green tea in a separated bowl.
- Add gelatin, cucumber juice, and aloe vera gel to the tea and stir well until gelatin is fully dissolved.
- Let it sit to cool down.
To apply the mask, use these instructions:
- Clean the areas to treat with warm water and pat dry with a towel.
- Apply the gelatin mask to the underarms—it is better to do apply it to each underarm at one time, and keep it elevated for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Peel the mask once dry and apply moisturizer to the treated area.
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Sugaring paste
Sugaring has been one of the most popular method for removing unwanted hair. It can be done at home easily and gives much better effects on your skin compared to waxing. Sugaring is aimed at the skin cells and thus, will not reduce the skin elasticity even though done frequently. To make the paste, you need:
- 2 cups sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
To make the paste, do these steps:
- Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and put it on small flame to simmer.
- Do this for 25 minutes to make sure the mixture has a right consistency and is not too sticky.
- After 25 minutes, the mixture will turn into a dark amber color. Remove from heat and let it cool.
To do the sugaring, here are the directions:
- Clean skin thoroughly.
- Apply a light dusting of baby sugar to make sure the paste grasp the hair tightly and does not stick to the skin too much.
- Take out a scoop of the paste with your hand.
- Roll the paste into a ball using light pressing with your bare hands.
- Apply the paste on to the targeted skin on the opposite direction of hair growth firmly, allowing it to spread.
- Peel the sugaring paste off following the direction of hair growth. It is important because otherwise you are going to break the follicles, causing shorter period of effect.
- If some hair is missed, the sugaring paste can be applied on the same area for once or twice, but not more than that. The paste ball can also be re-rolled and thus, re-applied a couple times before disposed.
Tips on removing underarm air at home:
- Before applying any ingredients to treat underarm hair, first apply a little part of it in visible area to test your skin reaction.
- Let cooked mixture to cool down entirely before being applied to the skin, in order to prevent it from burning the skin.
- Some ingredients may give instant difference, while some others may need more frequent applications. Do the treatments consistently to aim desired effects.
- When preparing mixture which needs to be cooked, use a thick pan to make sure it is cooked thoroughly. Set the stove flame to the smallest level to avoid the mixture from getting burnt in the bottom part, leaving the top layer uncooked.
- Apply moisturizer each time you have finished removing underarm hair. If you do not prefer chemical creams, use sliced aloe vera and apply the gel onto the treated areas to sooth the skin and reduce the redness from skin irritation.