The Hair Removal War: No!No! vs Silk-épil Epilator

It feels as though every day a new form of hair removal comes on to the market. You can shave, foam, spray, wax, epilate or even laser the hair off of your legs (and other areas). I'm not a particularly hairy person, but I admit that I really hate being hairy. I am the girl that shaves every day in the shower, even if I am wearing pants that day, just because I don't like the feeling of short stubble.

I was given the chance to try two the the newest at home hair removal technologies at basically the exact same time. Neither of them are pain free, nor are they particularly cheap (though with time those razor blades and shaving gel definitely add up as well).

So, I decided to offer myself (and my legs) up as an experiment for everyone's benefit! For about 3 weeks or so I've been using both of these technologies. My left leg is my No!No! leg, the right is my epilated leg.

How did they fare? Well, I'll have posts on each of the technologies over the next few days, but I think that they are both good. I think the choice between them is personal and depends upon your own wants and needs.

The Silk-épil removes hair below the skin but is more painful. The No!No! uses heat to affect the hair follicle and to basically burn off the hair above the skin.

Only the No!No! promises to decrease the amount of hair growth over time, though I'm sure we all know from tweezing that over time the epilator will also decrease hair over time.

The epilator can be used anywhere (you can even buy a model that comes with heads for use on the face and underarm areas). The No!No! does not recommend facial use.

Stay tuned over the next two days for the review of each machine!

2

Nair Body Hair Remover

Believe it or not, one of the most popular posts on this blog was my review on SH Spray-On Shower-Off Hair Remover. I know, strange but true. So, as I'm continuing my quest to find a great hair remover, I thought I'd post about the "New" Nair.

I don't know about you, but I pretty much just buy Nair about 1-2x a year, and every time I do, it is for a vacation in which much time will be spent in a bikini! Every purchase I have made, the bottle is labelled "NEW & Improved!" As I don't buy it often enough, I honestly can't tell you with 100% certainty whether this formula in this current bottle is new (actually, the bottle may be all that is actually new), but I can tell you that it works.

Here are the downsides to using Nair:
1. The smell is horrid. They are always trying to cover it up with some new combination of peach, celery and passion fruit or something. This does not work, it always smells like chemicals.

2. You always have to spread it with your hands. I have a fake plastic razor (it came with my Veet purchase last year, another hair remover I should review), and even this is not enough help to prevent me from spreading it with my fingers. After you wash it off, your fingers will feel very slippery for about 10-20 minutes. I'm not sure why this is, if it is stripping off your oils or something. However, I find this very disconcerting. I feel as though it is still on me, and I don't want to wash my hair for fear of suddenly being bald.

3. It always takes longer than the bottle says on the front. Read the directions, the real time is the "maximum" time allotted.

The good thing about Nair? It really and truly does work. This "new formula" that I bought a few weeks ago very well might be new, this one took 7-8 minutes rather than 10. My skin didn't get itchy while it was on, and more hair came off more easily. My bikini line was pristine for about 5 days afterwards, as opposed to my normal 3 days.

While I certainly don't have the time before my shower to add this to my daily/weekly routine, this is certainly a product that I will purchase again, and I recommend you check out the "new" formula as well!

0

Sally Hansen Waxing Strips

I'm not a very hairy person. Honestly. But, I have to say that any stray hair drives me completely batty! I am not someone who would be a good candidate for waxing at a salon, I could never wait long enough for the hair to be the appropriate length, I would get yelled at by my waxer!

So, having said all that (so now you all aren't picturing me super hairy), I want to talk about these Sally Hansen Waxing Strips. I LOVE these things! I have used them for years, and even though I've tried tons of other home waxing products, these are by far and away my favorite. A lot of the microwave or roll-on waxing products are tough to get the wax exactly where you want it, I was prone to burning myself with microwave versions, and there's just too much prep work involved. I don't have time for that. Once my hair is dry in the morning, I have about 15 minutes to style my hair, put on makeup and get dressed before rushing out the door.

The best part of these waxing strips is how quick and easy they are to use. There are several sizes in the box. Simply select the best size, pull the strips apart (they separate into 2 strips of the same size), press against clean skin and pull off quickly in the opposite direction of hair growth. While there are sometimes a few small hairs left behind, they are super easy to clean up with tweezers and a mirror (the wax makes them much easier to grab). Included in the kit is a small bottle of oil, simply wipe down the area with the oil and a cotton swab to remove the wax, wash your face and you're ready to face the world!
Sally Hansen Waxing Strips

2

Sally Hansen Spray On Shower Off Hair Remover

I hate shaving. Really, fully, absolutely hate it. However, given my low pain threshold, waxing isn't really an option, so I'm left with shaving. I also don't like fuzz, so I do this nearly every day. It takes me about 15 minutes or so to shave in the shower (I have disproportionately long legs, plus I do this slowly so I don't cut myself). So, you can see why I'm ready to try pretty much anything that speeds this process up.

When I saw the new Sally Hansen Spray On Shower Off at my local Ulta, I quickly purchased it, hoping that the 3 minute Hair Removal promised on the can would save me at least 10 minutes each morning. I've used Nair and similar products in the past, but I've always been frustrated by the time needed, scent of the product, and I'm never really sure if I spread enough product on my leg.

Sally recommends a test patch before using the product, which I dutifully did the day before my experiment, without any signs of reaction. The bottle states that you spray it on, and after the stated time you can spray part off (without rubbing your skin) and if there is still hair, leave it on until the hair comes off. The maximal time to leave it on is 10 minutes. I followed the directions, and even after 10 minutes, not a single hair had left my legs. And, the bottle was empty. Oh, and about 10 minutes later my legs turned red and itchy, and for a week or so my eczema reared its ugly head- requiring steroids and special creams. All in all, this was a complete flop.

8