Estrid Razor Subscription Review

(Gifted contains affiliate links) If you have a social media account of any kind, chances are you've already heard of Estrid *. The cool, minimal Scandinavian shaving brand is all about pastel hues and effortless imagery, with an ergonomically designed, effective razor at the forefront.

Estrid is a razor subscription brand, created to counteract the massive markups we see in the realm of female hair removal.

We've known for quite some time now that as women, we pay significantly more for our razors, so Estrid have come onto the scene to provide a female and non-binary razor at a fair price. Because why should we be paying above the odds for shaving our body hair, if we choose to do so?

To get started, first you choose your starter kit. Priced at £7.95, with free climate-compensated delivery, the kit includes your razor handle (choose from 4 colours), a matching wall mounted holder and two 5-blade cartridges. You then go on to choose how often you want your pack of 4 cartridges delivered; here you have the option to select once a month, every second month or every third month, depending on how frequently you shave.
Once you get through to the billing page, you'll see that you're only charged for your starter kit and won't be charged for your first round of replacement cartridges until the following month. Bare in mind that you can skip, pause or cancel the subscription if you try out the starter kit and decide it's not for you, or if you don't think you're going to need replacement blades as soon as you thought. You're really not locked into anything here.

Cruelty-Free and Vegan (yes, apparently that's a thing) the razor itself is obviously pretty aesthetically pleasing but I was pleasantly surprised by its durability. It's got some expensive-feeling weight to it (you know what I mean?) with a steel handle with a rubber underside for good grip. And we all know how important a firm grip is when it comes to wielding a razor. Ergonomically shaped to comfortably fit into your hand, the razor comes with a 5-blade, removable and replaceable head with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E for a smooth, close shave. It probably sounds odd but I'm impressed with the Aloe Vera and Vitamin E bit. It's not like one of those glued on lubricating strips that goes gloopy and swells up after it gets wet once and it doesn't fall apart, leaving bits all over you. It's sort of stone-like but satisfyingly slippery when wet. I have shaved my legs relying only on the lubrictaing bit of the razor for slip, and it glided over my skin beautifully.

This razor really does provide a beautifully close shave that leaves me with no irritation, so even though I was given the razor for review, I am tempted to subscribe for the replacement cartridges. It's worth mentioning that subscribers have the option to purchase a few extras to complement their shave, including a Shave Cream, Body Lotion and Body Oil Wash priced from £7.95 to £8.95.
You can find out more and subscribe by visiting Estrid *. If you do choose to subscribe, use the code EQUALITY and Estrid will donate one euro to Fawcett Society, the UK's leading membership charity that campaigns for gender equality and women's rights at work.

Sugaring vs Waxing

(aff links) Something a little bit different today because I spent a large portion of the Summer just gone thinking about body hair and how best to rid myself of it. I've therefore been asking myself a few very (un)important questions over the past few months:
What's the difference between waxing and sugaring?
Does waxing hurt more than sugaring?
Should I really attempt to wax or sugar myself at home?
How can I remove the hair on my legs without it growing back within 10 minutes?
Can I give myself a Brazilian wax and if so how do I avoid 3rd degree burns on my bits?
So. Many. Questions.

Summer may be long gone but while it was still here, I tried a few different hair removal methods - hot wax, wax strips, sugar wax and an epilator have all featured - and throughout this vanity-driven journey I've felt inspired to share my findings and try to answer that age-old question that plagues so many of us (it doesn't): Which is better? Waxing or Sugaring?
So let's break it down, first of all we need to discuss how these two methods of hair removal differ.

Sugaring vs Waxing - What's the Difference?

The main difference between the two methods of hair removal is obviously the general formula; one uses a wax of some description while the other involves some variation of sugar. With waxing, you can choose between soft wax or hard wax. Generally speaking, hard wax is used on smaller areas with coarser hair (think bikini area and armpits) and soft wax is used on large areas such as the legs. Hard wax is stripless (it's allowed to cool slightly before being quickly 'zipped' off) while soft wax is spread onto the skin with a spatula and then removed with a cotton or paper strip. You can also buy pre-waxed strips, that I have used for years on my facial hair and the large strips can be a good option for getting your legs hair-free.

