When you look around, it's easy to spend thousands of dollars to have unwanted hair removed by professionals. If you've got hair where you wish it wasn't, don't despair! Nowadays there are lots of hair removal procedures you can use at home, and they're relatively inexpensive. This two part series will tell you about the most common ones.

Shaving Tips for Men

If you're looking for a smoother shave, try shaving in the shower. This softens up the beard and makes a smoother shave easier. If you like to use creams or gels, don't get carried away and use too much. They're more effective if you apply them correctly. Gently massage the shaving cream or lotion lightly onto your skin. This stimulates the little pilli muscles, which then lift the hairs up and so makes them easier to shave. Double or triple bladed shavers may sound fancy, but single blades usually give a better shave. And you can forget about shaving with a blunt razor, you're asking for trouble. Change the blade as soon it loses its sharpness. Look at the direction your hair grows, and shave in the same direction for the first couple of passes. Finally, reverse and shave against the grain for the final pass. Finish by rinsing your face with cool water, then pat, don't rub, your face dry with your towel. If you take the time to shave properly, you will generally only have to shave once a day, although for some men twice daily is still required.

Shaving Tips for Women

You might think that razors made specially for women are just a marketing ploy, but in fact they really are different. They're a more convenient shape, and the blade is at the right angle for underarms and legs. It's always helpful to run warm water on your underarms and legs first, then massage in your shaving cream or gel. There's no need to spend heaps buying expensive shaving lotions, hair conditioner is just as effective. Interestingly, it's best for women to shave at night, because that's when body fluids drain away a little and aren't tightly packed around the hair follicles. You should always be extremely careful shaving the bikini area, because the last thing you need is underwear chafing on a shaving rash. Contrary to the old wive's tale, shaving facial or moustache hair won't make it grow back even thicker. Frequency of shaving is your choice, but generally it's recommended that you shave underarms and legs twice a week, although you can adjust that depending on how fast the hair grows.

Tweezing Tips

It's very easy to be slack when using tweezers, and not think about hygiene. In fact, it's important to clean your tweezers in hot water before you use them, and preferably wipe them with alcohol. You can use tweezers to shape eyebrows and remove stray hairs on the chin and face. However, never use tweezers for nose hairs, because you could spread infections. Always pull the hair out in the same direction it's growing. To make it easier, place a hot face cloth over the area to be tweezed. This helps open the pores a little. Wait until afterwards to apply creams or moisturizes, otherwise you could end up with infected or blocked pores. Generally, tweezing is effective for about two weeks.

Depilatory Cream Tips

Some people have an allergic reaction to depilatory creams, so it's always good to check first. Place a small amount on the area you want to treat, follow the instructions on the label, then wait 24 hours. If everything looks okay, you can go ahead and do the whole area. Depilatory creams are most effective straight after a warm bath. This leaves the hair softened and the pores open. Always read the label instructions carefully before beginning, and it might be a good idea to have a timer handy so you don't leave the cream on too long. Don't use depilatory creams is you have cuts, a rash, acne blemishes or mosquito bites in the area you wish to treat. Mostly you can get by using a depilatory cream twice a month, although you can adjust the frequency to suit your own rate of hair regrowth.