Hair removal is an integral process for both women and men. While most individuals visit their nearest salons to get the job done, some enjoy staying at home and comfortably carry out the chore. Waxing and shaving are two most commonly used methods of hair removal.
But is waxing better than shaving or is it the other way around? Our experts at Bodycraft help you identify the differences between the two. Read further to make a conscious decision for your skin.
What is Waxing?
Waxing is a hair removal method that can be used to target unwanted hair on several areas of the body including the face, arms, legs, chest, back and bikini region. Using hard or soft wax, and even wax strips, each area is stripped off of hair in one session.
Usually, waxing involves slight or moderate pain. It might cause the following side effects if you have sensitive skin or a lesser tolerance towards pain.
- Redness on the skin.
- Itchiness leading to small bumps.
- Infection or scarring caused by an allergic reaction.
- Sensitivity to the sun.
‘Is waxing or shaving better?’ – if this question pops in your head, we would recommend reading further to understand why waxing is conducted at professional salons in comparison to shaving that is normally carried out at home.
What is Shaving?
Shaving is another hair removal technique that involves the use of razors on the skin. Different types of shaving razors are available in the market, for men and women’s skin. Usually, shaving is great for larger areas with hair as it helps remove the hair from the surface. This can include your arms and legs.
Shaving has minimal pain during the process but is more prone to cuts and bumps on the skin because of the razor. You might undergo the following symptoms after shaving hair from your skin.
- Skin irritation or itchiness.
- Razor burn.
- Folliculitis or infection in the hair follicles in the skin.
- Occurrence of ingrown hairs.
Moreover, shaving unwanted hair from your skin can get time consuming as you move from one body part to another. There’s only so much hair that your razor blade can pick up at one go!
How Often Can You Do It?
While choosing between waxing vs shaving, you can also make a decision after understanding how often you need to undergo both procedures.
1. Waxing Frequency
You can visit your nearest salon every 20-30 days to get hair waxed from your skin. New hair growth is minimal and happens gradually over the course of this time period. Waxing is suitable for most skin types which makes it an ideal choice for most individuals.
2. Shaving Frequency
Since hair is only removed from the surface of the skin, shaving needs to be done every 7 days to ensure that your skin remains hair-less. Ingrown hairs are common with this technique and the hair quality might be coarser than before. This method is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.
How Long Do They Last?
Between waxing vs shaving, the former lasts longer spanning at least 3 to 4 weeks. On the other hand, shaving leads to rapid hair growth within a week after which you may or may not choose to do it.
It is also important to consider the price factor behind both these hair removal methods. Since waxing is conducted at a salon, it is costlier than buying a shaving blade. However, since you only have to visit a salon every 20-30 days, you should look at it as a safer investment option for your skin.
While shaving is cheaper than waxing, it has more side effects for your skin. We recommend getting unwanted hair removed from your skin only under expert supervision.
The Takeaway
We await your presence at our Bodycraft salon to avail the benefits of waxing and see the difference for yourself. If you’re wondering which type of waxing is suitable for your skin type, you can read more about the different types of waxing at Bodycraft.
We also offer waxing for men with precautionary tips to follow before and after the procedure.
Book your appointment with us today!
FAQs
1. Which method is more suitable for sensitive skin, waxing or shaving?
Waxing lasts longer but may irritate sensitive skin. Shaving is less painful but requires frequent upkeep and can cause irritation. It is important to understand the difference between shaving and waxing.
2. Does waxing remove tan?
Waxing can help remove superficial layers of dead skin, which may lighten the appearance of a tan. However, it does not remove a tan entirely since tanning affects deeper layers of the skin. Read our blog to learn more about how to remove tan.
3. Does waxing cause skin darkening?
Waxing can cause temporary skin darkening due to irritation and inflammation, especially in sensitive skin. This is usually temporary and can be minimized with proper aftercare, such as moisturizing and avoiding sun exposure.
4. Does shaving make hair thicker?
No, shaving does not make hair thicker. It can make hair appear coarser because it cuts the hair at the surface, leaving a blunt tip. This effect is temporary and does not change the hair’s actual thickness or growth rate.