Body Sugar or Sugar Wax also comes in a few different variations - there's the soft sugar, which you apply with a spatula and take off with a strip (you can find a few different brands in Boots) or a 'hard' sugar, which I haven't seen in any stores but is fairly easy to make yourself. Hard sugar formulas are actually quite fun to use (yep, I've made my own and it actually worked) as it involves 'kneading' your little lump of hard sugar until it becomes opaque and flexible, spreading it onto your hairy skin and then quickly zipping it off. There are plenty of recipes online and step by step videos on YouTube showing you how to make this but they generally involve a bag of sugar, water, lemon juice, a little salt and a bit of patience while you heat it over the stove.

Does Waxing hurt more than Sugaring?

In my experience, yes, yes it does. The reason for this is that wax formulas not only adhere to the hair you want gone, but to the skin as well...which you probably don't want gone. This means that when you remove the wax, you remove some skin cells with it, which, granted is good for a wax-and-exfoliation-in-one effect but not so good if the wax didn't grab all the hairs and you want to go over the area again. I have made the mistake in the past (which I actually haven't learned from as I still do it occasionally) of over-waxing my upper lip and essentially giving myself a graze. Not only is this not a great look, but it stings! If I behave like a normal person and don't overdo the waxing on my upper lip, it's totally fine though and I'm moustache-free for a few weeks. I have also had a few DIY bikin wax attempts that have ended with me CUTTING WAX out of my pubic hair with nail scissors because it's all gone terribly wrong and hardened too much before I've braved the big rip.

I have found sugaring to be much less painful - yes it still feels like you're tearing your hair out at the roots, but it's much more bearable. This is because sugar does not stick to your skin, it just wraps itself around the hairs, therefore you're not irritating your skin in the process. Sugar wax is also water soluble, so if you do happen to get some stuck in your hair, or you chicken out and want to get it off your skin without taking any hair off, you can just remove it very easily with water.

Some Waxing and Sugaring Products I Recommend

As mentioned, I have tried a lot of different hair removal products over the Summer just gone, so I thought I'd share a few that worked well for me.

Hair Removal Wax:

Smooth Appeal Original Facial Hair Remover Wax - This is a little saucepan of wax that you heat carefully on the hob before applying to the hair and removing quickly, without a strip. This is one of the more gentle formulas I've found.
*A note on post-facial wax care; I often would break out in tiny white heads on my upper lip a few days after waxing and it totally took away all the enjoyment of having a nice, smooth face. I found a way to stop this happening, which is quite simple really - I now gently cleanse the area after waxing (obviously cleanse before waxing too) with a tea-tree wash (we have a big bottle of Australian Bodycare Skinwash) and the next day apply a gentle acid exfoliant - I was using Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner but I've now run out so will try something else next time. If you have sensitive skin, this might not be a great idea, but it worked for me in keeping the post-wax spots at bay.

Jolen Facial Wax Strips - Pre-coated wax strips that look a lot like sticky tape. Hands down, the best, least irritating wax strips for face that I've tried. They're quite reasonably priced too, which is always a bonus.

Veet EasyGrip Ready-to-Use Wax Strips - Large, pre-coated strips that I found to be good for bigger areas, like legs. These are by no means painless but they are really easy to use. Just warm the strip a bit in your hands before pulling it apart so the wax is nice and sticky, ready to adhere to the hairs. Or, do what I do and sit on the strips to keep them warm and ready as you wax. If that's not an excellent hack, I don't know what is.

Sugar:

Nad's Natural Hair Removal Wax  - This is a sugaring kit that inlcudes a tub of 100% natural Sugar Wax, wooden applicators , fabric strips and a little bar of pre-wax soap. The soap is a really important step as it removes any oils (both natural and from body lotions etc) from the surface of the skin and hair, giving the sugar the best grip. I found this to be an excellent product and was really pleasantly surprised when I first tried it.

