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HAIR REMOVAL
Y
our customers are likely to
have buried their bodies under
cold weather clothes for
months, and the chances are
that hair removal has been a dim and
distant thought since last summer. But
with sunnier days around the corner
(well, we live in hope!) it’s high time they
tackled their unwanted hair. We’ve got
the lowdown on the different hair removal
methods available, so you can advise
customers on the right one for them –
you’re welcome!
✹ SHAVING
Shaving is quick, easy and cheap, and a
key advantage is that you don’t have to
wait for regrowth as is necessary with root
removal methods like waxing. Another
advantage is the skin exfoliation it
provides. Diana Graovac, Wilkinson
Sword Regional Product Manager for
North West Europe, explains: “Not only
does shaving remove unwanted hair but it
also removes dull and flaky skin to keep
it looking and feeling great.” On the
downside, results only last for a few days
so this method requires regular
repetition. Skin irritation can also be an
annoying side effect. Often caused by
using blunt blades, this can be remedied
by regularly replacing them. “A razor that
scratches or pulls needs a new blade;
replace the blades as soon as you need to
apply pressure to shave,” advises
Graovac. Ingrown hairs are another
common problem associated with
shaving; exfoliating skin between shaves
can help prevent these, and targeted
ingrown hair treatments are also
TWEEZY is a facial hair removal device that
removes hair without the need for
chemicals, heat or strenuous effort. The
active spring action of Tweezy removes the
hair from the root like threading, without
the need to learn an intricate skill,
transforming costly beauty regimes into a
DIY product. With ongoing use the hair
follicles weaken, meaning reduced
regrowth, and results can last up to six
weeks. The device is easy to use: hold
each end of the rubber grips and bend the
Tweezy into an upturned 'U' shape then
place the bar against your skin. Twist and
roll the rubber grips between your fingers,
18 PURE BEAUTY
SMOOTH
OPERATOR
All you need to know to stay
fuzz-free and fabulous
available. For the best results, Nathalie
Eleni, Gillette Venus Beauty Therapist,
suggests: “Shower or bathe before you
shave to remove natural oils and
perspiration and hydrate hair, which
makes it up to 60% easier to cut. Two to
three minutes is the optimum
soaking time; after 15 minutes,
water causes your skin to
wrinkle and swell slightly,
resulting in a shave that’s
not as close as you’d like.”
Choosing a shave prep like
gel or foam is also
important as it helps to raise hairs for a
closer shave and increases blade glide to
reduce irritation. Many include
additional skin benefits, and they won’t
clog the razor like soap can. Moisturise
after shaving to hydrate skin. For an
added hydration boost, Eleni says:
“Rinse skin thoroughly after
shaving and then pat skin dry.
Don’t rub skin harshly and
don’t dry off completely. The
extra water on your body will
be sealed in as you apply
moisturiser, helping to
the
BRAND
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inwards and outwards, to gently remove
hair from roots, ensuring it moves
against the direction of hair growth.
RRP £10, Tweezy, tweezy.co.uk.
PHILIPS LUMEA COMPACT been added to
Philips’ leading IPL range following the
success of the Lumea Precision Plus.
Lumea Compact is a lightweight and
affordable hair removal device
designed to help more women get
long-lasting, hair-free skin. It uses
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology, an
innovative and advanced light-based hair
removal method, originally used in
professional salons, that is safe, effective
and easy to use at home. Gentle pulses of
light, applied regularly, keep skin silky
smooth by preventing regrowth. It has five
adjustable light energy settings, ensuring
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eliminate dry, flaky skin, especially on
freshly shaved legs so you can achieve a
healthy goddess glow.”
✹ WAXING
The key advantage of waxing is that
results last for up to four weeks, and hair
also grows back thinner, weaker and finer
in time, making it both less obvious and
easier to remove. This also reduces the
incidence of ingrowing hairs. The home
wax market caters for every consumer
and level of experience, from pre-waxed
strips of varying sizes for different body
parts, to warm wax roll-on kits. Alley
Laundry, International Brand Manager
atParissa, says: “It’s important that you
choose your product based on your hair
type, the area you are waxing and your
gentle but effective treatment across a
variety of hair and skin types. Available at
Boots. RRP £200, Philips, philips.co.uk.
NAIR ARGAN OIL ROLL-ON WAX The latest launch
from Nair features a unique wax formula
enriched with nourishing, soothing argan
oil and orange blossom extract. The
washable resin wax formula heats in just
25 seconds and leaves skin silky smooth
for up to four weeks. The practical built-in
wax applicator delivers an even layer of
warm wax and helps to remove hair as
APRIL 2014
experience level. For example, a firsttime waxer wanting to wax her bikini
line should choose Ready-to-Use
Wax Strips that are pre-lined
with wax on a strip sized
perfectly for a smaller area.
Conversely, someone with very
sensitive skin wanting to wax
her legs could go for one of our
sugar-based waxes that are
formulated to be extra gentle.”
The obvious disadvantage of
waxing is that is can be quite
painful, particularly for beginners.
Mark Pearson, Category
Marketing Director at Reckitt
Benckiser (manufacturer of Veet),
offers the following advice for best
results with warm wax, with
minimal pain: “The day before
waxing, exfoliate and moisturise
skin to ensure it is not dry or
sensitive. Don’t moisturise on
the day of a wax as this
short as 1.5mm. RRP £12.99, Church & Dwight,
naircare.com.
