We are talking underarms: how to make them look and smell beautiful
Underarm is one tricky area – you don’t always see it but it could cause you your self-esteem once an essential remedy is skipped. Some women avoid sleeveless tops because they are taken aback by dark or discoloured underarms. Asians are especially very particular about their underarms looking clean and hairless – unlike the conservative Parisians who like it au naturel. Dilemmas arise in the quest of finding the right shaving method.
And then there is a persistent problem of body odour. Getting the right deodorant that suits you, picking your clothing fabrics to avoid sweat stains, oh woe is us when it comes to underarms!
Pros & Cons: hair removal methods
1. Waxing
Pain level: ★★★★★
- Flawless result. No dark shadows, and hair is plucked up to its root
- Waxing removes the dead skin on the underarm region
- Compared to shaving that lasts barely a day, waxing lasts at least a week. Over the years, the body would have adjusted and it takes even longer for the hair to grow back
- The process is undeniably painful
- Waxing can only be done on a sufficient length of hair. It means you would have to keep the underarm hair unshaved for a while before your next waxing session
2. Shaving
Pain level: ★☆☆☆☆
- All you need is a razor and shaving cream. Within 5 minutes clean underarm could be achieved
- You can shave practically anytime, regardless of hair length
- Shaving could benefit you barely a day. New hair grows tentatively 24 hours after shaving
- Frequent shaving darkens the underarm region, especially for Asians, because Asians have dark brown or black underarm hair
- The result is not very satisfying, because the root is not removed
- The razor blade can easily cut your skin and cause irritation, especially if you apply deodorant right afterwards
3. Epilating
Pain level: ★★★☆☆
Epilating refers to the usage of an electical device (epilator) that simultaneously plucks out underarm hair to its root.
- It is an ideal solution for those who hate the pain of waxing and are not satisfied with shaving alone. Invest on an epilator and you will get the almost similar result to waxing, but with less amount of pain
- Epilating can be done at the comfort of your home
- Hair only grows back tentatively 4 weeks after the process
- Some people still find the pain unbearable (although it is less painful than waxing)
- Frequent usage of epilator can cause your pores to be larger, hence more vulnerable to skin problems
4. Laser hair removal
Pain level: ★★☆☆☆
Refers to the more permanent hair removal method, laser treatment aims stops the underarm follicles to grow hair. The permanent result (after a series of touc-ups) will assure approximately 90% of hair to never grow back.
- Although sounding scary, laser treatment is actually gentle for your skin
- The process takes barely 10 minutes
- You almost never have to worry again about forgetting your hair removal regimes
- Laser treatment is pricy. In Malaysia, it roughly costs RM125 / session. As many as 6-10 sessions are needed to complete the process
- Burning sensation and skin swelling are to be expected from laser hair removal. The pain level varies because different individuals have different pain thresholds
5. Hair removal cream
Pain level: ★☆☆☆☆
- Products are available in the nearest drugstores and treatment can be done at home
- It lasts for 4-5 days, which makes it better than shaving with razor
- No blades are needed, which means you should expect no cuts
- Chemicals inside the cream are harsh. They need to be harsh to melt your hair, right?
- They do not remove the roots, so dark shadows can still be seen
- Frequent usage could damage your underarm skin. Hence, it is best to use such cream only once in a while
Avoiding body odour
When you are in Malaysia, sweat is a persistent friend that sticks to you at all times. Body sweat that mixes with bacterias could result in body odour.
“Excess sweating, a condition known as “hyperhydrosis,” often results in underarm, foot, and general body odor, especially when bathing is not regular.” - FAQs.org
1. Deodorant & Anti-perspirant.
Luckily for Asians, our bodies naturally produce less sweat. However, for those who have persistent problem of excessive sweat, you should either go for the natural antiperspirant (although some believe it does not work as the chemical ones) for they do not contain aluminium that has been connected to Alzheimer. If natural products do not work for you, it is best to consult a medical professionals for the effective treatment, sans dangerous chemicals.
Deodorant, as the name suggests, is a type of beauty product to avoid body odour. Sticks or roll-on type works better than spray, for they stick directly to your skin. Wait for the deodorant to get dry before getting dressed up to avoid chemical stain. Take regular bath to naturally wash away body bacteria that causes odour. It is recommended to change your deodorant every 6 months because body bacteria could get immune to the deodorant after a certain period.
2. Ingredients to avoid when looking for a deodorant / antiperspirant
Aluminium compounds, aerosol, antibacterials like triclosan, synthetic fragrances, parabens, petrochemicals like PEG
3. Recommended products: Burt Bee’s Herbal Deodorant, Body Shop’s Aloe Anti-perspirant deodorant
If you happen to stain your brand new white shirts with yellowish sweat stain on the underarm area, we have a solution for you: Yellow Stain Away!
