Despite being a beauty fanatic, I have never had a wax. Never. Not at a salon, nor at home. I mean, I've had my brows waxed but that's about it. I think the problem is that I have this stigma that it is going to hurt like hell and then I'm just going to end up rashy, but really I just needed to get over that and give it a go. Marzena, a brand that makes at home waxing and hair removal products from New Zealand contacted me asking if I wanted to give a couple of their newly formulated products a test. Finally, it was the chance to ditch my fears and give at home waxing a proper try. Let me tell you the story of my first waxing experience and how I found it.
OPTION #1 | What I deem the 'safe' option and a good start for alternate hair removal
I have always been a shaver, it's quick, convenient and it does the trick but by the second day I am already feeling the stubble on my legs, so it is constant upkeep. My younger cousin once dubbed me 'Cactus Cass' as she was sitting on my legs and got 'spiked' by one of my hairs... A big overreaction but since then I have never lived down the name!
Marzena has been around for 27 years now, and it's definitely a brand name that I remember from a young age at supermarkets and pharmacies. One of the products they offer in their range is the Sensitive Hair Remover Lotion* (RRP $10.55), which is a cream you apply to the skin and wash off a few minutes later. I found this is best used on shorter hair, in between shaving or waxing, which should also help to inhibit the regrowth of the hair over time (or make it not so prominent or thick). It is designed for the face, underarms and bikini line; I tested it on my legs as well and it worked quite well. When I think of hair removal lotions, I think of very strong, chemically scented things that burn and sting but this one did none of that and being designed for sensitive skin makes it that much nicer to use, particularly on those delicate areas.
The cream comes out as a white lotion that you apply quite thinly to clean and dry skin, you then leave it on for 3 minutes. Once the time is up, test a patch to see if the hair removes, otherwise leave it on for a further few minutes to a maximum of 6 minutes. I then hop into the shower and rinse it off thoroughly, whilst being careful not to rub the skin too heavily, or using any soap products. The only issue with this is you can't apply any deodorant or perfume for 24 hours after to reduce irritation to the skin. I found my skin didn't react at all to it, but it is best to do a test patch just to be safe.
OPTION #2 | The full-on waxing experience
So I finally plucked up the courage to try waxing at home. I have seen countless videos of women and men waxing their legs (always done as some sort of humorous video), and the yelps of pain that come from them definitely made me wary. But these were pleasantly easy to use and didn't hurt that much. I won't sugar coat it, it was a little sore but I did get used to it after a few goes.
The Sensitive Large Wax Strips* (RRP $14.69) are designed with sensitive skin in mind, so I believe they are a little gentler on the skin with a lighter adhesion compared to the original Large Wax Strips, but still provide a similar result. The box comes with 20 strips, 4 post wax cleansing cloths and the instruction leaflet which give detailed instructions on how to use them and where you can use them. It is important to read through these thoroughly so you can get the best results.
The strips are very easy to use, and there is no need to faff around with applying wax and then applying the strips. You heat the strip between your hands for about 5 seconds to warm the wax and then gently peel the strips away from each other, revealing two strips with an even layer of wax on each that you can use. Then you place it onto the skin and rub the strip so it is smooth and to make sure it is grabbing all the hairs, then use a 'zip back' technique against the growth of the hair to quickly remove the strip and the hair comes along with it. The first definitely got me yelling 'ouch' but I got used to it after the next few times, and also got better at the removing technique, which does take a little practice to get the hang of. Each strip can be used up to around 5 times I found before they lose their effectiveness - it's an extremely economical way of doing it, plus affordable too.
I did find on my first few ones I left a bit of the wax near the base of the strip on my leg but using the wipes after helped to get rid of this excess as well as soothe and moisturise the skin. I was really pleased with the result, even though it was a bit more time consuming than shaving, the hair didn't grow back as quickly and it kept my skin smoother for longer. I will definitely be continuing to use these strips, especially as we come into Summer and head away on holidays.
Marzena has a great selection of hair removal options, from roll-on and liquid wax to strips, and even hair lightening creams - they can be purchased online from their NZ website or found at selected pharmacies and supermarkets.
Have you tried at home waxing? How were your experiences with it?
*Sponsored Post thanks to Marzena. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
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