Waxing vs Shaving: Is Waxing Better than Shaving?

Waxing and shaving are two of the most common methods of grooming unwanted body hair. Most women have tried one of these at least once in their lives, whether it is for facial hair, hair on intimate areas, or body hair. But they fail to find which one is better. The battle of waxing vs shaving never ends. Even if one wins at one point, the other takes the lead at the other. Waxing might give you hairless skin for a longer time but the procedure itself takes a long time. On the other hand, shaving is quick but so is the hair regrowth making you shave almost every day. Related reading Face Waxing for Women: Procedure, Safety, and Cost IPL Hair Removal Reviews: 6 Devices to Get Hair-Free Skin Ulike Air 3 vs Nood Flasher 2.0: Which IPL is Better? Similarly, both have their differences, pros, and cons, which we will discuss in this article. By the end, we are sure that you will have your favorite method of hair removal. Understanding the differences between waxing and shaving will help you make an informed decision on which method suits your needs best. So, let us get into it. Waxing vs Shaving 1. Technique The techniques of waxing and shaving are different with respect to the equipment used, the process, and the skills required. Cold wax, hot wax, waxing strips, or waxing beads are used to remove unwanted hair. Wax is applied to the hair in the direction of hair growth and pulled in the opposite direction. This pulls the unwanted hair out of the skin making it smooth and hairless. However, it might take multiple tries for a beginner to wax his/her own hair efficiently making most people opt for professional waxing sessions. Professional waxing sessions can ensure better results and reduce the learning curve for beginners, making the process smoother. Shaving is simple and does not require much skill, so it is a better option for beginners. To do so, you just need to moisten your skin with water, soap, gel, or shaving cream and move the razor toward hair growth. 2. Treatment Time Waxing takes time in preparation, application, and hair removal. It takes 30 to 60 minutes for one area of the body to warm the wax and apply it evenly to pull off unwanted hair and soothe the skin. It takes longer if you plan on waxing your full body at once. On the other hand, shaving it super fast, you can shave your full face in 5 to 10 minutes, legs in 10 to 15 minutes, and full body within 30 minutes. So, if you are looking for a quick fix for your body hair, shaving is the real deal. 3. Results Waxing pulls out hair from the roots, making the skin completely hairless and giving it a soft and smooth texture. Its effects last for up to four weeks, allowing you to enjoy smooth skin for a month. Enjoying smooth skin for up to four weeks can be a significant advantage for those looking to minimize hair removal frequency. Shaving cuts off the hair ends above the surface of the skin, leaving blunt hair just below the skin, which comes out after a day or two. So, your skin feels bumpy and rough. Also, the results only last for 1 to 3 days, making you shave several times a month. 4. Compatible Body Area Both waxing and shaving work for a full body. Eyebrows, upper lips, sideburns, face, chest hair, armpits, bikini line, pubic hair, legs, and arms. Waxing is more suitable for intimate areas as there is a risk of cutting your sensitive skin with a razor. In contrast, shaving is more suitable for delicate skin like that of the face because waxing is painful and it might also pull the skin making your skin age prematurely. Choosing the right method based on the body area can help prevent skin damage and maintain a youthful appearance. 5. Tools Required Plus Cost Hair removal using wax requires several products like hot or cold wax, spatulas to apply wax, wax warmer, waxing strips, and pre-wax, and post-wax products. Buying a waxing kit costs $20 to $50 and getting professional wax is much more expensive costing about $20-75 for one area of the body. You can find some Hot waxing hair removal kits to try at home here. Shaving is inexpensive as you only need some shaving razors and shaving cream if you like. It costs about $10 to $20 for a dozen or more shaving razors. However, the cost can be up to $100 or more if you opt for an electric shaving razor. Also, here are the best hair removal razors for women. 6. Comfort and Pain Waxing is no doubt painful. It is literally ripping your hair off your skin making you scream with pain. But you might become tolerant to this pain after a few waxing sessions because once your skin is waxed, the feeling of soft and glowing skin is unmatched. Shaving is nearly painless. However, there is a risk of shaving cuts which is painful. After shaving, the skin does not feel as flawless as waxing. While shaving is generally painless, it's important to be cautious to avoid cuts, which can be quite painful. Furthermore, many find that the skin lacks the smoothness achieved through waxing. 