Having a smooth, hair-free skin takes a lot of dedication as body hair just grows so fast (unlike a bad haircut 🙁 ). While many women like to leave this matter into the hands of professionals, sometimes we don’t feel comfortable visiting a beauty salon whether due to being shy or finding it hard to fit it in our busy schedules. So, us ladies are always looking for the easiest at-home methods to get rid of unwanted body hair for just a bit longer than shaving allows.
Luckily, there are more at-home hair removal options available than ever before. So, after browsing the section on body hair removal at your local grocery or an online pharmacy, you’ve probably been given the choice between wax strips and hot wax. But which one is more effective, and which one is less painful? To answer your questions, here’s a quick summary of the differences between wax strips and hot wax.
Wax Strips
Let’s start with wax strips, one of the most commonly sold products for body hair removal. Wax strips come in a variety of sizes suitable for all body parts, from upper lip to brows, arms and legs. These ready-to-use strips need minimal preparation. You only need to warm them up by rubbing them between your palms or giving them a quick blow with a hair drier. This makes them quick and easy to use, and you can take them with you when travelling.
A big advantage of using wax strips is that they do not open up the pores like hot wax and as such do not irritate the skin as much. What’s more, as opposed to hot wax, cold wax strips are much gentler and suitable for people who can’t tolerate heat well. The biggest downside, however, is that wax strips have less pulling power than hot wax. While this might mean they don’t feel as painful, they aren’t very efficient for very thick hair. They are most effective on areas with finer and shorter hair like arms and the face.
Hot Wax
And then there’s hot wax which comes either in a can or in a pellet or bead form. Unlike wax strips, hot wax needs a bit of preparation. In order to melt it, you need to warm it up in a suitable tray that usually comes included with the product. Applying it is the trickier part. You need to make sure that the wax has cooled down and won’t burn your skin, but it’s still warm enough to efficiently work. So, be extra careful when using it and don’t rush things.
While it is messier and more painful than using strips, hot wax is considered a lot more effective. The melted texture of hot wax allows it to cover the entire hair and the warmth opens up the pores, making hair removal easier. This makes it the easiest method for removing thick and dense hair.
