How I Save Over $1,000 a Year With This Self-Wax Kit
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I started waxing in high school after experiencing ingrown hairs and itchiness from shaving and read online that waxing reduces hair regrowth. However, if you’ve ever stepped foot into a waxing salon, you know that prices can add up.
For instance, I live in Los Angeles where there are plenty of waxing salons and usually find myself paying $90 (plus tip) for a visit to wax my underarms ($25) and bikini area ($65). And that doesn’t even count gas usage for driving there and back in traffic or parking prices depending on the salon location. Although it’s recommended to wax every two to four weeks, I find my hair can be extended to wax every four weeks to a month, so I usually budget $90 a month for waxing. While these prices could be lower in other cities and states, I wanted to see a direct comparison of how a self-wax kit could save compared with my annual waxing cost of $1,080 ($90 x 12 months).
When salons shut down in the past year, I decided to use it as an opportunity to test self-waxing. After looking at different reviews, I settled on buying a wax kit from Nad’s Store on Amazon.
About Nad’s: A Gentle and PETA-Friendly Hair Removal Brand
Nad’s is an award-winning hair removal brand was created by Sue Ismiel nearly 30 years ago. Sue sought to create a gentler hair removal product for her daughters. The original Hair Removal Gel was made from mixing honey, molasses, sugar and lemon juice, and the formula is still followed today. Nad’s distinguishes itself from other waxing kits by holding a certification from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), touting its commitment to testing only on human skin and never on animals. If you’re specifically looking to shop for cruelty-free and ethically made products, then this would be a great choice.
How Much Does the Nad’s Kit Cost?
Amazon currently lists the kit for $11.48, though I bought the kit for $9.97 in May 2020. In addition, Nad’s website shows the kit is also sold through other retailers such as Walmart, Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, Rite Aid and more with prices ranging from $10 to $14.
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Shop Nad’s Original Hair Removal Kit
The Verdict: Despite a Learning Curve, I’m Converted
While the Nad’s Original Hair Removal Kit took a few tries for me to get used to self-waxing, the overall experience was surprisingly easier than expected, and the routine of removing my body hair has been a strangely therapeutic self-care experience that I look forward to each month. Even if the Nad’s kit doesn’t end up being a good fit, the $10 price tag is cheap enough to try it and chalk it up to learning something new! Seeing how much I saved and my growing confidence in self-waxing has converted me to rely on the Nad’s kit for my usual maintenance, and I visit a waxing salon only for special occasions.
Pro: Instructions are easy to follow
Since waxing services are usually offered by certified estheticians, I had some doubts about my ability to wax myself properly. However, the instructions pamphlet included easy-to-follow directions with precautions to take and how to prepare your skin before waxing, how to apply the different kit materials throughout the waxing process and how to prevent irritation or ingrown hairs after waxing. The instructions also were categorized based on the waxing treatment area (e.g., legs & arms, face, bikini line) and included diagrams to show how to apply the wax and pull the cloth off.
It’s important to note that even though I’ve been self-waxing for a year with this kit, I still haven’t been able to remove all my hair in one go as an esthetician would but instead need to split the area into two to three parts. However, this seems to be due to having East Asian hair, which has the most cross-sectional shape compared to other ethnicities, which makes it hard to remove body hair by the root as swiftly. Once I have removed all the hair in an area, I’ve noticed that the hair that regrows is significantly less and much finer by the next month and has stayed that way in the past year.
Pro: Minimal side effects
I’ll admit that my first few misguided attempts were painful and resulted in pink, irritated skin. However, once I got the hang of waxing (the key is to be quick with ripping the cloth!), I could slap on the post-wax soothing balm or some aloe vera gel and go on with my day. As a reviewer named Cheryl puts it, “If you can withstand a Band-Aid pull off you can handle this.”
Pro: Cost goes a long way
For an entire waxing kit for less than $10, I’ve been able to use the kit on average once a month with about half of the gel still left.
The Waxing Kit includes one tub (6 oz.) of Nad’s Original Hair Removal Gel, four Pre-wax Cleansing Wipes, six Wooden Applicators, Reusable 100% Cotton Strips, one Post-wax Soothing Body Balm (15g or 0.53 oz) and one instruction leaflet.
In addition, the wood applicators and waxing cloths are reusable (though the cloths do fray, so maintenance requires periodic trimming of loose threads), and you can purchase the gel and cloths separately if you’ve run out. I’ve only used the wax on my underarms so far, but assuming that I used the rest of the gel for my bikini area, the cost per self-waxing session would come out to $10 in the past year, a 99% decrease from the annual $1,080 I had paid for salon waxing!
Con: Learning curve varies
As I mentioned above, there is a learning curve to self-waxing that differs with each product. Although the Nad’s kit was created to be more intuitive and gentler than other brands, some reviewers expressed that they experienced bleeding and greater pain, especially in waxing the bikini area. It’s important to note that the experience will differ depending on your pain tolerance and the area you’re waxing. If you think you might be more sensitive, Nad also offers a sugaring kit ($12.99) that is even more gentle than waxing.
Con: Messy cleanup
The real drawback that I’ve personally experienced is cleaning up after self-waxing. Because the gel is sticky, it takes some time to de-goo with water. I usually soak the used cloths in a tub for 10 to 15 minutes and then rinse the hairs off, but if you’re strapped for time, you can also clean the cloths right afterward with some more vigorous scrubbing.
Tips on Self-Waxing With Nad’s Kit
I’ve compiled some tips on self-waxing from different Amazon reviewers that I’ve found helpful in learning the process.
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