SILK’N GLIDE This compact hair removal device
is the first light-based home hair removal
device that works on darker skin tones.
Based on patented Home Pulsed Light
(HPL) technology, it delivers short pulses
of light energy that deactivate the hair
follicle. Featuring adjustable speed
settings (from one pulse per second to
one every 3.5 seconds,) it glides
comfortably over the skin and can treat
the entire body in less than 30 minutes.
The sleek, ergonomic design ensures
perfect results, even in delicate and hard
to reach areas. Silk’n recently teamed up
with fashion designer Holly Fulton to align
its groundbreaking technology with her
SS14 and AW14 collections. RRP £149,
Home Skinovations, silkn.com.
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HAIR REMOVAL
can make it hard for the wax to grip to the
skin and will affect results. Ensure the
wax is properly heated and then apply
directly to skin in the direction of hair
growth, ensuring an even coverage. Apply
the strip immediately, pressing firmly
down on the strip to secure it. Pull the
strip against the growth of hair, keeping
skin taut at all times. Go back and forth
between two different areas to allow the
heat from the wax to escape the skin.
Afterwards, use a non-perfumed lotion
such as aloe vera to soothe skin. Do not
have a bath or shower immediately after
waxing as pores will be open and may
become irritated.” For those with a low
pain threshold, Pearson advises rubbing
an ice cube over the area before waxing,
to help numb and cool for comfort, and
again after waxing to remove heat from
skin, close pores and prevent irritation.
✹ DEPILATORY CREAM
Although it has a bad reputation,
depilatory cream is a good option for
those that require longer results than
shaving offers (around twice as long),
without the pain of waxing or epilating.
Shahla Rushworth, Health and Beauty
Group Brand Manager at Church &
Dwight (manufacturer of Nair), says:
“Creams have traditionally been viewed
as a bit smelly and quite messy. However
they do last longer than shaving and have
a potential to deliver added skincare
benefits.” In-shower variants that work
while you shower and can then be rinsed
away easily have improved the depilatory
cream market greatly, while fragrance
innovation has minimised the unpleasant
chemical smell of these products. Take
care to remind customers that a patch test
should always be carried out at least 48
hours before use to eliminate allergic
reactions.
✹ EPILATING
Epilating offers similar results to waxing
(long lasting smoothness and finer
regrowth) but works on shorter (as short
as 0.5mm) and very fine hair, almost
eliminating the ‘in-between’ regrowth
stage. Jodie Bridge, Marketing Director
for Philips Personal Care, says:
“Research has shown that on average
only 50% of hairs remain visible when
epilating every four weeks.”
The payoff for such smooth skin is pain –
any device that grips and plucks out
multiple hairs simultaneously is going to
hurt a bit! However, the latest epilators
include features designed to minimise
discomfort, such as massage bars, and
the process becomes less uncomfortable
over time as hair becomes thinner.
Customers can also avoid epilating more
sensitive areas like the underarms and
face. Bridge advises: “When using the
epilator, do so at a 90 degree angle to
your skin to ensure best contact. Press
firmly (this reduces any discomfort) and
move at a moderate speed against the
direction of hair growth.” Lisa Sullivan,
Remington UK Brand Manager, adds:
“Take a warm bath or shower before
epilating and exfoliate to remove dead
skin cells. This will make your skin more
pliable, making the epilation process
more comfortable. We recommend
epilating in the evening so that any
possible reddening can disappear
overnight. After use you
can apply a body
cream or aloe
lotion to soothe
the skin and
INHIBITIF now offers 11 hair inhibiting solutions for every area of
the face and body, designed to leave skin smoother for longer after
just eight weeks of use. Inhibitif targets the hair follicle directly to
slow down the apparent growth rate and density of unwanted hair.
New products include Advanced Hair-Free Body Serum in a new travelfriendly format, Natural Hair-Free Body Serum, Hair-Free Body Mist,
Hair-Free Intimate Care, Hair-Free Body Hydrator (in fragranced and
unfragranced variants), Hair-Free Deodorant (available in two scents or
unfragranced formats) and Hair-Free Face Serum.
RRP from £8.99, Deciem UK, deciem.com.
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reduce skin irritation. It is also beneficial
to regularly exfoliate after epilation to
avoid in-growing hairs.”
✹ IPL
Until a few years ago intense pulsed light
hair removal was limited to the salon, but
with a raft of home-use IPL devices now
available, it is the perfect time to invest.
Although the initial outlay may seem
expensive, the money saved over a
lifetime makes investment worthwhile.
Sullivan says: “A recent study by
Remington has revealed that British
women spend on average £8,000 in a
lifetime removing unwanted hair, while
88% of women will spend four months of
their entire lifetime removing unwanted
body hair with a whole range of fuzz
fighters including razors and waxing.”
With repeated use, IPL devices can
eliminate hair entirely and therefore
reduce the time and cost of hair removal
significantly. The major disadvantage of
IPL is that most devices are not suitable
for everyone, as they work with the
melanin in skin and hair. Sullivan says:
“Safe skin tones include white, ivory, tan,
beige and light brown only, and safe
natural hair colours include black, dark
brown and medium brown. IPL is not
suitable for people with white, grey and
red hair.” Bridge offers the following top
tips for the most effective results: “Hair
starts to fall out in the days after the
treatment. To speed up this process,
scrub treated areas with a towel as
friction peels away the treated hair so
smooth results are visible sooner. During
treatment, use a white pencil to mark out
sections when treating larger areas like
the legs.”
APRIL 2014