To wax or not to wax ????

[Amy Jeanne]

I often wondered what woman did for their bikini areas in the 30's and 40's. I had seen pictures of woman in bathing suits, but the suits covered a bigger area than today's suits, so I wondered if they ever worried about these things.

I always thought that that was one of the main functions of the "Modesty Panel" on all the vintage bathing suits!!

Yes, I think about some things way too hard.....

 

[mysterygal]

The trick with the bikini area is to use a sharp razor blade, and go slow!
For legs and bikini area I absolutely recommend using a moisturizing shaving lotion.

 

[LolitaHaze]

Two tricks of the trade are to use an electric razor on dry skin with baby powder (I haven't tried this one myself yet) and then after you shave with a regular razor use dove deodorant on the bikini area (don't go on the "sensative lady" areas) to help with razor burn and bumps.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

I always thought that that was one of the main functions of the "Modesty Panel" on all the vintage bathing suits!!

My skin is so sensitive I wear only skirted swimsuits from Maxine of Hollywood. Is this too much information?
As a natural redhead, the hair on my legs is palest blonde so I only shave when I absolutely need to, as when they might be seen bare by someone else. Once I start I have to keep at it as it grows stubbly in a few hours. Hair removal is no fun a huge hassle, and the silky smoothness only ever lasts a few hours. Ugh. A loofah takes care of the bumps and flaky skin, at least.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

You gals who have dark hair, pale skin, and fine leg hair are JERKS!!! So jealous.

If you would like to banish ingrown hairs forever, I give you...TEND SKIN.

http://www.tendskin.com/tendskin.htm

Sally beauty also has a cheaper version, I have it but don't really use it since I am not prone to ingrowns, knock on wood.

 

[Paisley]

My great grandmother didn't have any hair under her arms. No worries!

 

[olive bleu]

You gals who have dark hair, pale skin, and fine leg hair are JERKS!!! So jealous

ha ha lol lol lol . I hear you, sister! Going without shaving/waxing is just not an option for me, either, i could literally shave my legs every day!

Do I understand correctly that some of you had success using VEET in the bikini area? I haven't tried that, and again, leaving it alone, is not an option
Has anyone had any sensitivity issues with this product? I really have had no luck with other hair removal creams on my legs. I get a very painful rash

 

[Joie DeVive]

Ok, just to throw in my 2 cents...

I say follow your bliss. Do what you like.
Hair removal is entirely a social convention. It's cosmetic. And when you stop to think about it analytically, it's really kind of gross. I mean, which females have no body hair?? Pre-pubescent ones! So we're all trying to look like little girls? That shoots way up on my creep-O-meter.

Dermatologists say that shaving does not cause hair to darken, or to thicken. They say that it is only an illusion caused by the shorter hair poking up out of the follicle. I won't promise that they are correct, but that is what I have been told.

All that being said, I shave most of the time. I started to develop dark hair early, and to avoid teasing, I started shaving by the time I was about 10. First, I used an electric, and in high school graduated to a blade. Electrics are outstanding for speed, and are less likely to cause skin irritation. There are electrics which can be used in or out of water. I personally, prefer a blade because I have found that it gets closer. I have also tried the cold sugar "waxes". I can tell you it hurts significantly, but does get the job done and keeps it smooth longer. However, you do have to wait for it to grow out again to repeat waxing, and it can cause ingrown hairs. I usually scrub good with one of those plastic "bath poofs" to avoid that though. I tend to stick with shaving because I like how it looks and feels. Though I will admit that in the deep of winter when I'm stuck in pants, I'll go au naturale. Luckily, the hubby doesn't mind!!

As to if it is period correct, I can't tell you for the UK, but I can tell you it wasn't really for the continent. In the 1970s, my Dad worked with a European fellow named Otto who had come to the US around 1950. He shared with my father that he liked to get back to Europe once a year or so to see "real women" by which he meant ones with body hair!!

So I say do what you will. I have friends who shave and those who don't. I have one friend who doesn't remove any of her body hair, but shaves her head every summer when it gets hot. Whatever. Do what makes you comfortable and happy.

