•The Lucky beauty department is devoted to laser hair removal in general—it hurts less than waxing, with no ingrown hairs, and you're done. Most people do need a once-yearly touch-up after six treatments, though.
•Whether at a salon ($25 to $80) or home, know that you need at least a quarter inch of hair for the wax to grab onto. Conversely, if it's much longer than that, it hurts more to rip out, says Gretchen Monahan of Boston's G Spa.
•A spa owner we know has converted all her waxing clients to this powder: "It gets rid of everything—even coarse hair—but it never irritates."
softsheen-carson Magic shave Shaving Powder $2, drugstores
• Any area you treat with Retin-A can't be lasered or waxed.
bliss poetic waxing kit $45, blissworld.com
•Lasers work best on light skin and dark hair. If you've got a tan, lasers can burn your skin.
• Take an aspirin or ibuprofen before lasers or waxing; plus most salons now offer numbing cream.
Legs, arms, and underarms
SHAVING
•Exfoliate first. Even just scrubbing with a washcloth lifts the hair for a closer, longer-lasting shave.
•Shaving cream or creamy body wash gives the razor some slip; you can work quickly without nicks.
•"For fewer ingrowns, shave in the direction the hair grows first, then against it for your second round," says Miami and New York dermatologist Fredric Brandt.
•Post-shave, definitely apply lotion. It will plump up the skin, making the overall effect that much silkier.
gillette satin care in alluring avocado $2, drugstores
dove supreme cream oil body wash in ultra rich velvet $4, drugstores
You put these on and they miraculously cling to your skin for a few minutes (despite running water), then wash off easily—greatly reducing the mess/smell factor.
Nair Shower Power Exfoliating Cream for Body $7, drugstores
Veet In Shower Hair Removal Cream $7, drugstores
Sally Hansen Extra Strength Spray-On Shower-Off Hair Remover $8, drugstores
The futuristic little No! No! is a heat-based, at-home hair remover; it works on all kinds of skin and hair shades. "In theory, after several months you can get some permanent hair reduction," says Dr. Brandt.
NO!NO! $250, sephora.com
1. Lasers. The ultimate: After one or two treatments, you may never see an ingrown hair again.
2. Exfoliation. These bump fighters contain salicylic acid, the most effective ingredient there is.
Completely Bare Bikini Bump Blaster $32, completelybare.com
Whish Flawless Bump Fighter $23, whishbody.com
tend skin liquid $20, tendskin.com
Face
TWEEZING
Best for: Brows and stray chin/lip hairs. The larger the slant of the tweezers, the more hairs you can grasp at once. "But if you're touching up an arch, pointed is more precise," says Monahan.
Tweezerman Mini slant tweezer $14, tweezerman.com
THREADING
Best for: Getting rid of peach fuzz. Results last a long time; fans say it hurts less than tweezing.
WAXING
Best for: Brows and upper lip.
•For brows, leave waxing to the experts, warns Monahan: "If it drips, suddenly half your brow's gone." In-salon, it costs $20 to $50.
•For your upper lip, do one side at a time, says Cindy Barshop of New York's Completely Bare spas: "Push the wax down in the direction the hair grows. When it's ready, pull up and across, as if you're flipping a page in a book."
clean + easy facial microwave roll-on waxer $7, folica.com
ELECTROLYSIS
Best for: Light-colored hair on the brow, chin, and upper lip. This works when lasers won't, but it's painful and time-consuming.
LASERS
Best for: Upper lip and chin. Sessions range from $50 to $150.
•Sunscreen is key, as lasers increase skin sensitivity. "You need to wear high SPF for a week or two after—or you can end up with hyperpigmentation," says Monahan.
•Results are best if you have dark hair and pale skin; lasers are less effective on blond hair.
Best for: Making any type of hair removal last longer.
•Prescription-only Vaniqa dramatically slows hair growth. "And it's wonderful for reducing noticeable peach fuzz—which lasers can't do," says Dr. Brandt.
•Non-prescription lotions can make a difference; plus they don't require a visit to the doctor.
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