I haven't tried any other commercial sugar wax formulas as yet but as mentioned, I did make a little pot of my own that I used a few times and found to be really effective. There are a lot of tutorials out there but I followed this one on YouTube.

Overall, I definitely prefer sugaring as a hair removal method - it's less painful, it's easier to clean up and it's much less irritating. That said, I have had some great experiences with professional waxes (you can read my reviews of Brazilian and Bikini waxes at Ministry of Waxing here and here) and am yet to try professional sugaring - that'll be one for next Summer I think!

The Hollywood Browzer Review

When I first read a review about the Hollywood Browzer I felt a bit intrigued and a little hesitant. Intrigued because, until this point I'd never had any kind of shaver near my face and afraid because the Browzer essentially looks like a Sweeney Todd-style cut throat razor. 

Ok, if I think back a few months I do recall seeing something on Huda Beauty's Instagram about a razor for women to use on their peach fuzz. You know that invisible hair that makes itself known only when you've just carefully applied a layer of foundation? That. I didn't think that as a female i could actually use a blade to get rid of anything more than the peach fuzz - after all, doesn't shaving make the hair grow back about a trillion times thicker? My mustache is already darker and more pronounced than I would like it so I'll be damned if I'm going to make that situation any worse! 

The Hollywood Browzer, however, is currently trying to convince me that razoring off my facial fuzz is not going to result in a full, Shoreditch-style beard. 

This nifty little gadget may look a little like a somewhat deadly cut throat, but in reality it's much less intimidating. The foldable device flips open to reveal a stainless steel-waffle coated blade with safety guards on each side. This design ensures that it doesn't cut or irritate the skin so you can go about your grooming business without fear of nicking your skin/lopping off any of your facial extremities.

After taking it out of the packet and staring at it for a bit, I decided to give it a go on my upper lip. To use the Hollywood Browzer, you hold it at the non-bladed end (obviously) at a 45 degree-ish angle and gently swipe across the hair. After doing this on my mustache I noticed two things:

1. My upper lip suddenly felt and looked as smooth as after I've waxed the hell out of it.
2. It's actually weirdly satisfying and quite fun to see all the little hairs on the blade.

After I'd de-stached I had a go on the peach fuzz (fun), sideburns (really fun) and, as the finale I gave my brows a little tidy up (instant gratification). It's really quite a brilliant little tool!

As an upper lip-waxer, I've beco me accustomed to expecting redness for a good few hours after the deed is done, so it felt like an actual treat to remove the hair and not have the irritation afterwards.

The Hollywood Browzer is not just for the face, you can use it to tidy up the back of a hairy neck as well as the stomach and bikini line. Though to be honest I think I'd need an industrial-sized one for that.

The Hollywood Browzer is £15 (for two razors and a travel pouch) and you can find it at hollywoodbrowzer.com or Boots.

iPulse SmoothSkin Extra - First Impressions

Before Christmas I was invited along to The Mayfair Hotel (!) to learn all about the iPulse SmoothSkin Extra  Hair Reduction System. Exclusive to Boots, the iPulse SmoothSkin Extra uses IPL (intense pulsed light) to discourage hair growth, eventuating in a virtually fuzz-free existence!

At the event, (in between sips of Prosecco and nibbles on mini fish and chips!) I got to see the iPulse in action and was instantly a little more than inclined to try it out for myself. Even though the iPulse Extra is designed to work its magic on most skin tones, I was advised that I was a perfect candidate due to my fair skin and dark hair combination. Finally, my pale hairyness might just be good for something.
I haven't started trialling the device properly (you need to use it once a week for at least 4 consecutive weeks to see results) so I can't comment on how effective the iPulse Extra is just yet but I have tried it out to assess how easy it is to use and what kind of pain I'm looking at!

How Do You Use It?

