Is it too soon to start looking forward to summer?

Well, we’re already dreaming of rooftop bars, festival fun and busting out our summer wardrobe once again.

2016 brought us one heck of a sunny season, with our legs seeing more sunlight than they have in years, but we were totally unprepared.

Panic shaving every morning when we’d decided to commit to wearing a dress, our legs were left irritated and patchy by August.

So, this year, we’re determined to get a hair removal routine down, and we’ve been investigating some of the alternatives to shaving.

Waxing

Probably the most common alternative, waxing is the go-to treatment for many who want to get the job done and then forget about it for 6-8 weeks.

Boasting that it is quick and somewhat inexpensive, waxing does have its downsides. Some can find the process pretty painful, and many will leave with redness and sometimes bleeding.

Epilating

Many of us here at SHEmazing HQ turned to this device hesitantly and have been pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

While it may look and sound like a torture device, this little gadget seriously gets the job done.

With a rotating wheel of tweezers – we know, scary – gliding the epilator over your legs will leave you with a smoothness we’ve never been able to achieve from shaving.

It hasn’t been scientifically proven, but many users have also said that they noticed a significant difference in their re-growth, saying it was thinner and less obvious.

Hair removal creams

It doesn’t get much more pain-free than hair removal creams.

These creams work by dissolving the hair in a matter of minutes, and are becoming a more popular option for women who want to cut costs.

These products often come with a spatula to make sure all the hair is thoroughly removed, but we usually just hop in the shower and let our hands do the work – we also find that does the best job of masking that smell.

While this may not be the longest lasting treatment, with some women seeing re-growth in just three days, this is definitely a product to have on hand for those unplanned nights out.

Sugaring

While this may sound new to some of you, sugaring has actually been around since 1900BC but has been tweaked over the years.

This technique involves a mixture of sugar, lemon juice and water which forms a gel that is then applied similarly to wax.

This method is much quicker than waxing, however, as you can apply it to larger areas at a time.

But what we love about this method are the long-term effects. After frequent use, the sugaring will cause damage to the hair follicle, meaning re-growth will be slower and sparser.                 

Laser

This is by far the most long-lasting of the bunch, with most women only experiencing some re-growth.

While there are side-effects like itching, tingling, numbness and sometimes swelling; if performed correctly, these should all be fairly mild.

This is not the quickest of treatments, either, with most needing six to eight sessions to get the job done. We think it’s totally worth it, though, for the results.