WAXING AT HOME

Waxing is a hair removal method that involves heating and melting hard wax beads to then apply to the skin. Once the wax sets on the skin, it’s quickly pulled off to remove hair follicles from the root. 

SHAVING 

Unlike waxing, shaving cuts hair from the skin’s surface. With a high-quality razor, shaving ensures that no visible hair is left on the skin, giving it a smooth appearance and feel. 

PROS AND CONS OF WAXING VS. SHAVING

Now that we’ve taken a closer look at what each hair removal method actually involves, it’s time to look at the pros and cons.

There’s no denying it: shaving can take a long time. Depending on how many areas of your body you’re shaving, it can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes during each shower or bath. And because you’re only removing the hair from the surface of the skin, hair will start to grow back within one to two days. If you’re looking to keep your body smooth and hair-free, that can amount to over an hour’s worth of shaving each and every week.  

Waxing at home, on the other hand, can take more time upfront, but ultimately will help save you time in the long run. We recommend setting aside 30 minutes per wax session to allow time for the wax beads to melt properly. Since waxing removes hair at the root, your results will last much longer, saving you several hours per month. 

COST

Here’s another area in which shaving seems like a better choice at first. A quality razor and shaving cream can cost anywhere from $15 to $20, while an at-home wax kit will cost more. For example, our Happy Waxing At Home Kit costs $59.99. Razor blades dull quickly though, meaning you’ll have to restock on new blades or new razors every month or so. With a Happy Waxing At Home Kit, on the other hand, all you need to replace are the wax beads. No strips are required! 

COMFORTABILITY

Here’s where individual preference can come into play. While shaving doesn’t give as long-lasting a result as waxing at home, it can be a more viable option for people with low pain tolerance. The good news? Most waxing devotees swear that the process becomes less painful over time.

But while shaving may be less painful, that doesn’t mean it’s less irritating for the skin. When you shave, you risk giving yourself nicks, ingrown hairs, plus razor bumps and burns which can leave irritating and painful red rashes around the skin for days. Ouch!

HOW LONG RESULTS LAST

Like we touched on before, waxing wins in the long-lasting results category thanks to its ability to remove the full hair from the follicle each time. What’s more, the more you wax, the longer it takes new hair to regrow. That means that, over time, you’ll be able to spend less and less time on waxing. Plus, new hair regrowth will be softer and finer (no prickly stubble to deal with!). 

On the other hand, shaving’s results only last for one to two days before the hair begins to be visible again. 

SKIN BENEFITS 

As it turns out, there’s more to these hair removal methods than meets the eye. During both shaving and waxing at home, dead skin cells are removed, helping to exfoliate the skin and create a smoother, softer appearance. Waxing, however, can exfoliate the skin on a much deeper level than shaving, helping remove even more dead skin cells and build-up. 

At the end of the day, whether you choose to wax or shave depends on your budget, pain tolerance, and time. And while waxing is ultimately better for the skin and hair removal process in the long term, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with picking up a razor when you’re in a pinch. 

Want to learn how to wax at home? We’ve got resources on everything you need to know at Happy Waxing!