Hair

Laser Hair Removal Update

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Laser Hair Removal Update

In 2019, I started getting professional Laser Hair Removal treatments. Yes; even though I at one point purchased a Silkn Flash & Go device, I splurged on the real deal as a birthday gift to myself.

In short? I’m glad I did.

I started with underarms and brazilian laser hair removal treatment, and added lower leg about six months later.

Myths & Realities

It only takes 5-6 Treatments

You may experience a solid reduction in that time, but those cases are probably statistical outliers used for the benefit of marketing. Many cases do take longer going to get the results you want (significant reduction/removal) in that time.

I’ve been going for about a year and have maybe 5 active follicles remaining for my underarms. Brazilian is not quite as an aggressive reduction yet, but that can be owed to the thoroughness of the esthetician (comfort levels vary); and I get it.

If you’re considering laser hair removal, ask providers about average results and what to expect fee wise if treatment takes longer than the 5-6 that are so commonly touted. In my case, buying what equates to the cost of 5-6 treatments (‘a full course’) entitles me to however many I need over a two year period to get the job done.

Laser Hair Removal is Painless

It isn’t universally painless. There are many variables that contribute to discomfort that you might feel. To name a few:

  • Follicle density in a treatment area
  • How well you adhered to prep instructions
  • Pain tolerance (women’s tend to vary because thanks, hormones)
  • Machine settings (i.e., higher intensity wavelength may be more uncomfortable – but also more effective)
  • Color of treated hair and its contrast with your skin

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IGK Mixed Feelings Leave-In Blonde Toning Drops

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IGK Mixed Feelings Leave-In Blonde Toning Drops
IGK Mixed Feelings Leave-In Blonde Toning Drops, $29

If you’re blonde or have highlights, you’re probably no stranger to the concept of toning your hair. Whether you dabble in DIY toning like I do or leave it strictly to a professional, the battle of the brass is never far away. Last year, I came across IGK Mixed Feelings Leave-In Blonde Toning Drops ($29 at Sephora). In spite of previously talking smack about other products of IGK’s, I immediately bought them.

What Is It?

The of concentrated purple toning product that you can add to your hair during styling. You can apply the drops to your hair directly or cocktail them with a product. I usually use once a week and add mine to a leave-in conditioner or to my L’Oreal Thermal Balm or to Super Skinny when I’m heat styling.

This diminutive bottle contains one ounce which seems like a tragically small amount. It isn’t, though; using a bottom-button dropper like my Clarins facial tanner, a single drop does a lot more than you’d think. For my long hair, I usually go with 3-4 drops each time I use it. On a given day, it takes the edge off the brass/warmth – and it smells great.

Wow Your Colorist

I brought them along with me to the first balayage appointment I had after I bought them. When chatting with my colorist about them, she was blown away.. She had never seen them before! We ended up talking about them for a solid ten minutes, and she wouldn’t let me leave without writing down the product name.

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Undertaking a DIY Haircut

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Undertaking a DIY Haircut

In 2015, when faced with the, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” question, my response would not have included, “pondering or executing a DIY haircut on myself.”

In a normal year* I get my hair cut maybe 4-6 times. Because my hair is long and otherwise well cared-for, it hides my negligence prioritization choices. That said, thanks to the scumbag pandemic making this not a normal year, I have gotten just one haircut this year before shit got real in the US. Normally, by this point in the year I’d have gotten at least two, perhaps three.

For me, this isn’t a catastrophe. As opposed to short styles, long hair can be lower maintenance than you think. Since I’ve been working from home, I’ve been heat styling less. As a result, my hair is in moderately better condition than it would usually be. This isn’t just an act of laziness, but of strategy: I’m on camera for a least half of a given workday. As long as what frames my face looks decent, its fine.

A DIY Haircut

But, regardless, next month will mark six months from my last (professional) haircut. I was getting ready to tone my hair two weeks ago and decided I needed a trim – and I did it myself.

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Changed My Mind: Invisibobble

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Four years ago, I shared an incendiary opinion on the Invisibobble Traceless Hair Ring. I dismissed it as a gimmick. Since it came out, numerous other companies have adopted the concept in their own, similar telephone-cord-like ponytail holders.

Invisibobble

FabFitFun

I ended up receiving a pack of six Invisibobble in a FabFitFun box last year. It contained three clear and three light beige/light nude. Recalling my prior assessment, I sneered at them, like an ass.

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Laser Hair Removal

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Laser Hair Removal - Lumenis LightSheer Diode Laser

“I really enjoy hair removal,” said no one – ever.

Two things:

  • Maybe some people derive questionable satisfaction from the process of certain hair removal processes (i.e., maybe its fun for some to look at the contents of a spent wax strip like it is a pore strip [which you don’t. freaking. need.]). But if that’s you, it isn’t because removing hair is fun, its because of the fascination.
  • Not here telling people they need to remove hair if they don’t want to. What you do isn’t my business. I, however, choose to because I feel more physically comfortable that way, all else be damned.

Moving On

A few years ago, I purchased a Silkn Flash n Go Freedom home-use IPL hair reduction light. After some consistent use on underarms and bikini for a while, although there was a reduction, I didn’t see the level of results I wanted as fast as I wanted. As a result, my adoption and consistency-of-use plummeted. I still have it, it still works. I’m toying with the idea of using it on my legs; shaving my legs doesn’t annoy me nearly as much as underarms and bikini, so if it doesn’t yield the results I hope for, it won’t be upsetting.

I spent over a year as a client of European Wax Center. I liked it at first, but ultimately broke up with EWC.

What I Got

For my birthday this year, I decided to treat myself to the real deal and get legit laser hair removal. At a med spa. By a professional. With badass professional equipment.

I opted for both underarms and brazilian treatment because I hate dealing with those the most. Legs aren’t as annoying.

Cost

I’m comfortable divulging and will if there is interest – but it varies so much depending on:

  • The market (area) you live in/COL
  • Spa (because overhead varies)
  • Market saturation
  • Number of Treatments*
  • Other Value-Adds

For me, buying a round of six treatments (which is the typically-stated average it takes to do the job) entitles me to endless touchups/revisits for the next two years. Six treatments was not enough to obliterate everything in my treatment areas, so – good thing my med-spa offers that program.

It’s also worth noting that most providers are calling this a laser hair reduction or permanent hair reduction now rather than removal. There is a chance that over time some growth could return, so it’s a legal/CYA thing.

What’s Laser Hair Removal Like?

Let’s break it down.

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Chatter: Pro Only Product

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ChatterPro Only Product

Time for a rant. If you happen to enjoy beauty and product and all that jazz, chances are you’ve encountered a pro only product of which you’re fond…even if that product really doesn’t require professional handling.

It’s frustrating to learn that the flavor of the day is only for sale at CosmoProf (hi, PolyGel when it first came out) or through the pro only product supply-chain and vendors (hi, OPI Gelcolor).

The Rub

In my case, I am most-often frustrated by the lack of availability of nail products. Although in many cases certain US states and certain countries mandate licensure to render services on clients, they don’t necessarily regulate the types of products that can be sold. The industry (in the US, anyway) is largely self-regulating regarding the sale of cosmetic products. This isn’t purely a bad thing; it can help service providers maintain business, for example. I can appreciate that to an extent. In other cases, it’s because the general public is … not bright. After all, the FDA just needed to remind people that drinking bleach is bad.

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