Green Hair Removal
Most women prefer to shave their unwanted hair, but there are many other options that will leave
you silky smooth. You can safely tweeze, wax, or sugar wax any area, as long as you are not prone to
bruises. Wou cannot wax legs if you have varicose veins, though.
No matter how tempting it is to freeze unwanted hairs in their tracks, avoid any topical hair-
removal creams or lotions that claim to slow hair growth. Chemicals in cream hair removers, such as
potassium thiogly-colate, potassium hydroxide, lithium silicates, urea, and some essential oils, can be
easily absorbed by your skin. The safety of these chemicals has never been studied on humans.
Waxing, the ancient method of hair removal, has been used for centuries. Waxing pulls hair out by
its roots, so the results last from four to eight weeks, and the new hair grows in soft and fine—or may
not grow back at all!
Commercially available waxing kits almost always contain some sort of chemicals—
preservatives, thickeners, emulsifiers, and such—that are able to penetrate the skin, especially when
heated, and we clearly don’t want that. Instead, we can prepare our own organic body wax to work
on our legs, arms, and even bikini line. With a bit of practice, as you develop a lighter touch, you can
use the blend on your face, too.
Waxing can be painful when done for the first time, so practice on your arms and lower leg before
applying wax to underarms or the bikini line. Don’t attempt a Brazilian wax—complete hair removal
from the bikini area—at home. Try waxing the bikini line first before considering a Brazilian. Going
to a salon for a professional wax is also recommended before you attempt to duplicate the hair-
removal procedure at home. Try to find a place that offers natural sugar wax so you are not treated
with unwanted chemicals. Before waxing, you will need to brace yourself and allow at least one-
eighth inch of hair to grow out.
Green Tip
Waxing can be painful when done for the first time, so practice on your arms and lower leg before applying wax to
underarms or the bikini line.
Here’s what you will need for your green home wax:15–20 cotton strips, 2-inch wide for legs and arms, and 1.2-inch wide for facial hair and bikini line.
Wou can cut these from a piece of fabric or purchase a roll from a beauty supply store.
Cornstarch-based baby powder
Flat wooden sticks or Popsicle sticks (avoid metal or plastic)
Two saucepans: one small and deep, one wide and shallow
Green Sugar Wax (recipe follows)
Grape seed, jojoba, avocado, or other body oil
Cotton cloth for cleanups (not cotton balls!)
Green Soothing Spray (recipe follows)
Making your own natural wax is easy and inexpensive. Make a smaller batch for the first waxing
session. Wou can always make more wax when you need it. The recipe yields enough wax to treat
two lower legs or two arms and a bikini line. I do not recommend reusing leftovers as they rarely
reheat evenly.