Removal of hair from the body is as ancient as the pharaohs of Egypt. Long before the bikini clad sunbathers discovered bikini wax, wives of the pharaohs had this technique perfected in a method we call ‘sugaring’. It was a thing of beauty to be absolutely hair free. The Greeks and Romans would take up this technique and immortalize it in their sculptures. Women would be depicted in very smoothly polished sculptures without a trace of pubic hair whatsoever. It is also in this time that the first kind of depilatory creams were developed with names such as ‘philotrum’ and ‘dropax’. The path of hair removal is well trodden.
In the 16th century Turk ladies were known to be very particular about removing all the hair from their pubic areas; public baths were their immediate destinations whenever one felt that the influx of these hairs was of concern. Queen Catherine of France was however against this trend and forbade it during her reign.
Waxing would make a comeback in the 1960’s with the advent of the bikini. While waxing is usually associated with women, men are increasingly taking up the trend. Waxing can be used to remove large amounts of hair at a time and this has contributed immensely to its popularity. Waxing produced a soft hair re-growth and doesn’t carry the risk of irritation that comes with razor burns.
Wax is melted and warmed and applied in the direction of hair growth. Hair is stripped off from the roots by pulling off the wax in the opposite direction. There are cold waxes available on strips. These are patted onto the skin and then stripped off.
Using wax demands caution so as not to burn the skin. In the case with bikini wax, this is a particularly sensitive area and could produce the most severe irritation. It is also in the bikini waxing technique that most imagination and creativity abounds. From the Brazilian to the Triangle patch, the names are as many as the styles all demanding patience and expertise in their execution. Naturally, this is not a do-it- yourself technique.
Current trends in fashion are pro- waxing, with body hair still frowned upon, emerging trends are pushing the limits of what can be waxed. Anal, perineum and vulva waxing is becoming more common. This is considered an extreme form of bikini waxing. New products have been developed to facilitate these new trends. Indeed, there are anal lightening gels to guard against ingrown hairs. Wow!
