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Facial Hair Removal for WomenBelow is a recent review of Sally Hansen's Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit for face, brows, and bikini. I'm getting laser hair removal, electrolysis, and even taking medication to try and live the last half of my life hair less (as in less hair, I don't have a chance in hell of being totally bare). Subscribe to my newsletter the Hairy Truth to get the latest articles and updates, AND get photos that are too personal to post online. (Yet somehow not as personal to send in a newsletter. I know, but it means only people who really want to see them see them.) Facial Hair Removal Product
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I bought Sally Hansen's Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit at my local Walgreens here in Los Angeles.I didn't save the receipt, but if I remember correctly it was around $6 (USD) plus tax. It wasn't on sale, and I didn't have a coupon so that price should be roughly what you would pay if not less.
I thought it would be a good idea, because I kept putting off going to the salon and the whole kit was cheaper than just getting my upper lip waxed once.
I've sugared my upper lip with Nads before, but I wasn't able to get all the finer hairs on my lip off. I thought the wax would be a bit "stronger."If you can't read the box, this particular kit is for face, brows and bikini. It also says, "Results last up to 8 weeks" and that it "Works on short hair." I decided to try it on my uppper lip first.
When you open the package you get a plastic bag filled with a bunch of different sized strips, and finishing oil.
It also comes with a card that has an important note (that tells you to make sure to warm the strips in your hand before you start), and a booklet of instructions.The instructions tell that for best results your hair should be oil free and dry and that it's best to have 21 days worth of hair growth for maximum effectiveness.
It also says to "Wait at least 21 days before using on areas you've shaved or treated with cream hair removers."
Facial Hair Removal Before Photos
Left and right are my before photos. The side view on the right looks a little shiny, because I put light on it to try and show the longer hairs that I had on the sides near the corners of the lip. Hair is really tough to catch in photographs, but easy for people to see on your face in direct sunlight!Naturally, as instructed, I washed and pat dry (make sure it's really dry) the area before starting.
Step One
The strips come in different sizes. I choose one of the smallest ones and rub it in between my hands to warm it up.
Step 2
Even though it doesn't say to do so, I quickly cut off the strip a little smaller to make it easier to handle. I'm careful to leave some of the edges on so I can still separate the wax. I don't take too long, because I don't want it to cool down.
Step Three
I separate the strips. This is really easy. This gives you two strips to use, because each side is sticky. Honestly, it kind of reminds me of packing tape, but more gooey.
Step Four
I place the sticky part of the wax strip onto my lip being careful to not let it touch my actual lip. I smooth the strip down in the direction of the hair growth only. (Not the other way.)
Step Five
I held the skin taut and ripped it off in the OPPOSITE direction of the hair growth. Did it hurt? In a word, YES! It hurts at the salon, but I have to admit doing it myself seemed to hurt more. I felt a little twitchy the next to times I did it. Which brings me to step six ...
Step Six
Repeat step four for both the bow of the lip and the other side. I did one little strip for each. When you separate the strips it essentially makes two strips so I did have one extra strip left over. There's no way to save it, and there's plenty in the box so I just threw it away.
Step Seven
I applied the "azulene finishing oil." I have no idea what the stuff is, but my lip was definitely sore (in that kind of hot way) and more than a little bit sticky. So I applied this stuff and hoped for the best.Facial Hair Removal After Photos
The photo to the left is taken right after the finishing solution. The photo to the right is a few minutes later than that.
Here's where this facial hair removal project gets weird
After roughly fifteen minutes goes by it actually seems to feel hotter (that sore hot) than it did immediately after. It feels like my upper lip is swelling, and it did. The photo doesn't do it justice. I put a bag of frozen peas over it and was really glad that the guy I was seeing wasn't coming over for another few hours. Even a few hours later, after it calmed down a bit, it felt a little swollen.
The results did last
This final facial hair removal photo is taken 18 days later. There's wasn't any scarring or permanent swelling, and the soreness did go down. I can see a few missed hairs, but it actually took away more hairs than some bad wax jobs I got at Super Cuts. A bad waxer will provide ineffective facial hair removal, because she doesn't press down enough, uses too cool wax, or doesn't rip off the strip in the opposite direction of the hair growth (which is a bit up not left to right) so it just breaks the hair instead of pulling it from the root.My Verdict - I'd only use the facial hair removal product in an emergency.
In a nutshell, it works, but it hurts. I'd only use it for emergency situations when I had something to do the NEXT DAY. Never for something that I had to go to on the same day, because that swelling was pretty major. I'd NEVER do my own eyebrows with it. It seems WAY TOO HARSH for that. But it does work. Maybe if I didn't press down as firmly in the beginning and did smaller sections at a time. It is definitely cheaper than waxing, but you do, in this situation, get what you pay for.Next, I also tried Nads hair removal.
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