Removing all or some of your body hair is a personal choice, and we’re firm believers in doing whatever works for you. Many men and women do choose to wax, though, especially before the big day and long-awaited honeymoon. However, it’s not a very pleasant thought when making that waxing appointment. Often accompanied by pain, discomfort and even skin conditions like rashes or in-grown hair have made many skeptical of this procedure.
We take a look at the other options out there, which may just make things slightly easier and prevent you from getting in a sticky situation.
Sugaring
This method makes use of a sugar mixture which is applied at body temperature. That already means there is no chance of burning as is sometimes the case with wax. The sugar paste does not stick to live skin cells, only to hair and dead cells – giving the best exfoliation and leaving your skin smooth when the dry paste is removed. Although not completely painless, sugaring is considerably less painful than waxing.
Laser
Laser treatment’s biggest perk is the fact that it leads to permanent hairlessness over a long time if that’s what your goal is. However, it is quite expensive and you might still have to go for up to six treatments per year, depending on your hair growth and other factors like the quality of the laser machinery. Also, not completely pain-free, but most women say that it is definitely less painful than waxing.
Electrolysis
Different to laser treatments but working on the same basic principle, a probe emitting shortwave radio frequencies is applied to hair follicles to stop new hair from growing. This damages your hair follicles to prevent growth. Unlike laser technology, electrolysis is able to treat even blonde, white and grey hair.
Dry shave
It’s not groundbreaking, but it has proven to be an effective -and cheaper- alternative. Easy to do at home, a waterless electric shaver is quick and easy, with the bonus that it won’t cause in-grown hair like shaving does.
Image: Pexels
If there’s any time at which you need the ease and conveniences of the internet the most, it’s during your engagement. Planning the big day is stressful enough…
On your wedding day, you want to look and feel your best. However, getting here requires work that often starts months before your big day. Here are some tips to make sure you are looking and feeling your best come wedding day.
Develop a consistent skincare routine and STICK TO IT!
Hopefully you already have one in place, but it is important to have a skincare routine designed for your particular skin. Maybe you have oily skin, dry skin, or sensitive skin. Maybe you have discolouration, rosacea or fine lines. Regardless, there are many products created to cater for a multitude of skin types and concerns. Now, developing a skincare routine is not easy. It’s mainly just trial-and-error.
While Koreans are famed for their 12-step routines, many dermatologists recommend a simpler skincare routine with three key steps: cleanse, tone, moisturise. Another thing dermatologists agree on is that SPF is the most important skincare product everyone should be using. Sunscreen protects your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Many skincare and makeup products contain SPF, which makes it that much easier and leaves you with no excuse not to use it.
Facials:
Treat your skin to a facial with your regular aesthetician every month in the lead up to your wedding. When meeting your aesthetician, highlight what you want to focus on with the facials. It’s also important to speak up about your skin type. If you’ve got sensitive skin, your aesthetician has to be very careful about the types of products they use, and it’s the same for dry and oily skin.
Importantly, make sure not to get a new facial the day before your wedding. Your skin might react weirdly and leave you with a nasty pimple on your big day. Leave yourself a couple of days for your skin to calm down and really reflect the benefits.
Exfoliate:
Get rid of those pesky dried skin cells with a weekly exfoliant that will leave your skin silky smooth. Exfoliants help your skin appear brighter and glowing, which is always a good thing. Be careful when choosing your exfoliant, as some can be too harsh on your skin.
Importantly, over-exfoliating can leave your skin dry, flaky and irritated, so best avoid using this product more than three times a week. Usage will change depending on the strength of your exfoliator.
Manage your stress
I know it’s hard, but this one’s important. With all the wedding planning and small moving parts to keep track of, your skin and body is likely to show your internal stress. You need to keep stress at bay so that it doesn’t show up in your skin through a breakout. A host of other conditions like exzema and psoriasis can be worsened through stress.
Consider sharing the load and delegating jobs to your bridal party to help out so that you don’t carry all the stress of event planning. If you have an event planner, that’s even better! It’s also a great idea to participate in some stress-relieving activities like yoga, painting or reading.
Feature image: Pexels
Sometimes, things are better left off social media. Unfortunately, this groom-to-be did not know this, and ended up losing his fiancée over comments he posted on Reddit. Taking…
You’ve surely heard the phrase “tie the knot” many times in reference to marriage. The saying is quite common globally. In fact, “tie the knot” is so common a phrase that nobody really questions what knots really have to do with marriage at all.
Many claim that the expression’s etymology is unknown and that the theories that do exist are not rooted in facts. That being said, there is one theory that stands out and is very commonly cited as the true genesis of the saying.
The theory suggests that the phrase “tying the knot” comes from a centuries old wedding tradition called the “handfasting ceremony”. Handfasting is an ancient Celtic practice that can be traced back to the medieval era (the 5th to the 15th century).
Essentially, a couple who was to be engaged would have their hands tied together with cloth effectively binding them together and making them one. The handfasting’s purpose was to strengthen the bond between the couple before the official wedding. The ceremony would take place “a year and a day” before the official marriage, where a second handfasting would take place.
Some have understood the practice as a betrothal or an engagement ceremony while others have conceptualised it as a “trial period”. Those who prefer the “trial period” version argue that the second handfasting would only take place if the couple got along in the “year and a day” since their first handfasting.
While the Celtics of Scotland are often touted as the originators of the practice, the ancient Mayans and the Hindu Vedic community have also been linked to similar ceremonies.
In fact, tied knots are symbolic of marriages and love in many cultures and places. In the Roman times, a bride would wear a belt tied in a “Hercules knot”. The knot was said to indicate the binding character of the marriage oath.
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In England, France and Denmark, the “True-love’s knot” represents love and fidelity. Ribbons tied in a true-love’s knot were distributed as party favours at weddings or, in France specifically, were tied around the arm.
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In the Philipines, a rope is placed on the shoulders of the couple to show fidelity and in Hindi weddings a part of the bride’s outfit is tied to her groom’s scarf to represent an everlasting bond.
The handfasting ceremony has not disappeared over time. According to BBC, “before 1939 handfastings which took place in lieu of a church wedding were legally recognised as weddings resulting in marriage”. Today, in Scotland, handfastings are purely ceremonial but they may take place on the same day, or even at the same time as the official nuptials.
The practice is by no-means limited to people of Scottish descent, anyone is free to have a handfasting ceremony. So if you’re looking for something interesting and unusual to incorporate into your special day, why not consider a symbolic handfasting ceremony? You could even hold on to the resulting knot as a keepsake from your wedding day!
Here are some examples of handfasting today:
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Image: Unsplash
Grooms these days have endless options when it comes to wedding attire. Even the most extra groom can voice his wildest dream-suit, we bet it’s out there. Depending…
The turn of the century has seen some exciting new trends emerge, with one of the biggest in bridal makeup being the “barely there” makeup look. But trust us, as simple as it looks, it’s not so easy to get it just right. The most important thing to remember is that less is more and you want to look radiant, not weighed down by make-up. Let your natural beauty shine through with a ‘no makeup’ makeup look.
If you’re doing your own makeup for the big day, or even just want to keep this look going on your honeymoon, we’re here to help. Choose neutral colours that are right for your skin tone and avoid over-application. The aim is not to see the makeup, rather the effect thereof.
Check out these step by step tutorials on how to nail this airy look.
-For darker skin tones:
-For lighter skin tones:
Remember, these are just guidelines and each bride might feel comfortable with something different. Play around with makeup to see what makes you feel the most beautiful. And most importantly, have fun!
Picture: Instagram/emmanouela_make_up_artist