Say goodbye to those hair-raising experiences
w Waxing
The wax strip is no stranger to the beauty-conscious woman of today, and its popularity may be attributed in part to its prevalence in the media over the years. From Monica and Phoebe's leg-waxing incident in Friends to Carrie Bradshaw's accidental Brazilian in Sex and the City, we've steadily learned that bare is beautiful, and no amount of hair-ripping pain will stop us from showing off a smooth, hair-free body.
Women can bring their men along to their next waxing treatment at the More Than Skin Urban Spa. The spa offers waxing services to men and women, with prices ranging from HK$100 (10-minute lip or chin wax) to HK$620 (70-minute full leg with Brazilian wax) for women, and from HK$275 (25-minute underarm wax) to HK$795 (75-minute full leg with bikini wax) for men. More Than Skin uses a hard apricot wax to minimise discomfort and finishes up with a soothing application of tea tree lotion.
Those willing to forgo the luxury of a spa for the privacy of their own bathroom can de-fuzz at home with the help of at-home waxing kits. The Body Shop Sugaring Hair Removal (left, HK$99) is a classic, with a natural formula that can easily be heated and applied. The product should be applied with the Spread On Sugar Spatula (HK$9) and removed with the Strip Off Sugar strips (HK$35). The heated, sweet-smelling wax offers a mini at-home spa experience, while the reusable cotton strips ensure that you are doing your part for the environment.
For a no-muss, no fuss at-home wax, Veet has come up with the perfect solution - disposable, ready-to-use wax strips that can be heated, applied and stripped off in a matter of seconds. The strips can be heated between the hands and used on hair as short as 2mm, and they come with moisturising oil wipes to soothe the skin post-wax. Veet Cold Wax Strips (bottom) come in regular sizes for normal (HK$68.90) and dry skin (HK$86.50), and in mini strips (HK$47.90) for delicate face and bikini waxing.
Those who are less than fond of their trips to the salon now have a way to keep the hair off for longer. Bliss Get Out of Hair moisture milk ( HK$300) contains a 'Fuzzkill Complex' that claims to slow hair re-growth, while the willow bark extract helps prevent ingrown hairs and shea butter soothes the skin, reducing redness and irritation.
For a complete and professional wax treatment, The Peninsula Spa by Espa makes sure that all the bases are covered with a pre-wax skin brushing and a balm application after the waxing. The skin is first brushed gently to remove dead skin and hairs that can easily be released from the follicles, prepping the skin for waxing. The wax service can range from lip and chin treatments (HK$190) to a full leg and bikini wax (HK$650), and is followed by a calming balm that reduces pore dilation while also moisturising and soothing the skin.