7. Advantages The best thing about waxing is that its results last for a longer time, preventing you from undergoing hair removal treatments too often. Also, it leaves skin feeling as soft as a dolphin’s, and waxing also mildly exfoliates the skin. On the other hand, shaving is a fast and inexpensive method of hair removal. It is user-friendly as well. Also, there is no pain in shaving, and you can shave hair of any length. Shaving is not only a quick method of hair removal, but it is also cost-effective and accessible, allowing for flexibility with hair length. 8. Disadvantages Waxing is extremely painful. Hair needs to be longer than one-fourth of an inch for it to be waxed. Additionally, waxing can result in sensitive skin, redness, ingrown hair, and inflamed follicles. Here are some negative effects of waxing pubic hair. Shaving can cause burns, cuts, nicks, and irritation, and the results are not long-lasting. In addition to burns and irritation, shaving's results often require frequent maintenance, making it less convenient than longer-lasting methods like waxing. Is Waxing Better Than Shaving? Waxing is preferable to shaving as it saves you from several shaving treatments in a month. It might be painful but it does not irritate the skin or make it bumpy as shaving does. Shaving is the perfect solution when you need hairless skin in a short time. Regardless, there is no hard and set rule of which method of hair removal is better. The best is the one that suits you the most. The choice between waxing and shaving ultimately depends on your individual preferences and skin sensitivities, as both methods have their unique benefits. The Ultimate Solution: IPL Hair Removal If you want the benefits of both waxing and shaving while avoiding the side effects of both as well, IPL hair removal can be your ultimate solution. Although not new, IPL hair removal devices like Ulike Air3 IPL Hair Removal Device have now advanced to the level where there can give you your dream skin with little to no side effects. 1. Quick and Efficient IPL hair removal requires shaving the desired treatment area and flashing the IPL device over the shaved skin. As shaving can be done within minutes and IPL devices also have a gliding and stamping mode, it helps you complete full-body treatment in a short time. Moreover, this allows you to have efficient and precise hair removal. 2. Nearly painless and Comfortable Although you might experience stinging with some hair removal devices, Ulike has an exclusive sapphire ice-cooling technology to make IPL hair removal completely nearly painless for you. Moreover, it gives the skin a soothing and cooling sensation. Ulike's sapphire ice-cooling technology not only minimizes discomfort but also enhances the overall experience of hair removal by soothing the skin. 3. Better Results Lasting For Longer Time IPL hair removal devices burn the hair from its roots and kill hair follicles. So, you experience smooth skin without any blunt ends as with shaving. Moreover, the results of IPL hair removal last for 6 months or more after the completion of the initial treatment sessions. 4. Expensive But Cost Effective If you consider the first-time cost of waxing/shaving vs. IPL hair removal, IPL devices might seem expensive. But if you consider how often you need to buy wax or shaving razors and what is their collective cost for a decade, IPL devices will surely seem more affordable and economical. Additionally, Ulike Air3 has unlimited flashes. So, it is a one-time hair removal investment for your whole life. With unlimited flashes, the Ulike Air3 represents a long-term solution for hair removal, making it a worthwhile investment. 5. Hassle-Free Hair Removal Hair removal with IPL devices is hassle-free as you do not need to warm the wax, apply that sticky paste to your skin, and pull it off. Also, there is no need to be extra cautious or do multiple sessions per week as with shaving. Comparison Table Let’s examine the comparison table of waxing, shaving, and IPL devices to determine which is more beneficial in the long term. Parameter Shaving Waxing IPL Winner Cost $5 to $10 per month $20 to $100 per month $200-400 (for full life) IPL Results for 1-3 days 2-4 weeks Up to 6 months IPL Treatment Time 10 minutes Upto 1 hour 10 minutes IPL and shaving Nearly painlessness Yes No Yes IPL and Shaving Advantages Quick Nearly painless Long-lasting Long-lasting Nearly painless No irritation, burns, or ingrown hair IPL Disadvantages Burns Cuts Irritation Fast regrowth Painful Ingrown hair Not compatible with dark skin tones IPL Skin Tone All All Fair and light brown skin tones Shaving and waxing Hair Color All All Black and brown hair colors Shaving and waxing Tools Needed Razor Shaving cream Wax Waxing kit Razor IPL device All Conclusion Although waxing and shaving are the most common methods of hair removal for women, both have unavoidable side effects. Plus, in the present day, when all things are possible, it is time to shift to a hair removal method that is skin-friendly, cost-effective, long-lasting, and offers minimal side effects. This method is IPL hair removal. Viktoria Viktoria