Razors? Wax? Depilatory creams? These are the usual materials people use to conquer unwanted hair, and you may have tried them too. If you are in search of gentler ways to achieve smooth, silky skin (without the usual side order raw skin) take a look at a few natural hair removal remedies right out of the kitchen.
• Turmeric and papaya paste
. These two ingredients are used in Indian and in Thai cuisine. However, they are also a gentle and effective way of getting rid of hair. Start your paste by using your blender to puree a small green papaya. For every four parts of pureed papaya, add 1 part of turmeric powder. Mix well and let stand for half an hour to settle the mixture.
Massage the paste on the body part with unwanted hair, rubbing gently against the direction that the hair is growing. Continue the process for 15 minutes then wash off completely. Repeat this two to three times a week. Over a two to three week period you should notice less hair in the areas that have been treated. You should also notice that any new growth is finer than usual.
• Turmeric and milk mask
. Here’s another gentle hair removal concoction for you to try. Make a turmeric-based paste by adding milk to a cup of turmeric. Add the milk gradually, a teaspoon or two at a time, just until you have a thick paste.
Spread this paste thoroughly and leave on until it is totally dry. Wash off gently with warm water. Repeat treatment twice a week until results are satisfactory.
Here’s another version of this recipe that I really like:
• Oatmeal rub
. Put one or two cups of oatmeal in a bowl and add water or milk gradually, a teaspoon or two at a time. Keep on adding water until you have a mixture resembling a mound of peas.
Take a scant handful of the mixture and rub this against your legs, applying a bit more pressure when you go against the direction the hair is growing. Continue until you have given all the skin on your legs a good rub.
This treatment should be repeated at least once a week. You can also do this alternately with other home treatments, such as those that use turmeric or papaya.
• Warm sugar treatment
. This method is just as effective as waxing, but its application will take caution and concentration. Warm sugar treatments, also called body “sugaring”, will remove hair from the roots. If you use this method repeatedly, you will see that less and less hair will grow back, and whatever manages to peek through your pores will be finer.
You will need sugar, water, lemon juice, a candy thermometer, strips of dry gauze bandage, and a rubber spatula. Mix 2 ½ cups light brown sugar, ¼ cup lemon juice, and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan. Boil this mixture until your candy thermometer reads 250F. Allow the mixture to cool until you are able to tolerate the heat without burning yourself. Test with your fingertips when you think the mixture has cooled sufficiently, and remember that the skin on your inner thighs will be much more sensitive than your fingers.
Here’s where you need to exercise the greatest care: using the spatula, spread the warm syrup over your legs –working from the outer to the inner side. Limit the sugaring to a five to six inch area. Quickly cover the “sugared” area with gauze strips, and give a few minutes for the cloth to absorb the sugar and for the mixture to be just about dry.
Peel off the cloth strips in the same way that you would peel off plaster. Repeat the procedure with the rest of your legs. Because you can only work on five to six inch area per application, this procedure will take time and you may have to reheat your sugar mixture.
These hair removal methods have been used for centuries in many parts of the world. Give them a try and maybe you will find one that will work well for you.
