The Best Hair Removal Techniques & Methods

January 16, 2009 by Anna
Filed under Hair & Makeup

We want men to think we are naturally hairless and always smooth. And because of that, there are so many products and techniques out there to help you achieve that goal. But honestly, what is the best hair removal method?? What is the difference between each one? Which one last longer? By now you've probably realized that beauty is sometimes painful so I'm rating all of these hair removal methods on pain and longevity to help you find out which method would work best for you.

Rating scale:

Pain 1-5 (1 = "I didn't feel a thing", 5 = "are you kidding me")
Longevity 1-5 (1 = "I sneezed and all of my hairs grew back", 5 = "is the winter has come and gone and I'm still silky smooth")

Shaving. Of course I had to add this one on there....we all do it! It's the easiest and quickest solution to our problem. We sometimes shave with shaving cream, or shaving gel, some girls do it with lotion, and when you're lazy, soap and water. Although the results after soap and water may leave you red and bumpy and your skin irritated (Hot TIP: To ease razor burn pain, apply a thin layer of plain yogurt and let it sit for 3 minutes, then rinse it off with cool water and pat dry. Yogurt contains lactic acid which calms down your irritated skin and exfoliates the top layer of irritated cells. Trust me, it works.) For the most part shaving with gels or creams is pretty painless, but how long does it last? You gotta do it practically everyday! And on cold days, every 2 hours! There has got to be a better way....
Ratings: Pain 1, Longevity 1

Waxing. This is plucking on a bigger scale. You use hot wax, apply it to the desired area, use the strips of cloth that come with the kit, put the cloth on top of the applied wax and rip off the cloth in the opposite direction of the hair growth. Sound painful? Probably because it's not a stroll in the park. Especially when you get a bikini wax!...Oh my lord!....some of my friends say it was worst than giving birth for them....that's intense...Waxing in general in any other area is not fun, but if you can get used to it, it's a pretty effective method. It lasts a long time...about 2-3 weeks depending on the person and the more you do it, the finer your hair gets and you won't have to worry about your hair for months sometimes. On the down side, you have to do this very very often though.
Ratings: Pain 4, Longevity 4

Plucking. This method is normally used in smaller areas of the body, i.e. eyebrows, upper lip, your boyfriends toes, his unibrow....when you're mad at him and start plucking at random areas of his body....is this just me? Plucking is a very effective method because you're pulling the hair at the root of the problem. So it takes longer to grow back from the root to the surface before you can see the hair. This process definitely takes longer and is more tedious and can't really be used on other parts of your body where hair is growing like crazy. It is used for precision when you're designing the arch in your eyebrow or maybe a small happy face on your boyfriends chest....again...am I alone on this?. As for pain, the more you do it, the finer your hair becomes and the less painful it is. This method just gets better with time.
Ratings: Pain 3, Longevity 3

Threading .This is an ancient hair removal technique from India. This method is used for ANY facial hair that either men or women have. Mainly used for your eyebrows, upper lip, hairline, and usually guys in Arab countries use it for their ear hairs, hehe ew. It is done with thin cotton threads that is twisted over your hairs, ripping it from the root in a straight line. So it's similar to plucking, but it's faster since you can do rows of hair removal at once instead of one hair at a time. I've done it and it's kind of surprising at first because this row of hair is so quickly removed from your face. But my eyebrows were perfect when they were done and I loved the results. I heard horror stories about it infecting some people resulting in breakouts and skin irritations. Just make sure wherever you go to do this, everything is sanitized. It lasts as long as plucking and definitely varies on how thick your hairs are. It can last about 2 weeks or so.
Ratings: Pain 3.5, Longevity 3

Laser Hair Removal. Ahh yes...to never have to worry about shaving, plucking, waxing, pulling, doing ancient rituals to remove your hair again. If you have the money for it (and I'm talking in the range of $1200 and up) this is the way to go. This method is definitely not for everybody as there are a few things you must know:

Your skin must be a lighter color than your hair. If you are darker skin, you absorb too much laser energy and it may results in different laser equipment and require more treatments to get the desired results.
If you tanned, you must wait till your tan wears off before you can consider this method.
You must have time for multiple treatments to get rid of the hair for good! Hair grows in different cycles and you have to do it about 6 times to get all of the hairs out of there!

Now I have also had this done once and I thought it was awesome! I'm saving up to get other areas of my body done, but at least I can tell you what it feels like. If you're prepared for the pain, it's not THAT bad. Now of course this all varies on what area you do it, but it feels like someone is snapping a rubber band at you...like a pinching followed by a smell of burned hair. It's not painless, but for the longevity of it, the pain is worth it. The finer the hair, the less it'll hurt of course. So take yourself out for ice cream after your first 2 treatments, but after wards, it should get easier.
Ratings: Pain 4, Longevity 5 (Can't beat that!)

So next time you pick up that razor, you may wonder, "is there a better way?" or "how much time do I have to get a smoother look and feel?" I hope this helps! Leave me comments!

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Benefits of Quinoa

January 14, 2009 by Katelyn
Filed under Health & Wellness

5 Comments

Quinoa Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah), known as the "mother of all grains," is my pick for one of the best protein sources and rice replacement. Of course, we all know white rice is not the first choice when it comes to staying slim. It is high in carbs and low in protein. As a healthier choice, some people eat brown rice instead of white. But quinoa, in my opinion, stands head and shoulders above even brown rice. Its protein content is very high (12-18%) and it's low in carbs, which is especially important for vegetarians and vegans. What's more, it is a complete protein source, containing a balanced set of essential amino acids. Quinoa is also a great source of fiber and high in magnesium and iron; you just can't argue with the power in its punch! And the best quality? It tastes great!

Quinoa Prepared Prepare quinoa as you would prepare rice. I use a rice cooker to make life easier for myself. Use one part quinoa to two parts water. For example, put one cup of quinoa and two cups of water into your rice cooker, put the lid on, press the "cook" button and you're done! (To make quinoa extra tasty, use vegetable broth instead of water). You can make great vegetable pilaf with this, or just eat it with stir-fry. Like I said, it is a great rice substitute, so add it wherever you would add rice in your dishes. Bon appetit!

Quinoa is available online (such as SHOP.com and Amazon.com), Trader Joes, Whole Foods and other health food stores.

Looking for some quinoa cookbooks? Try these: