Eyebrow Raised in Speculation...

This post can be summed up by two nice, neat bullet points:

• I don't trust mall kiosks
• I sorta like the process of waxing

Random?  Perhaps...but keep reading.

So....over at my closest mall, the central pathways are littered with people selling all sorts of crap interesting things from kiosks.  They sell cellphone cases, tacky stickers, hair straighteners, creepy sketches, ironic t-shirts, crummy art, etc.  Kiosk vendors frighten me a little--they're like the mall equivalent of freakshow barkers, but unlike freakshows, I have no interest in what they're peddling. They can be a little aggressive, and when you're trying to dodge through the slow-moving mall masses who are intoxicated by the ulta-potent stink spray wafting from Abercrombie, the last thing you want is a kiosk vendor trying to clip fake hair into your scalp.

Then one day a few months ago, I noticed it.  Right near the food court.  Some unsuspecting mall shopper was plunked down in a salon chair, leaning back.  Another woman (kiosk barker) hovered over the sprawled out shopper, raking what looked like a long, thick piece of dental floss over the shopper's face.  I couldn't stop staring.  The kiosk lady had one end of the thread IN HER MOUTH while she dragged the rest of the thread over the shopper's eyebrows, chin, and so on.  Then I saw the sign, "Eyebrow Threading."

I had never heard of eyebrow threading, so I looked into it a bit:

• Threading is a "ancient" hair removal technique that comes from Asia
• It removes hair from the follicle, so it's relatively long lasting
• A pure, thin, twisted cotton thread which is rolled over untidy hairlines, mustaches and so on
• Threading removes an entire row of hair, resulting in a straighter line 

I'm all for trying new things, but a few things struck me here:

1. When I am getting a spa procedure done, especially one that involves having hair removed from my body, I prefer to have said procedure done in private.  This eyebrow threading kiosk was, as I said, in the middle of the mall, right near the food court.  Thousands of people walk by on their way to get their hit from Aunt Annie or that slut Cinnabon.  There's no privacy smack in the center of the mall. There was no partitian, nothing to allow for at least the appearance of discretion.
2. The threader kept holding the thread in her mouth.  HER MOUTH!  ICK!  I'm probably just being a germ-phobe, but the whole mouth thing just hits me wrong.  It seems so unsanitary.

On a final note: I am going tomorrow for a much needed brow and upper lip waxing (and express pedi!) at my favorite (private and hygienic) spa.  There's something about waxing that is almost pleasurable to me.  I like the feeling of the hot wax on my skin, the way the gauze is rubbed into the wax, and that moment right before the gauze is ripped off my flesh.  Those silent seconds of anticipation are a hoot.  I don't think I'd give that up for someone to rake a thread (dangling from their mouth) over me.  But that's just me.  I'm stuck in my ways, I suppose!

If you've had threading done or if you want to convince me that it's better than waxing, leave me a comment!

Ask Lydia: Upper Lip Waxing

Hi Lydia,

I have a question about lipwaxing. Am a lipwax virgin. Afraid to try for fear the hair will grow back thicker, true? Is bleaching an option? Or is there a cream ointment I could use that will kill the hair follicles? Funny how the older you get you start losing the hair you want (like the hair on your head) and start growing it in unwanted places, like around the mouth!

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Hi and thanks for your question.

It sucks being a mammal. We have hair all over the place, and it can show itself in some truly horrifying places.

When it comes to facial hair removal, we do have options: tweezing, cream hair removers, waxing, or more permanent hair removal techniques. And all options have pros and cons. Now, fair warning: I am not an expert...so if anyone has anything they want to add, be sure to leave a comment.

TWEEZING
Pros: it's easy, it's almost free (you just have to pay for the tweezers), it requires very little skill, it is a precision job, and it's best for small areas of hair (upper lip, eyebrows, etc.)
Cons: you need really good lighting, it can be painful (have you ever pulled a root out? Ouch! Plus it can bleed--yuck!), it's easy to miss hairs, ingrown hairs can happen if you over-tweeze or incorrectly tweeze, and it seems like tweezing is a never-end job
Do it right: if you want to tweeze, invest in a decent pair of slant-ended tweezers (check out Tweezerman's selection at Sephora--they're worth the money), a decent mirror, and a good light. Click here for pointers on how to tweeze properly.

CREAM FACIAL HAIR REMOVERS
Pros: potentially not as painful as other hair removal techniques, relatively easy to use, readily available
Cons: creams can be irritating to skin, can smell nasty, and can be messy. You may need to get a prescription if you use products like Vaniqua.
Other thoughts: I have never bleached or used a cream facial hair remover, but I have tried products like Nair on my legs in the past. I found the product to be harsh-smelling and it didn't do as good of a job at removing my leg hair as my trusty razor. Since the blade has no place near your face, I'd personally recommend tweezing or waxing over cream removers.

WAXING Pros: excellent results, someone else does it for you, hair takes longer to grow back
Cons: somewhat painful, can be irritating to your skin, requires regular upkeep which means regular visits to your salon/spa for a wax
Other thoughts: This is my preferred facial hair removal method. I personally like the way a waxing feels...it's somewhat painful but also a bit cathartic. You will need to let the hair grow in a bit before going in for a wax. You may also want to exfoliate the area somewhat regularly before your waxing appointment to deter ingrown hairs. You might experience some redness, swelling, or tenderness immediately after a waxing. (If you're in the Seattle/Everett, WA area, the Mill Creek InSpa does excellent waxing and I've rarely had to deal with post-waxing redness after an appointment!)

PERMANENT MEASURES
There are more permanent options for getting rid of unwanted hair. If you're interested in laser hair removal or electrolysis, I would strongly recommend that you talk to a professional. They should be honest about what you can expect, how much pain and money will be involved, and how many sessions you'll need to undergo.

For facial hair, I prefer waxing and tweezing. They seem to be the most easy and cost-effective. If anyone has any thoughts on this, go ahead and leave a comment!

Blunt Bangs for Spring 09

I never know what to do with my hair! When I go to a salon, it usually goes like this:

STYLIST: What would you like to have done today?
ME: Oh, I don't know. I guess just make it blonder and trim it.
STYLIST: Do you want to add layers or change your part?
ME: Sure...whatever...I don't know. As long as my new style is easy to maintain...

See? That's pathetic and hopeless. And I know I am not alone when it comes to hair confusion/fear in the stylist's chair.

Well, I'm finally here to help you and myself. Nicholas Penna, Jr. of SalonCapri outside of Boston is predicting that blunt bangs are going to be hot this spring...and he was good enough to share some tips on how to get this look the next time you go to the salon.

Nicholas Penna, Jr. of SalonCapri:

1. What is the hot style for Spring?
Blunt bangs are the hot style for spring because they add edge to hair. For a long time, soft hair was the trend and now there’s a change with some attitude. Celebrities such as Kate Hudson in the new movie Bride Wars and Erin Lucas from MTV’s newest reality endeavor, The City, are both sporting blunt bangs which makes it even hotter.

2. What hair type does this style work best on?
Blunt bangs typically look best with straight hair that is cut all at one length. However, we've recently seen stars like Kim Kardashian wearing her blunt bangs with wavy hair creating a contrast between the hip, edgy bang with romantic, tousled hair. Another variation to the blunt bang is to incorporate angles that frame your face, such as Anne Hathaway’s haircut.

3. What face shape do these bangs look best on?
Blunt bangs work well for everyone, if done right. Many times, younger people can pull off the style the best, but virtually anyone can sport this look. The best face shape for blunt bangs is a longer, oval-shaped face.

4. What are some other great bang choices for girls who do not have the appropriate hair texture/face shape?
Longer bangs that can be pushed to the side of the face add movement to the hairstyle, such as the side swept bang. This type of bang is the most universally worn and can look great on many different face shapes/hair textures.

5. Additional tips...
Blunt bangs add to style to your look, even when your hair is pulled back into a ponytail. You can just blow out your bangs and throw your hair back. It adds an egde to your look and gives you a change that's not as drastic as a shorter haircut.

I think that this style is definitely going to last well into this season. It is a faddy look, but I think it’s one that will stand the test of time. As it evolves, I imagine people will start to wear the bang in different ways, more tailored to their personality.

There you have it! One great idea for a new Spring 'do!