Now that we’re knee-deep in summer, one part of your beauty routine is probably pretty high up on your list: your high-visibility hair removal approach. You’ve likely asked yourself, “Should I shave? Wax? Laser off all that pesky hair in my bikini line, underarms and legs?!” If so, welcome to Hair Removal 101.

We all know that keeping our bodies hairless in all the right places isn’t always smooth sailing — all hair removal methods, whether it’s waxing, shaving, or laser has the potential for issues like nicks, bumps, ingrown hairs, and…general discomfort. Let’s take a cursory look at the multitude of removal options, and with them, the different levels of pain, commitment, expense, convenience and perhaps most importantly, longevity.

And as always, remember that how much hair you remove, if at all, is up to you and there’s nothing dirty or unsightly about body hair. It’s normal! It’s natural! So, you do you always. But if you do decide to jump into hair removal, these tips will help.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Completely Bare and Bella Verde are STYLECASTER sponsors, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

BELLA VERDE.

Waxing

How It Works: Hot (but not too hot!) wax is applied to the desired area and removed in the opposite direction of the hair growth, pulling hairs out from the root.
Best For: Legs, underarms, and bikini areas, and great for those with coarse, darker hair that tends to be stubborn.
Pros: Temporarily removes hair at the root for an average of three weeks of smooth skin, which can range from two to six weeks depending on your hair type and thickness.
Cons: Waxing requires some regrowth in order to be effective, as the wax needs at least a quarter-inch of stubble to adhere to. Treatments can be moderately painful, as hair is indeed being ripped out at the root, but it becomes more tolerable over time. Waxing can also result in ingrown hairs.
Average Cost: Anywhere from $15-80 for salon waxing, depending on areas waxed and your salon of choice. Or, you can go for at-home options, such as Bella Verde’s Wax Warmer Home Waxing Kit.
Tips: “Don’t drink and wax,” warns Noemi Grupenmager, founder and CEO of Uni K Wax Centers. “Some people come in after consuming alcohol thinking it’ll ease the pain, but alcohol tightens pores, making it much more painful.” Stimulants, like coffee, can also increase sensitivity, so be sure to remember this if you DIY.

Gillette.

Shaving

How It Works: Shaving removes hair from the skin’s surface by cutting it off with a razor.
Best For: Legs, underarms, and those with lighter, finer hair.
Pros: Inexpensive, painless, quick, and easy; and shaving creams used can help moisturize the skin, keeping it soft.
Cons: Regrowth happens quickly, and because hair is cut off at the surface, regrown hair is blunt, not tapered, so it can appear thicker. Razor burn, nicks, and cuts are possibilities, and those who shave regularly can also become prone to ingrown hairs.
Average Cost: Razors and shaving cream can be inexpensively purchased at any grocery or drugstore.
Tips: For those who can’t quit their shaving habit, “growth reduction” products promise to help inhibit hair regrowth, thus reducing the frequency of shaving required.

Completely Bare.

Depilatory Creams

How It Works: Hair removal creams use chemicals to weaken the hair follicle, so you can effectively wipe it away.
Best For: Those who want quick, easy, relatively painless at-home results. Depilatories are most popular for facial hair, bikini lines, and underarms.
Pros: Can be done at home, and removes hair just below the surface of the skin, ensuring slower and less coarse regrowth than shaving.
Cons: Chemicals in these products can irritate sensitive skin, particularly in more delicate areas. These creams are infamous for their odor, and can also lead to ingrown hairs.
Average Cost: Around $6-$12 for a tube of cream or spray-on depilatory lotion.
Tips: Choose a cream suited for the specific area you’re treating—and maybe light some scented candles in the bathroom to mask the strong smell most of these products tend to have. A solid option is Completely Bare’s Easy Off Foaming Hair Removal Spray, which comes in an easy-to-apply foam that washes off in the shower.

MiSMON.