The Ipulse SmoothSkin Extra is quite similar to other at-home IPL systems in that it features a handheld wand with a rather small window that omits flashes.

 The iPulse features a unique skin tone sensor that gauges your skin tone then sets the device to the appropriate strength setting - this way you're less likely to have any discomfort during your DIY treatment. 

iPulse SmoothSkin Extra Skin Tone Sensor

It's essential to apply the activator gel before you start zapping away - the gel acts as a conductor for the flashes and also keeps the skin soothed as you flash it.

iPulse SmoothSkin Activator Gel

Once the area has been tested with the skin tone sensor and the gel has been applied, you're ready to flash! (no, not like that). Observe the rather tanned, hair-free woman in the image below as she demonstrates...

Does It Hurt?!?

I've read a few conflicting views about this aspect of the iPulse Extra - some people feel a very slight sting, others experience a tingle. I'm more on the tingle end of the spectrum and I don't find it unpleasant to use at all. It's worth noting that people who have completed the 12 Week Challenge have reported that any discomfort disappears over time. In other words, the more you use it, the more pleasant the experience.

The iPulse SmoothSkin Extra is loaded with 100,000 flashes, which is more than enough to treat your hairy bits over 12 weeks, which is the recommended time frame for optimum results.

The iPulse SmoothSkin Extra is available exclusively at Boots for £399.

Below you can watch a blink-tastic little video of yours truly at the iPulse event at The Mayfair Hotel (the last bit involves my comments on Sensationail which I might post about in the future).

A Hairy Issue feat. Smooth Appeal Microwave Formula

Like most dark haired women, I have a slight issue with excess furry bits. 

Since I hit my mid twenties my body has taken great delight in sprouting hair in places that I don't really want it and thanks to this I am fortunate enough to have a bit of a lady moustache going on.

My lady-mo, while maybe unnoticeable to others, is a great source of anxiety for me when applying foundation (the product clings to the little hairs, no matter what the formula) and I can always see it in close-ups of my mouth when I'm photographing lipstick posts.

And my eyebrows? Naturally they are thick, wiry and very dark, so when I've been lazy on the brow maintenance front, I feel like people can see my stray stubbly bits from across the road.

So since I first looked in the mirror and saw Burt Reynolds staring back at me twiddling his ample 'stache, I've been like a woman possessed trying to track down a solution to my facial hair woes.

So far, the removal routes I've gone down have left me with burns, rashes and irritation, a massive breakout (thanks Benefit Brow Bar) and even a horrifying incident in which I managed to wax of half an eyebrow and my first few layers of skin at once. Ouch.

But it's not all been doom and gloom in my mission for facial hair removal and today I wanted to share my go-to home waxing product that has secured a spot in my beauty regime.

Smooth Appeal Microwave Formula Facial Hair Remover Wax.

Smooth Appeal is appealing indeed thanks to its effective yet gentle formula that includes Aloe Vera, Vitamin E and Tea Tree extracts.

The microwave wax is easily malleable and spreads precisely onto hard to navigate areas such as the eyebrows.

The spatula is teeny enough for applying wax only to areas that you want hair-free, unlike pre-waxed strips that can be a little tricky for using to gain the perfect arch.

The real selling point of this wax for me is that it's strip free, therefore less messy and in my opinion, much easier to use!

The trick with this stuff is to warm it to the right consistency before you use it - it should look like thick honey rather than molten lava.

When it's at the right temperature (bath water hot) you simply spread a thin layer on, leave to set until it's slightly hardened then peel it off quickly.

Any excess wax is easily removed with a little bit of oil (don't use essential oil because it might cause irritation) and the skin is left smooth with very little redness.

This is the best at-home waxing product I've come across so far and from looking at the Boots website, it seems a lot of other women are singing its praises.

You can find Smooth Appeal microwave formula at Boots for £5.69 which isn't bad considering one pot contains about ten facial waxing treatments.

Have you tried this wax? What's your go-to hair removal product?

Thanks for reading!