I guess all that adds up to more like 4 cents now then, doesn't it?
Good luck with your decision!!

 

[Naama]

I have one friend who doesn't remove any of her body hair, but shaves her head every summer when it gets hot.

Let me guess, she's an artist? lol

So, yes, do whatever you want.

But to add on the period correctness... Wasn't it like that the good girls let it grow and the "bad"girls shaved?
When was the time when a women who shaved was seen as a slut?

And, If you once started waxing, it won't hurt anymore! Trust me! (what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? )


Naama

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Just a note for the record...

I am going to make this a thread where men cannot post.

Its just as sensative a topic as lingerie.

Thanks for understanding.

Denise

 

[pigeon toe]

I have one friend who doesn't remove any of her body hair, but shaves her head every summer when it gets hot. Whatever. Do what makes you comfortable and happy.

Aww, for some reason I find that really endearing!

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

ha ha lol lol lol . I hear you, sister! Going without shaving/waxing is just not an option for me, either, i could literally shave my legs every day!

Do I understand correctly that some of you had success using VEET in the bikini area? I haven't tried that, and again, leaving it alone, is not an option
Has anyone had any sensitivity issues with this product? I really have had no luck with other hair removal creams on my legs. I get a very painful rash

I have been using the Veet for about a year now, and as long as I exfoliate first and moisturize after, I have no problem with irritation. Also, bikini zone really does work at keeping those irritating bumps away.
If I do use a razor I first shave with the hair growth and then I shave a second time against the hair growth. This seems to lessen the ingrown hair problem. Of course holding a very warm wash cloth against the area for a few minutes opens up the pores and makes hair removal easier. So I'd suggest doing this before shaving or using hair removal creams. If you opt to shave a girlfriend of mine introduced me to, gosh I don't even know if I'll get edited for writing the name of this stuff but what the heck it's worth a shot, anyway it's called Coochy Cream, a shaving cream made specifically for bikini areas. This stuff is great, you can get it at a lot of places on line, but I can't put any of the links up

Golly, I never thought I'd be posting about this sort of thing!! All modesty has just gone out my internet window! Thanks Neecerie for banning the men from this one. The last thing I need is bikini wax advice from a guy!!

 

[ShrinkingViolet]

I say follow your bliss. Do what you like.
Hair removal is entirely a social convention. It's cosmetic. And when you stop to think about it analytically, it's really kind of gross. I mean, which females have no body hair?? Pre-pubescent ones! So we're all trying to look like little girls? That shoots way up on my creep-O-meter.

I was going to say the same thing. Removing all of one's body hair seems to be the norm here, judging from the women in the locker room at the public swimming pool. I don't get it, who wants to look like a little girl? No offense to those who shave all over, but to me it just doesn't look aesthetic.

I've heard that in Japan and Asia in general, body hair in the nether parts is prestigious. Allegedly they sell little triangular-shaped toupees for women to stick on before their wedding night.

 

[Eleanor Marie]

I wish....

Isn't it crazy what we do to ourselves in the name of 'beauty'!? I epilate my legs and got a kit that has an ice - gel pack to help numb the skin first while you get used to it, and a head that has less bits on it (but it takes longer?!). I have now graduated to the full epilating head and no ice pack, but hubby holds me down and does the back of my legs as I can't reach! He also gets some sadistic pleasure out of getting his own back on me!

Well I have to provide some entertainment sometimes!

 

[Rockapin-up]

I've used the coochy cream before, its awsome and left my legs so smooth. I got it at a naughty girl party As for waxing, I can't do it myself, I would have to have someone do it for me. I have an epilator that I only used on my armpits and it was great. But it's lost power so I have to get another one. Other than that I just shave. I'll have to give the veet another try, as I was kinda in a hurry the first time I used it. I also tried the silky mitts but all I was doing was scraping off skin instead of hair[huh]


As for ancient hair removal, I don't know too much about although I did see a documentary once on the ancient Greeks and there bath houses. To them body hair was ugly so they would have someone remove it using the hard end of a feather between there finger nail and pluck the hair out one by one

 

[BitterEpiphany]