Laser Hair Removal

How It Works: Laser penetrates the skin to target the hair shaft and inhibit hair growth. It essentially destroys the follicle, meaning it can achieve permanent removal. Typically, the hair in treated areas falls out within 2-3 weeks.
Best For: People with hair darker than their skin—while professional dermatologists can vary the type of laser used, laser targets the melanin in the hair, so it’s not suited as well for people with dark skin or pale hair. The laser needs to be able to lock on to the dark pigment in order to differentiate the dark hair from the skin.
Pros: Great for long-term hair removal in all areas. “It causes no damage to the dermis, so even the most sensitive skin can be treated,” says New York dermatologist Dr. Ariel Ostad.
Cons: Laser hair removal can be painful, with most people describing it as a “snapping” sensation against the skin, as well as a sensation of heat from the laser. Also, it requires numerous visits to a dermatologist for best results. “It is important to go to a dermatologist who can offer different lasers which are customized to the patient’s skin color and hair color,” says Ostad.
Average Cost: $150 to $500 per treatment, with an average of six sessions recommended, depending on the area being treated. Several cycles of treatment are usually recommended to capture the hair follicles at different stages of the growth cycle. Some people require touch-up treatments to maintain, especially on larger areas.
Tips: While it may seem expensive, in the long run, many consider laser removal to be an investment that can pay off. “It is the most effective and cost-effective treatment, considering how much one can spend over a lifetime with options such as waxing or electrolysis,” says Ostad.

Finishing Touch.

Electrolysis

How It Works: Electrolysis uses a fine, needle-shaped electrode to apply an electrical current to the hair follicle.
Best For: Small areas such as the eyebrows, upper lip, and underarms, as it treats each hair and follicle individually, which is time-consuming and can get expensive.
Pros: Can permanently remove hair and is suitable for very fine and light-colored hair, unlike laser, which works best on darker hair.
Cons: When improperly done, electrolysis can lead to scarring or skin discoloration. Treatments can be uncomfortable and cause a “stinging” or “pricking” sensation, and as with laser hair removal, permanent results require multiple sessions.
Average Cost: Around $25 to $150 an hour.
Tips: Dehydrated follicles can be more difficult to treat, so be sure to drink plenty of water the day before, the day of, and the day after your treatment.

Adobe. Design: Cierra Miller/STYLECASTER.

Morgan Stewart’s White Puffy Shirt Dress on Instastories

Morgan Stewart Instagram Fashion 2021

Puff mommy! Morgan Stewart’s white puffy shirt dress on Instastories (which I’d like to take credit for finding before her, see the Leo section here) is super cute. And as it turns out is still in stock, so you should probably scoop it up right now while you still have a chance to get in a selfie with it before Labor Day.

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to Shop Her Jonathan Simkhai Dress in White or Green

Click Here For Additional Stock

Photo & Info: @MorganStewart

Originally posted at: Morgan Stewart’s White Puffy Shirt Dress

Now that we’re knee-deep in summer, one part of your beauty routine is probably pretty high up on your list: your high-visibility hair removal approach. You’ve likely asked yourself, “Should I shave? Wax? Laser off all that pesky hair in my bikini line, underarms and legs?!” If so, welcome to Hair Removal 101.

We all know that keeping our bodies hairless in all the right places isn’t always smooth sailing — all hair removal methods, whether it’s waxing, shaving, or laser has the potential for issues like nicks, bumps, ingrown hairs, and…general discomfort. Let’s take a cursory look at the multitude of removal options, and with them, the different levels of pain, commitment, expense, convenience and perhaps most importantly, longevity.

And as always, remember that how much hair you remove, if at all, is up to you and there’s nothing dirty or unsightly about body hair. It’s normal! It’s natural! So, you do you always. But if you do decide to jump into hair removal, these tips will help.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Completely Bare and Bella Verde are STYLECASTER sponsors, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

BELLA VERDE.

Waxing

How It Works: Hot (but not too hot!) wax is applied to the desired area and removed in the opposite direction of the hair growth, pulling hairs out from the root.
Best For: Legs, underarms, and bikini areas, and great for those with coarse, darker hair that tends to be stubborn.
Pros: Temporarily removes hair at the root for an average of three weeks of smooth skin, which can range from two to six weeks depending on your hair type and thickness.
Cons: Waxing requires some regrowth in order to be effective, as the wax needs at least a quarter-inch of stubble to adhere to. Treatments can be moderately painful, as hair is indeed being ripped out at the root, but it becomes more tolerable over time. Waxing can also result in ingrown hairs.
Average Cost: Anywhere from $15-80 for salon waxing, depending on areas waxed and your salon of choice. Or, you can go for at-home options, such as Bella Verde’s Wax Warmer Home Waxing Kit.
Tips: “Don’t drink and wax,” warns Noemi Grupenmager, founder and CEO of Uni K Wax Centers. “Some people come in after consuming alcohol thinking it’ll ease the pain, but alcohol tightens pores, making it much more painful.” Stimulants, like coffee, can also increase sensitivity, so be sure to remember this if you DIY.

Gillette.

Shaving

How It Works: Shaving removes hair from the skin’s surface by cutting it off with a razor.
Best For: Legs, underarms, and those with lighter, finer hair.
Pros: Inexpensive, painless, quick, and easy; and shaving creams used can help moisturize the skin, keeping it soft.
Cons: Regrowth happens quickly, and because hair is cut off at the surface, regrown hair is blunt, not tapered, so it can appear thicker. Razor burn, nicks, and cuts are possibilities, and those who shave regularly can also become prone to ingrown hairs.
Average Cost: Razors and shaving cream can be inexpensively purchased at any grocery or drugstore.
Tips: For those who can’t quit their shaving habit, “growth reduction” products promise to help inhibit hair regrowth, thus reducing the frequency of shaving required.

Completely Bare.

Depilatory Creams

How It Works: Hair removal creams use chemicals to weaken the hair follicle, so you can effectively wipe it away.
Best For: Those who want quick, easy, relatively painless at-home results. Depilatories are most popular for facial hair, bikini lines, and underarms.
Pros: Can be done at home, and removes hair just below the surface of the skin, ensuring slower and less coarse regrowth than shaving.
Cons: Chemicals in these products can irritate sensitive skin, particularly in more delicate areas. These creams are infamous for their odor, and can also lead to ingrown hairs.
Average Cost: Around $6-$12 for a tube of cream or spray-on depilatory lotion.
Tips: Choose a cream suited for the specific area you’re treating—and maybe light some scented candles in the bathroom to mask the strong smell most of these products tend to have. A solid option is Completely Bare’s Easy Off Foaming Hair Removal Spray, which comes in an easy-to-apply foam that washes off in the shower.

MiSMON.

Laser Hair Removal

How It Works: Laser penetrates the skin to target the hair shaft and inhibit hair growth. It essentially destroys the follicle, meaning it can achieve permanent removal. Typically, the hair in treated areas falls out within 2-3 weeks.
Best For: People with hair darker than their skin—while professional dermatologists can vary the type of laser used, laser targets the melanin in the hair, so it’s not suited as well for people with dark skin or pale hair. The laser needs to be able to lock on to the dark pigment in order to differentiate the dark hair from the skin.
Pros: Great for long-term hair removal in all areas. “It causes no damage to the dermis, so even the most sensitive skin can be treated,” says New York dermatologist Dr. Ariel Ostad.
Cons: Laser hair removal can be painful, with most people describing it as a “snapping” sensation against the skin, as well as a sensation of heat from the laser. Also, it requires numerous visits to a dermatologist for best results. “It is important to go to a dermatologist who can offer different lasers which are customized to the patient’s skin color and hair color,” says Ostad.
Average Cost: $150 to $500 per treatment, with an average of six sessions recommended, depending on the area being treated. Several cycles of treatment are usually recommended to capture the hair follicles at different stages of the growth cycle. Some people require touch-up treatments to maintain, especially on larger areas.
Tips: While it may seem expensive, in the long run, many consider laser removal to be an investment that can pay off. “It is the most effective and cost-effective treatment, considering how much one can spend over a lifetime with options such as waxing or electrolysis,” says Ostad.

Finishing Touch.

Electrolysis

How It Works: Electrolysis uses a fine, needle-shaped electrode to apply an electrical current to the hair follicle.
Best For: Small areas such as the eyebrows, upper lip, and underarms, as it treats each hair and follicle individually, which is time-consuming and can get expensive.
Pros: Can permanently remove hair and is suitable for very fine and light-colored hair, unlike laser, which works best on darker hair.
Cons: When improperly done, electrolysis can lead to scarring or skin discoloration. Treatments can be uncomfortable and cause a “stinging” or “pricking” sensation, and as with laser hair removal, permanent results require multiple sessions.
Average Cost: Around $25 to $150 an hour.
Tips: Dehydrated follicles can be more difficult to treat, so be sure to drink plenty of water the day before, the day of, and the day after your treatment.