I end to stray from waxing. It can't be done at home economically because you end up cleaning up such a huge amount of wax left everywhere. What I do love that not a lot of people do is at home body sugaring. It's great because you can make the stuff out of a bag of sugar, some lemon juice, some water and a little time on the stove or you can buy the stuff at the store, but it rinses off with water - including from your clothes, your bathroom and anywhere else you might get it, there are no chemicals to put on your skin and discover you're allergic to ...and it's extremely inexpensive. I use torn up t-shirts or sheets as strips and, just like wiht waxing, you only have to do it every two weeks. Another advantage - it doesn't attach to skin AND hair, just the hair. So no leaving a super hot strip on too long and finding your skin red, raw and ripped off. Thus, it doesn't hurt as much. You can even use it on unwanted facial hair (though, frankly, bleaching is better)

I have a recipe and instructions if anyone is interested.

As for what body hair I remove... oh my gosh - all of it. I was on a swim team as a kid and we were instructed to remove all hair in a less than eloquent way. Ever since then, it's just been on my daily to do list. Frankly, hair kind of weirds me out. For a while, I actually removed all of the hair from my arms as well (i have brown hair and extremely fair skin). Really though, I say whatever you're comfortable with. Me, I'm not a fan of any body hair on me at all, but there are those that don't shave at all, and that's fine with me too...as long as I don't have to share a bed with them

 

[Clara Noir]

This always makes me think of that BBC series 1940s house, where they show a middle class family surviving the war. And the young woman of the house used a pumice stone against her leg and the next scene you see her with a big of gash on her shin from rubbing to hard.

But I think that silky mit business is probably much better.

That's what I was thinking too

Personally, I wax everything I can except head hair. I do it the burlesque way...regardless of real vintage or not, what would Dita do?

 

[Joie DeVive]

Let me guess, she's an artist? lol

Naama

She does have a very artistic personality. She's actually working in sales at a local television station right now, but she grew up in a commune. I'm guessing that might have something to do with it...

It's endearingly quirky, but it took a little getting used to at first!

 

[Shearer]

I end to stray from waxing. It can't be done at home economically because you end up cleaning up such a huge amount of wax left everywhere. What I do love that not a lot of people do is at home body sugaring. It's great because you can make the stuff out of a bag of sugar, some lemon juice, some water and a little time on the stove or you can buy the stuff at the store, but it rinses off with water - including from your clothes, your bathroom and anywhere else you might get it, there are no chemicals to put on your skin and discover you're allergic to ...and it's extremely inexpensive. I use torn up t-shirts or sheets as strips and, just like wiht waxing, you only have to do it every two weeks. Another advantage - it doesn't attach to skin AND hair, just the hair. So no leaving a super hot strip on too long and finding your skin red, raw and ripped off. Thus, it doesn't hurt as much. You can even use it on unwanted facial hair (though, frankly, bleaching is better)

I have a recipe and instructions if anyone is interested.

As for what body hair I remove... oh my gosh - all of it. I was on a swim team as a kid and we were instructed to remove all hair in a less than eloquent way. Ever since then, it's just been on my daily to do list. Frankly, hair kind of weirds me out. For a while, I actually removed all of the hair from my arms as well (i have brown hair and extremely fair skin). Really though, I say whatever you're comfortable with. Me, I'm not a fan of any body hair on me at all, but there are those that don't shave at all, and that's fine with me too...as long as I don't have to share a bed with them

I'd love to try it, if you're willing to post how to do it and how to make the sugaring "potion" I've always been keen to try it, but I only knew one person who sugared and it was that Nad's stuff, I think. She didn't like it, but I can't remember her reason.

Anyway, I like making my own lotions and potions, so it seems like it would be good to give sugaring a whirl if you'd be so kind to post instructions

 

[goldwyn girl]

Two tricks of the trade are to use an electric razor on dry skin with baby powder (I haven't tried this one myself yet) and then after you shave with a regular razor use dove deodorant on the bikini area (don't go on the "sensative lady" areas) to help with razor burn and bumps.

Lolita, my mum told me to shave my underarms using the baby powder and electric razor, works great. She grew up in the 40's but I can't say for sure if thats when she started doing it.