Adobe. Design: Cierra Miller/STYLECASTER.

Despite my long career in business, I suffered a major case of entrepreneurial amnesia. All the good advice I gave clients during my 35-year business career flew out the window when I started my own business.

If you’re thinking about starting a business in your 60s, let me prevent you from making the same mistakes I did. Because if I had to do it over – I’d do it differently.

Ignore a Written Plan at Your Own Peril

My first mistake was assuming that the decades I’d spent in business and teaching entrepreneurship to college students (and even graduate students) meant I didn’t need a written plan. It was all in my head already.

Wrong. I would have quickly corrected any student who told me they didn’t “need” a plan, but I failed to correct myself. The bullet points that served as my guide were inadequate, and to make matters worse, I consulted it far too infrequently.

As with any trip, to avoid dead ends and wrong ways, it’s far better to have a road map that lays out the route before you begin.

The act of writing a plan forces you to think through most aspects of your business. After the fact, it was clear that I hadn’t fully considered my objectives and how I’d reach them. I needed more than bullet points. I needed a plan.

It’s also much easier to spot red flags in black and white. My lack of plan cost me in both time and money.

Don’t Accelerate Hard

When I saw the elaborate online components of someone in a similar space to mine – online workshops, Facebook groups, workbooks, coaching – my knee-jerk reaction was, “I’ve got to do that, too!”

(Sound of brakes screeching.)

Wrong, again. I’d come out of retirement to start A Healing Spirit, and my life is not the same as it was at 45 or even 55. I don’t want it to be, either. I want some time to breathe and enjoy life. Yet I found myself grinding away at my business 12 or more hours a day.

I learned the importance of scaling my efforts to my age and my lifestyle. I was lucky. At 66, I do not need my business to pay the bills. Instead, it’s a labor of love that I hope will one day be profitable.

But even if you’re not similarly situated, any business after 60 must take into consideration the factors that apply to your life now.

Don’t Undercapitalize

As I told my entrepreneurship grad students repeatedly, most businesses fail because they are undercapitalized. We always underestimate the amount of investment it’s going to take to get a business off the ground. Few consider the need for contingency funds.

Although I offer hypnosis and regression services, which require little overhead at present, I also offer printed products. I wanted them to be beautiful and high-quality pieces, which meant a heavy investment in design and production. It paid off. They are beautiful and high-quality pieces.

Also, because I wanted my products to be affordable, my prices are on the lower end of the scale for products of that high a quality. On some products, I offer free or discounted shipping. So, profit margins are on the low side.

Truth is, the cost of making my products affordable and accessible was far more than I anticipated.

Fortunately, we have been able to fund the business fully at this point. But there were points in my life when that would have not been possible. The risk of undercapitalization can be minimized with a plan that accounts for all possibilities.

Don’t Release Products Prematurely

Even as I produced and printed my products, I began to develop more product ideas before my initial products were established.

Fortunately, I realized soon thereafter that I needed to pull back and let the market catch up with me. Why make the investment in expensive new products immediately?

Never Underestimate the Timeline for ROI

I’m embarrassed to admit this, since I am a seasoned business person, but I started out with an “If you build it, they will come” mentality. I knew the products were helpful and lovely, so why wouldn’t droves of buyers appear immediately?

Every business has a horizon for return on investment, and when you’re young, it looks unlimited. At this age, unlimited is unrealistic.

A wise business friend told me: “You need to relax about your return on investment. Your horizon is longer than you think it is, and that’s ok. It’ll happen.”

Her comment was liberating. When I was honest with myself, I realized that I felt self-imposed pressure to provide a return because I wasn’t single. My husband was also involved, and I didn’t want him to think our investment wouldn’t pay off.

He never pressured me though; I pressured myself. We talked, and like my friend, he told me that he knew it would take time to get ROI and to relax about it.

So, there you have it. I’ve made my share of mistakes with my own business, A Healing Spirit. But I’m a quick learner and swiftly reoriented myself after these mistakes.

Have you started a business in your 60s? What were the main challenges that you faced in starting your own business? If you’re starting a business at this age, (or if you already have) I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I’m late to the online dating party. I joined a grief group after my husband died and over the years it evolved into a bunch of friends with one sad thing in common but a lot of other fun and interesting things to discuss.

They pushed me to try online dating two years ago, after they had all jumped in with varying degrees of success. They thought I needed to “get out there,” too. Reluctantly, I agreed.

Here’s what I learned.

The Mirror Has Two Faces

The more I scrolled and swiped my way through my “matches,” the more I was struck by how old everyone looked. I double-checked the parameters I had set in my profile thinking I must have accidentally checked off the wrong age preferences.

Nope. I was 61 and had selected a reasonable range between 59 and 74 for my potential suitors. That didn’t seem that old, so how could all these kindly-yet-grandfatherly types be on my list?

I checked the mirror. Hmmm. Ok, sure, a few wrinkles here, a few gray hairs there, but come on, I’ve still got it! Right?

Then I read an article in Scientific American that basically said we all think we look better than we actually do. Maybe it’s some kindness the universe bestows on all of us as we age, a harmless bit of cosmic trickery designed to ease the inevitable decline.

Shaken and chastened, I adjusted my bifocals and pressed on.

Don’t Discount the Third Dimension

The best thing about online dating is also the worst thing. It certainly seems like a genius idea: you just “Build-a-Bear” your way to love by picking and choosing from a smorgasbord of desired characteristics: height, body type, preferences for everything from political affiliation to animal companion. What could go wrong?

Turns out, a lot. Online dating sites quite literally put one’s looks front and center. By filtering potential suitors down to my so-called perfect physical match, I almost certainly missed out on some great guys who were kind, funny, and smart. Their only crime was falling below my 5’11” height requirement.

Had I been introduced to one of these men by a friend, or he’d struck up a witty conversation over the tomato bin at Whole Foods, I would never have noticed his height “flaw.” Yet I had swiped left with careless abandon after only so much as a glance in this two-dimensional dating world.

While no one is arguing physical attractiveness is important, flat images on an iPhone screen can’t convey what some call “chemistry.” This mysterious amalgam of personal energy plus intellectual and physical compatibility is only possible to detect fully in person, and very often has little to do with looks.

A sharp wit, a kind soul, and a bright mind can do more to ignite a romance (and sustain it) than a mere handsome face.

Truth be told, if I saw a picture of my late husband on a dating site when he was 61, I might have skipped right past it. And if I had, I would have missed out on one of the great loves of my life. Long live the third dimension.

To Write, or Not to Write

I wasn’t prepared for the awkwardness of the first phone call after spending days, sometimes weeks communicating only by text. If you think about it, when we all started dating, virtually all interactions with a potential partner began in person: at a party, the DMV, that well-meaning set-up by your sister-in-law.

But online dating always starts with the written word. Obviously, writing can be very romantic (where would all the great love stories be without love letters?), and it’s not that we don’t all do some editing in our heads before we speak (at least, we should).

But when we can polish every phrase to perfection before hitting “send” it creates unexpected pressure to be just as witty and erudite on the spot at the first meeting, which can be tough to do when bashfulness or nerves may rule the moment.

I learned to move quickly from texting to a phone call if there was an initial spark, and from there to a casual coffee date without too much time in between. Accelerating the process doesn’t prevent a potential match from fizzling, but if it is a non-starter it’s better to know early so you both can move on to more promising possibilities.

It’s Just Coffee

It’s not a marriage proposal. We all know this, but something about a meet-up at this age feels like the stakes might be just a wee bit higher. And the more pressure we put on ourselves, the more likely we may be to sabotage a first date.

It helps to remember that even though our dating pool might be smaller now (versus when we were in our 20s and everyone was single), it doesn’t mean there isn’t someone great out there. Kissing a lot of frogs has always been a necessary part of the process, and it’s no different in our 60s.

The big difference is our red flag detectors are vastly improved at this stage; we don’t waste a lot of time forcing something to happen that shouldn’t.

All that said, I’m still learning the ropes of online dating. It’s been an interesting journey so far; I’ve met a number of lovely men, and I’ve even had a few butterflies along the way. No love matches yet, but I’m hopeful. See you out there.

Have you tried online dating? How is it going for you? Any online dating hits or misses to share? Please join the conversation!